Vancouver city council voted 7-4 this week to allow natural gas heating in new homes again, reversing a multi-year ban. The motion, brought by Mayor Ken Sim, also pauses the Energize Vancouver program, which had required large buildings to report and limit annual natural gas emissions.
Sim argued the change aligns Vancouver’s bylaws with provincial standards, gives builders more options, and reduces regulatory costs—with those savings, in theory, flowing through to housing affordability.
For HVAC and plumbing contractors in BC, gas appliances are now back on the table for new residential construction in Vancouver. Contractors who had shifted toward heat pumps and electric systems in response to the original ban will need to factor the reversal into their estimating and equipment planning.
The decision passed along party lines and drew significant opposition at council. Further policy changes cannot be ruled out.