The Peel Climate Change Partnership
The Peel Climate Change Partnership works collaboratively on strategic climate change initiatives to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change impacts, and increase the pace and urgency of the climate change response by all partners.
In 2022, the Peel Climate Change Partnership was refreshed to reflect the renewed commitment of each member and the evolving response to the climate emergency. The refreshed Partnership is focused on prioritizing climate action, streamlining the scale and acceleration of climate action across the community and to better meet the needs of member organizations.
The Peel Climate Change Partnership launched 3 strategies in 2018 that were a focus of collaboration for the past 5 years. The work associated with the strategies continues beyond 2022 through the member organizations.
The members of the Peel Climate Change Partnership are:
The Climate Emergency Leadership Team is comprised of executive-level leaders from each member organization and focuses on issues management, strengthening collaboration, and leveraging networks or influence to address existing or new needs and opportunities for working together.
The current members are:
- Kealy Dedman, Commissioner, Public Works, Peel Region
- Michael Herallal, Director, Environment and Development Engineering, City of Brampton
- Jodi Robillos, Commissioner, Community Services, City of Mississauga
- Erin Britnell, Director, Corporate Strategy and Innovation, Town of Caledon
- Quentin Hanchard, CAO, Credit Valley Conservation
- John MacKenzie, CEO, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Champions
Champions make recommendations to the leadership team, engage other leaders, and provide oversight and expertise for specific climate initiatives, as appropriate.
- Jeremy Schembri, Manager, Office of Climate Change and Energy Management, Peel Region
- Olivia Sparrow, Manager, Stormwater Programs, City of Brampton
- Dianne Zimmerman, Manager, Environment, City of Mississauga
- Cristina Guido, Acting Manager, Energy and Environment, Town of Caledon
- Andrew Kett, Director, Corporate Services, Credit Valley Conservation
- Victoria Kramkowski, Government and Community Relations Specialist, Peel and York Watersheds, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Secretariat
The secretariat is located within Peel Region’s Office of Climate Change and Energy Management. Members of the secretariat facilitate and support the partnership’s strategic and operational work and ensure that group activities are effectively administered.
The secretariat is comprised of:
- Christine Tu, Director, Office of Climate Change and Energy Management, Peel Region
- Rosemary Nobel, Administrative Assistant, Office of Climate Change and Energy Management, Peel Region
- Katelyn Macdonald, Project Coordinator, Office of Climate Change and Energy Management, Peel Region
Low carbon communities
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Peel Region has successfully applied for three rounds of federal funding through NRCan’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program in collaboration with Peel Climate Change Partnership.
$1.177 million in funding has been secured to install 192 charging stations across 37 properties in support of fleet and public vehicle electrification.
A list of public charging stations is available for Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga through ChargeHub.
2016 Peel Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory was updated to provide insights on trends and highlight reduction opportunities, future scenarios and actions and where further monitoring is needed. According to the 2016 Community Inventory update, Peel's emissions:
- Are estimated to be 10.1 million tonnes of CO2e.
- Have increased by 18% since 1990.
- Are mostly produced through stationary energy (emissions come from fuel combustion, as well as emissions released in the process of generating, delivering, and consuming useful forms of energy, such as electricity or heat) and transportation.
The Community inventory will be updated in the near future and will be made available.
Flood resiliency strategy
The Peel Climate Change Partnership will use the Risk and Return on Investment Tool to identify and support projects that will help avoid floods in Peel Region.
The tool will:
- Help municipalities and conservation authorities identify areas of high risk and make cost-effective decisions for flood risk mitigation.
- Assess economic and social impacts of riverine flooding, as well as urban overland flooding, storm sewer back-up, sanitary sewer back-up, and stream erosion.
- Perform a financial assessment of management options to help users optimize their investment.
Work in progress
- Asset management plans.
- Literature review of gaps in existing conditions.
- Evaluating costing for manicured parkland, wetlands, and forests to build into the tool.
- Green Development Standards.
Green natural infrastructure strategy
The Partnership will identify and then prioritize tree planting in Peel neighbourhoods that need more shade.
Work in progress
- Management best practices.
- Climate change adaptation guidelines.
- Policy best practices: helping to inform policies and guidelines in the Peel Region 2041 Official Plan Review.
- Tree planting activities in each of the priority neighbourhoods.
The executive summary of Peel Region's Best Practices and Strategies for the Urban Forest, provides an overview of best practices for managing Peel Region’s urban forest (primarily for street and park trees).
Council Reports
- Peel Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy report
- June 15, 2022 – Mississauga council report
- June 23, 2022 – Regional council report
- July 12, 2022 – Caledon council report
- October 28, 2021 - Peel Region Urban Forest Best Practice Guide
- October 28, 2021 - State of Stormwater Management in Peel Region
- February 27, 2020 - Peel Climate Change Partnership Terms of Reference update
Board reports
- September 23, 2022 – Peel Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy Endorsement (TRCA Board Report)
- May 8, 2020 – PCCP Terms of Reference Update (CVC Board Report)
Other reports
- The 2011 Peel Climate Change Strategy
- 2016 Peel Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory
- Agricultural Systems in Peel Region
- Natural Systems in Peel Region
- Community Services and Assets in Peel Region: Port Credit Case Study
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Resilient City
Webinars
For any questions about the partnership, contact the Peel Climate Change Partnership Secretariat with the subject line “PCCP Inquiry”.