In 2020, Burlington City Council approved the Climate Action Plan and a target to be a net carbon neutral community by 2050. Five years later, the time has come to revisit the plan and update it.
A Little About the 2020 Climate Action Plan
The original plan identified seven key program areas to help the community transition away from the use of fossil fuels, with a particular focus on buildings and transportation. A lot of great initiatives connected to the Climate Action Plan have happened over the past five years including the approval of the Integrated Mobility Plan, Electric Mobility Strategy, Better Homes Burlington, Sustainable Buildings and Development Guidelines, and the Burlington Solar Map.
How Are We Updating the Climate Action Plan?
We’ve reviewed the progress made on actions within the plan and created a story map to show you. We’re also asking you to help us by completing a survey to prioritize action areas for the next Climate Action Plan that help us move towards being a net zero carbon community by 2050.
More About Burlington’s Three Climate Plans
- The Climate Action Plan is focused on actions to work towards being a net carbon neutral community.
- The Corporate Energy and Emissions Management Plan is focused on reducing the carbon footprint of City of Burlington operations such as our community centres, vehicle fleet, etc.
- Climate Resilient Burlington: A Plan for Adapting to Our Warmer, Wetter and Wilder Weather is focused on how to respond to the impacts of our changing climate.
How Can I Get Involved?
Share your feedback about the proposed priorities for the updated Climate Action Plan by taking a survey, attending a drop-in session or an open house.
Drop-In Sessions (no staff presentation)
- Tuesday, Feb. 25, 3 to 5 p.m., Haber Community Centre, Sports Square lobby, 3040 Tim Dobbie Dr., Burlington
- Tuesday, March 4, 6 to 8 p.m., Brant Hills Community Centre lobby, 2255 Brant St., Burlington
- Wednesday, March 5, 6 to 8 p.m., Tansley Woods Community Centre lobby, 1996 Itabashi Way, Burlington
Open House (staff presentation)
- Monday, March 3, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Burlington Public Library, Central Branch, Centennial Hall, 2331 New St., Burlington (Click here to register for this free in-person session)
- Thursday, March 6, 7 to 8 p.m., Virtual (Click here to register for this free online session)
Tell Me More
Additional information about the Climate Action Plan update is available at: getinvolvedburlington.ca/climate-action-plan.
For more information about how the City is taking action on climate change, check out burlington.ca/climatechange.
Take Action Burlington! Let’s all work together to strive towards becoming a net carbon neutral community. Collectively, we can make a difference.
Take Action Burlington 
One step toward making Burlington much more progressive in Climate Action and Energy Conservation must be to adjust ALL future building permits (starting in 2026) for New Construction AND Building Renovation (residential, commercial, industrial and civic infrastructure) to require installation of OR provision for ‘Green Energy’ production — solar photovoltaic, wind, heat pumps — and mandatory building insulation to achieve ‘Net Zero’ Energy Status.
To facilitate this objective building permit applications that meet these objective would receive priority in processing and perhaps reduced permit fees.
Despite objections from some political and construction industry (and perhaps individual citizens’) perspectives “Climate Change is here and now” and efforts to mitigate its effects must be implemented without delay. The fiscal COST of delay will be greater than the cost of implementation NOW. …… dhh
LikeLike
Thank you for your comments. The City cannot mandate requirements above the Ontario Building Code as it relates to energy efficiency. A legal challenge against the City of Toronto was filed late last year challenging the municipal authority to enforce and implement green standards.
The City of Burlington has Sustainable Building and Development Guidelines to encourage energy efficient buildings and other on-site sustainable features. These guidelines apply city-wide to development applications proposing: institutional and public service facilities, commercial, industrial and employment uses, high and medium density residential buildings.
Building permit processing priority or reduced fees for projects proposing energy efficiency measures are incentives the City may explore, but would need to be assessed against the ability of the City to deliver on other strategic priorities including affordable/attainable housing and complete communities. Both the Community Improvement Plan (https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/housingstrategy) and Housing Accelerator Fund (https://www.burlington.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/housing-accelerator-fund.aspx) are considering financial incentives related to sustainability. Funding may be available when creating affordable rental housing that goes above and beyond the new Ontario Building Code requirements. More information is available in a Nov. 2004 report (https://burlingtonpublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=82457).
In 2024, a Solar Incentive Pilot Program was offered waiving the cost for solar panel building permits saving residents about $600. The City offers the Plumbing Permit Fee Grant Program (waiving the cost of the building permit) and the Home Flood Protection Program (50% subsidy), both related to flood prevention. http://www.burlington.ca/floodprevention.
For our own buildings (new and major retrofits): In April 2024, City Council approved Burlington’s Corporate Energy and Sustainable Buildings policy which follows the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standard for Design to help meet our net carbon neutral goal by 2040. City facilities are being designed and constructed to have a net zero or low carbon footprint, such as the City Park Pavilion (new), former Robert Bateman High School (retrofit) and Skyway Arena and Community Centre (redevelopment). We have also been undertaking deep energy retrofit studies of some of our existing buildings.
LikeLike