Halton Region is making headway in its efforts to combat climate change, according to the latest progress report on its corporate climate action plan.
Presented to council Wednesday (Jan. 22), the report highlights advancements made in 2024 as part of the region’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions and embedding sustainability into its operations.
Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, Halton has been advancing through the five-milestone Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program, a framework adopted by more than 500 municipalities across Canada. The program includes creating GHG inventories, setting emissions reduction targets, developing and implementing action plans and monitoring progress.
The region is on track to complete the last two milestones by 2025.
Halton’s action plan is guided by three overarching goals: achieving milestones of the PCP program, reducing GHG emissions to achieve net zero by 2045 and increasing climate resiliency and preparedness.
These priorities are supported by 34 actions organized under four themes:
- Climate ready: Building adaptive capacity to address climate risks.
- Climate lens: Embedding climate considerations into decision-making.
- Climate finance: Aligning funding with climate objectives.
- Engagement and advocacy: Collaborating with stakeholders to drive progress.
The report states that Halton made progress on 31 of the 34 actions, with two completed, 11 in progress, 18 ongoing and three yet to begin.
The region’s focus on sustainable building practices is one of the key highlights.
Responding to a question from Halton Hills councillor Jane Fogal about climate-conscious design in new facilities, staff noted the improved standards in recent and new builds — with superior insulation and more efficient heating and cooling systems.
“The buildings that we build now are quite a bit different to the buildings that we have in our pipeline from legacy builds,” staff said, noting that they require significantly less energy to operate.
Oakville councillor Janet Haslett-Theall suggested applying a “climate lens” to all council decisions, similar to practices in Oakville and elsewhere, where reports include sections on climate implications.
“What do you need in order to make that happen for this council?” Haslett-Theall asked.
Lisa Kohler, Halton’s executive lead on climate change response and sustainability, said that this recommendation is being explored.
“We're doing some analysis on other municipalities that have applied a climate lens,” Kohler said. “We just like to bring back further information on the acceptability and ensuring that this is a good output for this council.”
The complete progress report is available on Halton Region's website.