Resources

Local Governments for Sustainability Canada (ICLEI) provides a wide range of services for local, provincial and federal governments in support of developing sustainable, climate-ready communities. Services include adaptation and resilience planning, energy and emissions planning, capacity building and more. Learn more.

This Guide and Workbook is a milestone-based framework to assist local governments in the creation of adaptation plans to address the relevant climate change impacts associated with their communities. Learn more. 

This primer was developed in 2016 a resource for communities interested in developing a community energy plan in New Brunswick. It provides information on the value and benefits of community energy planning, how to get started, how to engage local partners, steps for developing and implementing a plan, and concrete municipal actions and approaches to realizing a community energy plan. Learn more 

Calgary’s Climate Panel, brought together and coordinated by the City, is a collaboration between industry, community and the City. The Calgary Climate Panel provides advice and support for the implementation of Calgary’s Climate Resilience Strategy

A detailed report that offers timely and specific guidance in identifying the best solutions for Canadian communities to achieve significant greenhouse gas emission reductions in their municipal and community buildings and meet their long-term sustainability objectives. Download the roadmap report here. Learn more about the Municipal Energy Roadmap here. 

A simple guide for Canadian municipalities using the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) and/or BARC frameworks who want to join the Global Covenant of Mayors, the world’s largest alliance of cities and local governments in the fight against climate change. Learn more.

FortisBC has a clear corporate mandate to support community energy initiatives and partnerships.  Their Climate Action Partners program provides a number of resources to local governments, regional districts and Indigenous communities. In September of 2019, FortisBC announced a 30BY30 target, to reduce customer emissions associated with energy by 30% by 2030.

CLIMAtlantic facilitates access to data and information that supports adaptation to climate change in Atlantic Canada through collaboration, networking, and partnerships. Learn more.

The Municipal Energy Emissions Database (MEED) is an open data platform that builds greenhouse gas inventories using downscaled national and regional data sources. The inventories are free. Any local government can use MEED to report on emissions and get started with climate action. Learn more.

This web-based mapping application gives estimates of photovoltaic potential (in kWh/kWp) and of the mean daily global insolation (in MJ/m2 and in kWh/m2) for any location in Canada on a 60 arc seconds ~2 km grid. Learn more. 

The Climate Atlas of Canada combines climate science, mapping and storytelling to bring the global issue of climate change closer to home for Canadians. It is designed to inspire local, regional and national action that will let us move from risk to resilience. Learn more.

The City of London publishes an annual Community Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory that includes a detailed breakdown of energy use from multiple sectors. This inventory is supported by agreements in place with both Enbridge Gas and London Hydro for sharing annual inventory data.

Help tackle climate change with this guide to carbon footprint measurement, offsetting, and reduction strategies for your company.

This six-week course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about how companies can help to tackle climate change.

It will be particularly useful to SMEs who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and introduce a carbon offsetting scheme to their company. Learn more.

This free protocol systematically reviews historical climate information and projects the nature, severity and probability of future climate changes and events. It also establishes the adaptive capacity of an individual infrastructure as determined by its design, operation and maintenance. Learn more. 

This report discusses the earth’s natural climate, the greenhouse effect, and climate prediction, warmer World and warmer Canada. It also discusses ways in which we can respond to climate change, and the need for action at a global-political, Canadian and citizen level. Download the full report here. 

Climate Data provides high-resolution climate data to help decision-makers build a more resilient Canada. Learn more.

Energy maps provide a clearer picture of where community energy use and local opportunities are. They can serve as a platform for both education and engagement around land use and transportation implications on energy, prioritization of energy initiatives, and social acceptability for energy projects. BC Climate Action is using Community-scale energy and emissions modelling (CEEM).

The Justice Institute of British Columbia offers a full suite of digital tools to help communities develop and implement a Community Resiliency Plan. Learn more.

Provided by QUEST Canada, the Accelerating the Implementation of Renewable Energy (AIRE) Protocol provides municipalities with the means to establish and deploy more collaborative planning processes for local renewable energy development. Learn more.

Integrating climate change into asset management is not easy. Climate change and its implications for municipal services and infrastructure are complex. Using this guide you will help your municipality establish a clear process and framework. Download the guide here. Learn more about climate resilience and asset management here. 

This report presents lessons learned from participating municipalities and energy utilities and leverages them into a guide for communities interested in starting or reviewing their climate adaptation and climate planning strategy and their emergency responses, with a specific lens on energy infrastructure. Download the full report here. 

Prepared by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (2018), this report provides guidance to those considering or opting for a natural infrastructure solution using the Natural Infrastructure Implementation Framework. Learn more. 

The Yellowknife Corporate and Community Energy Action Plan lists actions that aim to reduce energy and GHG emissions. These actions, both corporate and community focused, are linked to different sectors, including transportations, heating and electricity, waste management, and future innovation/legislation changes. The Corporate and Community Energy Action Plan covers 2015 to 2025 and is set to be renewed at the end of the 10-year period.

The City of Campbell River was one of three pilot communities in the Getting To Implementation Initiative. The City’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan document was updated in 2016 with implementation in mind and includes a list of near-term priority actions. Like other municipalities participating in BC’s Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program, Campbell River reports annually on the community’s progress.

