The establishment of a new…

The establishment of a new climate change organization by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is an important step forward on addressing climate change impacts in Ontario. It shows the commitment of the Province to adaptation and has the potential to advance action across sectors and throughout the province.

It must be acknowledged that there are numerous organizations – both not-for-profit and private – that have been working in the space of supporting public/private stakeholders on climate change adaptation for upwards of a decade. These groups have offered a range of services that have together enabled significant action on adaptation by municipalities, Indigenous communities, and other public-sector agencies. These boundary organizations – OCCIAR, CAP, ICLEI, ICLR, OCC, P4A – have and will continue to work in this direct support space by providing climate information, planning, and adaptation solutions. It goes without saying that financing, and particularly sustainable long-term financing options, for these groups are already quite limited (and competitive); the creation of a new independent and not-for-profit organizations runs a risk of threatening the feasibility and existence of these non-profits that have advanced the field of adaptation in Ontario significantly.

However, there is of course an opportunity – and need – for more collective action in this space. The following outlines some recommendations and considerations as the MOECC sets forward in establishing this new Centre: •The new centre could act as an “endorser” of existing initiatives. For example: - Where public health practitioners are seeking support the centre could endorse the work of the Clean Air Partnership, - Where Indigenous communities are looking for support the Centre could endorse the work of OCCIAR, - Where municipalities are seeking support on adaptation, the Centre could endorse the capacity building work of ICLEI - This notion is the basis for a current Memorandum of Understanding between OURANOS and ICLEI Canada where OURANOS as a climate service provider has “endorsed” ICLEI as its partner for municipal capacity building.

•The new centre should not only support assessment (both vulnerability and risk) and planning, but should be sure to provide support to the longer and more complex phases of implementation and monitoring/evaluation.

•The centre should avoid creating unnecessary complexity by creating new frameworks, rather it should have a mandate to provide access to the resources that are already being used by municipalities and other stakeholder groups.

•The Centre should resist the inclination to create a dedicated or password protected space for collaboration, instead it should use the mechanisms that people are already using.

•The Centre should meet stakeholders “where they are” as opposed to where you think they should be – if they want direct assistance rather than access to resources the Centre should connect them with those working in that space.

We thank the Ministry for the opportunity to provide comment on this important development, and wish to acknowledge the step forward this new Centre represents.

[Original Comment ID: 212092]