As a City Council we have a responsibility not only to the families and businesses of Abbotsford, but to the land that Abbotsford sits upon as well.
During City Council’s 2022-2026 term, we’ve been committed to minimizing environmental and climate related impacts in our community, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. We’ve introduced a number of measures over the past 4 years to help achieve those goals and highlights include:
- Climate Resilience Strategy (CRS): In July 2026, Council approved the City’s CRS, which provides a road map for the City’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts over the next 25 years. It envisions “A low-carbon, resilient Abbotsford where people, the natural environment, and the economy thrive together in a healthy, connected community.” The CRS addresses Abbotsford’s most significant climate risks, targets the community’s key sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and advances climate adaptation and resilience priorities while providing broader social, economic and environmental benefits for the City and region.
- Fraser Valley Zero Emissions Mobility Strategy (FVZEMS): In June 2026, Council approved the FVZEMS, a regional strategy to support the shift to zero-emissions transportation, in partnership with the City of Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley Regional District, with funding support from BC Hydro. The strategy identifies opportunities to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accelerate EV adoption, and expand charging infrastructure where they would be most needed.
- Achieved GHG target: In 2024, the City achieved its corporate GHG reduction target of 20 per cent compared to the 2007 baseline level, including reductions of 62 per cent for Public Works, 26 per cent for City vehicles and 13 per cent for City buildings. In 2025 total reductions were 22 per cent lower than the baseline, including reductions of 53 per cent for City vehicles, 17 per cent for Public Works and four per cent for City buildings.
- Abbotsford Recreation Centre (ARC) Heat Recovery and Optimization (HeRO) Project: In May 2026, the City completed construction of the ARC HeRO Project, which captures waste heat from the ice rink and reuses it to heat other areas of the facility. This will reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions while improving the overall efficiency of ARC operations. This project was funded in part by a more than $4.45 million investment by the Government of Canada and a $4.2 million investment by the Province through the Growing Communities Fund.
- Builder Education Series: In 2024 and 2025, the City offered a series of educational workshops for building industry professionals funded in partnership by FortisBC and BC Hydro and supported by the Cities of Mission and Chilliwack, Community Futures South Fraser, BC Institute of Technology, and Canadian Homebuilder’s Association Fraser Valley. The workshops covered Provincial emission reduction targets and performance requirements for energy efficiency in new buildings, as well as airtightness strategies for building near zero or net zero homes.
- Corporate lighting upgrades: In 2024, the City upgraded LED lighting at seven fire halls resulting in savings of approximately 75,000 kilowatt hours and $16,500 annually. In 2025, the City secured utility funding for lighting upgrades at City Hall Annex and the Legacy Building at Exhibition Park, reducing energy use and operating costs, and completed two studies to identify lighting upgrades at other facilities.
This is just a sample of some of the projects and accomplishments that we are proud to have achieved as a municipality these past few years. There are still more initiatives on the way, including plans for flood mitigation on Sumas Prairie that reflect the growing impact of climate-related events, as well as a Residential Retrofit Program, which will support residents in reducing their homes’ carbon footprints through decarbonization and energy efficiency improvements. A pilot program is set to roll out later this year.
The Cities of Abbotsford and Mission also received $4.7 million in Federal and Provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program CleanBC Communities Fund to upgrade biogas technology at the JAMES Wastewater Treatment Plant to produce carbon-neutral renewable natural gas to heat homes and reduce emissions.
In Abbotsford we are surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, and the actions we take will help ensure that that beauty can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Abbotsford City Council