Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP)
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is developing a Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) to better understand how energy is used across the community and to identify opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and strengthen local resilience.
This work is being supported by QUEST Canada, a national charitable organization that helps municipalities across Ontario and Canada set and achieve community energy and emissions-reduction goals.
Ontario Net-Zero Communities Accelerator Program
Niagara-on-the-Lake is participating in the Ontario Net-Zero Communities Accelerator Program, led by QUEST Canada. The program provides municipalities with tools, expertise, and peer support to develop practical, community-driven energy and emissions plans.
Through this program, communities receive support to:
- Build local expertise and municipal capacity
- Collaborate with regional and community partners
- Develop a customized Community Energy and Emissions Plan aligned with local priorities
What Work Has Been Completed
As part of the program, the Town has completed two key technical studies:
Benchmarking Assessment
This assessment looks at how Niagara-on-the-Lake compares to Canadian best practices across areas such as land use, transportation, buildings, energy systems, governance, and planning. The results help identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities to move toward net-zero goals.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory
A comprehensive inventory was completed to understand where community-wide emissions come from, including transportation, buildings, and waste. The inventory also includes future emissions projections to 2050 based on population growth and compares results with other Ontario municipalities.
Energy Mapping and Action Planning (Current Phase)
The Town is now in the final phase of the program: Energy Mapping and Action Planning. This phase focuses on turning data into practical, locally informed actions through community and stakeholder input.
Energy Mapping & Action Planning Public Information Centre
The Town is hosting an interactive Public Information Centre to bring together residents, community organizations, utilities, and partners to explore local energy use and help identify priority actions.
Event Details
- Date: February 18, 2026
- Time: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
- Location: NOTL Community Centre Auditorium (14 Anderson Lane)
What to Expect
- An overview of the Community Energy and Emissions Plan and the Ontario Net-Zero Program
- Interactive breakout sessions using maps to explore how energy is used across the Town
- Collaborative discussions to identify ideas and actions to reduce emissions
- A summary of next steps and how input will inform the final plan
Community input from this session will help shape the Town’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan. Additional engagement opportunities may be considered in the future as the plan moves toward implementation.
Climate Change Adaptation
The purpose of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCAP) is to prepare the Town to adapt to climate change, extreme weather and to minimize the results of climate impacts. This will be accomplished by:
- Creating a vision statement to support the Town’s position on climate change.
- Identifying potential impacts related to climate change on infrastructure, assets, services and operations.
- Prioritizing adaptation actions to reduce risk and vulnerability.
- Developing a detailed plan of implementation including cost estimates, funding sources, responsibilities, timelines and evaluation framework.
The impacts of climate change will be felt across the entire region and will continue into the future.
Adaptation planning enables the Town to develop a guideline and evaluate vulnerabilities, manage the impacts, risks and opportunities presented by changing climate. While efforts to combat climate change are necessary at all levels, municipalities are on the frontline of planning for climate change adaptation and engaging stakeholders.
The CCAP includes twenty-seven actions that the municipality will undertake to adapt to climate change. These actions contribute to six overarching goals that the Town will strive toward as it implements the CCAP. The goals are as follows:
Image  | Integrate Climate Change into Plans, Policies, By-Laws and Standards |
Image  | Build Urban Forest Resiliency |
Image  | Reduce Flooding Risks |
Image  | Incorporate Climate Change in Design and Construction |
Image  | Minimize Health and Safety Risks to Community Members |
Image  | Support Public Awareness and Education |
Read the full Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Climate Change Mitigation
Mitigation is focused on the reduction and prevention of greenhouse gas emissions, alongside other efforts to reduce the rate of climate change.
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has made the following mitigation efforts to date:
- Decreased energy use in municipal buildings, facilities, and general operations
- Reduced carbon footprint with LED streetlight conversion project
- Installed an electric charging station
- Reduced the use of single-use plastics at Town events
- Water bottle refill stations installed at Town facilities
- Four stream garbage bins were installed to dispose of organics at Town facilities