In early 2020, LURA, with support from ICLEI-Canada, began working on the District of Muskoka’s Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan or CEERP. The CEERP – represents the community’s opportunity to act on climate change in Muskoka. The plan’s development included identifying a clear vision and goals, baseline and business-as-usual scenarios, and GHG emission reduction targets, actions and implementation recommendations. The CEERP provides strategic direction and sets Muskoka on a path to 50% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 and towards net-zero emissions by 2050. The CEERP includes three ‘Pillars’ – Transportation, Buildings, and Community Systems – where Muskoka should focus on achieving significant energy and emissions reductions. Fourteen’ Areas for Action’ are embedded in the Pillars, and a fifteenth area relates to implementation. Each showcases how all community members (permanent and seasonal residents, businesses, industry, institutions, government, and community organizations) play a role in achieving reductions and include actions.

The development of the CEERP began in 2020 when the District completed a corporate and community GHG inventory analysis. This analysis used 2018 baseline data to quantify annual GHG emissions per sector for the District of Muskoka and the community. Following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project restarted in 2023 with the formation of the Climate Change Mitigation Taskforce (CCMT). The CCMT met regularly throughout the CEERP’s development and advised on all elements – from defining the Pillars, Areas for Action and actions to setting GHG emissions reduction targets and implementation. Two community engagement formats informed the CEERP’s development: an online public survey in parallel with many pop-up engagements at public school events, community events, and farmers’ markets. Collectively, the survey and pop-up engagements solicited high-level feedback from anyone interested in opportunities to take climate action. LURA authored the final CEERP which District Council unanimously endorsed in early 2024.

As part of a team led by Matrix, LURA recently finalized the development of the City of Guelph Corporate Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP). The City’s Strategic Plan (2019-2023) set clear directions and priorities to create and execute an ambitious and achievable CAP. The CAP aims to ensure the resilient delivery of services and integrity of infrastructure assets owned, operated, and managed by The City, as well as integrate these findings and recommendations into the City’s planning strategies across departments.

LURA led internal staff sessions and meetings with external groups and partners to gather insights into climate risk, vulnerabilities, and consequences relating to infrastructure assets, performance, and service delivery across different departments. While the plan is intended for corporate risk planning purposes, pop-up information events were also held to share the draft Climate Adaptation Plan, and sessions and outreach were provided to external partners and community organizations (e.g., Grand River Conservation Authority, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, Alectra, Enbridge, University of Guelph) to learn from each other throughout the plan’s development.

The final Plan sets out specific recommendations to The City to implement climate risk adaptation into the City’s Master Plan Program, Asset Management Planning, and other programs.

The City of Guelph were the recipients of the Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA)/Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO) Climate Change Committee’s Climate Action Award (2024), in part because of the CAP.

Since 2012, LURA has been a Vendor of Record to facilitate the Ontario Energy Board’s settlement conferences. The OEB regularly convenes settlement conferences with local utilities and intervenors as a mechanism to discuss and agree on energy rates for a specified number of years and as a forum for alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Settlement conferences are convened in-person or virtually and typically last between one and four days.

Between 2012 and 2021, LURA facilitators led 18 settlement conferences involving local utilities across Ontario and dozens of intervenors. LURA’s role in each settlement conference is to become familiar with the background issues and the utility’s proposal and then moderate discussions throughout the conference to secure a settlement between the parties. A full or partial settlement was achieved in the vast majority of conferences led by LURA facilitators.

LURA, in collaboration with Garthforth International, led the development of Essex County’s Regional Energy Plan (REP) on behalf of the Essex Region Conservation Authority. The process aimed to determine current energy consumption, identify opportunities for energy efficiency and define the municipal role in meeting the County and Federal climate priorities. Along with overall project management and coordination, LURA developed and implemented a deep and meaningful engagement process to inform the REP. A Project Working Team (PWT) and Community Task Force (CTF) were formed and advised on all aspects of the plan’s development.

Over six meetings, the PWT and CTF provided key insights into the REP’s vision, principles, goals, energy baseline and scenario analysis, and priorities and recommendations. Extensive engagement activities included collaboration with leadership and staff from multiple departments in the County and seven municipalities, the public, community groups, and potential implementation facilitators and investors. In collaboration with local secondary schools, LURA also ensured that youth voices were represented.

LURA was the lead author of the REP, which was unanimously endorsed by County Council in 2021. The REP was developed on an accelerated timeline to meet funding timelines. The entire process, including all engagement, was successfully pivoted virtually due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.

Working with the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Economic Development Office, LURA led the development of a comprehensive climate mitigation and adaptation strategy for the municipality.

