This past year showed how the climate crisis affects day to day life on the Sunshine Coast. High summer temperatures, damage due to storms and a record-breaking drought period that resulted in a State of Local Emergency, the climate emergency needs our response – now.

So what can be done in the face of this climate emergency? This is where the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) wants to hear from you.

The SCRD is leading the creation of a new regional Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to reduce emissions and enhance our region’s resiliency to the effects of a changing climate, and we need our community to help build the plan.

The SCRD recently completed a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and found that emissions have increased by 7.2% since 2007. Emissions mostly came from transportation (48%), industry and construction (30%), and residential buildings (mostly from home heating) (10%).

A climate risk assessment has also been done for the community. The findings show that there are significant risks to public health, essential infrastructure and homes from extreme weather events, and increasing risk of loss of biodiversity and ecosystem damage from rising sea levels and warmer temperatures both on land, and in the ocean.

The Community Climate Action Plan is a multi-year project. Today, we need your input on a questionnaire so that we can get a sense of the work and initiatives that the community would like to see being brought forward as the plan comes together.

Respond to the questionnaire at letstalk.scrd.ca/climate. On this community page you can find out more about the project and have a chance to provide feedback and ideas. It will take you less than ten minutes to complete the questionnaire which closes on Monday, February 27. Your responses will help form a plan that will be integral to how our region responds to the climate emergency.

Watermain replacements at Reed & Henry Road will result in minor traffic disruptions for the next four weeks.

The work will begin on Monday, January 23 and weather permitting, is expected to last up to four weeks. The work will involve excavation and installation of new waterline along the shoulder of Henry Road and will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

There will be lane closures on both Reed Road and Henry Road for the duration of the work. In addition, water service interruptions for residents in the area are expected in late February as the work concludes. This service interruption will be communicated ahead of time via www.scrd.ca and the SCRD’s Facebook Page.

A map of the affected area is below.