Climate Change

On Tuesday, June 8, the City of Stratford’s Energy and Environment Advisory Committee, in collaboration with Climate Momentum, presented an online community webinar about Invasive Species.

Jay Ebel, Forestry and Habitat Restoration Technician with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA), spoke about his experience tackling Japanese Knotweed, European Buckthorn, Phragmites and Giant Hogweed – four invasive species found in this area. He shared options for trying to control these species, successes and failures he’s had in doing so, and answered questions from the audience.

The session was hosted through Zoom and livestreamed on the City of Stratford's Facebook page.

The session was part of a series of monthly virtual community meetings launched in February by Climate Momentum. Recordings and resources from the previous meetings are available at https://climatemomentum.ca/ The webinars from April and May are also available below.

Questions about the event can be directed to the Clerk's Office.

On Wednesday, May 26 at 7 p.m., the City of Stratford’s Energy and Environment Advisory Committee, in collaboration with Climate Momentum, presented an online community webinar Shifting to Neutral, Ecological Economics and Getting to Net Zero.

The guest speaker was Eric Miller, an economist and educator focused on sustainability metrics, models and policy. He spoke about how Ecological Economics can inform the transition to a well-being oriented economy that is carbon-neutral. Canada is one of 120 countries that committed to reducing their annual carbon emissions to the point of reaching “net-zero” by 2050. 

Mr. Miller is a David Suzuki Fellow focused on enhancing ecological economic literacy in Canada.  Eric also teaches courses in ecological economics and sustainability informatics and directs many projects and partnerships at York University including the production of the National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts.  Eric’s prior work as a consulting economist has informed governments, industry, think-tanks and NGOs.  Eric’s earlier career in public service had him leading the team of economists in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, after he had worked for the Ministry of Environment and for Environment Canada.

Shifting to Neutral was presented through Zoom, and was also livestreamed on the City’s Facebook page.

It is part of a series of free monthly virtual community meetings launched earlier this year.  The presentation in April, Youth Speak Out, is available below, and recordings and resources from the previous meetings are available at https://climatemomentum.ca/.   In June, the topic will be Invasive Species.

Questions about the event can be directed to the Clerk's Office.

Youth Speak Out on Climate Action for Our City was a virtual community meeting hosted on Earth Day, April 22, 2021, by the City of Stratford’s Energy and Environment Committee and Climate Momentum (https://climatemomentum.ca/). 

This event was presented by students and members of the Eco Club at Stratford District Secondary School and addressed issues of transportation, waste, urban sprawl and reforestation.  The student panelists were Kashish Dhanoa, Camille Ditty, Maria Gheorghe, Sammie Orr, Christopher Rouse, Rachael Schieldrop and Joelle Wiebe, and the moderator was Ms. Christine Ritsma, History and Green Industries teacher and staff advisor to the Eco Club.

Guest panelists included Quin Malott, Manager of Parks and Forestry for the City of Stratford, and Marianne Van Den Heuvel of the Stratford-Perth Tree Trust (https://treetrust.ca/partner/stratford-perth/).  The Tree Trust is a non-profit charity committed to identifying and preserving mature trees. 

A question and answer session followed the panel presentation.

This event is part of a series of monthly webinars on climate action for Stratford following the declaration of a climate emergency in February 2020. 

At the February 10, 2020 Regular meeting of Council, Stratford City Council adopted the following Climate Emergency Declaration:

Whereas climate change is currently contributing to billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage worldwide, stressing local and international economies;

Whereas climate change is currently jeopardizing the health and survival of many species and other natural environments worldwide, stressing local and international ecosystems;

Whereas climate change is currently harming human populations through rising sea levels and other extraordinary phenomena like intense wildfires worldwide, stressing local and international communities;

Whereas recent international research has indicated a need for massive reduction in carbon emissions in the next 10 years to avoid further and devastating economic, ecological, and societal loss;

Whereas the climate in Canada is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world, as per Canada’s Changing Climate report;

Whereas an emergency can be defined as "an often dangerous situation requiring immediate action";

Whereas municipalities such as Kingston, Vancouver, London and Hamilton have already declared climate emergencies;

Therefore, a climate emergency be declared by the City of Stratford for the purposes of naming, framing, and deepening our commitment to protecting our economy, our ecosystems, and our community from climate change.”

