The Essex Region Conservation Authority says it's time to start acting to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change.
Two weeks after the second major flood in Windsor-Essex in less than a year, the authority has the approval of its board to move ahead with a regional climate change strategy.
"Weather patterns are increasingly warmer, wetter, and wilder," says General Manager Richard Wyma. "This is affecting everyone, and we're all part of the solution."
Windsor residents deal with widespread flooding in the city,
August 29, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Dora Amelia Belanger)
Now that the authority has the blessing it needs at the board level, it will need to hire someone to consult with municipalities, farmers, developers, landowners, and other stakeholders to coordinate a plan.
"The job starts now, and I have had some discussions with some of our municipal colleagues, councillors, and others, just to let them know this is where we're going," Wyma says. "We've talked about it for some time, but when we had that second big storm -- There's an urgency now that we needed to step up."
It will not be easy. It could mean building new wet lands, new rules for developers, changing infrastructure, and changing the way we farm.
"I think we're talking about how things function as part of a system," explains Wyma saying that it is all part of a puzzle to adapt to changing weather patterns.
"One-in-100 year storm events, which used to be the metric that flood protection was measured against, are happening with increasing frequency," he says. "Stormwater sewer systems and other infrastructure are overwhelmed, leading to flooding and increased erosion."
"We really need to take a look at this region-wide in terms of how are we able to tackle some of the big issues and how are we able to find solutions to some of these challenges that we're facing so that we can become a bit more resilient," Wyma says.
The authority admits developing a strategy will take a number of steps over the long-term to ensure it accurately reflects the region's changing environment.
"Preparing for climate change is about managing risks. It is as much about the economy, quality of life, and social inequality as about the environment. Innovative solutions will need to expand beyond the boundaries of engineering to be truly sustainable," Wyma says.