A new study from the University of Waterloo sheds some light on which Canadian cities are most prepared to take on the challenges of climate change.
The study, which examined 63 cities across Canada, confirms there are significant differences between municipal plans to protect citizens from climate change.
“We tend to think of climate change as something that happens at the federal and provincial levels,” says Daniel Henstra, Water Institute member and a policy specialist in Waterloo’s Department of Political Science. “In fact, most climate policy happens because of local governments.”
Each community was evaluated on 46 indicators based on eight plan quality characteristics: fact base, goals, policies, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, inter-organizational coordination, participation, and plan organization and presentation.
The research found three main deficiencies every municipality needs to take a closer look at. The areas included a need to better prioritize adaptation over mitigation, a need to pay closer attention to monitoring, evaluation and implementation, and a need to better engage citizens, businesses and other stakeholders in planning.
Leading the country in their plan to address the challenges of climate change was Kingston, Ontario, followed closely by Ontario’s Waterloo Region and Hamilton. New Westminster, British Columbia was identified as having the most work to do. Toronto was middle of the pack.
“Our urban municipalities are where the average citizen is most vulnerable to climate change,” says Jason Thistlethwaite, a climate researcher in the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment. "Cities have the highest concentration of people and property, and fewer resources to deal with mitigation and adaptation than the Feds, or the Province. However, cities also hold the power for the disruption we need to transform the way we need to live in and combat future climates.”
See where your city ranks in the study in Fig. 2 in Evaluating the quality of municipal climate change plans in Canada, published in Climate Change.
Originally published as a Waterloo News press release.
In the media
Most Canadian cities are not ready for climate change, U of Waterloo study finds, City Pulse 24 (CP24), Dec. 3, 2018
Most Canadian cities are unprepared for climate change disasters, says study, National Post, Dec. 2, 2018
Canadian cities woefully unprepared for effects of climate change: study, CTV News, Dec. 2, 2018