CleanBC needs a renewal, not a retreat
- FTFO
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The excellent article on the CleanBC review in the Vancouver Sun on January 2 , 2026 is critical of the program. It starts with the positives and then gets down to the shortfalls.
"In late November, a six-month-long review of CleanBC, B.C.’s climate plan, published its final report.
While offering several worthy recommendations, the report is also plagued by backsliding, lowering of targets, false solutions, and an overall lack of emergency-level ambition.
The review falls flat in a number of other ways. It claims that emission reduction targets deemed “unrealistic” can “backfire … (leading) to either rollback or inaction.” It thus recommends lowering the 2030 target for EV adoption to 50 to 60 per cent (rather than 90 per cent) and completely removing the ban on sales of new gas-powered vehicles set for 2035.
B.C. was the first jurisdiction in the world that legislated a target to reach 100 per cent EV uptake by 2035. These new “recalibrations” make a mockery of B.C.’s earlier leadership.
The reviewers also advise loosening Zero Carbon Step Code requirements (regulation that limits climate pollution from new buildings). While we agree colder regions of the province should have more time to adopt the highest levels, 90 per cent of B.C.’s population resides in the southern part of the province that should be seeing faster adoption of ambitious policies.
Emission targets are crucial metrics that provide accountability and transparency. They must be aligned with what science and justice demand, not political convenience. Allowing for voluntary uptake of key climate solutions fails to send a signal about the urgency of the climate crisis."
Published Jan 02, 2026
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