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Anitra
Paris
Growing up on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia fostered Anitra Paris’ deep love of nature. Climbing trees, swimming in the ocean and observing eagles inspired her to later study for a BSc. in Natural Resource Conservation at the University of British Columbia. While working towards her undergraduate degree, she majored in Global Perspectives. Studying and living abroad in Iceland, France and Panama gave Anitra exposure to the cultural challenges and advantages in adopting climate solutions globally. Since graduating, she has worked in human-wildlife conflict and renewable energy. Anitra is currently the Operations & Policy Manager at Clean Energy BC. Clean Energy BC is a non-profit that has been representing the independent power producers of BC for over 27 years. Anitra is passionate about creating a low-carbon future through climate action, inspiring communities and galvanising systemic change. On the weekends you can find her enjoying British Columbia’s natural beauty, somewhere without cell-service— skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking or surfing.
PROJECT
With increasing rates of urbanisation, it’s important to focus on decarbonising our built environment. British Columbia has a world-class low-carbon renewable electricity grid however many buildings still rely on natural gas for heating and hot water. The City of Vancouver has made fantastic progress with emission reductions for new buildings through building codes, the challenge lies with retrofitting existing buildings. Anitra’s initiative will focus on removing barriers to increase the rate of adoption for electric heat-pumps. She has identified the current barriers and intends to streamline installation and optimise financial incentives by leveraging existing utility-lead programs.
