Climate Change, Sustainability and Environment
Environment
Learn about sustainability initiatives, environmental studies, and programs that protect and enhance our community.
Community Climate Change Action Plan
The Town of New Tecumseth’s Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is a framework to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prepare our homes, farms, businesses, schools, and community against the impacts of climate change.
Vision
Working with the community, the Town of New Tecumseth will take urgent actions to meaningfully reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. We will facilitate innovative local solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change and support a resilient, equitable and healthy community.
Actions
The aim of the Action Plan has been to develop a short and deliverable list of actions. The actions have been developed through community engagement and with input from the Town’s Environmental Advisory Committee. The actions are grouped into the following themes:
Nature-based Solutions
- Action: Review Town’s Tree Management Policy and Technical Tree Guidelines to ensure best practices for tree management are being implemented
- Action: Review Town’s policy framework to promote protection of natural heritage
Municipal Leadership
- Action: Develop Town Corporate Climate Change Strategy.
- Action: Develop webpage to communicate Town’s actions towards climate change resiliency.
Active and Sustainable Transportation
- Action: Promote implementation of the Town’s Multi-Modal Active Transportation Master Plan including review of supporting policy framework to promote active transportation and partnership opportunities.
Sustainable Communities
- Action: Investigate feasibility of Town Green Development Standards for new development.
- Action: Review Town’s Engineering Design Criteria and Standards.
- Action: Provide information for the development community on best practices for sustainable building and community design. Communicate changes to the Ontario Building Code relating to green building design.
Engagement and Education
- Action: Review and update Town website to provide resources and awareness of sustainability measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including:
- The Project Neutral Calculator to measure the carbon footprint of residents, businesses, farmers, industrial sector, municipality and developers
- Awareness of incentives and grants, for example, for home energy retrofits
- Increased awareness on waste (e-waste, food waste, etc.)
- Resources related to regenerative farming
- Resources related to Agroforestry
- Resources about creating pollinator corridors in small spaces to support food production and offset urban heat island effect
- Opportunities for urban farming and community gardens
- Information on planting native plant and tree species
- How to make homes more climate resilient for example promoting ideal mow times and ways to reduce energy and water consumption
Call For Action
A set of 17 interconnected global goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, they address a wide range of social, economic, and environmental challenges. Three of these goals directly relate to our community climate action plan emphasizing a need for grassroots level collaboration and engagement initiatives.
Read more on the 17 Goals
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Goal 13 – Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
In 2015, the Government of Canada signed the Paris Agreement along with nearly 200 other countries to limit the global average temperature rise to well below 2°C and pursue effects to limit to 1.5°C above preindustrial times. Canada continues to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Conference of the Parties (COP) which meets every year with the aim of addressing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent human influence on climate change.
Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy was published in June 2023 and encourages municipalities to factor climate change adaptation into their decision-making processes to ensure resilience against climate change.
Acknowledging the rapid change in Ontario’s climate along with the need to assess and understand the future impacts on cities, communities and businesses, the Province of Ontario under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) commissioned the Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment (PCCIA) in 2020. The summary, findings and recommendations are presented through the following reports:
- Ontario Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment Summary Report, January 2023
- Ontario Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment Adaptation Best Practices Report, January 2023
- Ontario’s Province-Wide Climate Change Impact Assessment Decision-Making Supports, January 2023
- Recommendations to improve the climate resilience of homes, communities and public infrastructure in Ontario by the Advisory Panel on Climate Change, November 2021
The purpose of the Environmental Advisory Committee is to advise, assist and make recommendations to Council with respect to environmental, sustainability and climate change issues when directed to by Council, Town staff or on recommendation to Council by the Committee itself. The Environmental Advisory Committee shall align its work with the Town of New Tecumseth Strategic Plan to preserve and enhance the Town’s environmentally significant resources and to promote environmentally sensitive, responsible practices and development that support the Town’s natural features and to foster sustainability to help reduce the impacts of climate change. The committee meets several times a year. Visit our Committees webpage for more details.
There is no simple answer to combatting climate change. To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must work as a community for larger actions in addition to taking small individual actions. We need to take a partnership approach to collaborate with community groups, organizations, and agencies to address climate change. The Town of New Tecumseth will mitigate and adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by working with the community to implement these actions. We want to create a prosperous, resilient, and healthy community that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive of urban and rural lifestyles for current and future generations.
Greys for Green and Strong Town New Tecumseth are raising awareness on climate change issues by supporting various community initiatives ranging from building sustainable communities, reducing carbon footprint to running recycling programs and helping community members connect with the environment through nature walks.
If you think your group can help the Town to address climate change, please contact the Planning Department.
The Town of New Tecumseth runs several environmental initiatives aimed at safeguarding its ecosystems and natural resources. We work to align our plans and policies with relevant conservation authorities to ensure protection of endangered species, preservation of local biodiversity and enhanced habitats, and encourage residents to make efforts toward environmental conservation and protection in their daily lives.
