White Paper
Climate Change and the Official Plan Review

Overview
Background
A. Link Between Climate Change and the Official Plan
B. Transportation
C. Protection of Resource Areas and Protection of Natural Systems
D. Development
E. Renewable Energy
F. Adaptation
How to Provide Input

Overview

Climate Change is often cited as the most significant environmental challenge facing the world today. Addressing this challenge will require both collective and individual changes in day to day activities. As efforts to reduce energy use and resource consumption are made, potential changes will impact the way we build our communities, homes and infrastructure.

While there are many issues related to climate change and the generation of greenhouse gases (GHG) that are beyond the scope of the City’s responsibilities and influence, issues of land use, energy consumption, transportation and natural resources all do apply. Municipalities have a major role to play as communities and infrastructure are built today that will endure for many years into the future.

This discussion paper provides some context in terms of climate change in Ottawa and the opportunities presented through the Official Plan to lessen the City’s contribution to climate change (mitigation), and to prepare for the changes in the environment and climate that are inevitable (adaptation). The specific issues discussed are:

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Background

The best available predictions are that Ottawa will experience warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns during this century. For example, recent Ontario Government estimates¹ for Eastern Ontario show increases in summer temperatures of 2°-3° by 2041-2070, with increases of up to 4° C in winter. To date, Ottawa has seen an average temperature increase of 1ْ C over the last 30 years, with higher precipitation in the form of winter rain at the expense of snow².

Changes in temperature and precipitation are not the only cause for concern. Weather patterns can become less stable during climate change, resulting in extreme weather events which can jeopardize human health and safety, cause property damage, and disrupt natural ecosystems.

Climate change will have various direct and indirect effects on Ottawa. The following list provides some examples:

• Winters will be milder which will reduce health concerns caused by cold but challenges related to increased freeze-thaw cycles (creating more potholes, outdoor rink closures) and ice storms will increase.
• Negative impacts on winter sports such as skiing and skating on the Canal could affect tourism.
• Increased heat could lead to drier soils allowing an earlier start to some forms of summer recreation and earlier seeding for the agricultural sector.
• Hotter summers with longer heat waves and an increase in summer night-time temperatures that may increase health issues related to heat and smog, as well as infectious diseases.
• Extreme weather events will increase in frequency and intensity (severe storms, floods) and cause increased potential damage, soil erosion, and financial loss.
• Changes in forest composition and shifts in ecozones (areas with similar habitat conditions) can place stress on animals which depend on certain habitat types but may not be able to move or adapt easily. There will also be an increased risk of invasion of non-native or invasive species which upset the natural balance of ecosystems.
• Wetlands are vulnerable where a rise in water temperatures and falling water levels during summer drought will affect the habitat of a number of species. Changing water temperatures, freezing rain, and increased flooding will also affect stream corridors and plants and animals that depend on the riparian zone.
• An increase in the length of the growing season would occur for some while additional stress through extreme weather events and changing precipitation for would occur for others.
• Hotter and dryer seasons mean pesticides will remain longer in the soil and more irrigation will be required for some crops.

The precise impacts of climate change in Ottawa are hard to predict with certainty and will depend on the actual rise in temperatures experienced. It is clear, however, that these types of impacts will occur to some degree. Planning policies as established in the Official Plan help shape urban and rural development and protect the natural environment, and therefore have implications for the reduction in GHG emissions and climate change mitigation.

Since 1990, transportation’s share of the total contribution to GHG in Ottawa has increased from 320 % to 36%, while the share from waste has decreased from 11% to 6%. The building sector has remained almost the same (going from 57% to 58%). This leads to two important conclusions for the Official Plan review:

• The building sector continues to be the primary source of GHG emissions and so measures to reduce energy use through energy efficiency and support for the green building sector are important.
• The transportation sector represents a significant source of GHG emissions and has been on the increase.

With respect to more general air quality concerns, the City is currently involved in an air quality monitoring project for 15 months that combines satellite monitoring with mobile testing units and passive samplers. This project will help identify specific problem areas within the City. From what is known, transportation activities and construction sources are the primary local sources of air quality concerns such as particulate matter (PM) or microscopic particles in the air (SENES, 2007)

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A. Link Between Climate Change and the Official Plan

Issues of climate change cannot be separated from other matters discussed in the Official Plan. Specifically, actions taken on intensification, transportation and rapid transit all have implications for climate change. ³ In some of those cases, the best options for climate change, such as compact development and sustainable transportation initiatives, are already priorities and are likely to find continued support for a variety of reasons.

In Ottawa, City Council has approved an Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan in 2005 which established targets for GHG reduction and outlines the types of measures that would, if fully implemented, achieve the targets.

