Climate Resiliency Strategy

Ottawa’s climate is changing. Overall Ottawa will become much warmer and wetter over the coming decades, with more extreme heat days, heavy rain and extreme weather events like severe winds, floods or winter storms. The City is developing a Climate Resiliency Strategy to guide how Ottawa can prepare for and respond to the anticipated impacts of changing climate conditions.
The Climate Resiliency Strategy is one of eight priorities of the Climate Change Master Plan.
Taking action on climate change requires reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also ensuring Ottawa is prepared for the impacts of a changing climate. Energy Evolution is the City’s strategy to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Climate Resiliency Strategy focuses on getting Ottawa ready for a changing climate. Learn more about Energy Evolution and what you can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.
What will Ottawa’s climate look like in the future and what are the risks?
Overall Ottawa will become much warmer over the coming decades, with more heavy rain and more extreme weather events. Find out more about how we expect Ottawa’s climate to change and the impacts this will have:
Get involved and have your say
To develop a strategy that values the perspectives and unique circumstances residents of Ottawa have, we need your input. You can get involved in the following ways:
- Share your ideas for how we can all prepare for the impacts of climate change
- Host your own climate conversation. Email us at climatechange@ottawa.ca to get resources to support you.
Subscribe to the climate change e-newsletter to receive updates on the Climate Resiliency Strategy and other climate change initiatives.
Ottawa’s climate is changing. Overall Ottawa will become much warmer and wetter over the coming decades, with more extreme heat days, heavy rain and extreme weather events like severe winds, floods or winter storms. The City is developing a Climate Resiliency Strategy to guide how Ottawa can prepare for and respond to the anticipated impacts of changing climate conditions.
The Climate Resiliency Strategy is one of eight priorities of the Climate Change Master Plan.
Taking action on climate change requires reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also ensuring Ottawa is prepared for the impacts of a changing climate. Energy Evolution is the City’s strategy to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Climate Resiliency Strategy focuses on getting Ottawa ready for a changing climate. Learn more about Energy Evolution and what you can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.
What will Ottawa’s climate look like in the future and what are the risks?
Overall Ottawa will become much warmer over the coming decades, with more heavy rain and more extreme weather events. Find out more about how we expect Ottawa’s climate to change and the impacts this will have:
Get involved and have your say
To develop a strategy that values the perspectives and unique circumstances residents of Ottawa have, we need your input. You can get involved in the following ways:
- Share your ideas for how we can all prepare for the impacts of climate change
- Host your own climate conversation. Email us at climatechange@ottawa.ca to get resources to support you.
Subscribe to the climate change e-newsletter to receive updates on the Climate Resiliency Strategy and other climate change initiatives.
-
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link
Click on “Add your idea” below to share your ideas with us!
The average temperatures of all seasons in Ottawa are increasing. This means the seasonal conditions we have become familiar with are already looking different due to climate change. Shorter winters and longer summers might be perceived as a good thing, but this can have detrimental impacts on human health, our natural environment, City infrastructure, and recreational and tourism activities. Seasonal variability can stress trees and other natural and agricultural areas and create better conditions for invasive species and insects that carry diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus. More icy winter conditions can affect our ability to move around the City – whether on foot, by transit, or by cars - and warmer winters impact recreation and tourism like skating on the Rideau Canal. The City’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment looks in detail at the way Ottawa is currently and will be impacted by these changes in climate conditions.
Learn more about what to expect in the future Ottawa in 2050: Changing Seasons, what the City is already doing to adapt to climate change, and what you can do to prepare.
Preparing for changing seasons will require everyone to take action to protect ourselves and our environment.
What are some other ways we as a City and you as an individual, business, or community can build our resilience to changing seasons?
Note if you want to share links to resources in your idea posts, add them as a comment to your post to avoid it being marked as spam.
We will remove any posts that are rude, disrespectful or share disinformation about the reality of climate change.
Add your idea
DomC4 days agoNot sure where to put this...
Winter snow - conifers and cedar trees as snow fences instead of plastic orange fences for fields
0 comment0Mike S5 months agoAssess cooling capacity of community buildings to meet new heat extremes and upgrade / provide shade as needed.
0 comment1Mike S5 months agoDevelop indicators to measure adaption progress over time and tie relevant management staff’s compensation to successful implementation.
0 comment0MedPol3 days agoProvide property tax incentives (5% reduction for example)
I think to provide tax incentives to existing homeowners or multi unit building owner to improve the resiliency of the ground absorption for water and relieve storm sewers. I believe you already have many options as to what that constitute
0 comment0J Rinfret5 months agocreate and maintain more bike lanes
0 comment11 -
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link
Click on “Add your idea” below to share your ideas with us!
