From ice storms to heat waves and unseasonable temperatures, Halton Hills has experienced some strange weather over the past few years. These unusual climate events have affected all our lives and have everyone talking. As a community, we can take steps to adapt and mitigate the effects of this phenomenon. Town Council is committed to taking direct action to reduce greenhouse gases and develop effective climate change initiatives.
Background |
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In May 2019, Town Council declared a climate change emergency in Halton Hills. Through adoption of the declaration the Town is committed to taking concrete actions and achieve a net-zero target by 2030. The Town is focusing on corporate and community-wide actions to reduce or remove greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through mitigation and adaptation measures. These measures are mutually beneficial. Effective mitigation can reduce climate change impacts, therefore reducing the level of adaptation required by a community. Similarly, mitigation actions help us to adapt to climate change and to protect and preserve the Town's natural assets and ecosystem. To achieve measureable results, the Town has adapted a Low Carbon Resilience Framework. In 2020, Mayor Rick Bonnette and Councillors Jane Fogal and Clark Somerville will lead a Climate Change Action Task Force. The goal is to take direct action in the community to reduce greenhouse gases and establish a significant number of climate change initiatives.
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Timeline |
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Mitigation - reducing our impact |
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Mitigation is about dealing with the causes of climate change, i.e. how to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Through mitigation policies, plans and strategies the Town is focusing on corporate and community-wide actions to reduce or remove GHG emissions that contribute to climate change. There are many actions that can be taken such as building and developing to more energy efficient standards, reducing energy consumption in homes and buildings, choosing sustainable transportation modes, and reducing household waste. Low carbon transition strategyThe Town of Halton Hills developed its first Mayor's Community Energy Plan (MCEP) in 2015, with the goal of providing a framework for the Town of Halton Hills community to move towards a low carbon community. In 2020, the Low Carbon Transition Strategy will update the 2015 MCEP and establish the action pathways necessary to achieving the 2030 targets set out in the Climate Change Emergency Declaration of May 06, 2019. In order to achieve the rapid transition to a low-carbon community, the Town will need to develop a detailed implementation strategy that focuses on driving transformative change. With this in mind, the revised strategy proposes refocusing the planned update to the Mayor's Community Energy Plan towards a comprehensive Low Carbon Transition Strategy, which will be developed through a collaborative planning effort involving the whole Halton Hills community. The development of the Low Carbon Transition Strategy will proceed through four main stages:
Corporate energy plan2020-2025 Corporate Energy Plan includes two sections: the 2019 Corporate Energy Consumption and Activities Report which describes the current state of energy management in Halton Hills and the outcome of the 2014 Corporate Energy Plan, and the 2020-2025 Corporate Energy Plan which provides a roadmap for reducing energy consumption, utility costs, and greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years. The 2020-2025 Corporate Energy Plan (the Plan) constitutes the Town's second Energy Conservation & Demand Management Plan. It updates the 2014 Corporate Energy Plan and reaffirms the Town's commitment to energy management and efficiency with an emphasis on deep greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. The focus of the Corporate Energy Plan is on getting the best out of the Town's existing assets, capital planning and organizational strengths while investing in facility upgrades with the best emissions reduction potential and highest returns on investment. The aim is to systematically introduce no/low-carbon decision-making while demonstrating substantial emissions reductions which position the Town on the right trajectory towards its goals. For more information please contact Michael Dean. Important links |
Adaptation - managing the effects |
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Adaptation is about preparing for and managing the impacts of climate change, i.e. how to absorb the changes that result from climate impacts. Adaptation measures help strengthen the Town's resilience to climate change. Examples of adaptation measures include building more resilient infrastructure, protecting and preserving the Town's natural assets and ecosystems, flood mitigation efforts like planting trees or building green roofs, and installing permeable paving stones to allow for better stormwater management. Climate Change Adaptation PlanThe Town of Halton Hills participated in the Great Lakes Climate Change Adaptation Project by ICLEI Canada in 2016. The Town benefited from the information collected and it has contributed to the Town's own Climate Change Adaptation Plan which is currently underway. The Town will utilize ICLEI Canada's BARC (Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities) framework to develop the Town's Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The Plan will focus on identifying our community's risks to climate change and consist of developing actions to take to manage, minimize, or eliminate those risks. Town Council recognizes our community's experience with a changing climate and the need to be prepared and adaptive for changes in the weather. Extreme weather events, such as the 2013 ice storm, the 2016 low precipitation and extreme summer heat reinforces the need for us to be prepared. The Climate Change Adaptation Plan is expected to be completed in 2020. For more information please contact Rija Rasul. Milestone framework
Important links |
Green development standards |
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Initially established in 2010 as the Green Development Checklist, the Town of Halton Hills Green Development Standards were updated in 2014 to include industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential buildings, and to provide developers with additional compliance flexibility through a LEED-like points based system. The Town is initiating the development of a third iteration of the Green Development Standard in 2019 through a Green Development Standard Update Study. The overall objective of the Green Development Standard Update Study is to elevate the sustainability performance of new development in Halton Hills, align the Green Development Standards with current best practices in sustainable building/development, to develop updated compliance standards and pathways, and the Town's current GHG mitigation and climate adaptation objectives. For more information please contact Michael Dean. Current Town green development standardsBuilding on its award-winning Green Development Evaluation Checklist, in April 2014, Town Council approved a new set of Green Development Standards. These Standards put in place a highly flexible set of criteria that are anticipated to materialize in more sustainable, high-performance and efficient development – benefiting the development/building industry as well as building owners/occupants. The Standards are designed to maximize development's positive attributes, while minimizing potentially negative impacts. The Standards advance many key Town objectives, including those of its Strategic Plan and Community Sustainability Strategy – contributing to economic prosperity, environmental health, cultural vibrancy and social well-being. The Standards apply Town-wide to Low-Rise Residential, Low-Rise Non-Residential and Mid to High Rise development. |
Natural assets |
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The Town has recognized the value of natural assets such as a healthy tree canopy and natural vegetation to reduce the impacts on climate change through approved Town policies, strategies and plans. Natural assets include: rivers, wetlands, forests, meadows and open spaces which provide a range of ecosystems that captures carbon emissions which benefit our environment and well-being. For more information please contact Jennifer Spence. Natural assets inventory and valuation projectNatural assets play a vital role in the Town's environmental health and provide natural services in adapting and mitigating threats by climate change. A well-managed natural asset will continue to produce a sustainable flow of services, such as stormwater management, air quality improvement, and reduction of carbon in the long term or even in perpetuity. The Town is currently carrying out a project on natural assets in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation and Greenbelt Foundation. The project consists of two phases:
Council report and presentation
Privately-owned tree management strategyThe development of a Privately-Owned Tree Management Strategy is currently underway. The Town's strategy will determine how best to protect and enhance privately-owned trees in Halton Hills. Trees are important in the fight against climate change since they absorb and store carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas that heats the earth. In Halton Hills, approximately 83% of all tree canopy cover is located on privately-owned lands. This project is expected to be completed in 2020. We want to hear from you! Please complete the Privately-Owned Tree Management Survey on Let's Talk Halton Hills. Important links
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What you can do |
Public engagementPublic engagement is an essential component to all climate change efforts. In 2019 the Town asked for residents' feedback in guiding the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The information and survey can be found on our engagement platform, Let's Talk Halton Hills. How to helpThere's so much you can do to help! Here are some ideas - check back often for more!
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Council reports and updates |