Whitby Climate Emergency Response Plan

The results are in! Thank you to the over 200 people who participated in last year's survey on emergency preparedness and climate change and help inform Action 1.5 in the Whitby Climate Emergency Response Plan.

The goal of the survey: to evaluate the community’s understanding of climate risks and identify ways the Town can better equip residents to prepare for and recover from challenges posed by climate change.

The results are:

• 59% of residents clearly understand climate change risks, 29% have some awareness, and 11% are unaware.
• Extreme heat and cold events, air pollution/smog, disease outbreak, severe weather, and extended power outages are the greatest concerns to the community.
• 45% of residents do not feel ready for a climate emergency, with 36% unsure of their preparedness, while only 18% feel equipped.
• Most residents have not discussed climate emergency preparedness with their family and friends.
• 69% of residents do not have a climate emergency response plan, 27% have a partial plan, 4% are unsure, and less than 1% have a complete plan.
• Of the residents who do have a climate emergency response plan, only 20% review and practice their plan with family members.
• The leading challenge to being prepared is needing more information on how to prepare.
• Only half of the survey respondents have a community support system in the event of a climate emergency.
• The Town of Whitby is the number one organization respondents trust to receive information about climate change risks, preparedness and recovery.

While most survey participants have a strong understanding of climate risks, there is still room to improve how our community prepares for them.

The Town will continue to educate the community about emergency preparedness and develop programs for homeowners and renters to learn how to make their homes more resilient, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Town will continue to share information about climate mitigation, climate risks, and the types of support available from the Town.

The Whitby Climate Emergency Response Plan includes corporate actions for the Town, as well as community actions for Whitby service providers, businesses and residents to help reduce and prevent the risks of climate change. The Plan clearly outlines the resources and the timing required to implement each of the actions.

Climate Emergency Response Plan - Phase 1: Resilience

Phase 1 was endorsed by Council in September of 2022. The purpose of the Plan is to address the climate changes we already experience in Whitby and expect to experience in the future even with the adoption of GHG emissions mitigation measures. Risk and vulnerability modelling was done by developing two future scenarios for the Town:

• An adapted scenario, where measures to reduce the direct and indirect risks of climate change are applied across the community; and
• A business-as-usual scenario, which includes growth and development without a climate adaptation lens.

To support the achievement of the adaptation actions, a detailed five-year community-led Implementation Plan has been developed. View Phase 1 of the Plan below:

• CERP Phase 1: Resilience- Executive Summary
• CERP Phase 1: Resilience- Implementation Plan
• CERP Phase 1: Resilience - Technical Summary
• CERP Phase 1: Resilience - Consultation Report

Climate Emergency Response Plan - Phase 2: Mitigation

Phase 2 was endorsed by Council in December of 2023. The Mitigation Plan focuses on climate mitigation and identifies the sources of GHG emissions in Whitby. It provides guidance and recommendations to meet the Town's community-wide GHG emissions reduction target of net-zero by 2045. To support the Mitigation Plan, a short-term Implementation Plan has been developed to actively guide progress from 2024 to 2030 on the low-carbon pathway. View Phase 2 of the Plan below:

• CERP Phase 2: Mitigation - Mitigation Plan
• CERP Phase 2: Mitigation - Implementation Plan
• CERP Phase 2: Mitigation - Financial Analysis
• CERP Phase 2: Mitigation - Engagement Summary
• CERP Phase 2: Mitigation - Data, Methods, and Assumptions

Next Steps

As part of next steps for Phase 1: Resilience, the Town is working on implementing a variety of action items identified in the Implementation Plan for 2024, such as:

• Develop and implement a community wide education campaign on climate risks, preparedness and recovery; and
• Select a neighbourhood for a pilot project to install green infrastructure, with signage and community participation where possible.

For Phase 2: Mitigation, a variety of action items will also be implemented in 2024, such as:

• Complete a study to determine the areas throughout the Town that are best suitable for a district energy, and wastewater heat recovery. Based on study, install one geothermal pilot project by 2026.
• By end of 2024, update the Whitby Green Standard's (WGS) minimum requirements to Tier 2 and develop a Terms of Reference (TOR) outlining specific requirements for each performance criteria.
• Investigate the development of a residential and a commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.