• it being noted that the above-noted Declaration is not intended to invoke the City of Stratford’s Emergency Response Plan or to interfere with the responsibilities and  power delegated to the Mayor to declare or to terminate a local emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, 1990;
• it being further noted that a climate emergency is distinct from the kinds of emergencies contemplated under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, 1990, as it is a global emergency with impacts extending beyond Stratford. 

At the December 14, 2015 Regular meeting of Council, Stratford City Council adopted the following resolution in support of the Blue Dot Movement Objectives:

That Council adopt the modified declaration to support the Blue Dot movement objective of having environmental protection enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as follows:

WHEREAS the City of Stratford (“City”) has striven for many years within its jurisdiction to maintain a healthy environment for all our citizens through its many plans, policies, programs and practices supported by our Official Plan;

AND WHEREAS the City endeavours to respect and promote the rights and quality of life of its citizens and pursues the public interest in all its actions, the identification and establishment of new basic human rights is best achieved at the Provincial, Federal, and even international, levels of government;

AND WHEREAS the City understands that people are part of the environment, and that a healthy environment is inextricably linked to human health and the social and economic well-being of our community;

AND WHEREAS the City believes that the Federal and Provincial governments should enshrine, within appropriate legislation, the right of all Canadians to live in a healthy environment, including:

• the right to breathe clean air;
• the right to drink clean water;
• the right to consume safe food;
• the right to access nature;
• the right to know about pollutants and contaminants released into the local environment; and,
• the right to participate in decision-making that will affect the environment;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That the Mayor on behalf of City Council, be directed to forward this resolution to the Prime Minister of Canada, with the request that the right of all citizens to live in a healthy environment be enshrined in appropriate federal legislation including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;

That the Mayor on behalf of City Council, be directed to forward this resolution to the Premier of Ontario, with the request that the right of all citizens to live in a healthy environment be enshrined in appropriate provincial legislation including Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights;

That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to all local Members of the Parliament of Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario; and

That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

The City of Stratford is doing many things that directly and indirectly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The City offers a variety of waste management programs, such as:

• textile recycling
• green bin program
• recycling collection

The City is continually renovating its facilities to reduce its carbon footprint, including:

• Dufferin arena upgrades
• LED lights installation: Rotary Complex, Housing tenants, transit terminals
• upgrading HVAC systems
• installation of bike racks to promote active transportation
• plans to upgrade windows at Normal School and boiler at City Hall

The City is committed to maintaining a healthy and vigorous treed environment that will benefit the community and is doing so in the following ways:

• Private Tree by-law
• efficient care and maintenance of the City's urban forest
• community tree planting program (ex. schools and Scouts)
• protection and preservation of municipal trees

Reduction of the carbon footprint created by the City is important and additional measures being taken are:

• community gardens
• Avon River shoreline improvements
• six year plan to replace older transit buses to reduce emissions
• water division improvements to data management software and pumping stations (Energy Optimization Project)

In order to reduce the carbon footprint in the City, we require your help. Here are some things YOU can do to reduce your carbon footprint:

1. Utilize public transit systems
2. Plant trees and gardens on your property.
3. Use LED lights.
4. Choose active transportation over vehicular modes of travel to get to school and work.
5. Join the conversation and provide feedback.
6. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
7. Declutter and donate items to charity.
8. Unplug idle electronics.
9. Manage thermostat to operate on a timely schedule.
10. Carpool.
11. Limit car idling.
12. Invest in reusable products such as water bottles, coffee mugs and grocery bags.
13. Hang laundry to dry.

Climate change is a change in global or regional climate patterns and is largely due to increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuels.

Climate change is the long-term alteration of weather patterns exhibited through extreme storms, severe flooding, record heat waves, prolonged droughts, and other natural disasters. 

According to the Government of Canada, greenhouse gases refer to gases in the atmosphere that absorb heat radiation from earth. The gases act like a blanket reducing heat loss, similar to the way the glass of a greenhouse warms the air inside the greenhouse.  This greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that creates warmer conditions on Earth.  The rise in greenhouse gas concentrations is amplifying the natural greenhouse effect and warming the planet, affecting wind patterns, precipitation and storm events.

Government of Canada - climate change

What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?

The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.  it helps policymakers by providing regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks. The IPCC reports are neutral, policy-relevant but not policy-prescriptive. Currently the IPCC has 195 member countries.

What is the difference between climate change and global warming?

Climate change refers to a long-term shift in weather conditions and may vary from region to region. Global warming refers specifically to an increase in the global average surface temperature. It is an indicator of climate change.