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Policy Id:
SPR/SPA:
Risk:
OT-4
Crowe Valley, Ganaraska Region, Kawartha-Haliburton, Lower Trent, Otonabee-Peterborough
Non-specific
Implementing Body
Legal Effect
Policy Tool
Threat Type
Status
Comment
Conservation Authority
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Data being collected by CA's . Benthic sampling, PWQMN data, more guidance needed from ministry
Environment Canada
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
MNRF
Strategic
Incentives
Future & Existing
No response required/not applicable
OT-4(2): No data available at time of report.
MNRF
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is pleased to provide the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Authority an annual response to Source Protection Monitoring Policy OT-4. In 2023, Ontario released its first-ever Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment, which acknowledges that Ontario’s climate has changed, is changing and will continue to change across all regions of the province, with impacts being observed across sectors, ecosystems and communities. The Impact Assessment found that ecosystems and ecological services will be at high risk of degradation or loss within the next 30 years due to a changing climate, and many will be at very high risk by end of century. MNRF is leading and supporting a number of actions to help the province deliver on its climate change and water quality goals, including efforts to improve the resilience of natural ecosystems through conservation and restoration of significant environmental areas, and continuing work to restore and protect the Great Lakes and other vulnerable lakes and waterways. The ministry is also progressing commitments under Ontario’s Flooding Strategy, including updating technical guidance for rivers and shorelines and for the Great Lakes that incorporate climate change considerations. The ministry, as Secretariat for the Ontario Biodiversity Council, provides support to the development of the State of Ontario’s Biodiversity reports at five-year-intervals (as data is available) dating back to 2015 to help us better understand biodiversity trends in our province and monitor our conservation progress towards achieving Ontario’s biodiversity targets. The most recent report The 2020 State of Ontario’s Biodiversity Report is a summary of updates on 26 indicators. Indicators report on a variety of biodiversity related themes and have included such reports as: an Aquatic Stress Index to identify the intensity of human stressor for each tertiary watershed, and indicators on Water Quality in Inland lakes, Water Quality in Streams, Changes in Ice Cover on the Great Lakes, Extent of Wetland Cover and Wetland Loss, and Alterations to Stream Flow. MNRF continues to deliver on the commitments of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (COA), under the climate change annex, to improve understanding of the effects of climate change on water quality and ecosystem health. For example, researchers have progressed on work to examine water balance vulnerability to climate change in the Great Lakes Basin to calculate potential evaporation rates and predict changes to a watershed’s water balance under various future climate change scenarios. Building on the more than 400 reports and scientific publications developed or supported by the ministry, MNRF continues to contribute to science, research and knowledge about the ecological impacts of climate change through monitoring, modelling and vulnerability assessment. Recently published reports by MNRF related to water quality, quantity and ecosystem health include: - Ontario’s water availability in a changing climate: Projections of future change in mean annual runoff and aridity index (DeBues et al. 2023) - Ontario Lakes and Climate Change Database: A guide to projected changes in the thermal conditions of Ontario’s inland lakes (Smith et al. 2021) - Thermal habitat of flowing waters in Ontario: Climate change projections for the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone (Sutton and Jones 2021), and - Variability and trends in seasonal snow cover in Ontario from 1980 to 2010 detected using remote sensing (Metcalfe et al. 2018).
MECP - Env Monitoring
Strategic
Incentives
Future & Existing
Implemented: Policy outcome(s) evaluated - No further action(s) required
The ministry has implemented its commitment to review and consider the policy.
MECP - Env Monitoring
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented: Policy outcome(s) evaluated - No further action(s) required
The ministry has implemented its commitment to review and consider the policy. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Tool has been developed by a multi-stakeholder process coordinated by Conservation Ontario with the assistance of the Ontario Climate Consortium, Conservation Authorities, an Academics Advisory Committee (reps from McMaster, Waterloo, Guelph, and Trent) and a Steering Committee with representatives from Engineers Canada, MECP, CO, etc. to apply a climate change lens to municipal drinking water source quality risk assessments. The Tool was shared with municipalities and source protection authorities and committees in June 2020 and training was held in Winter 2020 for users. Please also refer to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s response to policy OT-4(1) for further details.
