Climate Resiliency Strategy

Promote / enable community connection to enable community support including helping vulnerable individuals during emergencies.

Assess existing emergency response capacity to respond to extreme weather events and increase capacity as needed

Integrate more information on softscaping approaches that limit storm runoff into city requirements for driveways and exterior landscaping

Ensure cooling centres are accessible and people are aware of them for heatwaves

Increase awareness about the risks of tick diseases and West Nile Virus through community outreach

Have buses stop idling at beginning or end of bus routes. Other transit systems do it, why not us?

Have buses stop idling at beginning or end of bus routes. Other transit systems do it, why not us? The excuse that Ottawa has a cold climate does not stand ground, Montreal has this policy.

Mandate organic composting!

I currently live in a high density building (condo). But there is no provision for separating organics from garbage - because it isn't mandatory! Mandate collecting and composting organic waste for high and medium density housing (or even at an area level) - so we can use this compost rather than dump it in garbage!

Trees! We need many, many more trees… Downtown is a concrete jungle with no shade anywhere - it’s unbearable to walk there!

Trees

Instead of spending $55M on road growth projects, divest funds to green programs like bike lanes and the Energy Evolution program.

Encourage ground source heat pumps as the new standard for heating and cooling in new home construction.

Ground source heat pumps take advantage of stable earth temperatures that are about 4 degrees throughout the year. Geothermal heating offers efficient heating and cooling, but installing systems retroactively is prohibitively expensive because of the need to excavate. If geothermal heat exchange coils were installed by developers during the excavation phase of new home construction, then these systems would become more affordable. Geothermal cooling would consume far less energy than conventional air conditioners or air-source heat pumps, becoming more important as average temperatures continue to increase.

Use climbing vines to provide shade if there is no room for trees

For narrow sidewalks or other areas where there is no room to plant trees, we should install frames to support native vines that can provide shade and other modest mitigating effects.

Incorporate Neighbourwoods teams into Forestry Planning

A number of neighbourwoods groups already exist in Ottawa, who assess trees in their neighbourhoods for damage, species and conflicts with overhead wires, street signs and other trees. Many communities want to get involved in this type of initiative! The city needs to embrace this, fund it more broadly and incorporate it into the process of identifying plantable spaces, species diversity in planting, pruning and coordination with Hydro Ottawa etc.

Stop delaying New Green Building standard

In order to be best prepared for extreme weather events, our buildings need to follow forward thinking standards, that are in line with projections for hotter summers. Ottawa could be a leader, and set up an incubator for contractors and developers to discuss how to go beyond the standard too--normalize including hook ups for EVs, installing heat pumps, learn about passive house model designs--all of which will ensure climate resiliency down the road.

Plant more native trees and bushes (male & female)

Prepare for extreme heat events

Summer heat waves can be deadly. Water parks and splash pads can help people keep cool, but air conditioned places (with shuttles or other ways to bring people in) need to be ready to open, and some of our most vulnerable (such as the elderly or housebound or medically at risk) may need targetted programs to get them air conditioning at their homes. Residences should have a maximum temperature or a requirement to provide cooling

Storm sewer rapid response line & team

311 could add an option for quick reporting of blocked drains & storm sewers, & have employees equipped &ready to roll do investigate & clear blockages before they lead to flooding & property damage.

Plan directeur sur les changements climatiques

Accélérer la mise en œuvre du Plan directeur sur les changements climatiques, et veiller à ce qu’il soit entièrement financé dans le budget de 2024 par le biais d’un plan financier à long terme.

Revisit existing Storm Water Management Assumptions and Existing Storm Water systems

My current understanding is the City of Ottawa is using rain "event" criteria (1:10, 1:50 and 1:100 year storms) using almost decade-old standards. These must be brought up to date, and include projections for the next XX years, particularly for any new or upgraded stormwater management areas. A case of "pay me now" to revise/re-evaluate) or "pay me later" (when stormwater management systems fail) Case in point. The Kanata Beaver Pond is a central component in the SWM for Kanata North; that issues with the drainage of KNL lands into the Pond from an SWM perspective are still unresolved, more than a decade after being approved for development. Question: would a forward-looking 2023+ assessment still give a green light to KNL development?

I think we should ban fireworks, I think we need a better recycling programme and more native plants and grasses

Don't build near the river

Either build as far back as you can or on high ground