Climate and Air Quality Action Plan

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is mandated to enable Canada's trade while protecting the environment. In keeping with that mandate, and in support of the Government of Canada’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, we're working to phase out port-related emissions that contribute to climate change and affect air quality by 2050, in line with the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy. To guide us on this journey, we’re developing the port authority’s first Climate and Air Quality Action Plan for the Port of Vancouver.

About the Climate and Air Quality Action Plan

The Climate and Air Quality Action Plan for the Port of Vancouver will guide our efforts, today and tomorrow, to phase out port-related emissions in close collaboration with stakeholders and Indigenous groups across the region and beyond. Through this plan, we are working to identify key actions and timelines needed to reduce emissions from port-related activities, including from ships, trucks, railways, cargo-handling equipment, as well as the port authority’s operations. The plan will build on our port-wide emissions inventory, as well as the port authority’s existing emission reduction programs and initiatives.

How to participate

The port authority’s Climate Action and Sustainability Leadership team has planned a series of engagement activities to bring people together to share their perspectives on how we can jointly create a zero-emission port by 2050.

Please check our project page regularly to learn more about the upcoming engagement opportunities. Meanwhile, if you have any comments/questions with respect to the key emission reduction focus areas and potential actions, please get in touch via email climateandairqualityactionplan@portvancouver.com.

Engagement completed to date

• In November 2022, we convened an external advisory group made of up of individuals from across industry, government, Indigenous communities, fuel and technology providers, and scientists to better understand how we can achieve our emission reduction goals, both at the port authority and across the Port of Vancouver. Through this engagement, we developed a list of potential actions for reducing port-related emissions, organized into key themes and sub-themes.

• In June 2023, we convened a broad stakeholder workshop with more than 70 individuals from across the port community, government, environmental groups, academia, Indigenous communities, and more to explore potential emission reduction actions. A summary of the key ideas and feedback we recieved during this workshop is available by request.

• From Fall 2023 to Winter 2024, we conducted a series of technical and information-sharing meetings with industry groups and First Nations to discuss potential actions to reduce emissions and gather input on additional suggestions and considerations. Following this engagement, we published our Engagement Summary, which is linked on the right-hand side.

Questions and comments

For questions or comments about the Climate and Air Quality Action Plan engagement, please email to climateandairqualityactionplan@portvancouver.com.