Climate Action Council

Climate Change Adaptation

Southern Ontario Flood Equity Working Group Workshop  – Taking Stock: Current Flood Data and Information Needs in Southern Ontario

Southern Ontario faces growing flood risks that require evidence-based approaches to develop equitable flood information systems that adequately consider vulnerable and at-risk populations. This workshop sought to take stock of current flood data and information capabilities across our region, identifying gaps, pressing requirements, and key challenges. We will draw on leading international frameworks to examine how these might inform practitioners in Southern Ontario, as we develop this framework for an equitable flood data information system. Together, we explored what equitable flood information systems could look like and how to collaboratively create them, recognizing that current evidence-based approaches may inadvertently overlook at-risk populations. Attendees engaged in structured breakout discussions to develop a collaborative vision for more equitable flood data and information systems that serve both long-term adaptation planning and broader community resilience goals.

 

 

Growing Together: A Tree Equity Q&A Session

City of Toronto and City of Ottawa have each adopted a tree equity approach to address the unequal distribution of urban canopy in their cities. Both cities are working to identify and prioritize areas of tree inequity, focusing tree planting efforts where they are needed most. In this session, staff from City of Toronto and City of Ottawa answered your questions regarding their approaches and the challenges so far.

Additional Resources

 

Indoor Heat Bylaw Series: Understanding the Heat Risk Landscape in Canadian Communities

This workshop provided an overview of the impact of frequent heat events on health and equity in our communities. We explored the roles played by local governments in addressing heat events, introduced CAP’s Heat Adaptation Project, and provided an overview of North America’s maximum temperature bylaws. Participants heard from the Canadian Environmental Law Association on municipal authority to implement a maximum temperature bylaw, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and City of Toronto.

 

Additional Resources

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

City of Hamilton Public Works Department Climate Lens

In this webinar, Andrea McDowell from City of Hamilton presented on the City’s Public Works department climate lens, sharing insights into the development and implementation of the lens, and how it helps to ensure climate change considerations are integrated into decision-making.

Additional Resources

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, or would like to access a recording of this webinar, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

Applying An Equity and Climate Lens in Dufferin County

As municipalities recognize the need for sustainable and inclusive growth, integrating climate and equity lenses is becoming essential. In this webinar, Sara MacRae, Manager of Climate & Energy at Dufferin County, shared how the County is applying an Equity and Climate Lens to shape its operations and decision-making processes.

Additional Resources

Getting Nature into Financial Reporting: Natural Asset Disclosures for Local Governments

Natural assets -such as wetlands, rivers, and forests- are increasingly recognized as infrastructure that provides financially valuable ecosystem services to Canadian communities. Integrating these assets into financial reporting can help local governments demonstrate effective management of these valuable services. The new Intact Centre guide Getting Nature into Financial Reporting, developed for Standards Council of Canada, with KPMG LPP, the Natural Assets Initiative and over 120 contributors, outlines metrics that can be reported as part of a stepwise approach to more complete natural asset reporting, no matter where your community is starting from. In this webinar, Joanna Eyquem, Managing Director of Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, discussed the step-by-step guide to disclosures and City of Calgary presented on their efforts to integrate natural asset-related disclosures into financial reporting.

Additional Resources

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

Mitigating Flood Risk: CVC’s Smart Blue Roof Project

As Canada experiences more extreme rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, highlighting the growing need for innovative stormwater management solutions.  Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) constructed a smart blue roof in 2023 with commissioning and initial operations beginning in Spring -Summer, 2024.  CVC’s smart blue roof was the first in Canada to be built in compliance with the Canadian Standards Association’s standard for Rainwater Harvesting Systems (CSA B805-18).  The smart blue roof uses modulating control valves directed by a programable logic controller (PLC) to open and close, allowing rainfall to be stored, reused or evaporated into the atmosphere. When these valves are closed, approximately 60 m3 (60,000L) can be stored on CVC’s rooftop for flood control. When opened, water drains from the roof into the building’s 5,000 L rainwater harvesting cistern to be used for non-potable uses like flushing of office toilets. The presentation provided an overview of the planning, design, construction, commissioning, initial performance, challenges encountered, and lessons learned to date.

Additional Resources

 

 

Mobilizing Climate Action: Lessons from the Oak Bay Coolkit

The Oak Bay Coolkit program is a joint initiative between the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry and the District of Oak Bay and is intended to mobilize individual and neighbourhood climate action through participation in a series of fun and interactive engagement activities, beginning with neighbourhood conversations, to local asset and climate vulnerability mapping, carbon footprint calculators, household and block sustainability ratings, visioning exercises and developing localized climate action plans. Chris Hyde-Lay, Manager of Park Services with the District of Oak Bay, provided an overview of the initiative, including lessons learned and project outcomes.

