Community Energy Association

The trusted independent advisor to local governments on climate and energy

Community perspectives on CleanBC

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CEA spotlights community perspectives and priorities during the CleanBC review

Dec. 3, 2025 

CEA has played a key role in the public review of CleanBC, from collecting input on local priorities to facilitating greater local understanding of the implications of the review’s recommendations.

Submissions to the Review

Summer 2025

Shortly after the review was initiated by the Government of BC and the BC Green Party, opportunities for public engagement were announced. CEA responded by facilitating special meetings with various peer networks, leading to two submissions:

 Submission from NorthCAN
The Northern BC Climate Action Network (NorthCAN) is one of CEA’s regional networks, representing a variety of public and private sector voices across Northern BC.

 Submission from CEA’s topical peer networks
This submission representing local government staff engaged through CEA’s topical peer networks recognizes that buildings and transportation are two sectors where local governments have direct and significant impact on emissions reductions.

CEA was uniquely positioned to collect and offer recommendations from communities around BC given that it currently facilitates 16 regional and topical networks. Last year, for example, nearly 1,200 people from 124 local governments and 16 Indigenous communities participated in more than 60 peer network meetings and events.

 CEA’s own submission to the CleanBC review drew on CEA’s track record as a BC-based organization working with communities on local climate and energy topics for nearly 30 years. The submission recommended a provincial energy strategy, sustained funding (especially for local governments), more consistent data, and stronger provincial leadership on workforce and communications.

Response to the Report

December 2025

Rising to the Moment, the Final Report of the CleanBC Independent Review Panel, is more than 90 pages, includes seven priorities and 31 specific actions, and outlines eight guiding principles for the renewal of CleanBC. It is the result of more than 2,500 survey responses, nearly 300 written submissions, and meetings involving more than 150 organizations.

All of this information was synthesized by CEA in a summary of the recommendations and potential implications for local governments organized in relation to the themes that emerged in the submissions to the review:

 

CEA also hosted a “deep dive” on CleanBC for CEA members and member-organizations. More than 50 people attended from communities across BC, making it a unique opportunity to hear insights and perspectives from diverse contexts.

CEA members reflected that they are overall pleased with the CleanBC Review Report and hope to see Government respond promptly to the review with an action plan to help maintain momentum on climate action. In addition, CEA members highlighted the need for sustainable funding and extending LGCAP, aligning targets with economic opportunities, emphasizing electrification, and community engagement.

CEA’s next steps

The CleanBC Review puts forward, “to rise to this moment, the Province of British Columbia and its agencies must respond in a manner that reflects the scale of both the challenge and the opportunity” (p. 4).

CEA will continue to provide forums and information that will help communities meet the moment. Our members, along with local government and Indigenous community staff, are already active in peer networks that enable dialogue and information-sharing for such constituencies as elected officials, regional groups, and experts in topics such as electric mobility and resilience.

It will be important to leverage these networks and our relationships to facilitate further reflection and analysis on the report’s recommendations. Likewise, we will seek to collaborate both on feedback to the Province and implementation of the opportunities that result from this review.

We have work to do, but the CleanBC review is an opportunity to refine, localize, and strengthen the tools communities have at their disposal to contribute to provincial ambition while advancing local priorities and goals.

—Megan Lohmann, CEO of Community Energy Association