Ottawa’s climate is already getting warmer. The number of days above 30 degrees Celsius is expected to increase by four times to 43 days per year by the 2050s. More summer heat might be perceived as a good thing, but prolonged periods of extreme heat, drought, and humidity can be dangerous. Extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death, especially for children, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, people who work and exercise outdoors, those with existing health conditions, and those without good access to air conditioning. Warmer temperatures also affect how we spend time outside and increase the risks of droughts and forest fires. The City’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment looks in detail at the way Ottawa is currently and will be impacted by these changes. Learn more about what to expect in the future Ottawa in 2050: Temperature, what the City is already doing to adapt to climate change, and what you can do to prepare
Preparing for increased heat will require everyone to take action to protect ourselves and our environment.
What are some other ways we as a City and you as an individual, business, or community can build our resilience to extreme heat?
Note if you want to share links to resources in your idea posts, add them as a comment to your post to avoid it being marked as spam.
We will remove any posts that are rude, disrespectful or share disinformation about the reality of climate change.
Add your idea
Mfrance5 months agoMandate green roofs and LEED certification on all new commercial and condo building development.
1 comment25fooodini4 months agoStacked parking lots!
Instead of having massive parking lots occupying a large area - introduce stacked parking lots so that they can occupy less area to park the same number of vehicles. Use this excess space for medium to high density housing or increase green coverage!
0 comment3Liz J4 months agoMaximum Temp for Rental Units
There is currently a minimum allowable temperature for rental units during the winter, but no maximum. This means apartments are not required to have a.c and many buildings have policies of no window ac units. A city-wide policy change regarding this, or pressure on the provincial government to change this requirement would make the summers much easier for renters.
0 comment2Climate Resiliency Team6 months agoCreate a vulnerable persons registry
Create a vulnerable persons registry to proactively reach out during extreme heat events.
1 comment8TextileGirl4 months agoTextile Recycling
Have proper textile recycling program in place for garments / textiles that cannot be donated to a thrift store. Most of our unwanted textiles end up in landfills or is shipped to other countries. The clothing ends up in countries that are developing and make it very difficult for local retailers to survive. They are overwhelmed by our discarded items. We need to deal with the problem here at home. The textile industry is the 2nd biggest polluter next to oil. We need to have recycling programs at home that lower this impact. An idea would be to work with Terracycle to help us recycle our unusable items. These bins could be placed throughout the city, until we are able to implement a more permanent textile recycling program in Ottawa. https://shop.terracycle.com/en-CA/products?taxon=1778&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI87Pzh5bA_wIVykFyCh3UzQpKEAAYASAAEgKy8fD_BwE
1 comment5 -
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link
Click on “Add your idea” below to share your ideas with us!
Ottawa’s weather is becoming more variable and unpredictable – with extreme heat, severe winds, flooding and freezing rain projected to increase in both severity and frequency. Events like the Ontario-Quebec derecho in May 2022, tornadoes in 2018 and 2019, and flooding of the Ottawa River in spring 2017 and 2019 show us that Ottawa is already experiencing extreme weather. Extreme weather damages property and infrastructure, threatens health and safety, and reduces access to essential services like safe transportation, electricity, and health and social services to name a few. Extreme weather affects everyone, but some populations are less able to prepare for and respond to these events. The City’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment looks in detail at the way Ottawa is currently and will be impacted by these changes in our climate conditions. Learn more about what to expect in the future at Ottawa in 2050: Extreme weather events, what the City is already doing to adapt to climate change, and what you can do to prepare.
Preparing for more extreme weather will require everyone to take action to protect ourselves and our environment.
What are some other ways we as a City and you as an individual, business, or community can build our resilience to extreme weather events?
Note if you want to share links to resources in your idea posts, add them as a comment to your post to avoid it being marked as spam.
We will remove any posts that are rude, disrespectful or share disinformation about the reality of climate change.
Add your idea
Lainey4 days agoPromote the benefits of having trees in suburban areas.
Many neighbours see trees as a nuisance; leaves to rake and gutters to clean. But of course the role of trees are of increased importance! They help keep our homes cool in the summer and help save on our electricity bills and help to absorb excess water in heavy rainfall. I would even suggest the City offering rebates for every tree planted in a yard
1 comment1Kaitte3 months agoMinimize the City Heat Island Effect
Black road surface absorb heat during the day and then release it at night. This causes cities to become hotter during the day and prevents them from cooling at night. Deprioritizing car infrastructure and focussing on public and active transit instead will allow us to move more people using less land area. This will allow us to replace black pavement with greenery which will reduce the City Heat Island Effect.
0 comment7Climate Resiliency Team6 months agoSupport community volunteer groups to help in extreme weather
Identify people in communities who have an interest in volunteering and train them on how to respond during emergencies
0 comment7Chris Banks29 days agoMore trees everywhere
Plant more trees around the city, in parks, pathways, along roads and highways, and on city properties. Amend the by-laws so that new build homes and communities are required to plant MORE trees and green space. Encourage homeowners without a boulevard tree to plant one or have one planted by the City. Most importantly, once trees are planted by the City, the city cannot abandon them, they need watering and fertilizer and good quality soil. I see lots of dead trees on city property, a lot of wasted tax dollars because the work was half-assed.
