Harbour Air is showing how innovation led by business is critical to making changes needed due to the climate crisis. Clean BC’s Go Electric ARC program is investing $1.5 million to help Harbour Air convert to fully electric aircraft.
 
“This funding is imperative to help us do that and show other companies across all sectors how investing in innovation can result in commercial success,” Harbour Air president Randy Wright told the Times Colonist.
 
Harbour Air made history in December 2019 when its fully electric aircraft flew for the first time, ushering in the Electric Age of Aviation. The project is now working on improving engine design and battery systems, and will support 21 full-time jobs.

​The province announced its latest iteration of its efforts to reduce climate pollution. The focus of the plan is to shift away from fossil fuel use with initiatives such as increasing the number of public charging stations for electric vehicles.
 
The plan features eight pathways that will affect the cost of energy and increase regulation for some industries:

• increase price on carbon pollution to meet or exceed the federal benchmark, with supports for people and businesses;
• require new industry projects to have enforceable plans to reach legislated targets and net zero by 2050;
• stronger regulations to nearly eliminate industrial methane emissions by 2035;
• comprehensive review of oil and gas royalty system, with outcomes released in February 2022;
• require all new buildings to be zero-carbon by 2030;
• 90% of passenger vehicles sold must be zero-emission vehicles by 2030 and 100% by 2035;
• develop 10,000 ZEV targets for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;
• accelerate shift toward active transportation and public transit;
• increase clean fuel and energy efficiency requirements; and

support innovation in areas like clean hydrogen, the forest-based bioeconomy and negative emissions technology.

In an effort to reduce spending, the federal government announced two new targeted relief programs to replace now-expired subsidies.
 
The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program will be accessible to fewer businesses than previous programs. The wage and rent subsidies, specifically, were widely used by businesses across Canada to ride out the pandemic recession. Both programs ended Oct. 23.
 
Eligibility for the new programs requires businesses to show significant revenue loss over 12 months of the pandemic as well as in the current month.

• The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program provides wage and rent support to hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and restaurants, with a subsidy rate of up to 75 per cent.
• The Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program provides support for other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50 per cent.

A program to get more people out of their cars and onto e-bikes is proving popular for the District of Saanich.

The Community E-bike Incentive Pilot Program launched Oct. 12. It’s aim is to provide 300 people with between $1,600 and $350 toward the purchase of an e-bike. As expected, the $200,000 allocated for the program is being claimed quickly. After the funds run out, the municipality will review the program to see how it fits with future climate programs.

Next week marks a significant shift in responsibilities and opportunities for businesses in BC that are required to check for proof of vaccination.

On Sunday, everyone over the age of 12 will need to present their BC Vaccine Card to show they are fully immunized against COVID-19. And then on Monday, the province is lifting restrictions on capacity limits in specific situations. This will allow more people who are fully immunized to gather together on Vancouver Island and other areas of BC with high vaccination rates.

“The provincial health officer order restricting capacity limits to 50% for inside organized events and gatherings will be revised to allow 100% capacity in those settings where the BC Vaccine Card is in place and proof of vaccination status is checked,” BC’s Ministry of Health said in a news release. “In addition, the requirement to remain seated at a table in restaurants and pubs will be lifted. Indoor mask requirements remain in effect for all indoor gatherings and events.”

The changes mean that many theatres, stadiums and events such as weddings can return to full capacity.