Natural gas decision could test unity of Vancouver’s ABC majority

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Vancouver city council’s abrupt policy shift on natural gas in July marked a rare moment when ABC councillors voted against their caucus colleagues. Now, with council set to consider the final bylaw adoption next month, further cracks appear to be forming within the city’s ruling party.

ABC Coun. Rebecca Bligh, who voted with the ABC majority to support the natural gas pivot, is signalling now she could switch her vote for the final decision.

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“There’s a lot of information coming at us since that vote in July that is levelling the playing field,” Bligh said.

Since sweeping to power in 2022, ABC’s seven councillors and Mayor Ken Sim have voted in unison on almost every council decision, with only a few exceptions on mostly relatively minor matters.

Council’s summer natural gas vote was different.

In July, ABC Coun. Brian Montague introduced an amendment in a council meeting with no prior public notice, directing city staff to amend bylaws to start allowing natural gas for heating and hot water in new buildings. This reversed a four-year-old policy established by Vancouver’s previous council to reduce carbon pollution.

Montague and Sim pitched it as a move to accelerate housing construction and improve affordability, and it narrowly passed by a 6-5 vote.

ABC councillors Lisa Dominato and Peter Meiszner opposed, voicing concerns about moving backwards on the city’s climate targets, along with the three non-ABC councillors.

Council’s July decision was praised by the leadership of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver, as well as a coalition of labour and business groups, including propane companies.

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It also prompted a backlash. First, environmentalists blasted the decision. Then, a group of construction industry leaders wrote to council urging them to think twice about the move, refuting the claim it could improve housing affordability. More recently, a group of local business leaders from a range of industries also wrote to council asking them to consider the damage it would do to Vancouver’s international brand as a sustainability leader.

Now, Bligh says the fact she supported Montague’s July amendment does not mean she will approve the final decision next month on the amended bylaws.

Bligh cited the earlier arguments in favour of allowing people to cook with natural gas. As it turned out, in the days after Montague’s amendment was approved, city manager Paul Mochrie wrote a memo to council “to address a mischaracterization we have seen in ensuing media stories.” In fact, Mochrie wrote, the city’s current bylaws already allow for gas in cooking, as well as fireplaces or backup heating in new homes. The existing policy only prevented the use of natural gas for heating and hot water in new buildings.

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“We heard that people should get to choose how they cook. Well, we’ve since heard that this has nothing to do with how people can choose how they cook,” Bligh said. “We heard things like this is going to make housing much more affordable, while small builders are saying that’s not necessarily true.”

Bligh said she does not yet know how she will vote in November. But she is signalling that there is a chance she could switch her vote, which could kill the attempted policy shift.

“I’m still getting information, but I’m definitely eyes wide open to the detailed analysis and information that’s balancing the conversation that we did not have in July, that we are increasingly getting as the weeks progress toward the end of November, and I’m taking all of that in,” Bligh said.

“For me, it’s not a foregone conclusion that I support reversing the bylaw.”

It’s also not a foregone conclusion how other final votes will go in November. Meiszner or Dominato could still switch their votes to support the ABC majority.

A group of about 100 business leaders recently wrote to council expressing “profound concern” about the July decision, and urging the city to remain “committed to its long-term climate goals and … not allow short-term pressure from one out-of-touch industry to derail the progress we have made together.”

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The letter’s signatories include well-known figures from Vancouver’s retail, restaurant, movie, engineering, technology, investment, and tourism industries.

“Our businesses have thrived in a city that is recognized globally for its commitment to sustainability and forward-thinking policies. We have collectively invested in building a future that aligns with these values, understanding that sustainability is not only good for the planet but also for the economy,” the letter says. “Vancouver’s building bylaws, based on sound climate science, have been a cornerstone of this progress, helping to reduce the city’s carbon footprint significantly. The sudden reversal, no doubt influenced by pressure from the gas industry, undermines decades of efforts to build a sustainable, resilient economy and a strong reputation as a globally recognized, climate leading city.”

Steve Anderson, CEO of Vancouver software company New/Mode, said he was motivated to organize the letter because council’s recent actions have implications beyond natural gas.

“It just makes the city look bad,” Anderson said. “It hurts our brand. It hurts our reputation. Businesses that will be thinking about moving here, like other tech companies, will not know what to expect now. Because if the government’s making a quick decision here based on, seemingly, the influence of one narrow lobby, they could do it elsewhere as well. You don’t know what to expect. So there’s this instability and uncertainty it creates in our whole economy.”

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Anderson was concerned, too, he said, about the revelation this month that a Fortis lobbyist met with ABC councillors as well as the mayor’s senior adviser David Grewal, who is also a director of Vancouver-based natural gas companies, before the July decision. “This draws into question if the decisions made by our government are being made in the best interest of our residents and businesses.”

Green Coun. Adriane Carr will introduce a motion this week that mentions Montague’s amendment and asks staff to report back with opportunities for council to challenge such an amendment “on the basis of misinformation or insufficient information.”

Bligh says she doesn’t know yet if she will support Carr’s motion, as she is unsure about some of its details. But she broadly shares concerns the July decision was made without full information.

Montague’s July amendment “came in very last minute, with not a lot of analysis,” Bligh said. “Let’s get the analysis. We’ll make our decision then.”

dfumano@postmedia.com

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