Climate Change

Let’s create a Resilient Richmond Hill – together

Richmond Hill is taking steps to become more resilient to climate change – and you can help! Our Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) will bring together staff, key stakeholders and the public to find ways to increase energy efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas emissions throughout Richmond Hill.

Subscribe to this webpage below (“Receive Email Updates…”) to receive news about how you can participate in these consultations, planned for fall 2019.   

Climate change in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is already feeling, and will continue to experience, the effects of climate change: heat waves, ice storms, increased rainfall, high wind speeds and more freeze-thaw cycles. These weather extremes threaten the health of natural and built environments, and the viability of municipal services and operations.

Climate change refers to long-term changes in weather patterns. Global warming is a measure of climate change and describes increases in the earth's average temperature over time. Human activities in the last 100 years, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the air, which contributes to global warming and changing weather patterns.

Our community contributes to climate change in two main ways:

• Heating and cooling buildings with natural gas or other fossil fuels
• Transportation of people and goods using petroleum

What is Resilience?

To be resilient means to be able to prepare for, resist and recover from damage or negative impacts. A resilient community plans ahead and maintains a balance of strength and flexibility. 

• For example, a healthy tree with strong roots can withstand heavy winds and drought. Trees also gain resilience (i.e. to pests, disease and extreme weather) when they exist in a diverse community – a forest.

How can we cope with climate change?

By building up our resilience, Richmond Hill can deal with the negative impacts of climate change while helping to address its root causes. Our natural environment already contains resilient features, such as the Oak Ridges Moraine, rivers and streams, forests, wetlands, and wildlife. Our built environment contains resilient features as well:  parks and open spaces, walking and cycling options, community gardens, and stormwater management. 

Resilience in the face of climate change involves two broad responses:

• Mitigation – lowering greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. For example, walking and cycling instead of using a gas-powered vehicle can decrease emissions and traffic congestion, while improving physical and mental health.   
• Adaptation – preparing for and dealing with the impacts of climate change. For example, stormwater controls can decrease the risk of flooding by managing increased amounts of water from large storms and quickly melting snow.

What is Resilient Richmond Hill?

Resilient Richmond Hill (or Resilient RH) is a project aimed at mitigating climate change (by lowering our GHG emissions) and adapting to climate change (by planning for weather extremes). Taking action now will help strengthen our community and maintain – and even improve – our quality of life.

Resilient RH will build on existing actions, programs, partnerships, and plans to develop a more comprehensive and strategic response to climate change.  While this initiative is specific to our community, its underlying goals align with many other towns and cities around the world.

One of the main projects under Resilient RH, the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (2019-2021), will explore mitigation options that not only reduce our emissions but also save energy costs for residents and businesses.  You can share your ideas through our upcoming consultations (fall 2019)!

What has Richmond Hill been doing about Climate Change?

• Corporate Energy Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Plan
• ISO 14001 Environment Management System
• Sustainable Transportation
• Clean Air Council
• FCM Partners for Climate Protection Program
• Tree planting and natural area stewardship
• Valleyland restoration
• Emergency and Risk Management

Public Notices and Project Documents

• June 2018 Staff Report - Proposal to Advance Richmond Hill's Climate Change Mandate