The Climate Action Charter (CAC) is the initiative the province developed to encourage municipalities in BC to work towards carbon neutrality in their corporate operations. A total of 179 out of 189 municipalities in BC have signed onto the CAC as of January 2012. Signatory communities to the CAC commit to the following:
1. To become carbon neutral in respect of their operations by 2012, recognizing that solid waste facilities regulated under the Environmental Management Act are not included in operations for the purposes of this Charter.
2. To undertake measuring and reporting on their community’s GHG emissions profile; and
3. To commit to creating complete, compact, more energy efficient rural and urban communities.
By signing the CAC, municipalities become eligible to receive a rebate for their annual carbon tax costs. Linked to the annual carbon tax rebates, the province has established standardized provincial reporting requirements that include reporting on the progress of the CAC commitments.
District of Squamish Council signed the Climate Action Charter in December of 2008.