Valemount
Village in the Fraser-Fort George Regional District
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Overview
In 2009, the Village of Valemount was ranked 126th in population among CEEI-surveyed BC municipalities, with 1,044 residents.
Village of Valemount
Heating and electricity
Residential |
Commercial Small or Medium Industrial |
Large Industrial |
Wholesale |
| Electricity | |
|---|---|
| Natural gas | |
| Wood | |
| Heating oil | |
| Propane |
- How much CO2 is emitted per kWh of electricity generated? Why is it so low? Why is it non-zero?
- Where is natural gas unavailable? How does this change energy consumption patterns?
- To protect the confidentiality of some industrial and commercial facilities, some data may be excluded. See Section 6 of the 2007 CEEI Technical Methods and Guidance Document for details.
- The 'wholesale' category represents electricity purchased by the municipality for resale to its own customers. It is not broken down into usage by sector.
- Learn more: Read about how BC is aiming to reduce energy consumption while improving efficiency and security in the BC Energy Plan.
- 1 tonne = 1 megagram = 1000 kilograms.
- According to Natural Resources Canada, one gigajoule is equivalent to about 26L of gasoline, 39L of propane, 277hWh of electricity, or 27m3 of natural gas.
- The average Canadian household uses 100GJ of energy per year to heat their home.
Sorry, heating and electricity consumption information for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Commute mode
Transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Environmentally-friendly and sustainable commute options are coloured in lighter shades of green.
Where do you fit in?
I commute to and from work or school by .
Great! You are doing your part to help reduce emissions in BC and the world.
Walking is good exercise, and environmentally friendly. Compared to driving a car, no carbon dioxide is generated.
Great! You are doing your part to help reduce emissions in BC and the world.
Bicycling is good exercise, and environmentally friendly. Compared to driving a car, no carbon dioxide is generated.
Great! You are doing your part to help reduce emissions in BC and the world.
Taking public transit is a sensible and affordable way to get to work. For every kilometre travelled on public transit, about 8 grams of carbon dioxide is generated.
For every kilometre travelled in a single-occupancy vehicle, about 293 grams of carbon dioxide is produced. This amount varies significantly based on the efficiency of your vehicle.
Visualize: 293 grams of carbon dioxide in the form of dry ice is enough to fill a 2 Litre pop bottle.
Good! Carpooling helps reduce the number of cars on the road, and the amount of greenhouse gases generated. Assuming a full van with 6 passengers and 1 driver, each occupant will generate about 43 grams of carbon dioxide.
Visualize: 43 grams of carbon dioxide in the form of dry ice is about 6 teaspoons.
A motorcycle produces fewer emissions than a car or van. For every kilometre travelled in a motorcycle, about 119 grams of carbon dioxide is produced.
Taxis can generate more carbon dioxide than a private single-occupancy vehicle, as the taxi carries a non-commuting driver, and must travel significant distances to reach each customer.
- The density of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) is approximately 1.4g/mL.
- See also: Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases from Different Commuting Options. BC Air Quality, Province of BC.
- Is Valemount trending towards greater use of environmentally-friendly commute options?
- Transit usage increased significantly between between 2001 and 2006 in many municipalities across the province. Is Valemount one of them? How would you explain the increase?
- In 2004, transportation comprised 39% of BC's total greenhouse gas emissions. Estimate how much of the 39% is from single-occupant vehicles.
- These statistics are based on the primary commute mode between the home and workplace of each commuter. As a result, actual commute distances are greater.
- Learn more: Your carbon footprint while walking or cycling is not strictly zero — it varies depending on your diet. Read the Pacific Institute's analysis on this topic.
Sorry, the commute mode data for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Commute distance
| Year | Commuters | < 5km | 5–10km | 10–15km | 15–25km | 25km+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Where do you fit in?Enter your home and workplace address to calculate your own commute distance. |
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- Look at the percentage of the commuting population within each commute distance bracket. Given Valemount's size, location, and geography, do you think the proportions make sense?
- Would you call Valemount a commuter town? A suburb?
- Calculate the number of Valemount residents who do not commute to work. Where may they commute to instead, and how far would their trips be? What are the demographics of this group, and how does this affect their share of emissions?
- These statistics are based on the straight-line distance between the home and workplace of each commuter. As a result, actual commute distances are greater.
- The median commute distance in BC is 6.5km.
- Online tool: Explore ways to reduce your commute's carbon emissions - use the TransLink Travel Calculator.
- Learn more: Going the Distance: Commuting Patterns in BC. Environmental Statistics - June 2008, BC Stats.
