Climate Change & Energy 

Climate Change and Energy

Each year, the County of Huron undertakes a variety of Climate Change and Energy projects and initiatives, led by the Planning & Development Department. These projects are designed to help our corporation and the community adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change

We Accomplish this through:

  • The Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
  • Interdepartmental collaboration to respond to corporate and community needs.
  • Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan in addition to energy tracking.
  • Funding opportunities

Climate Action

Climate change and energy are priorities for the County of Huron. The County is currently taking action to mitigate climate change and prepare for the future, as well as improve the management of energy in our facilities.

Climate Change

Some of the County of Huron’s ongoing initiatives include:

Energy Conservation & Management

The County’s efforts to conserve energy within our corporation are ongoing. Improving how we manage energy in our facilities helps us reduce our environmental impact, become more sustainable, and generate cost savings. Some of our current projects include:

  • Monitoring energy consumption in our facilities,
  • Achieving energy savings through our Conservation and Demand Management plan,
  • Working with staff to further awareness about the importance of energy conservation, and
  • Continuing to look for opportunities to become more sustainable.

Ontario regulation 507/18 (previously 397/11) requires public organizations to annually report their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As part of this regulation, organizations must also develop and implement Conservation and Demand Management plans, which are updated every 5 years.

In 2014, the County of Huron created the first Conservation and Demand Management Plan, which proposed ways to reduce energy use in County buildings. The 2019 update to the plan reports on the progress that the County has made since 2014 and outlines new efforts that will help the County further reduce energy use at the corporate level.

The County’s 2014 and 2019 Conservation and Demand Management Plans are linked below, along with the County’s annual energy consumption and emissions reports linked on the right.

Conservation and Demand Management Plan, 2014

Conservation and Demand Management Plan, 2019

Conservation and Demand Management Plan, 2024

Corporate Climate Adaptation Plan

The County of Huron is committed to taking action to address climate change. In 2020, the County developed a Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCCAP), which outlines actions the County is taking to reduce, respond to, and recover from the impacts of climate change, on the corporation and local communities.

As employees and community members, it is important to understand what climate change is, how it might affect our work, and how we can support the County’s climate efforts through our projects and decisions.

Projects

Corporate Initiatives

Through the CCCAP, the County is working to develop and implement corporate initiatives to address climate change. The goals and actions of the CCCAP have been organized into priority areas. The priority areas reflect common themes among the impacts that were identified for the corporation. By taking action to improve resiliency in these areas, the County of Huron will be better prepared for the future impacts of climate change.

The following priority areas have been established:

  • Infrastructure & Assets – relating to the County’s built infrastructure (ie. facilities, roads, etc.) & natural assets (ie. County forests)
  • Health & Safety – relating to the wellbeing of County staff & the community
  • Engagement & Partnerships – relating to the County raising awareness within the corporation & opportunities to collaborate with other organizations/levels of government
  • Resilience & Continuity – relating to the County’s ability to continue operating in an effective & financially feasible manner
  • Innovation & Growth – relating to opportunities for the County to be innovative in our approach to adaptation

In order to ensure that the actions of the CCCAP are prioritized and implemented, a timeline, cost, responsibility, and goal were assigned to each action.

Actions to date:

Here are some of the County’s recent accomplishments:

  • Climate Lens Tool – developed for staff to consider climate change in projects and decisions.
  • High Performance Building Standard – outlines ways the County is improving the efficiency and resiliency of our facilities.
  • Green Fleet Strategy – a phase in approach to improve environmental performance of the County’s vehicles.
  • Greenhouse Gas Inventory – allows us to understand and reduce corporate emissions.
  • Implementing an energy monitoring system to track energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • In a partnership with the County of Huron, Huron East, and Goderich, 22 new EV chargers have be installed throughout Huron County with funding from Natural Resource Canada and Bruce Power.
  • Completion of a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment on the County’s vital transportation infrastructure to proactively understand the future impacts of climate change.
  • Home Energy Savings Guide – outlines simple and cost-effective ways for residents to reduce energy and water consumption in their home.
  • Incorporated the Value of Natural Assets into the Asset Management Plan to emphasize the benefits they provide and the need for long-term protection and management of natural spaces.
Rural Roadside Strategy Pilot

The Rural Roadside Strategy Pilot project will focus on the beautification of Huron County rural roads by creating pollinator habitats through the planting of native flowering species, and the removal of invasive species within and adjacent to the road’s right-of-way. The Rural Roadside Strategy Pilot project will help the County:

  • Gain insight and expertise on the best management strategies to control invasive species and establish pollinator habitat in the region.
  • Determine which control measures are most effective for the invasive species present along County roads.
  • Experiment with native seed mixes and help develop a more comprehensive roadside management strategy.

Pollinator species are declining in North America due to climate change, the use of pesticides/herbicide, the spread of diseases and land use changes that lead to a loss of habitat. This decline in pollinator species can have adverse impacts on native ecosystems and agricultural production throughout Ontario. Pollinators and the creation of pollinator habitat provide a diverse range of economic and environmental benefits to a community.

Rural ReCharge Network

The Regional EV Charging Network Strategy: Feasibility Study was a project spearheaded by Wellington County. The partners in this regional project included:

  • County of Bruce
  • County of Dufferin
  • County of Grey
  • City of Guelph
  • County of Huron
  • County of Perth (City of Stratford and Town of St. Marys)
  • County of Wellington

The goal of the project was to ensure that residents and businesses in the region had access to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. Recognizing they had a shared objective, this project was initiated as the partners applied and received funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Using a collaborative approach, the partners developed a Regional EV Charging Network Strategy with the help of consultants from Community Energy Association.

The feasibility study drafted has already led to tangible actions. Some of the partners, including the County of Huron, County of Dufferin, County of Perth, Bruce County, County of Wellington, and County of Grey, have initiated the installation phase for the recommended EV chargers through a third-party implementation partner.

By working together and taking a regional approach, this strategy will ensure that EV drivers can travel seamlessly throughout the region. It will also help ensure that the region has the infrastructure necessary to continue transitioning to a low-carbon future.

Resources

Climate Projections for Huron County

Climate change is already affecting Huron County. In recent years changing conditions have led to more extreme weather events, localized flooding, and variable weather patterns. These are just a few examples of events that are expected to increase with climate change.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory

In July 2019, the County of Huron joined the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program. This program, jointly established by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, encourages municipalities to take action against climate change, and more specifically the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The PCP program is comprised of a 5-milestone framework that works to reduce GHG emissions through the development of an emissions inventory, reduction targets, and an action plan.
As part of the commitment to the PCP program, the County of Huron developed the following inventory in order to fulfill the corporate requirements of Milestone 1.

Contact Planning & Development

County of Huron |
Planning & Development

57 Napier Street, 2nd Floor
Goderich, ON
N7A 1W2

Phone: 519.524.8394, ext 3
Toll Free: 1.888.524.8394, ext 3

Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.