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Flooding: Toward a Municipal Contribution to Economic Risk Sharing

Over the past 40 years, flood damage costs in Québec have surged due to population and property growth in flood-prone areas, compounded by extreme weather events. These costs are primarily covered by provincial and federal programs, with limited private insurance involvement. Current cost-sharing mechanisms, however, create moral hazard by not incentivizing municipalities or residents to reduce risk. In this webinar, Bernard Deschamps, author of Flooding: Toward a Municipal Contribution to Economic Risk Sharing shared the reports proposed economic contribution mechanism for municipalities that distributes the cost of damage to residential buildings more equitably, and key findings from his research and consultation with municipal staff within Québec.

Additional Resources

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

Information Needs for Flood Risk Management and Climate Adaptation Workshop

This workshop convened representatives from local governments across Ontario to gather input on critical information needs for flood risk management and climate adaptation. The session covered current challenges, data gaps, and resources needed for understanding and mitigating flood risks and impacts. With a focus on specific applications across topics, including asset management, land use planning, zoning, and emergency response, the workshop sought to identify opportunities to support municipalities in managing flood risks during a time of accelerating climate change. This activity is part of a collaborative research project between Clean Air Partnership and the Toronto Climate Observatory. Contributions will help to shape the next stage of research into the development of tools and information services to support a safer and more resilient region.

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

Adaptation Webinar Series: Adaptation and Response to Extreme Heat – Hamilton Perspective

In this webinar, Trevor Imhoff, Senior Project Manager – Air Quality and Climate Change at Hamilton and Shelley Rogers from Public Health Services, Hamilton, presented actions the City is taking in preparedness for extreme heat events. They provided an overview of the updated Heat Respond Strategy, the development and distribution of ‘cool kits’ with the community Extreme Heat working group, and a building/landlord education campaign. The second part discussed municipal challenges and opportunities for centring equity in addressing extreme heat.

  • Webinar Recording 
  • Trevor Imhoff and Shelley Rogers, Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy – Extreme Heat

If you would like a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

CAC Adaptation Series: ORCCA Resources Hub and Support Service

This webinar series, a continuation of the Climate Governance, Accountability, and Implementation Series, offers a unique opportunity to delve into adaptation efforts. By attending, you will gain insights from showcased adaptation projects, explore available resources, and learn from the experience of municipal staff working on adaptation initiatives.

In this webinar, Naomi Wolfe from the Ontario Resource Centre for Climate Adaptation (ORCCA) walked us through the Resource Centre pilot, discussed service offerings including the Support Desk and Adaptation Resource Library, and elaborated on existing programs, such as the Staff Capacity Program, Outreach and Engagement Program, and the upcoming Climate Communication Toolkit.

For a copy of the slide deck, please email cap@cleanairpartnership.org 

 

CAC Adaptation Series: Halifax’s Steps to Adaptation and Resilience

This webinar series, a continuation of the Climate Governance, Accountability, and Implementation Series, offers a unique opportunity to delve into adaptation efforts. By attending, you will gain insights from showcased adaptation projects, explore available resources, and learn from the experience of municipal staff working on adaptation initiatives.

In this webinar, Shannon Fernandes from Halifax discussed the climate layers project, a GIS model for understanding and visualizing climate risks for critical assets and vulnerable communities. She elaborated on their building back better approach to end-of-life infrastructure assets and present the new resilience homes retrofit initiative.

For a copy of the slide deck, please contact us at cap@cleanairpartnership.org

CAC Adaptation Webinar Series: Overview of Provincial Reports on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation

This webinar series continues the Climate Governance, Accountability, and Implementation Series with a focus on adaptation efforts. We will explore some available resources, showcase implemented adaptation projects, and learn from the experience of municipal staff working on adaptation initiatives.

In this first meeting, we confirmed research questions to support the series’ agenda. Al Douglas, from the Climate Risk Institute, provided an overview of the Five Provincial Reports on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation. The reports aim to support municipalities conducting replicable and scalable risk assessments and provide adaptation best practices.

For a copy of the slide deck, please email cap@cleanairpartnership.org

 

Climate Governance, Accountability, and Implementation Series – City of Calgary’s Adaptation and Resilience Implementation

In this fifth webinar of the series, Jillian Curley and Amanda Burke shared experiences from the implementation of Calgary’s Climate Adaptation Plan.  Amanda and Jillian talked about what has supported Calgary’s success in moving from plan to action, and outlined some examples of resilience projects and programs from each of the plan’s core themes: People, Built Infrastructure; Natural Infrastructure; and Water.  They also talked briefly about measuring progress, how their Climate Adaptation Team is structured to work cross-corporately on project delivery, and how funding is allocated for adaptation projects.

 

Additional Resources:

For a copy of the slide deck, please email cap@cleanairpartnership.org