Global climate change is a reality,  and at the same time energy prices continue to rise. As these trends will fundamentally change our communities, how can municipalities work to increase resilience – to ensure that communities can withstand potential shocks and changes?  What types of responses address both climate change and rising energy prices? This manual explores these questions as they relate to rural Ontario municipalities.

This guide for municipalities in rural areas from the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Development  is available here.

The authors of this manual have three guiding beliefs regarding community resilience in the face of climate change and increasing energy prices associated with peak oil:

1.   The future is unknown: exact impacts of climate change and peak oil are unpredictable, yet there remains a need to develop a realistic response.

2.  Municipalities can create a foundation for community action by balancing concerns for the future with a positive vision.

3.  Communities and municipalities have options and opportunities to make informed and constructive decisions in the face of uncertainty; many of these decisions are “win-win” in the sense that they benefit the community in the short term, while also building resilience for the future. In essence, “win-win” actions are low risk with great potential for positive outcomes. Examples of this include planting a tree or creating community gardens and public parks.

We offer this manual to municipalities to support and inspire strategies to build rural community resilience in Ontario.