Port Moody council to weigh pausing B.C. Step Code energy rules for new buildings

Port Moody city council is debating whether to pause or roll back B.C. Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code requirements for new construction. Supporters say the rules add construction costs at a time when housing affordability is a top issue. Opponents note the standards have been known since 2024 and that grandfathering in projects locks in higher emissions and utility costs for decades. Council already voted to let ten in-stream projects with 2,426 units follow older standards. That shift would add about 35 tonnes of CO2 per year, a nearly 20 percent increase over the stricter rules, and raise residential electricity use by about 10 percent. Builders would save roughly 3 percent in construction costs, which translates to about $28,000 on a $900,000 condo, while residents might pay $75 to $188 more per year in utilities. The province may overhaul the B.C. Building Code, and municipalities cannot set efficiency rules stricter than provincial ones. Council is expected to discuss the Step Code again before the end of the year.