The Windsor-Essex municipal elections are just around the corner—Monday, October 24th (with early polling already available in some municipalities)—and in preparation, we sent out a questionnaire to candidates across all municipalities in the region to better understand their stances on climate change and sustainability. 

Staying on top of platforms and issues in a sea of information can be overwhelming; our goal is to equip you with knowledge about where your potential representatives stand regarding climate change mitigation and resilience building—pivotal information you can bring with you to the polls. 

Why Do We Need Our Councillors to be Informed on Climate Change?

The importance of climate change is often overlooked and underrepresented in daily decision-making. It isn't surprising that it's therefore given less priority when discussing other issues, like the recession and the pandemic. However, did you know that climate change is closely linked to these pressing topics  and others? As the climate crisis worsens, so does everything else that is interconnected in our global system. It becomes more expensive to live; the prices for energy, food, rent, etc. skyrocket. In fact, costs as a result of climate change could be six times higher than previously thought. Imagine going shopping for groceries—$2 white bread is now $12, $5 milk is now $30, and $12 salmon is now $72. Not to mention, quality of life will worsen with all the environmental damage; smog from Detroit, algae ridden lakes, drought-induced yellow vegetation etc. In scenarios like these, municipal decision-making plays a very important role, for municipalities are often on the forefront of experiencing these changes first-hand. With the gravity of such hefty decisions resting on their shoulders, it is imperative to ensure that the people voted in to represent our communities are competitive and driven to solve these challenges. While we cannot expect candidates to be experts of all issues, we should expect them to be aware and to care.

Breaking It Down

We asked candidates about their stance on a variety of climate and sustainability-related governance issues. This is in an effort to bring their climate agendas front and center, to inspire potential voters to engage and vote, and to emphasize climate action to candidates from the standpoint of their electorate. From action on greenhouse gas reductions to sustainability in the development/construction industry, green economy building to community engagement—we covered it all! With 41 responses total, most come from Windsor, followed by Lakeshore, and Kingsville.

We’ve summarized larger trends to provide an overview of where our local politics are leaning, pertinent climate issues and corresponding possible solutions, and what we can look out for as informed voters in local government.** 

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When it comes to reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, transportation features at the top of respondents' priority lists. In particular, promoting active, accessible, and electric transportation.

The most prevalent climate impacts we experience in the Windsor-Essex region today include flooding, extreme heat, and storms with increased severity and frequency, all of which cause damage to public and private infrastructure. Therefore, it becomes necessary for councillors to prioritize and promote proactive decisions that will help reduce the extent of physical, social, economic, health-related and environmental damage from these impacts.

It has been stated in research and through observed data that marginalized communities are typically the worst affected from any massive societal change. Homelessness is a key issue in Windsor-Essex, which will be exacerbated by climate change. Research from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council says, “…climate change compromises the housing and living circumstances of impoverished peoples, creates homelessness through waves of climate migrants, and drives suffering and deteriorating health for those most exposed to weather extremes.” Therefore, equitable access is a key driver for decision-making in climate impacts.

When it comes to equitable access to vital resources, candidates highlight marginalized voices, fund allocations, and emergency services.

On what steps they would take to promote eco-friendly action, candidates put an emphasis on education, green spaces, gardening, and neighbourhood hubs.

To protect our ecology, candidates highlight the importance of supporting environmental protection programs, green spaces, and the planting of native plants.

As defined by the Clean Air Partnership, “Green Development Standards (GDS) are voluntary or mandatory measures created by municipalities to encourage environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable design.”

When commenting on green development and construction practices, candidates list power source, material choice, and recycling as important elements. 

When asked to rate the level of their commitment in promoting green development and construction practices, most candidates gave a high rating.

To support farming and agriculture in a way that is in line with preserving environmental health and efficient land-use planning, candidates discuss farming practices, markets, and urban life.

In conclusion…

Ultimately, our sustainable future relies heavily on prevention, preservation, and participation. We must adopt an ethics of care—centred around caring, sharing, and cooperating—to mitigate the effects of climate change as they manifest now and in the future. 

We would like to formally thank all candidates for their time in answering the questionnaire and their dedication towards building sustainable communities.

Looking for individual candidate responses for your municipality?