The Plan’s overall objective (known as The Healthy Environment Plan) is to provide a city-wide baseline and forecast of GHG emissions and potential climatic impacts and outline a comprehensive, local strategy for Kawartha Lakes to respond to climate change. The plan’s development included identifying a clear vision and goals as well as baseline and business-as-usual mitigation scenarios, climate risks, and GHG emission reduction targets. The plan also includes short-, medium- and long-term adaption and mitigation strategies for the municipality and community partners and a comprehensive implementation strategy. The process provided strategies and supporting actions that various interest-holders could adopt. The design was intended to provide overall direction but allow flexibility for implementers outside the City corporation. Each Strategy identified actions, impacts, opportunities for education, alignment with existing plans, funding, and potential leadership within the City or amongst community partners.

Development of The Healthy Environment Plan (HEP) included a multi-method engagement program that included a robust community engagement campaign, a multi-sectoral stakeholder Working Group, and collaboration with a project Steering Committee of City departments and partner agencies. An extensive public engagement program – in-person online engagement – was implemented, focusing on climate change awareness, education, and sharing ideas to manage climate change. A team of local college and university students was hired and trained by LURA to record public feedback, providing employment opportunities while tapping into local knowledge. Complementary digital engagement tools were developed to increase participation through an online survey and workshop-in-a-box kit (a self-facilitated workshop guide for small groups and organizations). Over 2,500 community members participated in shaping the HEP.

LURA authored the Healthy Environment Plan and helped the City apply for funding to expand the scope of the climate planning exercise significantly. City Council unanimously endorsed the comprehensive plan in early 2020.

LURA was retained to lead the development of the Town of Orangeville’s first Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan. A Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP) is about the future of a community – identifying how residents and businesses, with leadership from their municipality, can take a significant step towards creating a greener, healthier, more prosperous place to live, work and play. The Town of Orangeville recognized that adopting a comprehensive SNAP informed by the principles of sustainability will help promote and guide the Town’s strategies, goals and targets for a sustainable future.

Over one year, LURA led the development of the Town of Orangeville’s first Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan. A key task in developing the SNAP was a review and assessment of current plans, programs and projects to identify gaps and opportunities for alignment with existing plans and mandates.

Stakeholders, community members, and town staff contributed throughout the planning process, providing input on the vision, goals, strategies, and actions through community pop-ups, online surveys, and interactive workshops. The engagement program was delivered in three distinct stages. Stage 1 focused on big-picture thinking and generating ideas on where the Town wants to be regarding sustainability. Stage 2 presented the draft vision and goals to the community for feedback and moved into identifying actions and priorities for implementation. Finally, Stage 3 provided an opportunity for community feedback on the draft Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan before its completion. Overall, the Plan was shaped through conversations with residents and over 40 organizations, institutions and community groups.

The final SNAP outlines the Town’s goal and strategies for improving sustainability within seven theme areas and provides metrics and benchmark data to measure success. Further details on the goals, strategies and associated actions – including timelines, responsibilities, and relative costing – were also developed in consultation with the Town’s Sustainability Steering Committee. LURA led the engagement process and wrote the Orangeville Town Council-approved plan.

In partnership with ICLEI Canada, LURA helped develop the City of Barrie’s Corporate Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. The overall purpose of the Strategy was to mainstream adaptation actions into City operations and to reduce the risks climate change poses to Barrie’s physical, economic, social, and ecological systems. The Strategy was followed by ICLEI Canada’s Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC) Program, a 5-Milestone adaptation planning framework for local governments.

A collaborative approach was applied to the planning and development process through an extensive cross-departmental and community engagement process. Relevant stakeholders were identified at the onset. An Adaptation Team comprised municipal staff from various departments and the Stakeholder Advisory Group comprised of stakeholders representing environmental, social, and economic perspectives. The public engagement process helped inform and educate Barrie residents about potential impacts associated with climate change and explored strategies to mitigate or adapt to these changes. Community outreach at “pop-up” events around the City, open houses, and online engagement tools were also used to broaden engagement.

The process included three milestones. Milestone 1 focused on establishing the planning structure and reviewing existing initiatives. Milestone 2 involved developing local climate projections, assessing vulnerability, and identifying potential impacts. Milestone 3 centered on defining a vision, principles, and goals for the City to adapt to climate change and creating an action plan based on vulnerability and risk assessments.

LURA guided the City and their stakeholders through the process and co-developed the Strategy. The process included both staff and community members, which proved beneficial. The environmental fair model for gathering insight was also a great way to engage the public.

