Calgary households heavy on emissions
Calgary homeowners generate more than three times the greenhouse gas emissions than their counterparts in Montreal, according to a study released Wednesday by the University of British Columbia.
Among seven major cities, Calgary households were second only to Edmonton in terms of emissions, the report found.
The study from the university’s faculty of land and food systems estimated average household emissions in major cities across Canada between 1997 and 2009, based on factors such as weather, population density and the type of energy used for home heating and electricity.
Montreal homes were ranked the greenest — at 5.4 tonnes per year — largely because of the widespread use of clean hydroelectric power, which a majority of residents use for home heating due to high natural gas prices. The city’s dense population also means motorists spend less time commuting and guzzling gas.
“If you live in Montreal, you can walk to your grocery store, you can walk your kids to school. You don’t have to be driving everywhere, whereas in Edmonton, unfortunately, you do,” professor Sumeet Gulati, one of the report’s two authors, said Wednesday.
Calgary’s emissions were estimated at 18.2 tonnes per year, while Edmonton’s were estimated at 20.7. That was partly due to the use of coal-fired electricity and less dense populations. The colder weather in Alberta also means more energy is needed to heat homes — the two Alberta cities have the highest natural gas consumption per household.
New government policies are expected to accelerate emission reductions in the provinces, according to the study.
“The implications from our analysis are fairly straightforward,” the report reads.
“If we encourage high-density development or encourage development of low-carbon energy, households lower their greenhouse gas emissions.”
The report found a positive trend in all cities — greenhouse gas emissions per household dropped by about 16 per cent over the 12-year study period as people, governments and utilities became more energy-conscious.
“I think it’s actually very hopeful,” Gulati said. “In Alberta, we’re getting a new carbon tax and Alberta’s committed to reducing coal in its electricity generation.”
In terms of other rankings, Vancouver, despite its very mild temperatures, ranked second behind Montreal because of the city’s use of natural gas in residential utilities. Winnipeg ranked thirdlowest for emissions, ahead of fourth-place Toronto. Despite its bone-chilling winters, Winnipeg scored well because of its use of hydro power.