Overview
The Town of Canmore received $80,000 to develop a Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP).
This project was funded in part by the Government of Alberta through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program.
Approach
Opening out across the floor of the Bow River Valley and flanked on all sides by the front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Canmore offers the best of all possible worlds.
Beginning with an enviable geographic location approximately an hour and a half from downtown Calgary and five minutes from Banff National Park’s east gate, Canmore offers not only a spectacular location but unparalleled outdoor recreational opportunities, food, and shopping in the heart of some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery.
In 2022, Council approved the development of the Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) for the 2023-2024 budget.
The intent of this project was to integrate the Town’s environmental sustainability guiding documents – the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (2010), Climate Change Adaptation Background Report and Resilience Plan (2016), and Climate Action Plan (2018).
The goal of this project is to provide the Town with a single, up-to-date guiding document that will address the Climate Emergency Declaration and Council’s Strategic Plan, with a focus on actions that have co-benefits across climate change mitigation, adaptation, social equity and circular economy.
Throughout 2023 and early 2024, Administration worked with Sustainable Solutions Group (SSG) to develop and complete the CEAP.
In the CEAP development, the project team utilized scientific modelling, assessments of best practices, literature reviews, stakeholder interviews and public engagement to form the recommendations and implementation actions brought forward in the CEAP.
Results
While Canmore has developed a clear understanding of many of the region’s top climate hazards throughout previous work, in completing the CEAP, administration was able to identify other hazards that had not been previously noted.
The CEAP outlines actions for the Town to consider to build resilience to climate hazards such as ecoregion changes, wildfire and smoke, steep creek flooding, extreme heat, riverine flooding, and water scarcity.
The CEAP also identifies a number of co-benefits of climate action within the Town, including health benefits, and provides information on how Canmore can prioritize intergenerational and income equity in future climate action initiatives.
In addition to the standalone CEAP, the project included several supporting documents or Annexes to support decision making, including an Implementation Table to guide implementation of each of the recommended actions proposed in the CEAP, engagement summary, risk and vulnerability assessment, and equity analysis.
Benefits
Equipped with up-to-date and more robust modelling for climate adaptation and mitigation, the Town is on the right path to both meet its emissions reduction targets, while also allocating resources to the correct hazard preparedness tactics.
The recommendations in the CEAP position the Town of Canmore to safeguard the well-being of both residents and visitors, while creating a vision of a sustainable, economically thriving, resilient and low emission community.
“Climate change is already affecting our mountain community, increasing the risk of hazards such as fire, flood, and drought. Ensuring our community collaborates to reduce our climate impact while preparing for these challenges is a key priority for our Council. Following our 2019 climate emergency declaration, we have developed a Climate Emergency Action Plan with funding from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre. This plan integrates climate change mitigation and adaptation through an equity lens to consider the diversity of our residents. As part of the Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program, this plan provides our community with a roadmap to address key climate hazards while enhancing Canmore’s resilience and well-being.”
Mayor Sean Krausert, Town of Canmore
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