North Cowichan's efforts to produce a Climate Action and Energy Plan were rewarded recently with an Award of Excellence from the Planning Institute of BC.
On May 14, as the PIBC was holding its annual general meeting in Vancouver, it handed out it awards, with the Municipality of North Cowichan's plan carrying off a silver award of excellence in policy planning - small town and rural areas.
"We are very pleased that this plan is receiving such positive reviews," North Cowichan Mayor Jon Lefebure said. "Council will continue to work with our climate change advisory committee, staff and community members to implement the CAEP and reduce both our corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption."
The CAEP was adopted by North Cowichan council on Feb. 20, 2013 and by May 1 that year, councillors adopted the Climate Action and Energy Reserve Fund with a 1.5 per cent property tax increase.
The fund is intended to support projects that reduce the municipality's energy use or greenhouse gas emissions.
This is the second award that the CAEP has won.
The first award was received from the Community Energy Association on Sept. 18, 2013.