About

Our research followed three key phases: preliminary research, a solutioning workshop, and a legal review conducted by Lidstone & Company.

Preliminary Research

CEA developed an initial list of 22 regulatory pathways related to buildings and transportation. This list was shaped by:

  • Insights from CEA’ experience as the convenor of local government peer networks related to buildings and transportation
  • Input from BC Hydro staff
  • Sampling recent local government climate action plans through the BC Community Climate Action Dashboard, and identifying actions related to regulatory mechanisms for decarbonizing buildings and transportation.
  • Related briefing notes and publications

This list formed the starting point for discussion with our advisory group.

Solutioning Workshop and Shortlisting

In April 2024, CEA hosted a workshop with local government leaders and subject matter experts to review and refine the preliminary list. The group focused on identifying regulatory pathways where legal clarity and practical guidance are most needed.

Discussions explored:

  • Which tools are already in use and which show future promise
  • Where authority remains unclear, even when tools are being applied in some jurisdiction
  • How real-world examples can help build confidence and capacity in other communities

A key takeaway from the workshop was that regulatory authority is often unclear, even for tools that are already being used in some communities. The group identified priority pathways for further exploration, which were then grouped into three focus areas: Mobility, New Buildings, and Existing Buildings. Several tools overlap between categories, reflecting the interconnected nature of climate action.

Legal review

Following our workshop and shortlisting, CEA engaged Lidstone & Company Law Corporation, a firm specializing in municipal law, to conduct a legal review focused on local government authority in British Columbia. The review clarified underused regulatory tools available to municipal and regional governments—many of which had gone untapped due to uncertainty around legal authority, implementation processes, or conflicting interpretations among staff and legal advisors. The legal review involved:

  • A thorough analysis of relevant provincial legislation
  • A review of how local governments have interpreted and applied these regulatory tools in practice

This work followed two complementary streams:

  1. A broad legal opinion on the top regulatory tools available to local governments for reducing emissions in buildings and transportation.
  2. A focused analysis of specific tools identified by the advisory committee as both high-impact and legally ambiguous. These tools were selected based on questions and insights raised during the Solutioning Workshop.

This two-part approach enabled a deeper understanding of how local governments can navigate regulatory frameworks to take more focused and effective climate action.

Lidstone & Co. produced a memorandum outlining the legal mechanisms that municipalities and regional districts can use to advance regulatory approaches to decarbonization. While it does not provide legal advice on individual bylaws, it illustrates how various tools can be applied and clarifies the legal basis for action.

Glossary Entry

About

Our research followed three key phases: preliminary research, a solutioning workshop, and a legal review conducted by Lidstone & Company.

Preliminary Research

CEA developed an initial list of 22 regulatory pathways related to buildings and transportation. This list was shaped by:

  • Insights from CEA’ experience as the convenor of local government peer networks related to buildings and transportation
  • Input from BC Hydro staff
  • Sampling recent local government climate action plans through the BC Community Climate Action Dashboard, and identifying actions related to regulatory mechanisms for decarbonizing buildings and transportation.
  • Related briefing notes and publications

This list formed the starting point for discussion with our advisory group.

Solutioning Workshop and Shortlisting

In April 2024, CEA hosted a workshop with local government leaders and subject matter experts to review and refine the preliminary list. The group focused on identifying regulatory pathways where legal clarity and practical guidance are most needed.

Discussions explored:

  • Which tools are already in use and which show future promise
  • Where authority remains unclear, even when tools are being applied in some jurisdiction
  • How real-world examples can help build confidence and capacity in other communities

A key takeaway from the workshop was that regulatory authority is often unclear, even for tools that are already being used in some communities. The group identified priority pathways for further exploration, which were then grouped into three focus areas: Mobility, New Buildings, and Existing Buildings. Several tools overlap between categories, reflecting the interconnected nature of climate action.

Legal review

Following our workshop and shortlisting, CEA engaged Lidstone & Company Law Corporation, a firm specializing in municipal law, to conduct a legal review focused on local government authority in British Columbia. The review clarified underused regulatory tools available to municipal and regional governments—many of which had gone untapped due to uncertainty around legal authority, implementation processes, or conflicting interpretations among staff and legal advisors. The legal review involved:

  • A thorough analysis of relevant provincial legislation
  • A review of how local governments have interpreted and applied these regulatory tools in practice

This work followed two complementary streams:

  1. A broad legal opinion on the top regulatory tools available to local governments for reducing emissions in buildings and transportation.
  2. A focused analysis of specific tools identified by the advisory committee as both high-impact and legally ambiguous. These tools were selected based on questions and insights raised during the Solutioning Workshop.

This two-part approach enabled a deeper understanding of how local governments can navigate regulatory frameworks to take more focused and effective climate action.

Lidstone & Co. produced a memorandum outlining the legal mechanisms that municipalities and regional districts can use to advance regulatory approaches to decarbonization. While it does not provide legal advice on individual bylaws, it illustrates how various tools can be applied and clarifies the legal basis for action.