Jessica McIlroy

I have worked on climate and renewable energy policy advocacy for the past twenty years, after completing a BSc in Environmental Science and an MSc in Environmental Sustainability. This has included holding the roles of executive director of the BC Sustainable Energy Association, executive director of the BC Women in Energy Network, and the Pacific director of Marine Renewables Canada. I currently work outside of city council as the director of government relations with the Pembina Institute, one of Canada’s leading clean energy think tanks.

Over the past eight years, through my role on city council, I have chaired the city’s climate and environment task force, sat on the Metro Vancouver climate action committee, been the vice-chair of Climate Caucus, and been a member of the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council. In 2025 I was recognized with the Clean50 award in the cities category.

I think it is important to note that the City of North Vancouver council has no governance or directional authority over Lonsdale Energy. Lonsdale Energy is a municipality-owned company with its own board of directors, and the relationship between the city council and Lonsdale Energy is defined within bylaws.

Lonsdale Energy is currently producing a pathway to carbon neutrality because of a motion I brought forward in 2019 establishing the city’s target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. I was part of the process of hiring a new CEO for Lonsdale Energy in late 2020 and the company has made significant progress in a number of critical operational areas such as communications and customer relations, new infrastructure, and updated long-term plans. The carbon neutral plans are underway and have been evolving as projects evolve. Including the development of a new Urban Heat Recovery Project that advances the commitment to delivering 40% of thermal energy from low-carbon sources by 2027. If re-elected I would continue to support the transition of thermal energy sources within the Lonsdale Energy system as well as advocating for increased public communication of the targets and pathways within the carbon neutral by 2050 plan.

As noted in the previous question, city council doesn’t have the authority to direct Lonsdale Energy nor require the removal of RNG from Lonsdale Energy’s operations. In order for natural gas and renewable natural gas to be removed from the Lonsdale Energy system, council does need to support the capital cost of new heat recovery and/or energy storage infrastructure and any potential rate increases that result. Historically, not all council members have been supportive of investments that result in rate increases to residents and the financial borrowing required for new infrastructure. As a board member of Lonsdale Energy, I’ve seen incredible progress over the past 8 years on the efforts and plans to decarbonize the system and I will continue to support the investments required to reach net-zero emissions.

The cost sharing agreements and associated tax increases of Metro Vancouver infrastructure are decisions made at the Metro Vancouver board table. The City of North Vancouver has one seat on the board, and the board has a weighted voting system, meaning that collaboration with the other board members is critical for any changes to the capital plans and cost sharing arrangements.

As a member of council, I have been supportive of the Mayor’s efforts to advocate for both a fair allocation of rates and information that has not been provided from Metro Vancouver. City Council has issued statements and letters over the past five years asking for financial information, greater transparency, changes to cost allocations, and an independent review of the project. If re-elected, I would continue to call for a project audit and greater transparency on financial information to date as well as continuing to support the City’s representative to the Metro Vancouver board of directors in calling for a change to the cost allocation breakdown.

The tree bylaw is an important tool in retaining mature trees and I believe the city should move forward with applying the bylaw across the city as a whole. However, this must be balanced with ensuring the legal right to redevelop a site to its full zoning potential is maintained and that any trees deemed to be unhealthy and non-viable are allowed to be removed. Council has made it clear that all efforts should be made to retain trees on sites that are being developed. In situations where trees are not able to be retained, the replacement ratio and planting requirements ensure that we can continue to grow the overall canopy.

See above in relation to supporting the bylaw being applied across the whole city. The bylaw application to all sites is only one tool in ensuring the city can increase the overall tree canopy, and more importantly, ensure equitable growth in tree canopy in underserved areas such as rental apartment neighbourhoods. Planting, tree giveaways, and incentives are all required.