London’s 2014 Community Energy Action Plan (CEAP) is a leading example of a community energy plan that incorporates SMART principles. Lessons learned and progress made from the plan are clearly outlined on the City’s website and will be built upon for the forthcoming 2019 plan update.

This scoping paper examines the expected climate-induced risks to Canadian electricity systems and discusses opportunities to enhance their resilience on the path to net zero. Read more.

The Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program is a national network of over 400 municipalities with the shared goal of taking action against climate change and reducing local greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more.

The Energy Poverty and Equity Explorer tool, developed by Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners (CUSP), offers municipalities access to relevant data so they can better understand energy poverty and other equity and affordability challenges in their communities. The resource is designed to help municipal staff develop equitable and inclusive clean energy programs to meet residents’ needs. Learn more.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) created this video series to share how municipalities and practitioners across Canada are making climate action a part of their municipal asset management practices and decision-making. Learn more. 

Actionable strategies to build community climate resilience. Download the full guide here. 

A guide to help communities move Community Energy Plans from a vision to implementation. It includes ten strategies that provide insights, advice and a proposed path forward to foster widespread political, staff and stakeholder support, build staff and financial capacity, and embed energy into local plans, policies and processes to support implementation. Learn more.

This handbook introduces asset management concepts with a focus on implementation to small and mid-sized communities. Learn more. 

The Community Energy Investment Plan development process in the Town of Bridgwater employed a multi‐pronged approach to engage the community, including low-income residents, community organizations, local businesses and other stakeholders. Details are available on the Energize Bridgewater website.

The City of Calgary’s Climate Resilience Strategy is operating as a community energy plan. Actions indicate which business units are involved and who they will work with externally. The Strategy outlines a schedule of annual reporting, with a review and update one year in advance of four-year budgetary cycle. The Climate Panel continues to meet regularly, and the Calgary Climate Symposium is held annually.

This paper traces the rising waves of Indigenous participation in clean energy over the past two decades. It looks at how to catalyze exponential growth in Indigenous clean energy opportunities, proposing specific actions and initiatives that can materially contribute to Canada’s clean electricity future. Read more.

Developed by ICLEI – Local Government for Sustainability, this toolbox provides a jumping-off point for municipalities to assess the costs of doing nothing within their own local context, and support their own climate adaptation planning process. It provides municipal decision-makers with guidance on collecting locally-relevant data and weighing the costs of action versus inaction. Learn more.

An evaluation tool that helps your municipality identify areas to improve your capacity to achieve emissions reductions. Download the scale here. Learn more about the scale here. 

Canadian BioEnergy Center (CBEC) provides technological support to the forest and agriculture sectors to work cooperatively towards the common goal of developing an ecologically sustainable and economically viable bioenergy sector in Canada and the world. Learn more.

ATCO’s Energy Education Mobile is a 40-foot classroom on wheels that travels throughout Alberta and helps educate youth on Alberta’s energy resources and the importance of energy efficiency.

ATCO’s Energy Education Mobile is a 40-foot classroom on wheels that travels throughout Alberta and helps educate youth on Alberta’s energy resources and the importance of energy efficiency.

BC Hydro reports on actions relating climate risk management in the Adaptation to Climate Change section of their Carbon Neutral Action Report. According to the 2018 report, BC Hydro is in the process of developing a climate change adaptation plan. Though the plan is still under development, the Carbon Neutral Action Report provides a high-level summary of their research on climate risks, and actions to address impacts such as investing in new technology and processes to improve response times during emergencies.

The RETScreen® Clean Energy Management Software platform enables low-carbon planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting. Learn more.

This best practice guide outlines practices and procedures to facilitate the responsible and sustainable development of wind energy in Canada. Download the full guide here. 

Renewables New Brunswick is an online centre that aims to promote energy efficiency, sustainability best practices, and renewable projects and technologies throughout the province of New Brunswick. Learn more.

Enbridge conducted a study to assess the potential of demand-side management initiatives to influence future natural gas infrastructure investment

Alectra’s Drive for the Workplace program resulted in the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Markham. Alectra owns and operates the equipment and manages the maintenance costs.

The Gaia Project nurtures the natural curiosity and intelligence of New Brunswick students through inquiry-based projects about energy, waste, water, transportation and sustainability. Learn more.

Grande Prairie’s new electric buses will save on maintenance costs and reduce emissions. A solar array will be used to supply the buses with green electricity.

The City of Sudbury, Ontario, has an extensive Transportation Demand Management Plan, which includes ongoing community engagement and a Community Grant Program.

10 municipalities in Quebec are part of a YHC Environnement Project, Projet SAUVéR, with the goal to establish a functional base for a green electric route in Quebec that will demonstrate the benefits of electric cars and car-sharing to the public.

Fleet greening plays a critical role in BC Hydro’s carbon neutral action planning. According to the 2018 Carbon Neutral Action Plan, BC Hydro’s green fleet consists of 86% electric and hybrid cars, 66% hybrids in the compact SUV class, 7% hybrids in the mid-size SUV segment and 14% electric forklifts. BC Hydro is developing a telematics program that will provide actionable operational data related to fuel use and driver behaviour, continuing to promote ride-sharing, and continuing to promote the use of shared vehicles across the province to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

The Reimagining Public Spaces toolkit provides a simple starting point for communities to explore innovative approaches for public spaces, accelerate their potential to meet the unique challenges of their own context, and better address the diverse needs of all. Learn more.