Solar Communities

SolarBC will establish five Solar Communities accross the province by engaging local governments and First Nations communities to take a leadership role and raise awareness of the SolarBC program.

The Solar Communities project is a part of the SolarBC Program, which has a goal of transforming the market for solar hot water systems in B.C. The goal of this initiative is to identify five ‘Solar Communities’ that:

• Will commit to promoting the SolarBC program in their community;
• Are already investing in solar hot water technology; and
• Are willing to provide visible support of solar hot water technology.

SolarBC will provide $10,000 — $20,000 plus assistance for marketing, training and solar policy development to the five selected communities.

The City of Dawson Creek provides a successful example of a Solar Community from the SolarBC pilot project. The City of Dawson Creek made public commitments to reduce the amount of natural gas the city uses by installing solar hot water systems wherever possible to demonstrate leadership, provide energy security and to provide visibility to solar hot water technology within their community. The City Hall and Fire Hall now have solar hot water systems and the RCMP, arenas, yards and the airport are scheduled next.

Local governments and First Nations have been invited to submit a proposal to become a Solar Community. The application process is now closed. Please check back in September to learn about the selected Solar Communities.