Perth's Local Climate Change Action Plan

The Town of Perth’s Local Climate Change Action Plan will clearly lay out targets and milestones, and will include a step-by-step implementation plan while integrating principles of sustainability across all departments and council decision-making. This proposal provides a unique opportunity to examine a municipality’s second-generation take on climate change action. In 1998, in conjunction with the local environmental group EcoPerth, the Town developed a series of action projects to reduce its carbon footprint. It was an early member of Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) and was recognized for its innovative program. As an early adopter, Perth developed its own approach to climate change action and was awarded Milestones 1, 2 and 3 for these efforts. The Town recently established the Mayor’s Task Force on Local Climate Change. This is in keeping with the Town’s Strategic Plan where being a Green Community is a way of life. The Town hopes to reengage with the PCP program, and build on and expand its earlier climate change actions and develop a plan that targets significant reductions in GHG emissions, stimulate local economic development on a number of fronts, and engage the public and business community in serious action on climate change. It will coordinate planning and activities with Lanark County and neighbouring municipalities. Some of the organizations that will be directly involved in this study include EcoPerth, Transition Perth, the Table Community Food Centre, Friends of the Tay Watershed, utility companies such as Hydro One Networks and Enbridge, and public and private sector groups. The Mayor's Task Force on Climate Change is mainly composed of members from these organizations and from the public. In addition to building on the Town’s long history of climate change activity, the knowledge value of this initiative can be found in the plan’s inclusion of more substantive measures and measures that can be integrated with town and community activities, as opposed to low-hanging fruits. The process of taking stock and re-setting the climate change action planning will be of great interest to those municipalities that are in a similar situation. Furthermore, Perth has a higher rate of seniors and lower-income residence than the Ontario average. These groups are especially vulnerable to many of the effects of climate change. As such, this plan will focus on actions where adaptation and mitigation overlap. For example, an increase in heat waves is becoming a health concern for the growing senior population. While air-conditioning helps to alleviate the symptoms, it increases the Town’s GHG footprint, perpetuating the problem. Alternatively, encouraging and supporting energy retrofits, up to and including super-insulated retrofits, helps deal with heat waves by making homes more comfortable while at the same time reducing GHG emissions in both summer and winter. This approach will also have great knowledge value. To ensure that lessons learned and potential for replication is realized, a number of measures will be undertaken. Key information and access to documents will be posted on the Town's website. A PowerPoint presentation on the project and lessons learned will be promoted, and workshops and seminars will also be used to share information. (Project description from original funding application)