New climate, resiliency plan for Northumberland
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
By reporter Natalie Hamilton
Northumberland County is moving ahead on efforts aimed at protecting infrastructure and nature alike from climate-related risks like rising temperatures, unpredictable precipitation, shoreline erosion and more.
The county has announced it is starting to implement its new “climate adaptation and resiliency plan,” which was recently endorsed by Northumberland County council. The plan is designed to help the community respond to the impacts of climate change.
As part of the second phase of the county’s climate action strategy, which was launched in early 2025, this plan focuses on protecting infrastructure, economy and the natural environment from climate-related risks, including more frequent severe weather events, noted county officials.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) program, with support from the Government of Canada, provided $76,993 for the project.
“The completion of the climate adaptation and resiliency plan is an important step toward building a climate-ready community,” said Rachel Barton, a Northumberland County sustainability officer, in a statement.
“Since the mid-20th century, the average surface temperature over land in Canada has risen by two degrees Celsius and continues to increase,” said Barton. “Higher temperatures can contribute to an array of effects that impact our natural, built and socioeconomic systems, such as increased severe weather and risk of drought, flooding and wildfire.
“It’s important that we have a proactive plan in place to ensure we are ready to respond to potential challenges, so we can protect the health and safety of our community and maintain strong and reliable infrastructure.”
The plan is supposed to build on the corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction plan developed as part of the first phase of the climate action strategy, which focuses on reducing GHG emissions related to county operations. The second phase of the plan takes a broader look at other impacts of climate change on the community as a whole and identifies actions the community can take together to adapt to changing climates, explained officials.
The plan identifies key action items to complete in the coming months, some of which include:
Developing an information hub for climate adaptation and building resiliency.
Creating an inter-municipal working group to co-ordinate adaptation planning.
Delivering educational content to help people learn about adaptation actions they can take.
The county noted the plan was developed as a collaborative initiative, created through broad engagement with the public and with a 21-member “adaptation and resiliency group,” representing interested groups from across the community. Northumberland County also partnered with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Canada – in the development of the plan.
“Prioritizing climate adaptation helps safeguard communities and delivers real economic benefits for residents,” said Rebecca Bligh, FCM president.
“These plans are a critical first step in building climate resilience, enabling local governments to identify risks and put practical measures in place to protect infrastructure, maintain services and support quality of life now and into the future.”
People can visit Northumberland.ca/ClimateAction to learn more.
Trying different cars in Drift Hunters keeps the experience fresh. Each one gives me a different feeling behind the wheel, so finding a favorite becomes part of the fun.