The Plan established corporate and community targets as follows:

• The corporate target was to reduce emissions caused by City activities to 20% of 1990 levels by 2007. In 2004 corporate GHG emissions were 24% below 1990 levels (SENES, 2007) so the City has met this target and can now look for further reductions and a new target. This was possible in part because the City has relatively direct control over emissions from City facilities and fleets.
• The community target was to reduce emissions to 20% of 1990 levels by 2012. In 2004, community GHG emissions had increased by 5% (SENES, 2007). The challenges of continued population growth, lack of direct municipal control over such variables as building code standards, the source of electrical generation (continued use of emission intensive coal-fired generation plants) and vehicle fuel efficiency, and challenges related to municipal resources and actions have put this target into question.

An Official Plan is just one of several tools available to municipalities to combat and adjust to climate change and strive to meet reduction targets. For example, municipal governments can reduce emissions through:

• land-use, energy, and transportation planning to create more sustainable and less-energy intensive forms of development;
• green infrastructure which looks for opportunities to mitigate and adapt to climate change through the design of municipal infrastructure;
• green procurement whereby environmentally friendly (and therefore less wasteful or energy intensive) products are sought;
• building retrofits to reduce energy use;
• water conservation to reduce the energy involved in treatment and distribution;
• solid waste diversion to avoid emissions related to collection and landfills; or,
• renewable energy use and promotion.

However, there is little the Official Plan and related master plans can do to increase the technical quality or efficiency of mechanical heating and cooling systems in buildings, old or new. On the other hand, by promoting certain patterns of development, planning policies may be able to create situations, such as access to passive solar heating (whereby buildings gain the benefit of maximum exposure to sunlight in winter), that reduce the amount of work those mechanical systems have to do.

Question for Discussion

1. How can the Official Plan and related master plans contribute to efforts to mitigate our contribution and adapt to climate change?

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B. Transportation

Given the growing importance of transportation as a source of greenhouse gases a meaningful strategy to manage emissions must reduce the burning of petroleum fuels in vehicles, particularly single occupant vehicles.

This can be accomplished through making vehicles more fuel-efficient, replacing petroleum fuels with cleaner alternatives, and minimizing the vehicle kilometres travelled. It is the last measure where the Official Plan can have a significant impact. Some key strategies, which are important in Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan policies, include:

• compact and mixed communities which minimize travel distances between home, work, recreation, and services;
• containment of urban sprawl and concurrent support for appropriate infill and intensification;
• support for walking and cycling as viable transportation options by maintaining and enhancing the walking and cycling networks;
• directing growth to locations that are centred on the rapid-transit network, major roads and busy commercial streets; and,
• maintaining and enhancing an efficient, affordable and attractive transit system and supporting transit-oriented forms and patterns of development

The Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan currently include these objectives and a variety of implementation policies. Targets and priorities are established for transit, walking and cycling. Throughout the review of the Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan, including the rapid transit expansion plan, the importance of sustainable transportation components must continue to be emphasized and potential contributions to GHG reductions factored into analysis and choices.

Question for Discussion

1. Are there measures to be taken to address greenhouse gas emissions from transportation?

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C. Protection of Resource Areas

The primary resource areas addressed in the Official Plan are agricultural and mineral resources. From a climate change perspective, using local resources can reduce the need for long-range transportation of goods, and can serve to achieve greater self-reliance and control.

Protection of agricultural land is important for several reasons:

• Provides some resiliency and less reliance on distant food sources, which may be at risk through climate change
• Maintains options – takes advantage of new conditions resulting from climate change, which could improve productivity for some crops
• Provides for more local sources of food, thereby reducing the need for long-range transport of goods, a significant component of GHG emissions and our ecological footprint

Protection of Mineral (quarry and sand and gravel) Resources:

• Offers local source of materials to reduce impacts associated with transportation
• Provides less reliance on other areas for construction materials and reduces costs

In both cases, the basic strategy involved in land use planning policies is to protect prime resource areas from incompatible uses, such as residential development, that would prevent future extraction of the mineral resource or use of agricultural land for food production. Current Official Plan policies contain defined agricultural resource areas and mineral resource areas and protect these resources from incompatible uses.

Question for Discussion

1. Are the current levels of resource protection adequate?

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Protection of Natural Systems

Healthy, diverse and connected natural systems and areas are important in a climate change context for several reasons.

• A healthy, diverse, and connected natural system has a greater ability to adjust to climate change.
• Protection of water systems/wetlands will buffer the impacts of extreme weather events and drought.
• Forests and wetlands act as carbon sinks (they store carbon which would otherwise become GHG emissions) and are important mitigation tools,
• Natural landscapes in the urban area can reduce energy demands and the urban heat island effect (whereby the urban area, with the dominance of pavement and roof-tops, is warmer than the surrounding, more natural, landscapes).
• Ability for flora and fauna to adjust and move (fragmentation of the natural environment make species more vulnerable and combined with climate change, creates ecological stress)

The Official Plan currently includes several categories of protected natural areas and policies for completion of sub-watershed and environmental management plans, but there are other key challenges to be explored.

