Adaptation in Windsor

The City of Windsor has been working on climate change adaptation for nearly a decade. Faced with several extreme temperature and precipitation events, the City has undertaken multiple initiatives to better understand and plan for localized risks.

This Plan represents an opportunity to build upon work completed to date, and integrate lessons learned from Windsor’s work on adaptation in the community.

Table 1: City of Windsor Climate Change Activities

Mitigation

  •  Community Energy Plan (2017)

  •  Active Transportation Master Plan (2019)

  •  LED streetlight conversion

  •  Corporate Climate Action Plan (2017)

  •  Energy efficiency upgrades to buildings

  •  Tree planting programs

  •  Greening the Fleet Plan (2012)

  •  Increased public education

Adaptation

  •  Climate Change Adaptation Plan (2012)

  •  Rediscover Our Parks the City’s Parks and Outdoor Recreation Master Plan (2015)

  •  Retention Treatment Basin

  •  Updated rainfall IDF curves

  •  Increased public education

  •  Strengthened Emergency Response coordination

  •  Urban Heat Island study

  •  East Riverside Flood Risk Assessment (2019)

  •  Climate Resilient Demonstration House

  •  Urban Forest Canopy Cover & Benefits Assessment

  •  Integrated climate change planning into Asset Management

  •  Health Unit Partnership to monitor for West Nile and Lyme Disease

  •  Increased use of catch basin flow restrictors

  •  Continue sealing of manhole covers

  •  Low Impact Development pilot projects

  •  Free downspout disconnection program

  •  Stay Cool Windsor Essex

  •  Upcoming Sewer Master Plan

  •  Federal funding for Adaptation Projects (2019)

  •  Enhanced sewer maintenance and monitoring

  •  Basement flooding subsidy program

  •  Increased number of public shade structures

  •  Enhanced invasive species removal

  •  Installation and monitoring of rain gardens

  •  Increased number of splash pads

  •  Increased sewer flow monitoring

  •  Heat Alert and Response Plan (2011)

  •  Update to the Street and Park Tree Inventory