Celebrating Bold Action and Creative Leadership
September 24, 2025
Communities that are at the forefront of incorporating sustainability and climate action into their operations and planning were recognized with Climate & Energy Action Awards today at the annual Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria.
Eight awards were presented:
City of Kelowna – DeHart Community Park and the Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy
City of Maple Ridge – Resilient Future 2050 Plan
City of New Westminster - təməsewtxʷ Aquatic and Community Centre
Municipality of North Cowichan – Net Zero RCMP Detachment
Nisga’a Nation – Climate Leadership Plan
Uchucklesaht Tribe Government – Climate Action Plan
University of British Columbia – Residential Environmental Assessment Program
A short summary of each winning project is provided at communityenergy.ca/awards
“One of my main takeaways from the 2025 awards program is simply that climate action builds resilient communities,” says Megan Lohmann, CEO of the Community Energy Association, and host of the awards ceremony. “Communities are better off when climate action is grounded in the heart and values of a community and integrated into planning, implementation, engagement, and education. These projects prove it’s possible.”
About the Climate & Energy Action Awards
Presented by the Community Energy Association, the awards date back to the late 1990s and recognize projects led by municipalities, regional districts, and Indigenous communities. In 2025, a record 29 nominations included plans and strategies, transportation initiatives, new and renovated buildings, energy projects, public engagement initiatives, and more. The smallest community to be nominated was the Village of Tahsis with 390 year-round residents; the largest was a collaboration of organizations in Metro Vancouver that serve 2.6 million people.
A summary of each nominated project was presented in a special edition of the CEA newsletter last month and are available at communityenergy.ca/awards2025
The eight winning projects were selected by a panel of judges composed of impartial experts not employed by CEA. In selecting the winning projects, judges highlighted the collaboration, replicability, community involvement, determination, and enhanced community resilience that was evident in the nominations.
Climate & Energy Action Award Sponsors: BC Hydro, FortisBC, the Province of British Columbia, the Real Estate Foundation of BC, the Union of BC Municipalities, and Vancity.
Climate & Energy Action award winners, nominees, and sponsors at the conclusion of the awards ceremony held during the Union of BC Municipalities convention, Sep. 24, 2025.
About CEA
The Community Energy Association accelerates bold action by local governments and Indigenous communities related to climate and energy. CEA grew from a committee established by the Government of BC and the Union of BC Municipalities in the 1990s, was incorporated as a non-profit in 2003, and registered as a charity the following year. CEA functions as a non-profit consultant with members and a Board of Directors; more than half of CEA’s member-organizations are local governments and Indigenous communities.
