Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative

Kirsten Feifel
Posted on: 10/12/2012 - Updated on: 3/02/2020

Posted by

Rachel Gregg

Project Summary

The Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative (RAC) has focused its climate change adaptation efforts on three themes: extreme weather risk management, water management, and community development planning. Proposed projects will be completed by December 2012.

Background

The RAC Climate Change Program’s goal is to promote climate change adaptation planning in Canadian communities. The Ontario RAC is focusing its efforts to improve the province’s resilience to climate change. The effort is being led by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment with partners in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Clean Air Partnership, Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Association of Canadian Educational Resources, Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, York University, and Toronto Public Health. The total budget for the Ontario RAC is $6.8 million, $3.3 million of which was provided by Natural Resources Canada.

Implementation

The Ontario RAC has focused on three themes to help advance regional adaptation to climate change: extreme weather risk management, water management, and community development planning. Case studies and risk assessment and management tools will be used to develop a broad risk assessment tool for vulnerability to extreme weather in Ontario.  Results from the study will be used to create a more resilient built environment and to better manage risks to human health during periods of extreme heat. To protect water resources, the Ontario RAC is developing a climate change and water resources technical experts network and a knowledge exchange forum for practitioners to exchange ideas, network and share lessons learned from water management projects. Finally, the Ontario RAC will train staff from at least 50 communities on how to incorporate climate change impacts into long-term management strategies.

Outcomes and Conclusions

All of the Ontario RAC projects will be completed by 2012, the end date for the entire RAC Program.

Citation

Feifel, K. M. (2012). Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative [Case study on a project of Natural Resources Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment]. Product of EcoAdapt's State of Adaptation Program. Retrieved from CAKE: www.cakex.org/case-studies/ontario-regional-adaptation-collaborative (Last updated October 2012)

Affiliated Organizations

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has been protecting Ontario's environment for over 40 years. Using stringent regulations, targeted enforcement and a variety of innovative programs and initiatives, the ministry continues to address environmental issues that have local, regional and/or global effects.

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