The City of Nanaimo is banning the use of natural gas in most future buildings – including houses, retail stores and hotels – in an effort to reduce emissions.

At a council meeting Monday, Nanaimo council voted five to four in favour of implementing the province’s Zero Carbon Step Code by July 1, 2024.

The Zero Carbon Step Code is part of the B.C. Building Code, as the province aims to have all new buildings be zero-carbon by 2030.

On Monday, Nanaimo council narrowly decided to have that timeline pushed forward to next year. It’s a move that follows other B.C. municipalities, including the City of Victoria and District of Saanich, which have already restricted the use of natural gas in new builds.

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