What Sets Tofino Apart

Being a SolarBC community comes from a desire to create awareness, while reducing green house gas emissions.

“Our interest in the program stems from both an awareness of the remoteness of communities on the West Coast of Vancouver Island; and the potential to be a municipal leader in alternative energy use,” explains Aaron Rodgers, with the district’s Development Services.

What makes Tofino special, as a Solar Community, is their abundant sunshine during the summer months. This happens to coincide with a dramatic increase in the town’s energy requirements, particularly due to the heated water needed for showers, baths and hot tubs for visitors to the community. The potential energy and cost savings, through the use of solar hot water systems by the accommodation providers, are significant for Tofino and will be a major focus of the solar hot water program.

“Because of its high profile as a tourist destination it will provide worldwide exposure,” adds Rodgers. “And because if Solar works in a community that receives over 300 cm’s of rain/year, then it can work anywhere.

While this is an opportunity for the district to reduce its overall carbon foot print; in addition, the use of solar hot water systems will allow local business owners to reduce their electrical use and associated costs.

The designation of the district as a Solar community will be a building block in a larger Community Energy Plan. Their Solar Hot Water Plan includes development of policy in the OCP for solar hot water and specifically for resorts, development of workshops to educate and build awareness, municipal incentives, installations on affordable housing and a solar hot water system on a municipal building by 2010.

“The discussion (and laughs) that have arisen of Tofino’s designation as a Solar community is encouraging citizens to explore new ideas and different ways of approaching energy use,” says Rodgers.

Tofino will endeavour to lead the way in demonstrating how small local governments with limited budget and staff resources can achieve energy reduction results. The high public profile of Tofino will help when spreading the word about solar hot water to other small communities within the province.