Delta's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint has garnered the municipality more than $200,000 in grant money from the province.
Delta North MLA Scott Hamilton this week announced the Corporation of Delta would receive $212,740 in recognition of its commitment to supporting a healthier, more sustainable community. "Investing money in communities that are committed to sustainability is a sure fire way to ensure we do the best we can for our future generations," Hamilton said. In 2007, Delta signed the B.C. Climate Action Charter, a non-binding memorandum of understanding agreeing to create complete and compact communities, measure and reduce community and corporate greenhouse gas emissions, and become carbon neutral in corporate operations by 2012.
All communities that have signed the Climate Action Charter are eligible to receive 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid on natural gas and vehicle fuels as a rebate. Delta provides an annual inventory of fuel use and
also publicly reports on actions taken to reduce emissions corporately and in the community.
For the 2012 reporting year, Delta achieved carbon neutrality through the use of carbon-offset credits from two local projects, the household organic waste collection program and the Vancouver Landfill Gas Capture Optimization
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Project.
Delta was among 180 municipalities to receive a grant through the program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work toward their Climate Action Charter goals.
"I am grateful for the B.C. government's investment towards Delta's efforts to reduce our community's carbon footprint," said Mayor Lois Jackson. "...This grant will help us continue our climate change mitigation efforts, which are paramount to protecting our environment for future generations."
The grant money will be put into a climate action reserve account to be used to fund future greenhouse gas reduction projects.