Initiatives focus on sustainable water management practices, including the promotion of water-saving technologies, watershed protection, and the preservation of wetlands. Know more about our Water Conservation and Protection programs to help reduce water use in your home to make a positive environmental impact. Learn about our Source Water Protection and how we can ensure safe drinking water in our community.
The Town has an annual Pitch-in Canada Program every spring. Community residents and groups pick up litter from local streets, rural roads, parks, and natural areas to help keep New Tecumseth looking green and clean.
The Town is also committed to waste reduction through implementation of our Cleaning and Clearing By-law aligned with the County of Simcoe’s garbage and recycling services and our Anti-Dumping initiative.
Education Resources
To know more about terms associated with climate change, here’s The Climate Dictionary put together by the United Nations Development Programme.
- Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National Geographic
- Causes and Effects of Climate Change – National Geographic
- Climate Change – From one kid to another
- What is Climate Change
- COP27 summary of outcomes (Government of Canada)
- Delivering for people and the planet (United Nations – Climate Action)
- Oak Bay CoolKit
What can I do to address climate change?
One of the actions in the Community Climate Action Plan, is to provide resources and awareness of sustainability measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on the Town’s website. See the list below for ways you can reduce the impact of your lifestyle on the planet and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Small changes make big impacts!
Use the AWorld App to understand your personal footprint and get personal and actionable tips to meet your goals.
Use the Project Neutral Calculator to measure your carbon footprint and identify where you can make changes
Regenerative farming (also known as regenerative agriculture) is an approach to agriculture aimed at increasing soil health. The approach uses a suite of techniques, like cover crops and rotational grazing, to build soil carbon and reduce or eliminate the need for harmful practices like synthetic fertilizers or feedlots to grow crops or livestock. Healthy soils are complex ecosystems home to millions of different bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, and other organisms. Soil carbon has multiple benefits, like feeding soil ecosystems, helping retain nutrients and reducing erosion.
Chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers disrupt these soil ecosystems, reducing the amount of carbon they absorb. It also leads to a harmful buildup of nutrients like nitrogen that can leach into waterways or be transformed by microbes into nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. Too much tillage can also harm soils by converting soil carbon into carbon dioxide. Regenerative agriculture aims to eliminate these harmful impacts and practices.
Learn more about Regenerative Farming and Sustainability:
Beeton Seed Library lets you borrow seeds for free!
Get involved and volunteer at the Town’s Community Gardens:
- St John’s United Church Community Garden, 56 Victoria Street, East, Alliston.
- Beeton Community Garden, 42 Main Street, West, Beeton.
Learn more about Urban Farming and Community Gardens, including use of trees and shrubs.
By fostering awareness about the environmental and social consequences of food waste, collective action in communities can inspire behavioural changes. Additionally, supporting initiatives that promote responsible disposal of electronics, communities can act on encouraging proper recycling methods and adoption of sustainable practices.
Know more on how you can contribute to reducing food waste and e-waste within the community.24 Tupper St W
- Plant Trees (LSRCA)
- Community Action (LSRCA)
- Forests Ontario
- Ontario Nature
South Simcoe Streams Network
(Led by Nottawasaga Futures, who run Trees for Streams events, especially on Earth Day and across municipalities in Simcoe County).
Agroforestry
This refers to the intentional interplanting of trees and/or shrubs with crops, livestock, etc., for fruit- or nut-bearing qualities, timber, or fodder; also used as riparian buffers, hedgerows, shelterbelts, and windbreaks.
Learn the benefits of integrating agroforestry into your crop or livestock farm operation.
Trees on farms
Pollinator Corridors
These are a strip of flowering plants designed for continuous blooms to support native bees, insects, and other pollinators, ranging in size from a patch within a yard to hundreds of metres within a field.
Know more about Pollinator Corridors.
Ontario Native Scape
Pollinator Partnership Canada
For homeowners:
- Canada Greener Homes Grant
- CMHC Eco Programs for Lenders
- Alectra: Offers and Rebates
- Enbridge: Rebates & Energy Conservation
- Enbridge: Home Winterproofing Program (HWP)
- COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program – Residential (CEAP)
- Ontario Electricity Support program (OESP)
- Low-income Energy Assistance Program
- Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program
For commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings:
For non-profit and non-governmental groups and organizations:
- EcoAction Community Funding
Available Funding: Maximum EcoAction funding is $100,000 per project; the minimum funding amount request is $25,000 per project. The maximum project duration is 36 months. - Matching Requirement: A minimum of 50% of the total value of your project must come from sources other than the Government of Canada.
- Deadline: March 22, 2024 (15:00 EST)
- Purpose: For new projects that engage Canadian communities and clearly demonstrate measurable, positive results related to the following key environmental priority: Fresh Water.