Alnwick/Haldimand Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Asphodel-Norwood Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Brighton Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Cavan Monaghan Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
No progress made
There are no current projects planned by the Township to collect climate change data. Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Clarington Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Clarington continues to support implementation of the Region of Durham’s climate mitigation and adaption plans and resulting programs. In 2020, the Municipality of Clarington became a member of FCM’s Partners for Climate Protection Program and to date has completed Milestones 1-3. The Clarington Corporate Climate Action Plan was approved by Municipal Council in March 2021. Implementation of the plan is on-going. Plan development included updating local climate change data which is being used to inform and prioritize corporate climate adaptation and mitigation actions. In 2021, The Municipality also updated the Clarington Emergency Plan to include explicit climate concerns outlined in the Clarington Climate Action Plan. On January 10, 2022, Clarington released its Community Risk Assessment, which includes climate risks as part of the Municipality’s risk hazard profile. In addition, we are currently collaborating with the GRCA to update flood plain mapping for the Wilmot and Graham Creeks.
Cobourg Town of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
The Town of Cobourg supports GRCA Monitoring that assist in climate change understanding.
Cramahe Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Douro-Dummer Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Durham, Regional Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Will review opportunities to collect relevant data.
Trent Lakes Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Hamilton Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
The Township of Hamilton works with the GRCA to collect data that can be used to inform climate change impacts.
Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, and other efforts related to mitigation and adaptation, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Highlands East Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
No response required/not applicable
Possible to carry out climate change vulnerability assessment next year.
Kawartha Lakes City of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
CKL works with KRCA on the collection of climate change data.
Marmora and Lake Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
Minden Hills Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
No progress made
Northumberland, County of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented: Policy outcome(s) evaluated - No further action(s) required
Northumberland County does not have a direct implementation role for this policy.
Otonabee-South Monaghan Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, and other efforts related to mitigation and adaptation, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Peterborough City of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
1) The City maintains and collects rainfall data from six (6) gauges across the City. The Data is used to inform and calibrate our integrated flood model and sanitary collection model (both include climate change scenarios) 2) The City has advanced the implementation of a Water Information Systems (WISKI) to collect, store and analyze our own water related and weather data, as well as data collected by others 3) The City collects groundwater well data from 30+ wells across the City. This data has be used to calibrate a groundwater model for the Watershed Plan and Harper Creek Subwatershed study. The model used is a refinement of the model developed for the Source Protection program. Model scenarios include various climate change events and identify impacts to water resources.
Peterborough, County of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
The County is a partner in Climate Change Action Plan and Sustainable Peterborough. However, these are broad strategies and do not have a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. New OP includes climate change direction for new development and was adopted in June 2022 and awaiting MMAH approval. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority.
Port Hope Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
The Municipality supports the GRCA in monitoring and programs that support climate change considerations.
Quinte West City of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Scugog Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
No response required/not applicable
Selwyn Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
Implemented
The municipality continued work on Climate Change Action Plan initiatives. Municipality participates in implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan for Greater Peterborough Area, but does not include a specific focus on vulnerable areas and drinking water supplies. The municipality has a Sustainability Coordinator on staff to ensure implementation of local climate action initiatives. Ongoing data collection related to flood/drought is undertaken by the Conservation Authority as part of the flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs. Where applicable, information on the linkages between the data collected and potential impacts on water supplies is communicated to the municipality and the public by the Conservation Authority. Since adopting the CCAP, the Township has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to climate action. The Township has initiated community actions, including a Rain Ready Action Program with resident subsidies, waste diversion policies and programs, a public transportation pilot project, tree planting and naturalization projects, as well as fostering community awareness around climate change. As a Corporation, the Township has also taken steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change, which has resulted in a 53% reduction in corporate greenhouse gas emissions since 2011. Actions include energy management and reporting, improving energy efficiency in facilities, initiating an electric vehicle program, installing renewable energy, and improving waste diversion.
Stirling-Rawdon Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Trent Hills Municipality of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
In progress/some progress made
Uxbridge Township of - (Municipality)
Strategic
Specify Actions to be taken to implement plan or achieve its objectives
Future & Existing
No response required/not applicable
Policy Text:
Applicable Activities: Climate change data collection
OT-4(1): Environment Canada ,the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources, municipalities, and conservation authorities are encouraged to collect climate change data on an ongoing basis with a focus on the potential impact of climate change on vulnerable areas and on the drinking water supplies within those areas.
OT-4(2): The Province of Ontario is encouraged to provide ongoing funding to local agencies to collect climate data to expand existing climate change data collection programs to include a focus on the potential effects on municipal drinking water systems in the Trent source protection areas.
OT-4(3): Report by February 1 each year to the applicable source protection authority providing details of any climate change data collection initiatives undertaken in (1) and (2) impacting the Trent source protection
areas for the preceding calendar year.
Monitoring Text:
OT-4(3): Report by February 1 each year to the applicable source protection authority providing details of any climate change data collection initiatives undertaken in (1) and (2) impacting the Trent source protection areas for the preceding calendar year.
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