More Nova Scotia Communities Taking Action to Become Resilient to Climate Change
The Town of Lunenburg is one of nine communities added to the Community Climate Capacity Program. (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
NOTE: The list of projects follows this release.
The Province is supporting nine more communities to take action to protect themselves from the impacts of global climate change.
The towns of Antigonish, Lockeport, Lunenburg, New Glasgow and Port Hawkesbury; the municipalities of Cumberland and Richmond; and the regions of Queens and West Hants are the latest participants in the Community Climate Capacity Program. Examples of projects include flood mapping, energy planning and public education.
Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, made the announcement today, October 21, at the Community Climate Capacity Summit in Truro. The event brings together community representatives from across Nova Scotia to collaborate on best practices, learn from each other’s experiences and gain insight into climate and sustainability initiatives at the local level.
“Our government is investing to protect communities from the impacts of climate change,” said Minister Halman. “From flood planning to costal protections to exploring clean energy, we are supporting those who know their communities best to take action in ways that make the most sense for their communities.”
To date, the government has invested $7.3 million in the Community Climate Capacity Program to support local action in response to climate change.
Quotes:
“Over the past year, we’ve worked alongside Nova Scotian communities to identify and support their climate goals, and we’re seeing first-hand what coastal communities need. By expanding the program, our team can offer more support where the risks of coastal hazards are greatest, helping communities build resilience through local climate solutions and securing them additional support for priority projects.”
— Scott Skinner, President and CEO, Clean Foundation
“Municipalities are on the front lines of climate change, experiencing first-hand the impacts of flooding, drought and wildfires. Programs like the Community Climate Capacity Program are vital in helping local governments strengthen their ability to plan, adapt and protect their residents. NSFM is pleased to see continued collaboration between the Province, Clean Foundation and municipalities as we work together to build more resilient communities across Nova Scotia.”
— Pam Mood, President, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
“Our living shoreline restoration project is a key priority for the Town of Annapolis Royal, and being part of the Community Climate Capacity Program has helped us advance key climate initiatives like this efficiently and effectively. The support we get from Clean Foundation, through this government-funded program, helps us navigate both challenges and opportunities, including securing the funding to make the project possible. Their support is a game-changer, and we would not have made the progress we have without them!”
— Adele MacDonald, Councillor, Town of Annapolis Royal
“Clean Foundation has been instrumental in supporting our climate change mitigation efforts by providing expertise and advising on related funding opportunities. With Clean’s support we have been able to develop and implement plans aimed at protecting important coastal infrastructure.”
— Jim Ryan, Mayor, Town of Pictou
Quick Facts:
- the Community Climate Capacity Program was launched in 2023 to help municipalities, Mi’kmaw communities and community groups build capacity to make their communities resilient to climate change impacts such as wildfires, drought and flooding
- this is the second group of communities to be supported under the program; the first included 16 municipalities, one Mi’kmaw community and two community organizations
- Clean Foundation administers the program on behalf of the government
- the program supports the Province’s coastline protection plan – actions 8-12 in The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline support municipalities and their leadership in managing and adapting to coastal hazards from climate change
- the program also supports Section 7(c) in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, which says one of the government’s goals is to work with municipalities, First Nations and African Nova Scotian communities in Nova Scotia to take immediate and long-term action on their climate change priorities
Additional Resources:
Community Climate Capacity Program: https://cleanfoundation.ca/ccc/
News release – More Provincial Support for Community Climate Priorities: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/05/09/more-provincial-support-community-climate-priorities
Climate change action in Pictou – Historic Coastal Town Shores up its Storm Defenses: https://transitionsstories.ca/historic-coastal-town-shores-its-storm-defenses
The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline: A plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change: https://novascotia.ca/coastal-climate-change/docs/coastline-plan.pdf
Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf
Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf
List of projects:
Municipality of the County of Cumberland – align municipal planning strategy with coastal protection and climate priorities; develop and distribute public engagement materials on coastal hazards, such as flood risk; develop flood policy
Municipality of the County of Richmond – develop a climate plan and framework; prepare for extreme weather through flood mapping and inundation modelling; advance clean energy and fuel use strategies
Region of Queens Municipality – update capital investment plan to support climate-aligned investments; co-ordinate and integrate climate action across departments; expand community outreach and strengthen community partnerships
Town of Antigonish – develop and launch a natural and general asset management system; develop stormwater and flood management plans; incorporate integration of emissions tracking into climate reporting to better inform mitigation strategies
Town of Lockeport – develop a climate adaptation plan focused on coastal hazards; create a causeway action committee; seek funding for mitigation and resilience projects
Town of Lunenburg – align climate plan with municipal planning strategy; target infrastructure projects, such as the Tannery Road culvert upgrades, to reduce risks during extreme weather events; identify funding for climate resilience projects
Town of New Glasgow – implement corporate climate action plan; integrate policy and land-use planning into a new community climate action plan; support equity-focused resilience measures across existing and future climate projects
Town of Port Hawkesbury – develop a climate-resilience process plan; increase understanding of climate impacts through broader community engagement; strengthen funding applications for local climate priorities
West Hants Regional Municipality – update existing planning protocols to integrate protections against overland and coastal flood risks; strengthen focus on energy planning through use of energy affordability programs and exploring zero emissions transportation options; support funding applications for climate projects