Case Studies

The Regional Municipality of Durham's Community Climate Adaptation Plan is the 2018 winner in the climate change category of FCM's Sustainable Communities Awards.

The Niagara Region created an integrated community and corporate climate change action plan with targets for local energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction based on a previously-compiled regional inventory.

After the roof collapsed on the Springhill Arena in 2001, the Town of Springhill constructed a new multi-purpose community centre to accommodate sports, recreation, culture, tourism and business activities.

The City of Prince George investigated the possibility of cooling its new RCMP headquarters with groundwater.

To prepare for a projected 12 per cent population increase by 2035, this bedroom community 15 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg built an energy-efficient community centre featuring a large daycare facility, a 500-seat banquet hall and 6,000 square feet of rental space for medical and government services.

Unsure of the real-world performance of solar energy systems, the City of Toronto's Toronto Atmospheric Fund decided to evaluate 16 projects completed on municipal properties.

The City of Kitchener has consolidated its once-scattered maintenance operations into a former Michelin tire plant.

Worried that the town's rural character was being lost in a sea of new homes for buyers from nearby Toronto, concerned residents of Halton Hills launched a campaign to save Devereaux House, a condemned town-owned 19th-century heritage home on 100 acres of farmland.

To accommodate an increase in police staff and meet the requirements of police and forensic services, the Region of Waterloo built a new Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) Investigative Services Branch building, including a forensics laboratory and vehicle examination garage, meeting rooms, office space and ancillary support rooms.

To cut its dependence on diesel-generated electricity, the lakeside northern community of Whati studied construction of a hydroelectric system powered by running water from the nearby La Martre River Falls, which flow out of Lac Le Martre.

La Ville de Campbell River a étudié la possibilité de recourir à l'énergie des marées pour produire de l'électricité. Elle espérait installer une petite turbine de démonstration au quai municipal.

The City of Kingston audited energy and water use in 37 municipal buildings, looking for ways to reduce consumption.

The City of Surrey studied the feasibility of a district energy system (DES) for its new civic centre and its growing central business area.

The coastal town of St. Andrews in southwest New Brunswick has upgraded its wastewater treatment plant to meet environmental standards, improve the quality of life for residents, and create capacity for growth.

As part of a plan to revitalize the community's waterfront, the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp. did soil and groundwater tests to see whether an old warehouse known as the Blue Barn could be used as an art, culture and heritage centre.

To find further ways to conserve its finite groundwater resources, the City of Guelph studied a residential greywater reuse system that flushes residential toilets with water from showers and baths.

To cut pollution threatening fish and groundwater, the Municipality of the District of Argyle updated sewage-treatment facilities in the seaside village of West Pubnico with screens and ultraviolet light that disinfects effluent before releasing it into Lobster Bay.

The rapidly growing City of Cranbrook has upgraded its wastewater systems to improve effluent quality, reduce operating costs, cut GHG emissions and allow for population growth over the next 20 years.

The City of Campbell River studied the feasibility of using tidal energy to generate electricity. It hoped to install a small demonstration turbine at the municipal pier.