Now that Kingston has declared a climate emergency, what does it mean?

Last week Kingston made history by becoming the first municipality in Ontario to declare a climate emergency.

But what does that mean for residents of the Limestone City?

For one, it means “looking at different things we can do here as a city to continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Kingston mayor Bryan Paterson. 

But despite the recent declaration, the city has already started doing its part to tackle climate change — adding electric vehicles to its fleet, generating renewable energy through solar panels, and even heating homes with sewer gas. But that’s not all.

While city staff and politicians look into other initiatives to reduce Kingston’s carbon footprint, they’re also hoping that the climate emergency will inspire Kingstonians to do their part too — whether by following the city’s lead in their own homes or contributing financially.

In the immediate future, exactly what will come of the climate emergency declaration will become more clear during strategic planning sessions later this month.