City of Kawartha Lakes Healthy Environment Plan

The City of Kawartha Lakes will develop a Healthy Environment Plan to understand and address climate change in Kawartha Lakes. This plan will consider both climate change mitigation and adaptation. In addition, through this project, the City will be completing Milestones 1 through 3 of FCM’s Partners for Climate Protection five-milestone framework for community sources of emissions. Objectives of the Plan are outlined below: 1. Provide a city-wide baseline and forecast of GHG emissions and potential climatic impacts2. Outline a comprehensive strategy for Kawartha Lakes to respond to climate change locallyTo achieve this Plan, the city will :• Quantify community GHG emissions to create a baseline inventory and forecasts;• Identify potential climatic impacts that are likely in Kawartha Lakes;• Assess the vulnerability and risks of the potential climatic impacts;• Establish goals and targets for Kawartha Lakes to work towards;• Identify, assess, and recommend strategies to achieve the goals and targets; and • Develop an effective implementation approach to put the plan into action.A key component of the planning process is extensive stakeholder and community engagement to provide robust outreach, soliciting input from a range of corporate and community stakeholders, and building buy-in and support. Creation of the Healthy Environment Plan will enhance the community’s ability to plan and adapt for the climatic changes that will likely occur in Kawartha Lakes. The intention is to foster measurable and sustained results in both mitigating and slowing down emission effects on the environment and having meaningful actions in progress to adapt to climate changes as they occur. An economic development lens is also being applied to keep energy dollars local, support green industry and skills training, and leverage business and tourism opportunities associated with changing climatic conditions. This approach will support families and businesses in Kawartha Lakes and make the City more resilient to environmental change.