Summary

Lac-Mégantic launched its Energy Transition Plan in 2024, targeting a 22% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The plan, dubbed Mission Mégawatt, now has the whole community on board to achieve its ecological and sustainability targets. It’s an expression of the people’s resolve to make 2013 rail disaster mean something.

Background

A runaway tanker train derailed in July 2013 and burst into flames, devastating the Lac-Mégantic downtown core. There were 47 deaths, numerous injuries and an oil spill without precedent. More than 100 homes were destroyed, 80% of which were affordable or social housing.

The rural municipality of 5,747 in Quebec refused to throw in the towel. Instead, it made a commitment to build back green with an emphasis on sustainability, which would also reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Lac-Mégantic today has a Hydro-Québec microgrid that’s been supplying the downtown core with clean electricity using solar panels and batteries since it came online in 2021. Surplus power is transferred to Hydro-Québec’s main grid. The microgrid is a technological showcase that Lac-Mégantic is capitalizing on as part of its strategy for the energy transition.

Part of the funding for Mission Mégawatt is covered by profits from a wind farm in the Granit RCM that Lac-Mégantic is a partner of.

The challenges

Lac-Mégantic’s energy transition plan is part of the 2020–2025 strategic plan, with its emphasis on environmental stewardship and renewable energy.

Implementing that plan, however, is not without its challenges:

• Governance: maintain continuity with strong, clear messaging by municipal authorities.
• Resources: prioritize investments to respect financial capacity.
• Sustainability: establish an energy transition culture in municipal departments and Council.

Summary

The Township of Georgian Bay has taken on multiple interlinked projects guided by principles of environmental stewardship and genuine Reconciliation. Recognizing the sacredness and rightful stewardship of lands adjoining and intersecting Moose Deer Point First Nation, the Township has transferred 95 acres of land to the First Nation that connect previously broken-up parcels of territory.

In addition, the Township has conserved 553 acres through partnership with the Georgian Bay Land Trust and added a layer of protection to an additional 32,900 acres of ecologically significant Crown land. “We also greatly appreciated the work of the Georgian Bay Land Trust, and the support of the provincial and federal governments, to provide protection to our lands to ensure they remain in their natural state for generations to come,” proclaimed Mayor Koetsier.

Through this work, the Township is demonstrating a meaningful commitment to Indigenous sovereignty and ecological integrity.
 

“Returning lands to Moose Deer Point First Nation was simply the right thing to do—they never should have been Township lands.”

–  Peter Koetsier, mayor of the Township of Georgian Bay

Background

The Township of Georgian Bay in southern Ontario counts about 3,500 full-time residents—plus 18,500 in summer—along the eastern coast of Georgian Bay about 150 km north of Toronto. The Township has a strong commitment to climate action and is part of the UNESCO-recognized Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere. This region is also of interest to the Georgian Bay Land Trust, a local nonprofit that is working on a habitat corridor to ensure continuity between wilderness areas and was interested in bringing in the Township to support this effort.

Reconciliation is one of the Township’s key strategic pillars, including improving relationships with neighbouring Indigenous communities such as Moose Deer Point First Nation. Staff at the Township and First Nation had been working for a number of years to build a relationship and share knowledge. Through these ongoing discussions, the Township recognized that it owned 95 acres of road and shoreline allowances—land set aside more than a century ago for potential road construction or other access-related use—adjoining and intersecting the First Nation’s land and that there was an opportunity to take positive action on this issue.

Summary

Following the destruction left by Hurricane Fiona, Pictou County relied on a local recreation centre to serve as a temporary shelter for incoming power crews. Plans to upgrade the facility will ensure continued resilience during future climate-related extreme events, illustrating how energy and accessibility upgrades can help turn a community building into a resilience centre.  

Background

The Pictou County Wellness Centre (PCWC) is a multipurpose sporting facility located in the heart of Pictou County, N.S. Built in 2012, it features two NHL-sized hockey arenas, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a fitness centre and a gymnasium. The PCWC hosts much of the County’s athletic programming, offering a space where residents can engage in physical activity while building community ties.    

When Hurricane Fiona hit Pictou County in September 2022, violent winds and heavy rainfall caused extensive damage, including tearing roofs off homes and flattening crops. The storm wreaked havoc on critical infrastructure such as electrical wires and transmission lines, leaving most residents without power. For many, the outage lasted a gruelling 10 days. The Pictou County Wellness Centre was the first facility to have power restored, allowing it to act as a resilience hub and serve as a lifeline for community members when they needed it most.

Turning a recreation centre into a resilience hub

As awareness spread of the extent of damage to electrical infrastructure in northeastern Nova Scotia, power crews poured into the area from New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario and New England—but had nowhere to stay. It became clear that as one of the few facilities with working electricity, the PCWC could host this inflow of electrical workers. Despite its small staff of seven, the facility welcomed power crews with open arms and served as temporary accommodation.  

The centre brought in 100 cots, installed portable toilets in the parking lots and made use of the showers in the arenas. The kitchen equipment was fully utilized to provide hot meals, and the centre arranged for dumpsters for cleanup janitorial services. The small staff team committed to their role and ensured power crews were cared for and met with hospitality and gratitude.

The centre was also able to support individual community members. With power outages across the County, some residents came to the PCWC to charge their phones, allowing them to connect with friends and family or call for assistance if required.  

After Hurricane Fiona, the community turned to the Pictou County Wellness Centre for support.

Next steps

To enhance the PCWC’s ability to provide a space where people feel safe, supported and connected during times of uncertainty, the centre will be retrofitted through financing from the federal government’s Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund. This fund will support renovations for 34 climate comfort centres across Pictou and Antigonish counties and will include communication systems, improved accessibility, better volunteer training and resources and the purchase and installation of a generator. Upgrades to the PCWC will help improve the facility’s emergency preparedness and reduce community vulnerability.

In addition, the PCWC is well equipped to improve the building’s energy efficiency, thanks to a feasibility study completed prior to Hurricane Fiona with support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). While installing a generator will offer essential backup power, incorporating energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation improvements and high-efficiency windows will further strengthen the building’s resilience against extreme weather. These improvements will also reduce heating and electricity costs, freeing up resources that can be redirected to other community services or emergency funds.

Lessons learned

The case of the PCWC illustrates the importance of considering resilience when retrofitting community buildings. By designing facilities to serve beyond their day-to-day purpose, municipalities can ensure these spaces remain functional during unexpected events.

Resilience-focused upgrades—such as energy-efficiency improvements and backup power systems—can:

• help buildings maintain safe, livable conditions during extreme weather
• expand their capacity to shelter people in place
• improve occupant safety and comfort
• support grid reliability when systems are under stress

These elements position community facilities to operate as temporary shelters in times of crisis, ultimately strengthening a municipality’s ability to respond to and recover from climate events.