Community Climate Action
Every day actions you can take as a resident or business owner to reduce your carbon footprint and address climate change.
Oakville’s Partners for Climate Change Protection program identifies the actions we need to take as a community to reduce corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) per capita by 20 per cent below 2014 level by 2030 and 80 per cent below 2014 levels by 2050.
Meeting our targets requires action by the town, residents and businesses and may require adapting the ways in which we live, travel and work.
Rebates and grants
Climate action grants/funding
Youth Climate Action Fund: Resources and funding for community groups and youth (ages 15 to 24) to bring innovative ideas to life, fostering a new generation of environmental leaders in Oakville.
OakvilleReady Community Climate Action Grant: Funding for resident-led climate action initiatives in Oakville that aim to reduce emissions, energy use, waste, dependence on automobiles, or that increase climate knowledge, social capital, local food security, biodiversity and resilience to extreme weather events.
- Garbage & Recycling
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- Environment
- Adapting to Climate Change
- Community Climate Action
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- Environmental Projects & Studies
- Bank Swallow Overall Benefit Project at South Shell Park, Shorewood Promenade and Riverview Park
- East Morrison Creek Erosion Mitigation Study
- Fourteen Mile and McCraney Creek Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study
- Joshuas Creek Flood Mitigation Study
- Lower Morrison and Lower Wedgewood Creek Flood Mitigation Study
- Saville Area Stormwater System Improvement Study
- Shorewood Promenade Shoreline Rehabilitation
- South Shell Park Shoreline Rehabilitation
- Health Protection & Air Quality
- Light Pollution Guidelines
Reduce your carbon footprint
Learn more about what climate actions you can take at home by exploring the different sections of the interactive house.
Be sure to check out the “Adaptation Actions” for how to manage the effects of climate change and the “Mitigation Actions” for what you can do to minimize the impact of extreme and unexpected weather.
Find Climate Solutions at Home
Lighting
- Open your blinds to let natural light brighten a room
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs – they last longer and use 75 per cent less electricity than conventional bulbs
- Install motion sensors for outside lights to avoid having them on all the time
- Turn off lights when you leave a room to save energy and avoid producing unnecessary heat in warmer months
Appliances and electronics
- When replacing or purchasing new appliances and electronics, consider using ENERGY STAR certified products to help you save energy
- Set the refrigerator temperature at about 3 degrees Celsius and the freezer at -18 degrees Celsius
- Don’t overfill the refrigerator as this blocks air circulation, requiring more energy to keep your food cool, and may result in frozen food in some areas of the fridge; conversely, a full freezer will require less energy than an empty one
- Air dry your dishes and save on the cost of operating the drying cycle of your dishwasher
- Check and clean dishwasher drains regularly to ensure efficient energy operation and try to cycle with a full load while using the energy saving cycle
- Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water which will reduce your energy consumption significantly
- Run full dryer loads, using the moisture sensing setting and clean the lint filter after every load - clogged filter will increase energy use
- Separate loads into heavy, medium and lightweight items to optimize time needed to dry
- Use an outdoor clothesline in the warmer weather instead of a dryer
Water
- Install a low-flow showerhead in the bathroom which will restrict waterflow and reduce the energy needed for heating hot water and pumping the hot water to the shower
- Install a dual-flush toilet; this allows you to choose the amount of water you need to use for each flush
- Install low flow aerators on faucets; this can significantly reduce water consumption
- Take shorter showers and use less water in baths
- Fix leaky faucets; little drips can add up to 95 litres of water per faucet per month and in turn cost you 7kWh per month
- Use the vacation setting or turn off the water heater when you are out of town
- Frain a pain of water from your natural gas hot water tank every three months (or as recommended by the manufacturer) to remove sediment build-up that prevents heat transfer in turn lowering the unit’s efficiency
Heating and cooling
- In the colder months, reduce the temperature of your home by a few degrees at night and when you are away, during warmer months do the opposite to avoid air conditioning turning on as often
- Use area rugs on cold floors to avoid cooling your feet and body as quickly and add layers of clothes to avoid turning the thermostat on
- Cool your home to only 24 or 25 degrees Celsius instead of the low 20s – each degree below 26 Celsius will noticeably increase your electricity usage
Making simple daily changes to our daily and shopping habits can help reduce harmful GHG emissions and unnecessary waste. How you can shop more sustainably:
- Choose reusable items instead of disposable – easy swaps include purchasing reusable water bottles or travel mugs, reusable straws and cutlery and reusable shopping bags or totes.
