Climate Change Adaptation Plan

Share Climate Change Adaptation Plan on Facebook Share Climate Change Adaptation Plan on Twitter Share Climate Change Adaptation Plan on Linkedin Email Climate Change Adaptation Plan link

Consultation has concluded

What's happening with our weather?

From ice storms to heat waves and unseasonable temperatures, Halton Hills has experienced some seemingly strange weather over the past few years. These unusual climate events have affected the lives of our residents and have our community talking:

  • Is it climate change?
  • What will Halton Hills' climate look like in the future?
  • Are we prepared as a community for any changes that lie ahead?
  • What, if anything, should we do as a community to adapt and remain resilient to climate change?

These are questions that we plan to clarify with the Halton Hills Climate Change Adaptation Project.


What is The Climate Change Adaptation Plan?

This project will assess our community’s ability to respond to, and stay resilient against changes that may be brought on by unusual weather events, gradually increasing temperatures and altered rain and snow patterns. It will centre around the needs and values of the Halton Hills community and involve the following:

  1. Determining how the climate of Halton Hills has changed over the years and how climate change is predicted to impact Halton Hills until the year 2100 (through a localized climate modelling exercise that will use historical climate data and internationally-accepted climate models – learn more).
  2. Identifying how the Town could be vulnerable to climate change and prioritizing the potential risks.
  3. Identifying strategies and actions that will reduce or eliminate any identified vulnerabilities.

The project was launched in early 2017 to fulfill Action 5A of Council's 2014-18 Strategic Action Plan - Develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan - and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.

The Town has secured a $175,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to fund the majority of the project.


Halton Hills Need your Help

Creating a Climate Change Adaptation Plan that works for Halton Hills means addressing the needs and concerns of our residents. You can help us understand your views, awareness of and interest in climate change by submitting your story and/or completing a short survey.


The CCAP: Draft Vision, Goals and Actions survey will be closed on January 2, 2020 at 9 a.m.

What's happening with our weather?

From ice storms to heat waves and unseasonable temperatures, Halton Hills has experienced some seemingly strange weather over the past few years. These unusual climate events have affected the lives of our residents and have our community talking:

  • Is it climate change?
  • What will Halton Hills' climate look like in the future?
  • Are we prepared as a community for any changes that lie ahead?
  • What, if anything, should we do as a community to adapt and remain resilient to climate change?

These are questions that we plan to clarify with the Halton Hills Climate Change Adaptation Project.


What is The Climate Change Adaptation Plan?

This project will assess our community’s ability to respond to, and stay resilient against changes that may be brought on by unusual weather events, gradually increasing temperatures and altered rain and snow patterns. It will centre around the needs and values of the Halton Hills community and involve the following:

  1. Determining how the climate of Halton Hills has changed over the years and how climate change is predicted to impact Halton Hills until the year 2100 (through a localized climate modelling exercise that will use historical climate data and internationally-accepted climate models – learn more).
  2. Identifying how the Town could be vulnerable to climate change and prioritizing the potential risks.
  3. Identifying strategies and actions that will reduce or eliminate any identified vulnerabilities.

The project was launched in early 2017 to fulfill Action 5A of Council's 2014-18 Strategic Action Plan - Develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan - and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.

The Town has secured a $175,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to fund the majority of the project.


Halton Hills Need your Help

Creating a Climate Change Adaptation Plan that works for Halton Hills means addressing the needs and concerns of our residents. You can help us understand your views, awareness of and interest in climate change by submitting your story and/or completing a short survey.


The CCAP: Draft Vision, Goals and Actions survey will be closed on January 2, 2020 at 9 a.m.

Tell your story

What do you value most about living in Halton Hills? 

Post a picture, image or video here that represents the Town for you. 


Thank you for sharing your story.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share Moved here to drink groundwater. on Facebook Share Moved here to drink groundwater. on Twitter Share Moved here to drink groundwater. on Linkedin Email Moved here to drink groundwater. link

    Moved here to drink groundwater.

    by River Doctor, over 7 years ago

    When my wife and I were looking for a community in which to settle, we identified Georgetown as a good place to grow because we would be drinking groundwater, not water from Lake Ontario.  As a biologist, I appreciated the long term health benefits of drinking groundwater as opposed to Lake water, "influenced" by industries and larger communities along the Great Lakes waterway.  It's the small town flavour, yet proximity to the jobs and opportunities of the City of Toronto that we value most, but while doing so, we wanted to maintain the health of our children, with one less... Continue reading

    When my wife and I were looking for a community in which to settle, we identified Georgetown as a good place to grow because we would be drinking groundwater, not water from Lake Ontario.  As a biologist, I appreciated the long term health benefits of drinking groundwater as opposed to Lake water, "influenced" by industries and larger communities along the Great Lakes waterway.  It's the small town flavour, yet proximity to the jobs and opportunities of the City of Toronto that we value most, but while doing so, we wanted to maintain the health of our children, with one less worry of the things in the water we drink each day.

    With respect to climate change adaptation, one of the best examples of taking direction that I've witnessed in Ontario, is the extensive tree planting project taken on by The Watchtower organisation in 2016.  Over the majority of their lands, which was mostly fallow farm fields, they were spending time and resources mowing grass all summer long - putting more fossil fuel carbon into the atmosphere, as well as methane from the rotting grass clippings. In 2016, the organisation spent many person-hours of labour, and their financial resources to plant a mixed forest of evergreens and deciduous trees through the property.  Although the dry summer in 2017 wasn't helpful. they have persisted and we can now see the young forest taking shape.  Over time, as the trees and under-story plants grow, mature and compete for sunlight, they will sequester carbon in the woody tissues, locking it in for many decades to come.  The savings in fossil fuels of no longer cutting grass, are obvious, but not so obvious are the benefits to the residents, wildlife and microfauna in the soil.  The new forest will help diversify the wildlife resources, aerate the soil, generate valuable leaf litter and topsoil and produce oxygen for the local climate, significantly helping to moderate the influences of a changing climate. 

    I very much appreciate the efforts of the Watchtower organisation (no, I am not a member, just a neighbour) in leading the way in Halton Hills.  They have been taking a significant step towards adapting to a changing climate, and for this they should be commended.  In more ways than simple words, they have put their personal efforts and collective resources towards maintaining our ecosystem for future generations.  Their efforts are what ecologically sustainable economic development really needs to be about. 

    Shawn Taylor

    Limehouse