TEAM on climate: an AI data centre moratorium, trees for heat and no sewage in False Creek
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would pause approvals for AI data centres, plant and protect more trees against heat, favour reusing old buildings over demolition, plan for floods and drought, end raw sewage flows into False Creek, and use incentives in place of mandatory building rules.
ENVIRONMENT
Resilient City Planning: what the Our Positions says
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver calls its climate plan the Local Environment Action Plan. The party says City Hall claims to be green while encouraging high-rise towers over low-rise wood buildings, letting usable housing be torn down, and losing green space and trees. TEAM says its own policy will aim for results that can be measured, avoid what it calls green-washing, and weigh the cost to residents and businesses.
Several promises deal with heat and water. TEAM would plant more trees, protect mature ones, keep and add green space, build under the existing tree canopy where possible, and count the urban heat island effect, the extra heat that builds up in dense areas with little shade, when planning growth. It would plan for floods, rising seas, drought and food security, and upgrade sewers so raw sewage and pollution stop reaching False Creek.
TEAM says the greenest building is the one that already exists, so it would favour fixing and reusing old buildings over demolition. It would pause approvals and permits for AI data centres until local rules can deal with their use of water and power. Instead of mandatory energy rules for existing buildings, it would offer incentives for owners who choose to upgrade, and it would keep low-income residents in mind when choosing climate policies.
Most of this sits with City Council, which controls zoning, city sewers and Vancouver's own building bylaw. Placing schools within walking distance of students is up to the Province and the School Board, so on that item the city can only work with them.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Share of daily car trips the party says involve transporting school-age children
The party's figure12 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Plan for long-term resiliency and walkable neighbourhoods
TEAM would plan for long-term resiliency, stability and walkable neighbourhoods where practical.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets city plans and zoning.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
The party would focus on the 3 Rs, reduce, reuse and recycle, for a sustainable and green city.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the city's own waste policies and bylaws.
Incentives for lower emissions such as free EV parking
TEAM would use incentive-based policies to encourage a move to lower or zero emission targets, such as free parking for electric vehicles.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets city parking rates and its own incentive programs.
Trees and green space against heat
The party would avoid and reduce rising heat by expanding tree planting, protecting mature trees, keeping and adding green space, building under the urban forest canopy whenever possible, and considering the heat island effects of growth when planning communities.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council controls tree bylaws and zoning on private land, while the Park Board manages park trees.
Reuse existing buildings before demolition
TEAM would prioritize adaptive reuse of existing buildings through retention and renovation, in place of what it calls the current wasteful bias toward demolition and new construction. It says it is better for the environment to extend the life of buildings while updating them.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council controls zoning, permits and the city building bylaw that shape renovation choices.
Moratorium on AI data centres
The party would enact a municipal moratorium on approving and permitting AI data centres while local planning and regulatory frameworks are developed to address all negative consequences. Its pages name concerns about livability, the environment and heavy use of water and electrical power.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council controls zoning and development permits in the city.
Plan for floods, extreme heat, rising seas and drought
TEAM would invest in strategic planning for flood preparation and mitigation, and plan for adapting to extreme heat, rising sea levels, floods, drought and water shortages, and food security.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the capital plan that pays for city infrastructure.
Upgrade infrastructure to stop sewage reaching False Creek
The party would upgrade city infrastructure to improve the environment, such as avoiding raw sewage or pollution going into False Creek, and make sure growth and infrastructure capacity are aligned.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the capital plan that pays for city sewer and drainage upgrades.
Walkable communities planned with neighbourhoods
TEAM would work directly with neighbourhoods to reduce driving by creating practical, walkable communities.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets neighbourhood plans and zoning.
Schools within walking distance
The party would work with the Province to locate K-12 schools within walking distance of where students live. It says up to a quarter of daily car trips involve taking school-age children to school.
- Who has the power
- Province Schools are run by the School Board and funded by the Province, so the city can only work with them.
Climate action with defined goals
TEAM says climate resilience action should have defined goals and should avoid what it calls green-washing of other agendas.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the goals of the city's own climate plans.
Voluntary incentives for building upgrades
The party would give incentives for voluntary upgrades of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and move to zero emissions, in place of mandatory rules it says are currently proposed and may be impractical or beyond people's means.
- Who has the power
- City Council Vancouver has its own building bylaw, so Council can choose between rules and incentives for building energy use.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about resilient city planning
Does TEAM for a Livable Vancouver want to ban AI data centres?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would enact a municipal moratorium, a temporary stop, on approving and permitting AI data centres until local planning and rules can deal with their effects on livability, the environment, water and power (TEAM Our Environment page).
What is TEAM's Local Environment Action Plan?
It is the name TEAM gives its environment plan. The party says it focuses on caring for parks and green space, encouraging low-rise wood buildings, and making sure infrastructure can withstand harsh weather (TEAM Our Environment page).
What would TEAM do about sewage in False Creek?
TEAM says it would upgrade city infrastructure to avoid raw sewage or pollution going into False Creek, and make sure growth stays in line with infrastructure capacity (TEAM Our Environment page).
Would TEAM force building owners to cut emissions?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would offer incentives for voluntary upgrades of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and reach zero emissions. The party opposes the mandatory rules it says are currently proposed (TEAM Our Environment page).
How would TEAM protect Vancouver from extreme heat?
TEAM says it would expand tree planting, protect mature trees, keep and add green space, build under the tree canopy where possible, and consider heat island effects when planning growth. It would also plan for extreme heat, floods, rising seas and drought (TEAM Our Environment page).
Why does TEAM favour renovating old buildings?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says the greenest building is the one that already exists. It would prioritize keeping and renovating existing buildings and says extending their life is better for the environment than demolition and new construction (TEAM Our Environment page).
Can Vancouver set its own climate rules for buildings?
Yes. Vancouver has its own building bylaw under the Vancouver Charter, so Council can choose between rules and incentives for building energy use. TEAM says it would use incentives for voluntary upgrades (TEAM Our Environment page).
ON THE BALLOT
The TEAM for a Livable Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- TEAM our environment, learn more SAYS SO ITSELFTEAM for a Livable Vancouver · checked