City of Mississauga Receives Federal Funding for Climate Change Action Plan

The City of Mississauga has been awarded $125,000 in funding through the federal government’s Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program. The funding will be used to develop the City’s Climate Change Action Plan.

“We are taking action to help fight climate change and reduce pollution. That’s why we’re developing a Climate Change Action Plan to help prepare Mississauga for the impacts of a changing global climate,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “The plan will have two key goals: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase our capacity to deal with and respond to future climate events, as well as position the city and our businesses to compete in the low carbon economy, to create new jobs and open new markets.”

Recent examples of climate change actions taken by the City, residents and businesses across Mississauga include:

• Expanded Transit: Transit expansions have totalled 58,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided annually or the equivalent of removing 11,700 cars off the road.
• One Million Trees: Trees are essential in the effort to reduce the heat island effect and sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The City’s goal is to plant one million trees by 2032. To date, almost 300,000 trees have been planted as a part of this program.
• Improved Energy Efficiency of City Facilities: Mississauga Civic Centre has been awarded ENERGY STAR® industry certification for 2018 by Natural Resources Canada. Over the past six years the Civic Centre has reduced its energy use by 17 per cent. That’s the equivalent energy use of 2,000 LED street lamps for one year.

“In 2017, Mississauga City Council endorsed the creation of a citywide Climate Change Action Plan to help minimize and prepare Mississauga for the impacts of a changing global climate,” said Paul Mitcham, Commissioner Community Services. “In 2018, we have been engaging with residents, business and local partners to create responsible and forward-looking solutions, for both the City and the community, to offset the impacts of climate change. The plan is set for completion in mid-2019.”

To stay up-to-date on the City’s Climate Action Plan, residents are encouraged to visit theclimatechangeproject.ca.

About Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP)
The Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) helps municipalities and partner organizations by providing funding, training and information sharing. It is designed to encourage Canadian municipalities to better prepare for and adapt to the new realities of climate change as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. MCIP is a five-year $75-million program, delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.