Richmond Hill

A Micromobility Strategy is being undertaken to guide decisions on regulating micromobility devices and sidewalk cycling, as recommended by the City’s Council approved Transportation Master Plan (2023) update. This study will address key issues including safety concerns, resident feedback, education and enforcement, and more.

Richmond Hill’s Backwater Valve Subsidy Program provides residents with up to $1,500 towards the cost of installation of a backwater valve that reduces the risk of basement flooding caused by overflowing sewers during severe weather events.

Richmond Hill’s Path to a Low-Carbon Future also known as the City’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) sets the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The City is developing an EV Charging Strategy to guide the implementation of electric mobility charging infrastructure and address the charging needs of personal vehicles, micromobility devices and the City’s fleet.

Richmond Hill’s Path to a Low-Carbon Future also known as the City’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) sets the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The City is currently implementing Home Retrofit education programming for residents including a Home Energy improvement survey.

The updated Transportation Master Plan (2023) includes a Complete Streets framework that supports the City’s transportation objectives in promoting sustainable modes of travel. Recent updates were completed to the City’s Engineering Standards road cross-sections emphasizing accommodating sustainable modes.

Richmond Hill's ’s Climate Change Framework (2020) identifies areas for corporate adaptation actions.

Sustainability Metrics Program (SMP) Guidebook has EV Ready Requirements in metric BE-10; For example, Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is provided to serve 10% /20%/50% of parking spaces (depending on the Target Level - Good/Great/Excellent).

City’s Sustainability Metrics Program was updated in May 2024. The updated program includes approximately 120 metric options spanning five categories (Built Environment, Mobility, Natural Environment and Parks, Infrastructure and Buildings, and Innovation). Each metric has an associated point value. There are 3 performance levels that can be achieved through the Sustainability Metrics Program – Gold, Silver and Bronze – based on the final sustainability score received. Development applications must achieve at least a "bronze" performance level to be considered for approval.

Sustainability Metrics Program (SMP) Guidebook has green roof requirements set in metric IB-8. For example, to reduce ambient surface temperatures the following must be provided: Cool roof for 100% of available roof space/ Green roof for 50% of available roof space/ Green roof for 75% of available roof space (depending on the Target Level - Good/Great/Excellent).

The City continues to review and implement actions on electrifying the municipal fleet, equipment and supporting infrastructure. Program Area 6: Municipal Leadership from the Community Energy and Emissions Plan sets a goal to convert the municipal fleet to 100% electric by 2040.

The 2024 Corporate Energy Plan integrates the City’s approved target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for City facilities, including the adoption of progressive energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission targets for new City facilities and major retrofits to meet or exceed specific tiers of energy related metrics aligned with the City’s Sustainability Metrics Program.

Progress report on the City’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan will be delivered in 2023.

The City’s Urban Forest Management Plan was approved by Council in 2020. It proposes a 30% total canopy cover target and a sub-target of 15% woodland cover. Action 1.3.2 in the Urban Forest Management Plan provides direction to explore partnership opportunities to develop a planting prioritization tool, to optimize City programs and resources and the provision of urban forest services by planting trees more strategically throughout the City, taking into consideration heat islands, vulnerable populations, climate change, natural heritage features, biodiversity, canopy cover targets, population density, etc. In addition, every ten years, the City completes an Urban Forest Study to examine: the distribution of canopy cover by land use type; available planting opportunities; size and species composition; structural value of the forest; and the condition of the forest. The most recent Urban Forest Study was conducted in 2022, and it provided a series of recommendations, including that the City work with York Region to customize and utilize the Region’s tree planting prioritization tool for Richmond Hill to improve equitable canopy cover distribution.