Sorry, the commute distance data for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Housing
Number of households in each category of housing, by surveyed year:
| Single House | Semi Detached House | Row House | Duplex | < 5-storey Apartment |
≥ 5-storey Apartment | Other | Movable |
|---|
Where do you fit in?
Single detached homes are a very energy-inefficient form of housing. Much heat escapes through the exterior walls on all sides.
In 2007, 947,000 British Columbian households living in single detached homes consumed a total of 128,325,573GJ of energy.
On average, 0.60GJ of energy was spent on heating each metre of floor space, and 117.9GJ per household.
Overall, BC apartments emitted 2.9 megatons of CO2, excluding electricity. 25.8 tonnes of CO2 is produced per TJ of energy consumed.
Do your part to save money and reduce energy use in your home: LiveSmart BC and BC Hydro's Power Smart program can show you how.
Semi-attached houses are more efficient than detached houses, as shared walls retain and redistribute heat.
Statistics combine semi-detached, row, and duplex homes into one reporting category. In 2007, 185,000 British Columbian households living in these homes consumed a total of 21,991,910GJ of energy.
On average, 0.87GJ of energy was spent on heating each metre of floor space, and 86.4GJ per household.
Overall, BC apartments emitted 400,000 kilotons of CO2, excluding electricity. 25.8 tonnes of CO2 are emitted per TJ of energy consumed.
Low-rise apartments are very energy-efficient, as shared walls retain and redistribute heat.
In 2007, British Columbians living in low-rise apartments consumed a total of 10,587,982GJ of energy. 543,000 British Columbian households lived in an apartment.
On average, 0.56GJ of energy was spent on heating each metre of floor space, and 49.6GJ per household.
Overall, BC apartments emitted 700,000 kilotons of CO2, excluding electricity. 26.1 tonnes of CO2 are emitted per TJ of energy consumed.
High-rise apartments are very energy-efficient, as shared walls retain and redistribute heat.
In 2007, British Columbians living in high-rise apartments consumed a total of 3,371,408GJ of energy. 543,000 British Columbian households lived in an apartment.
On average, 0.56GJ of energy was spent on heating each metre of floor space, and 49.6GJ per household.
Overall, BC apartments emitted 700,000 kilotons of CO2, excluding electricity. 26.1 tonnes of CO2 are emitted per TJ of energy consumed.
Mobile homes are a very energy-inefficient form of housing. Much heat escapes through the exterior walls on all sides, and insulation is often poor.
In 2007, 66,000 British Columbian households living in mobile homes consumed a total of 3,994,588GJ of energy.
On average, 0.87GJ of energy was spent on heating each metre of floor space, and 86.4GJ per household.
Overall, BC apartments emitted 200,000 kilotons of CO2, excluding electricity. 27 tonnes of CO2 are emitted per TJ of energy consumed.
- Given Valemount's size and population, would it make sense to build more high-density housing?
- Are Valemount residents trending towards higher density housing?
- How does the age of your home play a role in its energy efficiency?
- If you are in a recently-constructed home, does it meet any environmental building standards, such as LEED? What about your school or workplace?
- See also: BC Energy Use - Residential Sector. Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada.
- See also: Total energy consumption by households / region / type of dwelling. Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada.
- Online tool: Use BC Hydro's Analyze My Home tool for a customized report on how to save energy in your home.
Sorry, the housing data for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Land use and greenspace
This graphic represents all the land under the jurisdiction of the Village of Valemount.
| Land area | Parks and protected areas | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Population | Total | Net | Federal | Provincial | Local | ALR | Other |
| 2009 | 1,044 | 4.91km2 | 4.82km2 | - | - | 0.04km2 | - | 0.05km2 |
| 216.7/km2 | 46.1m2/person | |||||||
Higher density makes public transit more efficient and feasible to operate. It also brings goods and services closer to residents, thereby reducing commutes. Combined with the energy savings of increased housing density, these factors reduce emissions per capita.
- What may be comprising the land classified as 'other' in Valemount?
- Below is a list of some of the densest cities in the world. How much would the population of
Valemount need to increase in order to reach a similar population density? Alternatively,
how little land must the current population of Valemount fit into in order to achieve a similar density? Imagine what life would be like in those conditions.
City World density rank Population Area (km2) Density (/km2) Manila, Philippines 1 1,660,714 38.55 43,079 Mumbai, India 20 13,830,884 603.0 22,937 Paris, France 30 2,203,817 105.4 20,909 Athens, Greece 36 745,514 38.96 19,135 Macau, China 42 542,200 29.2 18,568 Seoul, Korea 49 10,464,051 605.25 17,288 New York City, USA - 8,391,881 789.0 10,636 - What are the pros and cons of increased population density?
