Most of us are aware of the “implementation gap” — a systemic obstacle that impedes progress towards a net-zero future and gets in the way of achieving urgent climate action. How then can municipal planning departments set clearer, more comprehensive guidelines for local climate action while promoting greater transparency and accountability? And how does this help set municipalities up to receive more climate funding?

In this PCP training workshop, participants will use implementation matrices to identify and better understand planning and implementation gaps that exist in their communities and how to address these. Participants will review the purpose and function of an implementation matrix, receive access to implementation matrices, and have the chance to fill out their own to support the development and implementation of their climate actions.

Local governments from across Canada have set ambitious goals for deep emissions reductions, made commitments to energy transition, and have an obligation to protect their communities from climate risk. They cannot do this alone. Robust, inclusive, and long-term partnerships are required to implement the variety of actions that are required. These partnerships take a concerted effort to develop and sustain — particularly if they are to mobilize action at the pace required to address existing and emerging challenges.

This workshop will explore a variety of collaboration models among local government, non-profits, and businesses and how these can accelerate progress on climate actions while generating multiple community benefits. Participants will examine the benefits, risks, contributions, and perceptions of collaboration and work in small groups to identify appropriate local collaboration opportunities for their communities.

Tactical urbanism is all about taking action. Also known as “DIY Urbanism”, “Planning-by-Doing”, or “Urban Prototyping”, this approach favours short-term, low-cost, and scalable interventions as a catalyst to long-term change. Examples of tactical urbanism initiatives include things like pedestrian plazas, parklets, and pop-up bike lanes. Learn how the City of Mississauga has been using this approach since 2019 to support its sustainable transportation goals with a biking tour extending from City Centre to the Credit Woodlands.

How can municipalities engage community members in climate action? Getting residents involved in forest restoration and invasive species control offers a practical approach that generates multiple co-benefits. Visit various parks and learn how the City of Mississauga engages community members in tree planting and invasive species control while simultaneously working to conserve, enhance and connect its wetlands, woodlands and natural areas.

In the face of more frequent and intense extreme precipitation events, many municipalities are using stormwater management to build neighbourhood-level flood resilience. Learn how the City of Mississauga is doing this within the Cooksville Creek watershed (i.e., using stormwater management to help reduce the occurrences of flooding) and how it is also integrating stormwater infrastructure with parkland planning and development as the city continues to grow and urbanize. This tour will explore Saigon Park which provides 11ha of public green space, recreational amenities, and stormwater infrastructure near the City of Mississauga’s downtown core.

Did you know that Mississauga includes 22 km of Lake Ontario’s waterfront? This stretch of shoreline includes 26 existing and 5 planned parks that are connected by the Waterfront Trail and by Lakeshore Road. Explore Mississauga’s waterfront parks and learn how the city is leading flood-resilient parks and public space redevelopment along the shores of Lake Ontario and the Credit River.

When integrated into community systems, circular economy concepts can help achieve climate goals while also supporting social equity. But what does this look like in reality? Learn how the City of Mississauga is using circular economy concepts to reduce waste. Join city staff for a first-hand discussion of waste diversion tactics used to manage surplus assets, reduce waste during events, and learn about several other circular economy initiatives being implemented by the municipality.

Navigating the relationship between upper and lower tier governments as it relates to climate change can often result in a jurisdictional quagmire. In this session, speakers will share examples of ways regional governments can effectively work with their member municipalities to advance climate action towards a low-carbon, resilient future. Participants will learn from examples of successful joint mitigation and adaptation initiatives within Ontario and British Columbia. Participants will also have the chance to engage in a discussion on best practices and strategies for effective collaboration, share their own experiences and challenges, and explore solutions.

Municipal climate leadership often starts with climate emergency declarations and mitigation plans. But what happens once the promises have been signed and the plans adopted? How do we get beyond quick wins and low-hanging fruit?

In this session, participants will hear from municipal leaders in climate action to learn about innovative initiatives and how to bring bold solutions to the table. Part presentation, part facilitated discussion, this session will explore noteworthy mitigation initiatives along with their implementation process and related challenges.

“Expect the unexpected” is sage advice for municipalities that are implementing climate solutions. From delays in funding to construction hurdles and political roadblocks, curve balls are all too common. So how can municipalities prepare for these and, better yet, take advantage of them?

In this session, learn how others have successfully pivoted and implemented climate change actions despite running into unexpected obstacles, and how taking advantage of curve balls can actually lead to greater success. Get inspired by stories and take notes so that you can replicate these actions in your community the next time you run into the unexpected.

To build and improve resilience to climate change impacts, it is essential to continually develop and update the climate change information that guides adaptation strategies and action. Mobilizing information and knowledge requires a thoughtful approach including adequate and accurate translation of scientific knowledge and Indigenous Knowledges. In this session, participants will discover and discuss how climate change adaptation knowledge is developed, and how to build the capacity and incentive to both create and act on it.

Communities across Canada are experiencing increasing and worsening climate events. Despite the strong economic case for investing in climate adaptation, public funds remain limited. Given the accelerating changes in our climate and the multi-billion-dollar loss events Canadians have recently experienced, a whole-society approach (including private investors, professional engineering and solutions designers, and innovative bundling and project delivery mechanisms alongside all levels of government) is needed to achieve the scale and speed of construction required for communities to prosper.

This session will bring together local government staff and financial experts from both the private and public sectors to discuss infrastructure project feasibility, “bankability” (i.e., return on investment), and other finance-related questions. Join this dialogue and exchange ideas, experiences, and perspectives.

Municipalities are implementing key decarbonization strategies such as building retrofits, district energy, and EV charger networks. However, the pace and scale of such initiatives are insufficient to meet net-zero targets. How can municipalities close this implementation gap? What are the barriers and what are solutions to deploying initiatives at scale? In this session, join industry leaders in an interactive discussion on a range of solutions and how these could be implemented in your community.

Monitoring, measuring, and achieving local GHG mitigation goals is often easier said than done, which is where the municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N-ZAP) collaboration project comes in. In this session, participants will learn how N-ZAP is working to help local government monitor and disclose progress towards GHG mitigation goals, and about efforts being made to integrate net-zero accounting and climate budgets into municipal level decision making. Experts on climate budgeting and disclosure and municipalities that have used the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) as part of their annual reporting will discuss the benefits of applying these tools at the local level and how to avoid common pitfalls, and interactive exercises will help participants think about how these concepts can be applied in their communities.

How can co-operatives, municipalities and community members work together to finance climate actions? In this session, participants will learn about co-operatives through case studies and take part in an engaging workshop to explore how climate actions could be financed through co-operatives in their communities.

Climate change will affect all of us, but some communities and populations are at greater risk of experiencing health impacts related to a changing climate. Factors such as housing, income, social support networks, and community capacity all affect the ability of individuals and groups to engage in climate solutions and adapt to climate change. Implementing low-carbon solutions through the lens of equity and inclusion has the potential to improve community health. This workshop will explore what health equity means, and how municipalities can better integrate these considerations into the design and implementation of policies (e.g. thermally safe buildings) and climate action plans.