FORT ST. JOHN – – The City of Fort St. John has been awarded Community of the Year by Clean Energy BC.
This award recognizes excellence by a community engaged in the development of clean energy in British Columbia. The award acknowledges excellence in any or all aspects of community engagement, including but not limited to education, awareness, and involvement in a clean energy project.
The City was recognized for three of its major initiatives. The City built a house that is certified LEED Platinum and Passive as a demonstration project that is used to provide education on energy conservation.
And in 2015 the City launched a micro hydro project that put a turbine on effluent discharge to generate power. This project generates enough energy to power 70 homes.
The third initiative is the City’s Energy Literacy Program. This Council program provides educational opportunities to Fort St. John citizens on energy conservation and it provides energy education to the citizens of BC.
Education is provided locally through annual programs with tips and contests on energy and water conservation, regular tours of the passive house and support of programs offered by local community groups. Education on where our energy comes from is provided to our provincial citizens by way of strategically placed advertisements and advertorials in provincial publications.
“I am very pleased that our city has been recognized for the work we do,” says Mayor Lori Ackerman. “In Fort St. John we understand what is behind that light switch and thermostat. We know what it takes to make and deliver energy safely every day; so we have work hard to conserve it and set an example for others.”
