From strong waves to more frequent storms, we are seeing the impacts of flooding and erosion firsthand along the Lake Ontario shoreline here in Burlington. The erosion of our beautiful and ecologically significant sand dunes will leave our shoreline increasingly vulnerable to future storms, and high intensity floods can impact the infrastructure near our shoreline including homes, businesses, roads and bridges and recreational areas. But all hope is not lost – our local conservation authorities are working to protect our shoreline through the Lake Ontario Coastal Resilience Pilot Project, and you can help!
What is the Lake Ontario Coastal Resilience Pilot Project?
This initiative is focused on helping the communities around the Lake Ontario shoreline better prepare for flooding, erosion and extreme weather. This project includes the western Lake Ontario shoreline from the mouth of the Niagara River in Niagara-on-the-Lake to Joshua’s Creek in Oakville/Mississauga, encompassing portions of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), Conservation Halton (CH), and Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) watershed jurisdiction shorelines.
The project will use the real experiences of community members, scientific data and models to identify practical short- and long-term actions to reduce risks to people, property and infrastructure.
The five main objectives of the project are to:
- Understand shoreline risks, including flooding, erosion, and climate impacts through numerical modelling.
- Map shoreline hazards and vulnerable areas under current conditions and future climate scenarios.
- Evaluate risk to infrastructure, communities, and natural assets, including socio-economic considerations.
- Identify mitigation options, including nature-based solutions for high-risk areas.
- Develop a Coastal Resilience Management Plan with policy recommendations and an implementation roadmap.
Your Input Matters
No one knows Burlington’s shoreline better than our residents who live, work and play down by the shoreline. Whether you live on the shoreline, run a business, spend time at the beach, or enjoy local trails—your thoughts matter.
This November, the project team is offering five drop-in open houses, where you can learn more about this project and different ways to respond to coastal hazards, and share your perspectives and vision about our shoreline.
- Burlington – Nov. 17 from 2 – 4:30 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Burlington
- Oakville – Nov. 17 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Trafalgar Park Community Centre
- Hamilton – Nov. 18 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at The Lakeview by Carmen’s
- St. Catharines – Nov. 19 from 2 – 4:40 p.m. at Port Dalhousie Lions Club
- Grimsby – Nov. 19 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Elizabeth Street Pumphouse
RSVPs are optional but encouraged
Stay In the Loop
This is an ongoing project, with many updates to come in the years ahead! community engagement opportunities are already being planned for spring 2027 as the project moves toward identifying potential actions for long-term shoreline resilience. If you would like to be informed of project updates and engagement opportunities, just hit that “follow” button to subscribe for updates on the NPCA’s Get Involved page.
Take Action Burlington! Use your voice to help make our shoreline more resilient to our warmer, wetter and wilder weather. Collectively, we can make a difference and shape the community’s future.
