Details

The Township of Georgian Bluffs has developed a Draft Corporate Climate Action Plan (CorCAP) to guide the activities of the Township to address Climate Change. Through implementing a CorCAP, the Township will seek to:

· Mitigate its impact on climate by increasing the sustainability of its operations, reducing the impact of those operations to climate change, and, through making such changes, provide leadership to community in Georgian Bluffs

· Adapt its operations in respect of climate changes already being felt and in anticipation of those changes predicted to yet come to be to ensure the viability of the infrastructure of the Township and to maintain service levels to residents through climate change impacts.

The Corporate Climate Action Plan has been developed using globally recognised standards and tools and meets the requirements of PCP and BARC, recognised as best practice in Canada for developing climate change plans that address mitigation and adaptation. It is anticipated that the Georgian Bluffs CorCAP will address the requirements of:

· Milestones 1 – 3 of the PCP Protocol

· Milestones 1 and 2 of the BARC protocol

As such, the CorCAP will reflect leadership by the Township in being the first plan in Grey County to address both PCP and BARC requirements.

The targets that are proposed in the CorCAP are ambitious and seek to direct actions toward:

· A 40% reduction (over 2018 baseline year) of greenhouse gas emission by 2030

· A 70% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2040

· An 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2050

The CorCAP reflects on the significant success that the Township has already had in managing greenhouse gas emissions:

· The Township has already completed significant upgrades to streetlighting to dark sky compliant and low energy LED fittings standards

· Building and facility upgrades have reduced high greenhouse gas emitting energy sources for heating, eliminating use of fuel oil and reducing the use of fuel sources such as natural gas and propane which have disproportionately high climate impacts in their use.

As a result, the Township has achieved an enviable 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through its operations since 2018.

The Corporate Climate Action Plan sets out two goals and takes a dual approach in responding to the causes and impacts of climate change:

Goal 1: Lead to the reduction of climate change causing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption resulting in energy savings.

Mitigation components of this plan focus on decreasing the severity of future climate change impacts by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are contributing to climate change. By doing its part to reduce GHG emissions, the Township can help to slow climate change and limit its negative impacts.

Goal 2: Recognize and begin to prepare for the risk of a changing climate on the assets and operations of the Township.

Adaptation components of this plan focus on preparing the Township for the impacts of climate change. By preparing for future climate conditions, the Township will lessen the negative impacts that climate change will have on municipal corporate assets and operations, the provision of services, residents and the local economy.

The following are the proposed actions that the Township will undertake in the near-term 2024 to 2040) to continue to reduce emissions and energy consumption to meet emissions targets and adapt to a changing climate

Focus Area 1: Buildings

1. Complete Energy Audits at all buildings by 2030 to identify operational changes that can be implemented to reduce energy consumption in facilities.

2. Implement operational changes and technological changes to reduce energy consumption where possible.

3. Develop and implementation energy management plans for assets and buildings with energy targets and include reactive, preventative, and predictive maintenance to prevent common sources of energy waste in building energy by 2030.

4. Complete transition to low energy LED lighting in all buildings by 2030.

5. Review all Township buildings and facilities with a Climate Change lens through a Facilities Review to identify potential renewal, replacement and retrofit projects.

6. Continue to update and replace building heating systems with an aim of eliminating Natural Gas and Propane as a primary heating fuel source use in all facilities by 2035.

7. Increase roof and, where appropriate, ground mounted solar to reduce dependence on grid supplied electricity with an objective to install at least 50kw of solar panels (solar photovoltaic) by 2035 offsetting electricity consumption equivalent to a building.

8. Incorporate electric vehicle changing where possible at Township buildings to support a transition to green fleet.

9. Any new building built by the Township should be built at least be Net Zero standards.

10. Complete a Corporate Asset Management Plan that includes Climate Change considerations by 2026.

11. Implement Climate Change Adaptive measures with a particular focus on the Inter Township Fire Office, Shallow Lake Arena, Derby Community Centre, and Derby Roads Shop through Asset Management Planning, developing a 10-year capital budget, a Facilities Improvement and Maintenance Plan and Fire Master Plan.

12. Implement, where possible, Low Impact Design (LID) principles on building retrofits and new builds including LID landscaping, drainage, and permeable pavement types

Cumulative emission reduction estimates for these actions are estimated to be approximately 230 tonnes CO2e.

Focus Area 2: Corporate Fleet and Equipment

1. Undertake a Green Fleet and Equipment Strategy by end of 2024 to inform the procurement and replacement of vehicles toward at least a 25 percent reduction in fleet related GHGs by 2028. The Green Fleet and Equipment Strategy should include a comprehensive fleet and equipment inventory and identify alternative equipment and fuel sources and forecast realistic availability.

2. Complete a Corporate Asset Management Plan that includes Climate Change considerations by 2026.

3. Continue to implement best management practices in fleet management and maintenance to ensure vehicles perform at optimum levels and efficiency.

4. Implement an Anti-Idling policy for Township staff by 2025.

5. Consider the development of energy efficiency standards or the use of low carbon equipment in contracted services and operations.

Cumulative emission reduction estimates for these actions are estimated to be approximately 197 tonnes CO2e.

Focus Area 3: Corporate Actions

1. Update the Corporate Climate Action Plan in 2028 and every 5 years thereafter with GHG and energy emissions updates included.

2. Consider how to integrate a Climate Change Lens into all decisions of Council.

3. Offer educational opportunities to inform and educate staff on Corporate Actions to address Climate Change.

4. Integrate an Introduction to Climate Change to all new staff on boarding processes.

5. Assess training and information needs for staff to ensure informed response to extreme weather events.

6. Consider development of an extreme weather policy that identifies the weather conditions that will close municipal facilities.

7. Encourage active transportation, mode shifting, ride sharing by employees and in the community.

Emission reduction estimates not applicable for these actions.

Focus Area 4: Streetlights

1. Undertake an updated review of Municipally support street lighting and perform any remaining upgrades to Dark Sky approved low energy LED lighting types by 2028.

2. Develop a street lighting standard for any new development implementing street lighting that will be managed by the Township to low energy, dark sky approved LED lighting.

Cumulative emission reduction estimates for these actions are estimated to be 1 tonnes CO2e.

Focus Area 5: Waste

1. Undertake a Comprehensive Corporate Waste Review to include a Corporate Waste Recycling and Diversion Program in 2025.

2. Implement recommendations from the Waste Review to reduce waste generated from operations.

Cumulative emission reduction estimates for these actions are estimated to be 20 tonnes CO2e.

Focus Area 6: Water and Sewage

1. Develop and implementation energy management plans for assets and buildings with energy targets and include reactive, preventative, and predictive maintenance to prevent common sources of energy waste in building energy.

2. Complete transition to low energy LED lighting in all buildings by 2030.

3. Review all Township facilities with a Climate Change lens through a Facilities Review to identify potential renewal, replacement and retrofit projects.

4. Complete a Corporate Asset Management Plan that includes Climate Change considerations by 2026.

5. Encourage water conservation by employees and in the community and water metering of corporate facilities.

Cumulative emission reduction estimates for these actions are estimated to be 21 tonnes CO2e.