Questions for Discussion

1. How can we better connect our natural system?
2. How can we better recognize and protect the values associated with tree cover that are important for climate change adaptation and mitigation?
3. Can sub-watershed and watershed planning explicitly consider potential climate change scenarios?

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D. Development

In 2004, the building sector was responsible for 58% of the community emissions in Ottawa. Measures that reduce the contribution of the building sector and make the built environment more adaptable or resilient to climate change will become increasingly important. A series of opportunities exist which can influence the ability for new developments to mitigate and adapt to climate.

• Compact Development - Encouraging a more compact development form that not only supports sustainable transportation but can also increase opportunities for shared renewable or district energy systems and more compact housing forms, such as low rise multiples, which traditionally use less energy than larger lot single family homes. The current Official Plan includes policies and targets designed to promote compact development.
• Street and Lot Pattern Orientation - Orienting street and lot patterns to maximize solar exposure (east-west streets) is currently a policy in the Official Plan and yet the influence that this policy has had is unclear. Other factors, such as tying into existing infrastructure in already developed areas and realizing development potential, play a role as well.
• Site Layout and Landscaping - Taking advantage of the Site Plan Control and the subdivision process which provides the City with some control of site layout and landscaping during development can make a positive contribution. The strategic placement of trees can help with energy efficiency and the reduction of the heat island effect. Access to solar resources for the purposes of small-scale renewable energy installations is also a consideration that could be explored in the Official Plan review.

Influence over building design has traditionally been limited, in part due to lack of empowerment under the Planning Act, and in part due to the reluctance of the development sector to accept additional municipal involvement in design issues. During the last Official Plan review, discussions with the development sector and others led to an approach whereby a variety of design considerations, including a number related to sustainable design, were incorporated within an Annex to the Official Plan. Recent changes in the Planning Act have given municipalities greater ability to address building exteriors through site plan provisions, if policies to guide this process are established in the Official Plan.

From an energy perspective, the Ontario Building Code sets the minimum standard. It is expected that recent changes in the Code will lead to improvements in the performance of buildings over the next few years. Sustainable design and related rating systems have also become increasingly commonplace and market driven in the last five years. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Energy Star Housing are two of the most common rating systems currently in use.

Questions for Discussion

1. Do we need to provide policies in the Official Plan that provide the ability to require certain environmentally sustainable building design measures such as Green Roofs in some circumstances?
2. How can the Official Plan promote sustainable design and green building measures?

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E. Renewable Energy

Renewable energy facilities, such as solar panel and wind turbine installations, are becoming a more common land use. Provincial programs, such as the standing offer for renewable energy, provide incentives; technological advances are improving the feasibility and cost of new facilities; the cost of conventional energy continues to rise; and market awareness and demand for environmentally sustainable alternatives create new opportunities. The Provincial Policy Statement also directs municipalities to permit these types of installations in most land use designations and there is a Provincial Approvals process for renewable energy projects.

It will be necessary to bring the City of Ottawa Official Plan into conformity with these measures and look at any opportunities to encourage renewable energy installations, while also ensuring that there is some direction for participation by the City in approval processes. To date, there have not been any large-scale installations of these kinds of facilities in Ottawa although interest appears to be growing.

Question for Discussion

1. How can the City encourage renewable energy and how much, if any, direction should the Official Plan provide for siting and assessment of renewable energy projects?

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F. Adaptation

How buildings and infrastructure can adapt to impacts resulting from climate change has not been an explicit component of the Official Plan or land use planning to date. Given the uncertainty and long-term nature of these impacts, it is difficult to develop specific policies addressing climate change adaptation. Good planning principles that take into account risk management will help form the basis of an adaptation strategy.

Some examples of these types of measures include:

• ensuring that hazard land (floodplains, instable slopes) policies provide sufficient protection and margin of error to accommodate extreme weather events;
• ensure that every opportunity is taken to provide for landscaping, building and roof treatments, and shade tree planting/retention to reduce the impact of rising temperatures in urban areas; and,
• emphasizing site and building design – such as landscaping that minimizes solar gain in summer; and,
• protecting natural systems, wetlands and their support systems (groundwater source areas) to protect against effects of drought and extreme weather events.

Question for Discussion

1. What else should be done to better prepare Ottawa to adapt to the effects of climate change?

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How to Provide Input

Send comments by phone, regular mail, e-mail or by visiting the City’s Web site before December 9, 2007.

Contact the author by phone, in writing or by e-mail:

David Miller
Planning, Transit and the Environment Department
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
613-580-2424 ext. 21447
david.miller@ottawa.ca

Go to: ottawa.ca/beyondottawa2020 and register your comments using the on-line discussion tool Ottawa Talks. Register your e-mail address at the same time to receive notification of upcoming public consultation events.

Send your comments to: plan@ottawa.ca

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Government of Ontario, 2007 - http://gogreenontario.ca/

² Air Quality and Climate Change Plan, City of Ottawa, 2004

³ For more information on these issues, refer to the relevant discussion papers.