Curve Lake part of Community Sustainability Plan

By Chief Phyllis Williams

Curve Lake First Nation has been involved in the Greater Peterborough Area Community Sustainability Plan (2012). This plan has created the stage for collaboration between local community members, non-government organizations and agencies, Trent University, Sir Sandford Fleming College, Municipalities and notably Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nation.

The Plan presents 11 theme areas and 18 Priority actions that guide working groups into a cohesive direction. One of the priorities was how to address Climate Change locally utilizing a 3-year funding grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and a 2 year funding grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund.

The City of Peterborough, the County of Peterborough an the eight member Townships all passed supporting Council resolution to become members of the Partners for Climate Protection Program. 10 municipalities, together with Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First nation, formed a collaborative to undertake the 5 Milestone Framework to address climate change. The 5 Milestone process includes:

1. Establishing a Green House Gas (GHG) inventory and forecast;
2. Set emission reduction targets
3. Develop a local action plan;
4. Implement the local action plan;
5. Monitor progress and report results

LURA consulting was retained in October 2014 to lead the process for both the Municipal Section Work as well as the Community Sector Work. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; reduce the use of fossil fuels; lower energy consumption; and adapt to changing climate.

As of January 2016, 12 partners have completed their base-line inventory of Green House Gas emissions, there by achieving Milestone #1. Milestone #2 is being worked on, setting emission reduction targets; and Milestone #3 will develop location action plans. Representatives from each member municipality and First Nation are working on developing Municipal/First Nation reduction targets and local action to reduce the Green House Gas within their operations.

Community members were also invited from across the Greater Peterborough Area to join the Task Force to help direct, plan and create local actions to reduce the GHG emissions within communities. There has been extremely pleasing progress thus far with the level of community involvement, commitment and ownership to make local change happen.

Greater Peterborough Area and its Climate Change Action Plan will put us in a unique position to be able to adapt and react to hopeful provincial, federal, national and international direction. There is a growing interest in this plan and currently there are 125 partners involved. 12 have received recognition of their efforts on March 1^st, 2016

First Nations are not eligible to participate in the Partners for Climate Protection process. However, since Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation were part of a regional collaborative, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities have granted Curve Lake and Hiawatha acceptance to participate. With this acceptance, and achievement of the Milestone #1, awards were made to both Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation, the very first First Nations in Canada to participate and receive Milestone #1 Awards in the PCP program!

Curve Lake First Nation is proud of this accomplishment and maintains its commitment to be part of the work needed to address climate change.