Climate Adaptation Plan
Help shape a more climate-resilient St. Thomas.
Climate change can affect our homes, roads, parks, infrastructure and community services. The City of St. Thomas is developing a Climate Adaptation Analysis and Plan (CAAP) to better understand these risks and identify practical actions to help prepare our community for future climate conditions.
Your input will help the City understand local concerns, identify vulnerabilities and develop priorities for the future.
About the project
The City of St. Thomas has received funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund to support the development of a Climate Adaptation Analysis and Plan (CAAP). The Plan will assess how current and future climate conditions could affect St. Thomas and identify actions the City can take to reduce risks, protect infrastructure and services, and strengthen community resilience.
The project will provide a practical roadmap to help inform municipal planning, infrastructure investments, emergency preparedness, and long-term decision-making.
What is climate adaptation?
Climate adaptation means preparing for the effects of a changing climate and taking steps to reduce potential harm.
For St. Thomas, this could include preparing for:
- Heavy rainfall and flooding: Managing stormwater and reducing flood risks to roads, properties, and infrastructure.
- Extreme heat: Understanding heat impacts on residents, public spaces, trees, and City facilities.
- Changing winter conditions: Considering how freeze-thaw cycles and changing precipitation affect roads and infrastructure.
- Severe weather: Improving preparedness for storms, strong winds and disruptions to municipal services.
What will the Plan achieve?
The CAAP will help the City:
- Identify climate-related risks and vulnerabilities affecting municipal infrastructure, services, and the community.
- Establish priorities for reducing risks and improving resilience.
- Identify practical adaptation actions, including potential timelines and implementation considerations.
- Support informed decisions about infrastructure, asset management, emergency management, and municipal planning.
- Establish ways to monitor progress as adaptation actions are implemented.
How will your feedback be used?
Community input will help inform the development of the Climate Adaptation Plan by identifying local experiences, concerns, and priorities. Feedback will be considered alongside climate data, technical assessments, and input from City staff and relevant stakeholders.
The CAAP will identify recommended actions for the City to consider in future planning and decision-making. Public feedback will inform the process but will not determine technical findings or guarantee that individual suggestions will be implemented.
