The CRD, in collaboration with the District of Saanich and the City of Victoria, is launching the regional CRD Building Benchmarking Program to help local governments track, manage and reduce energy use and carbon emissions from large buildings. This supports bylaws approved earlier this year in Saanich and Victoria (District of Saanich Bylaw No. 10147) and City of Victoria Bylaw No. 25-022).
Owners of large buildings in Victoria and Saanich will be required to submit their annual energy use and carbon emissions to the CRD starting in 2026. The program will be phased in over two years. This program does not apply to single family homes.
February 2026: Reporting system launches. Assistance is available through the CRD.
June 1, 2026: Buildings over 30,000 square feet (2,787 square metres) must report their 2025 data.
June 1, 2027: Buildings over 10,000 square feet (929 square metres) must report their 2026 data."
June 1, 2028 and ongoing: Buildings over 10,000 square feet (929 square metres) must report their prior years data.
From 2026 onward, the CRD will provide the following assistance:
Help Desk: available via phone or email to answer questions, provide support or help troubleshoot issues.
Resource Library: documents such as fact sheets, checklists, guides, and examples.
Webinars and Training: live online or recorded sessions about the reporting requirement and how to comply.
Data Interpretation Tools: tools to help building owners and managers improve energy management practices, including an annual report with comparisons of energy use in similar buildings. These tools will help owners identify ways to save energy, reduce emissions and cut costs.
Every building must have a designated contact (i.e., a building owner or manager) for energy and emissions reporting. Please contact climateaction@crd.bc.ca if you believe you should be a designated contact person for your commercial, rental, or strata building.
Energy and Carbon Emissions Reporting, also known as Benchmarking, is the process of measuring and reporting a building’s energy performance over time. The data will be used to improve community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and strengthen climate-related programs and policies for existing buildings. Moreover, building owners and managers may use the data to inform energy management practices.
Benchmarking and disclosure have been shown to drive action and yield cumulative average energy savings of 7% over three years.
Bylaws
City of Victoria Energy and Carbon Emissions Reporting Bylaw No. 25-022.
You can see energy and carbon emissions reporting in practice by checking out Building Benchmark BC (BBBC), North America’s largest voluntary benchmarking program.
Related Regional Programs
There are a range of programs and incentives to support energy efficiency and low-carbon retrofits through the City of Victoria and District of Saanich:
The CRD conducts its business within the Territories of many First Nations, all of whom have a long-standing relationship with the land and waters from time immemorial that continues to this day. Statement of Reconciliation