0 comment1Lainey4 days agoEnsure every bus stop has a shade structure or - even better - tree planted
Extreme heat is hard to evade when waiting at some bus stops. Please ensure that every bus stop has a shade structure or even better a tree canopy to provide shade.
0 comment2 -
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link
More rainy days and heavy rain events: What can you, your community, and/or your City do?
6 months agoClick on “Add your idea” below to share your ideas with us!
Ottawa is expected to get more rain, especially in spring, fall and winter. More rain in the spring can cause water levels in rivers and creeks to rise, especially if the spring melt happens quickly, impacting property and infrastructure near watercourses. More intense rainstorms can overwhelm sewer systems and flood streets, parks, and basements. Flooding damages properties and infrastructure impacts safety and transportation and affects agricultural harvests. The City’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment looks in detail at the way Ottawa is currently and will be impacted by these changes in our climate conditions. Learn more about what to expect in the future at Ottawa 2050: More rainy days and heavy rain events, what the City is already doing to adapt to climate change, and what you can do to prepare.
What are some other ways we as a City and you as an individual, business, or community can build our resilience to more rainy days and heavy rain events?
Note if you want to share links to resources in your idea posts, add them as a comment to your post to avoid it being marked as spam.
We will remove any posts that are rude, disrespectful or share disinformation about the reality of climate change.
Add your idea
Shirley Dolan3 months agoWork with other levels of government to promote and augment wild fire fighting teams. Promote better forest management - controlled fires.
Reintroduce controlled fire and fire breaks
0 comment3Mfrance5 months agoPromote and help subsidize conversion to permeable driveways.
0 comment17Lainey5 months agoExpand Commemorative Tree Program
Promote tree planting in public spaces by expanding the City Commemorative Tree Planting. Currently, the program only accepts applications which commemorate the loss of a loved one. There are many joyful occasions to commemorate symbolically by planting a tree and plaque, such as the birth of a child, or a marriage. Expanding the eligibility criteria of the Tree Program encourages citizens to sponsor the planting of a tree, in a manner that is cost-neutral for the City, encourages carbon offsetting and sequestration, helps to prevent flooding and erosion through tree root systems, provides shade in extreme heat, and creates joy for passersby who read the plaque commemorating a joyful occasion.
0 comment6ebiderabout 2 months agoInvest in burying power lines across Ottawa
Hydro Ottawa deals with thousands of outages a year now thanks to increase storm events. Ottawa MUST invest in burying power lines to secure our energy systems, as these storms will only get more powerful and more frequent in the coming years. Yes, this will require a lot of labour and a lot of money upfront, but the investment will payoff in the long term when people no longer have to deal with frequent outages and our systems are more reliable.
1 comment3LWolf5 months agoUrban Meadows
Urban meadows are low-impact, self-sustaining plant communities that provide ecological benefits: https://www.urbanmeadow.org/
0 comment11
Who's Listening
-
_________________________________
Email climatechange@ottawa.ca
Stay informed
Quick Links
Project Timeline
-
Phase 1: Climate Projections
Climate Resiliency Strategy has finished this stageCompleted in 2020
To better understand how Ottawa’s climate will change, the City, in partnership with the National Capital Commission and Environment and Climate Change Canada, worked with climate scientists to develop detailed projections for the National Capital Region until 2100.
-
Phase 2: Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment
Climate Resiliency Strategy has finished this stageCompleted in 2022
The City undertook a Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment to identify the top climate risks facing Ottawa. Forty priority risks were identified that require action in the next one to three years. These include risks related to higher temperatures and more precipitation, as well as extreme weather like flooding, severe winds and freezing rain.
-
Phase 3: Developing the Climate Resiliency Strategy
Climate Resiliency Strategy is currently at this stagePlanned completion 2024
The Climate Resiliency Strategy is currently being developed. It will identify a series of actions that minimize Ottawa’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change and strengthen our ability to respond and recover from climactic events when they occur.
Key Documents
-
Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Assessment
-
Climate Projections
-
Climate Projections for the National Capital Region - Executive Summary
-
Climate Projections for the National Capital Region Report, Volume 1: Results and Interpretation for Key Climate Indices (8.49 MB) (pdf)
-
Climate Projections for the National Capital Region Report, Volume 2: Plots and Tabular Data for All the Climate Indices (126 MB) (pdf)
-
-
Infographics
-
What We Heard Report - CVRA Public Engagement (810 KB) (pdf)
-
Urban Heat Island Map showing temperature differences for Ottawa (1.64 MB) (pdf)
-
Urban Heat Island Map showing temperature differences within Ottawa’s Greenbelt (2.78 MB) (pdf)
-
Creating a Climate Resilient Ottawa - April 4.pdf (7.49 MB) (pdf)