- Pack meals for school, work or travel in washable and refillable containers with little packaging.
- Plan your shopping trips ahead of time and buy only what you need to avoid unnecessary food waste. Try to select items with limited packaging.
- Shop locally and purchase locally made goods or locally grown food. This helps reduce GHG emissions and unnecessary packaging from shipping.
- Borrow, share or rent items you may use infrequently.
- Extend the lifecycle of an item by having it repaired. Or, if it’s still in good condition but you need a change then consider swapping with friends or neighbours or donating and buying second-hand.
- Sort your household waste appropriately: Use Halton Region’s Put Waste In Its Place tool to help you appropriately sort your household and special event waste into recyclables, compost and garbage.
- Planning an event on town property? The Town of Oakville has adopted a Towards Zero Waste procedure that applies to all event planning and execution within the municipality. Learn more about greening your event in the event planning guidelines.
Emissions from vehicles are a major source of GHG emissions. GHGs not only contribute to environmental problems such as climate change, but also cause health concerns by contributing to poor air quality. To reduce vehicle emissions you can:
- Choose hybrid or fully electric when shopping for a new vehicle. Hybrid and electric cars will produce much less GHGs than gasoline-powered cars. Electric vehicle charging stations are conveniently located in commercial areas and at municipal facilities in Oakville.
- Reduce your fuel consumption while you’re behind the wheel by accelerating gently, maintaining a steady speed, anticipating traffic, avoiding high speeds and coasting to decelerate. Learn more about fuel-efficient driving techniques.
- Properly inflate tires help to reduce your fuel consumption and contribute to safe driving. Learn more about the fuel saving benefits of properly inflated tires.
- Avoid idling your vehicle; learn more about the town’s Anti-Idling By-law.
Smart commuting
Instead of driving, consider a carpooling, cycling, walking, roller blading or taking the bus or train to get to work, run errands, or visit family and friends.
Environmentally friendly commuting initiatives at the town:
- Youth (0-19 years) and seniors (age 65 and older) ride for free on Oakville Transit! Learn more on the Oakville Transit website.
- Oakville Transit is electrifying it's bus fleet. Read the February 23, 2023 news release.
- Active Transportation Master Plan
Protect the environment
Boulevard gardening
The boulevard (the green space between the road and your property line or sidewalk) can be the perfect spot for a garden. Permits are not required to plant a boulevard garden.
Boulevard gardens beautify our roadsides. Well-chosen, non-invasive plants that are designed to retain moisture can reduce water usage and therefore the need to use mowers and fertilizers. Introducing native and diverse plant species can also improve the health of our ecosystem. For these reasons, the town encourages residents to plant gardens on their boulevards, provided they do not obstruct the vision of drivers or prevent them from viewing traffic in all directions. Refer to Schedule B – Boulevard Garden Regulations of the Amending By-law 2025-062.
Many plant species are suitable for boulevard gardens, as long as they meet the town’s Boulevard Garden Regulations.
- For information on plants that are prohibited for boulevard gardens, see the List of Prohibited Plants for Boulevard Gardens (pdf)
Planting a pollinator garden
Pollination is an essential process for plant life which helps ensure genetic diversity and resilience of plants and almost always requires the external influence of insects and other wild animals. Bees, butterflies and moths as well as flies, beetles, ants, wasps, hummingbirds and occasionally bats, are important pollinators. Pollinators are under threat and facing population decline due to climate change, loss of habitat, toxins, use of pesticides and disease.
- Halton Conservation: Urban property guidelines
- Grow Me Instead - Southern Ontario: Beautiful non-invasive plants for your garden (pdf)
Pesticides and natural alternatives
You can have a full, attractive lawn and garden without the use of harmful pesticides. For information on provincial regulations on the use and sale of pesticides, view the following resources:
- Ministry of Environment: Natural ways to manage pests
- Ministry of Environment: Pesticides in home lawns and gardens
Oakville’s tree canopy contributes to shade in the summer and protection from winds and their roots help reduce erosion and water runoff which may otherwise lead to flooding.
