Concerns over health risks, climate impacts, and carbon reduction have led some Canadian municipalities to ban new gas hookups, even as Vancouver City Council moves toward a final vote on whether to reinstate the fossil fuel in new developments after banning it in 2021.
In early November, environmental non-profit Dogwood BC gathered community members in East Vancouver to discuss the health, cost, and climate benefits of phasing out gas.
“If we know we need to decarbonize society, why would we keep adding to the problem by building new buildings that we have to decarbonize later?” said Paige Gorsak, an organizing manager at Dogwood.
The organization hosted the community workshop to help residents speak out against Vancouver’s reversal of its original gas ban. The policy change followed “behind-the-scenes” discussions involving senior city officials with industry ties, raising concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest, Vancouver Sun columnist Dan Fumano wrote in October.
Gas Warms the Atmosphere, Pollutes Homes
It’s time for cities to phase out gas, David Miller, Managing Director of the C40 Cities Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy, writes in an op-ed for The Globe and Mail.
“We can dramatically reduce emissions from gas, but to do so starts with the recognition that gas is a dangerous fossil fuel and needs to be treated as such,” Miller says. Research suggests gas is just as harmful as other fossil fuels, if not worse. A recent study found that the climate impact of liquified natural gas exports from the United States can be up to 33% greater than coal.
“Natural gas,” which is actually methane, produces fewer emissions than coal when burned. However, research indicates that fugitive methane leaks during production and transport have a powerful warming effect on the atmosphere—likely worse than previously thought.
In cities like Toronto and Vancouver, buildings are often the largest source of carbon emissions. “We need to reduce the use of gas significantly where the problem is most acute—the gas used to heat and cool buildings,” writes Miller. Beyond climate impacts, using gas in buildings also harms indoor air quality and public health.
Research finds that electric heating alternatives, such as heat pumps, are equivalent in cost, on average. “It’s not only a climate issue, but a health and cost of living issue,” Sunil Singal, a campaigner at Stand.earth, told the Dogwood BC event.
Local Businesses Respond to Reversal
Some cities have recognized the dangers of natural gas—in 2021, Vancouver banned natural gas hookups in new buildings in a landmark municipal move. Other cities, including Port Moody, Burnaby, and most recently Montreal, followed suit.
However, in June 2024, Vancouver Council voted 6-5 to reverse the natural gas ban.
A Postmedia investigation reported that the vote could be good business to Mayor Ken Sim’s senior advisor, who is a director of two private gas companies.
According to Gorsak, reversing the gas ban would make Vancouver the first city to reintroduce a known pollutant into homes.
Councillor Brian Montague, who proposed the motion, told CBC News his decision was meant to leave the choice of energy source to homeowners.
In response to the reversal, hundreds of homebuilders and small business owners signed a letter in October asking councillors to reinstate the ban. Dozens of construction industry leaders sent a similar letter.
“There is often an argument that says [the gas rules] are harming the business communities,” Sonia Strobel, co-founder and CEO of Skipper Otto, told The National Observer. “It’s important for us in the business community to stand up and say this isn’t harming us. We have the responsibility, as business owners, to adapt and make changes in the face of the climate crisis.”