- How much parkland is there per capita?
- Net land area = Total land area - (unsurveyed Crown land + federal, provincial, and local parks + Indian Reserves + ALR + bodies of water + waste disposal sites + airports). Net land area is used to calculate population density.
- 'ALR' stands for 'Agricultural Land Reserve'. It is arable land set aside by the Province for the express purpose of agriculture.
Sorry, land use and greenspace data for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Solid waste
2007
Solid waste
990 tonnes
- excludes demolition, land clearing, and construction waste
- includes waste sent to landfills and incinerators only
CO2 from solid waste
339 tonnes
- excludes CO2 from decomposition and incineration of biogenic matter
- includes methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) converted to equivalent CO2 mass
- In 2006, 96% of BC households had access to recycling programs. 99% of these households used at least one of them. Are you one of them?
- Do you know how much trash you produce each week? How much of it can be composted or recycled? How much do you compost and recycle?
- Do you know which landfill your trash goes to?
- In 2004, the average British Columbian produced 676kg of residential waste. The Canadian average was 791kg.
- In 2004, 31% of non-hazardous waste was diverted from landfills by various recycling programs. The average British Columbian recycled 144kg of waste. The Canadian average was 112kg.
- Convert methane to equivalent mass of CO2: CO2 (t) = CH4 (m3) × (0.6785kg CH4)/(m3 CH4) × 21 × 10-3.
- Solid waste CO2e estimates are highly uncertain. See Section 7 of the 2007 CEEI Technical Methods and Guidance Document for methodology and details.
- Learn more: Recycling in BC. Environmental Statistics - November 2007, BC Stats.
Sorry, trash output information for this region is unavailable.
Village of Valemount
Air quality
Monitoring stations
Ground-level ozone (O3)
Ozone is a greenhouse gas. Ground-level ozone is formed primarily by sunlight reacting with carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide pollution. The layer of ozone in the stratosphere is produced by UV light reacting with oxygen in the air, which in turn prevents most UV radiation from reaching the surface of the earth. However, ozone at ground-level is not beneficial.
Increased concentrations of ground-level ozone is harmful to both human health and the environment. It traps heat, and is the primary component of smog.
The World Health Organization's guideline threshold for 8-hour mean ozone is 100µg/m3, or 51ppb. The Canadian annual mean maximum is 46ppb. The world's background ozone level is approximately 28ppb. Ozone levels lower than this concentration are caused by further reactions with pollutants.
- Learn more: National Ambient Air Quality Objectives For Ground-Level Ozone. Health Canada.
- See also: Ozone Depletion: An Introduction. BC Air Quality, Province of BC.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
This is a measure of the concentration of solid or liquid particles suspended in the air. PM2.5 means particles less than 2.5µm in diameter. These particulates are produced by burning wood and fossil fuels.
Particulates of this size cause serious health problems, as they remain in the deep in the lungs after being inhaled.
The World Health Organization's guideline threshold for annual mean PM2.5 is 10µg/m3. BC's objective threshold is 8µg/m3.
- Do the ozone and PM2.5 graphs have any big spikes? If so, in what year did they occur? How would you explain those changes?
- Learn more: Air Quality and Your Health. BC Air Quality, Province of BC.
- Learn more: How Vehicle Emissions Affect Us. BC Air Quality, Province of BC.
- See also: Air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, 2005. World Health Organization.
- See also: Canada-Wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
- See also: Air Quality Objectives and Standards for British Columbia and Canada. Ministry of Environment, Province of BC.
Sorry, air quality data for this region is unavailable. Air quality data is only available for a select number of municipalities.
Data sources
- 2007 Community Energy and Emissions Inventory Reports and Technical Methods and Guidance Document. Community Energy & Emissions Inventory Initiative, Ministry of Environment, Province of BC.
- 2006 Community Profiles for British Columbia. 2006 Census, Statistics Canada.
- 2006–2009 Population Estimates. BC Stats, Province of BC.
- TransLink Travel Calculator, TransLink.
- Going the Distance: Commuting Patterns in BC. Environmental Statistics - June 2008, BC Stats.
- BC Energy Use - Residential Sector. Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada.
- Total energy consumption by type of dwelling. Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada.
- Recycling in BC. Environmental Statistics - November 2007, BC Stats.
- Ozone and Fine Particulate Concentrations at Monitoring Stations. Environment Canada.
- BC Air Quality, Ministry of Environment, Province of BC.
- National Ambient Air Quality Objectives For Ground-Level Ozone. Health Canada.
- Canada-Wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
- Air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, 2005. World Health Organization.
