How BC-ers can celebrate Clean Transportation Month

Many milestones mark the arrival of a year’s sixth month: puck drop of the Stanley Cup Finals, Pride festivities, and consistent sunshine, to name a few. But, thanks to Invest Vancouver, June is also Clean Transportation Month. The regional economic development outfit worked to pass a proclamation for the second straight year that shines the spotlight on green commuting. The provincial government has made a similar proclamation, making Clean Transportation Month a B.C.-wide initiative.

Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the Metro Vancouver region, accounting for about 45 percent — a major culprit for why the June sun feels warmer than it did, say, a decade ago. The burgeoning clean transportation sector, marked by companies like electric truck deployers 7Gen or electric scooter makers Scootility, can help achieve deep emissions reductions and build a low-carbon, resilient future in our backyard.

These business clusters and industrial specializations in low- and zero-emission vehicles and components, low-carbon fuels and charging infrastructure, plus an advanced and growing hydrogen cluster, make the region a go-to. There are 60 firms operating in Metro Vancouver that employ more than 2,800 people. The sector also attracted more than $2.6 billion in investment between 2017 and 2021.

“The Metro Vancouver region has established itself as a prominent player in the research, development, production, and export of innovative mobility solutions for combating climate change,” said George V. Harvie, chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors. “By fostering collaboration between the government, industry, academia, and researchers — and leveraging its strengths in the hydrogen sector and clean transportation — we can take this industry to the next level.”

Invest Vancouver has linked up with a host of community partners to help shine the spotlight on Clean Technology Month, including TransLink, HUB, the hy-fcell conference, Surrey Board of Trade, Burnaby Board of Trade, and the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum.

“The future of our regional and provincial economies will be driven by low- and zero-emissions transportation,” said Kevin Quinn, CEO of TransLink. “Becoming a carbon-neutral region will require innovation, investment, and collaboration — that’s why TransLink is a proud supporter of Clean Transportation Month.”

Want to get in on the action yourself? The group has compiled a roster of events so you can celebrate all month long, including:

• Surrey Board of Trade: The Economic Future of Metro Vancouver – Transportation and Land Use Planning (June 9)

• Car Free Day Surrey (June 10)

• 2023 Clean Energy Summit (June 15)

• Motivate VANCOUVER conference (June 27 – 28)