Tree removal
- If you need to remove a tree from your private property that is greater than 15cm in diameter, please visit the town’s Private Tree Protection By-law to learn more about by-laws, policies, and procedures that are in place to preserve our community's tree canopy.
Pruning
- For information on how to take care of your trees, visit our Tree Planting page.
Invasive species
- Remove invasive species widely found in Oakville such as Dog Strangling Vine and Garlic Mustard. For information on identifying and managing invasive species in trees on your property, visit the Tree Diseases, Pests and Invasive Plants page.
Pesticides and natural alternatives
You can have a full, attractive lawn and garden without the use of harmful pesticides. For information on provincial regulations on the use and sale of pesticides, view the following resources:
- Ministry of Environment: Natural ways to manage pests
- Ministry of Environment: Pesticides in home lawns and gardens
Use and dispose of chemicals and pollutants appropriately
- When draining pool water, ensure chemicals have not been added for at least 10 days prior.
- In the winter, use either low or no chloride ice melt.
- Never dump hazardous waste into sewers or drains. Visit Halton Region's Waste Management Site to find proper disposal locations.
Think about protecting the environment this yard maintenance and landscaping season. Electric equipment offers an affordable, environmentally friendly and easy to maintain alternative for yard work. It also:
- Eliminates carbon emissions and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
- Maneuvers easily being lightweight making yard work less demanding.
- Improves the air quality in the natural environment.
- Improves the health and quality of life for the community.
- Saves you money on buying fuel!
Landscaping and yard work can be just as clean going green. Visit your nearest retailer for more information.
Open the Choose Electric Over Gasoline campaign flyer (pdf)
Ontario's Electricity Grid
While Ontario has made strides towards cleaner energy by increasing renewable energy capacity, the grid still relies on natural gas. Ontario's energy grid faces challenges related to renewable energy sources, energy storage limitations, and integration with other regions. These challenges contribute to the grid not being 100 per cent clean.
Achieving a completely clean electricity grid requires ongoing technological advancements, infrastructure investments, and supportive policy.
Shifting to electric outdoor and maintenance equipment reduces the carbon emissions for the town which is in line with the town's long term reduction goals.
Reduce your business' carbon footprint
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator (when possible)
- Turn the energy-saving setting on all equipment
- Unplug items that are not being used to avoid phantom power consumption
- Turn their monitor off when away from their desks
- Install CFLs or energy efficient fluorescent tube lighting
- Install occupancy sensors and turn off lights that are not in use and at the end of the day
- Install a programmable thermostat to automatically control temperature settings. In the summer, raise if to 25 degrees Celsius (28 degrees Celsius at night) to save on air conditioning. In the winter, lower it to 20 degrees Celsius (17 degrees Celsius at night) to reduce heating costs
- Keep exterior doors closed and make sure all vents are clear. In the summer, close blinds or curtains to reduce heat build-up
- Seal leaks, windows and doors and insulate buildings
- Use reflective window film, awnings or shade trees to keep the heat from coming in through windows in the summer
- Service HVAC systems regularly
- Purchase laptops instead of desktops as they consume less energy
- Consider using hosted computer applications, which are located in energy-efficient data centres
- Install timers on printers and photocopiers and use the energy efficient setting
- Purchase ENERGY STAR compliant electronic equipment to save on energy consumption and costs
- Conduct an energy audit to evaluate energy use and plan reductions
- When relocating or renovating, consult with a LEED-certified architect or designer. They’ll help you design your space to maximize energy efficiency and other environmental indicators
- Buy wisely: products made from recycled materials usually contain less embodied energy (the energy associated with making the product) than those made from virgin materials
- Go carbon neutral – find ways to measure, reduce and offset your carbon emissions
Additional resources
Climate change in Oakville
Learn how to help protect human health, the natural environment, residential homes and properties against the impacts of a changing climate.
Fight against the climate crisis
Read about the top 10 actions you can take to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oakville.