Council approves community climate adaptation plan

Whitby, Ontario –

Durham Region has a plan; one that will help to ensure our community remains livable, resilient and prosperous by addressing climate change risks related to our infrastructure, economy, health and welfare. But it will require the help of the community to make it a reality.

Durham Regional Council today approved, in principle, the Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan (DCCAP). It is the result of three years of community engagement; presenting a set of proposed programs that constitutes a comprehensive, community-wide approach to climate adaptation in our region. Council had to approve the document “in principle” because the Region does not have jurisdictional authority or responsibility for many of the measures in this plan.

“Several key players came together, during the past three years, to consider the risks and opportunities related to a changing climate and prepare proposals to proactively address it,” said Roger Anderson, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer. “By working together, we can focus on the longer-term planning required to execute this plan.”

The DCCAP outlines 18 proposed programs across seven sectors: cross-sectoral, building, electrical, flooding, human health, roads and natural environment. Roles and responsibilities are identified in the plan, as are next steps to further develop these programs.

Now that the plan has been approved, the 18 recommended programs will be referred to the various responsible agencies for further development, costing, approval and implementation within the context of their business plans and risk management policies and practices. As part of the process, Durham Region will address its own responsibilities and monitor progress on behalf of the community. Although there are anticipated initial costs associated with these programs, the goal is to avoid future damage costs from climate change and extreme weather.

It is important to note that this document is truly a community-wide plan. Through stakeholder engagement, most community partners have agreed to collaborative development of next steps and reporting on progress. To ensure our residents are aware and involved, a public engagement program is scheduled for development.

On Sept. 13, 2013, the Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change initially approved the development of a Community Climate Adaptation Plan. This piece would act as a complementary initiative to the September 2012 Community Climate Change Local Action Plan (CCLAP), which focuses on climate mitigation. 

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