LURA led a team of technical experts, including ICLEI Canada and Garforth International to develop the City of Windsor’s first Community Energy Plan, approved by Council in July 2017. The Plan is a long-term strategy that identifies ways to support Windsor’s local economy by increasing competitiveness, creating jobs in the energy sector, and serves as a business retention strategy. It is an excellent example of a multi-stakeholder consultation process coming together under one united vision for a community.

Sustainable energy policies are a significant component of the Plan. For instance, a deep retrofit program for existing buildings is a key element of both the residential sector strategy and the strategy for commercial and institutional buildings. Designated planning areas for district energy and renewables, including solar arrays, was also a key strategy component. For each policy or program recommendation, we developed recommended target participation levels, energy and emissions reduction potential, key design elements, funding mechanisms and delivery agents. Enabling strategies and an education and communications campaign were included to help with the transitioning phases of implementation.

Windsor’s Community Energy Plan builds upon the City’s Environmental Master Plan and includes recommendations into other relevant municipal planning instruments, such as the Official Plan, community economic strategies and development priorities, cementing the Plan’s recommendations into the future of this energy-wise community.

Stormwater management and flooding management are necessary to prevent agricultural land erosion and the flooding of inhabited areas. As part of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, the Town of Innisfil is required to have a Stormwater Management Program. In 2021, the Town initiated a process to prepare an updated Stormwater Management Master Plan to account for town growth over the next 20 years and added a Flooding Strategy to identify areas of concern and potential strategies.

As a subcontractor with Aquafor Beech, LURA, in close coordination with the Town of Innisfil, designed and implemented an engagement process prioritizing the feedback from the general public, diverse interest groups, planning authorities, First Nations & Métis communities, and Town Staff. Considering the project’s technical relevance, LURA specifically and successfully engaged local technical expertise to inform and strengthen the plan. The engagement followed the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process to help identify specific constraints and opportunities to guide the plan’s development and the Town’s decision-making process for prioritizing projects, estimating and addressing future needs of our environment and growing community and budgeting.

LURA’s engagement strategy and “Before the Thaw” community sessions has benefitted the plan with valuable input from a diverse audience. LURA helped raise awareness regarding the development of the plan and the importance of stormwater planning. The SWM MP update and flooding strategy, informed by the feedback from the general public and stakeholder groups, is expected to create positive impacts on flooding and stormwater movement, preservation of local character, and protection of the natural environment.

With support from ICLEI-Canada and Wood, LURA worked with the City of Barrie to develop a Community Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Plan, called Inspiring Climate Action in Barrie. The project paired comprehensive community engagement with technical analysis to define a fulsome climate mitigation program for the City. The process to develop the plan included the creation of a vision, principles, GHG target and a baseline GHG emissions inventory that satisfies the requirements of the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) Protocol and the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GPC). The Plan includes community energy mapping and four Big Moves, relating to Transportation, Buildings, Circular Economy, Natural Environment and Land Use. A series of strategies support each Big Move. The Plan includes select immediate actions and enabling action to support transitioning from planning to action within the municipality.

The plan was developed with extensive public and interest-holder engagement. LURA established and facilitated a Stakeholder Advisory Group, representing local conservation authorities, school boards, utility companies, Council, City staff, environmental organizations, local health care services, post-secondary institutions, and the construction & development industry. LURA led public engagement through multiple surveys and virtual public information meetings. LURA authored the 3 part Plan approved by Barrie City Council in early 2022.

As part of Ontario’s strategy to better protect water in the province, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (now Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks) established an external working group to provide an open and collaborative forum to share expertise and provide input to strengthen groundwater and surface water quantity protection. The external working group included participants from various groundwater and surface water science and policy fields; experts from Indigenous organizations and municipal water management; experts in the water-taking sectors emphasizing those taking groundwater, including bottled water; and other organizations interested in water quantity management issues. The working group was tasked with providing perspectives and guidance on the scientific needs to support sound decision-making for water resources and input for potential policy and program changes in water quantity management in Ontario to ensure protection of ecological health and sustainable use of water.

LURA was retained to design and facilitate a series of meetings with an Expert Working Group formed to provide expert advice to the Ministry on water quantity policy. LURA worked closely with Ministry staff to develop an overall plan and approach for the Expert Working Group meetings at the project’s outset. LURA facilitated each Working Group meeting and provided strategic process advice to the Ministry as the work of the Expert Working Group continued. LURA also prepared meeting summaries, documenting the key outcomes of each meeting and a comprehensive summary report on the feedback and advice provided by the Experts Working Group.