Climate Change Adaptation Planning

The Town of Canmore is taking steps to address climate change and ensure Canmore is safe, prosperous and resilient in the future by developing a Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan. While the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan focuses on mitigation efforts to tackle the causes of climate change, the adaptation plan tackles the effects.

Climate projections for the Bow Valley point towards increases in temperature and changing precipitation patterns. By the 2050s mean annual temperature is anticipated to rise 1.9°C over the 1961-1990 average with an increase in mean annual precipitation of about 5%; summer precipitation is projected to decline by about 5%. Projected changes in average temperature and precipitation for the Bow Valley will have broad consequences across the natural environment, including the size of our glaciers, winter snowpack, streamflow, wildfires and forest pests, and regional ecosystems.

Projected climate and environmental changes could have numerous impacts on Canmore, with consequences for municipal infrastructure and services, private property, the local economy and environment, and the health and lifestyle of citizens. In anticipation of the potential risks and opportunities presented by these changes, the Town of Canmore has developed a Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan.

You can download the Climate Change Adaptation Background Report and Resilience Plan pdf here (2.54 MB) .

A draft Climate Action Plan updates our greenhouse gas inventory (community and corporate), updates our greenhouse gas reduction targets, and updates our Action Plan in alignment with requirements of the Global Covenant of Mayors. Until the draft report is accepted by Council in the fall of 2018, you can read a copy of it here (item D-2).