The corporate and community 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory reports presented to council this week revealed a 5.4 per cent reduction in community emissions and a 19 per cent reduction in corporate emissions since 2018. This amounts to a 60,563 tonne reduction.
However, the year was not without challenges to the city’s climate goals.
The province’s increased reliance on natural gas to meet energy demands had a notable impact on municipal emission reduction efforts, with the emissions of Ontario’s electricity grid being over 50 per cent higher than 5 years ago.
In January, council was presented with a report showing the city fell significantly short of its 2022 GHG reduction goals, causing environmental advocates to urge the city to set and reach more ambitious targets.
The city referenced this shortcoming, stating that “significant action is required.”
The city’s 2030 emissions reduction goal is to reach 30 per cent below 2018 levels, and carbon neutrality by 2040.