- Eligible Recipients: Non-profit and non-governmental groups and organizations are eligible to receive funding,
- More Information: EcoAction Community Funding Program – Canada.ca
For Canadian Organizations with projects in the Lake Simcoe Drainage Basin, including Conservation Authorities and municipalities:
- Lake Simcoe Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative
- Available Funding: maximum funding is $150,000/year between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2027; projects may be multiyear in nature (up to three years)
- Matching Requirements: Not required but recommended.
- Deadline: March 22, 2024 (11:59 EST)
- Purpose: For projects that prevent toxic and nuisance algae by increasing participation in the application of phosphorus load reduction measures and in the promotion of broad uptake, application, and demonstration of new and innovative approaches.
- Eligible Recipients: Canadian Organizations with projects in the Lake Simcoe Drainage Basin, including CAs and municipalities.
- More Information: Lake Simcoe Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative – Canada.ca
Sustainability
A community taking action for sustainability.
Buildings – Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction
Buildings are the third‑largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, following the oil and gas and transportation sectors.
Reducing emissions from buildings is possible through energy‑efficient upgrades and by transitioning to renewable energy sources for heating, cooling, and electricity. These actions not only help address climate change — they can also lower energy costs and support job growth in the green energy industry.
As we recognize several important calendar events in the weeks ahead, take a moment to explore how the Town of New Tecumseth is working to reduce emissions. Consider small changes you can make at home or work to shrink your carbon footprint and support a more sustainable future for our community.
The Town of New Tecumseth’s 2025-2029 Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan outlines a long‑term commitment to reducing energy use, lowering costs, and building a culture of energy awareness across the organization.
Our Vision:
- To “reduce energy consumption and mitigate costs through the wise use of energy” and to “increase conservation awareness and a better understanding of energy management within the corporation.”
Our Goal:
- Enhance overall staff understanding of energy and water conservation.
- Implement building envelope upgrades and energy‑efficient retrofits at priority facilities to reduce overall usage and operating costs.
- Integrate this plan with the Town’s Climate Change Action Plan to better align climate and energy initiatives for stronger, more coordinated outcomes.
Energy Reduction Targets
To achieve the Plan’s goals and objectives, the Town has established the following targets:
- Energy Use: Reduce overall facility energy consumption by 2% over five years (2025-2029) and by 10% by 2035.
- Water Use: Reduce water consumption by 2% over five years (2025-2029) and by 10% by 2035.
- Fleet Fuel Use: Reduce fuel consumption by 1,520 litres per vehicle per year by transitioning fleet vehicles to hybrid/electric options over five years (2025-2029) — equivalent to approximately 3.38 tonnes of GHG emissions reduced per vehicle.
Small Actions. Big Impacts – Do your part for New Tecumseth!
Save energy, save money, and shrink your carbon footprint by making small changes at home. By combining energy‑efficient upgrades with simple day‑to‑day conservation habits, you can lower your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. Here are a few easy ways to get started:
1. Turn Down the Heat & Cozy Up
Lowering your thermostat by just a few degrees can reduce emissions and cut heating costs — plus it’s the perfect excuse to grab your favourite sweater and get comfy.
2. Keep the Heat In and the Cold Out
With heating accounting for roughly 60% of energy use in the average Canadian home, preventing heat loss is essential. Find helpful insulation and home‑heating tips from Natural Resources Canada.
3. Consider Energy‑Efficient Upgrades
From furnaces and heat pumps to everyday appliances, choosing more efficient options can lower long‑term costs and emissions. Explore helpful advice for making your home more energy efficient with tips from the Natural Resources Canada.
4. Conserve Water
Reducing hot‑water use saves both energy and water. Check out the Town’s Water Conservation Rebate Program to see if you qualify for incentives.
5. Inspire Others
Share your conservation tips and successes with friends, and family — or consider starting a community energy conservation challenge in your neighbourhood. If you’re up for the challenge try measuring your carbon footprint with these fun tools: ClimateHero or Project Neutral.
Recognized Days and Events
World Environmental Education Day – January 26
World Environmental Education Day highlights the importance of learning, awareness, and action in protecting the environment. The day supports global efforts to build understanding and inspire sustainable behaviour through education.
This observance is rooted in the 1975 Belgrade Charter, which set out a vision to:
“…develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations, and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions to current problems and the prevention of new ones.”
Take a look at the Belgrade Charter.
International Day of Clean Energy – January 26
This global day raises awareness and encourages action toward a fair and inclusive transition to clean energy, supporting a healthier planet and improved well‑being for communities worldwide.
International Reducing CO2 Emissions Day – January 28
This observance encourages individuals and communities around the world to reduce their carbon footprint through everyday choices that help protect the environment and contribute to a more sustainable future.
National Sweater Day — February 5
Led by WWF‑Canada, National Sweater Day invites Canadians to turn down the heat and pull on a cozy sweater as a fun and simple way to promote energy conservation. Lowering thermostats by just 2°C can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Bundle up in your favourite sweater and get cozy!
Community Design – Complete, Connected, Compact Communities
- By 2051, the Town of New Tecumseth is expected to reach a total population of approximately 81,000, welcoming over 40,000 new residents and over 31,600 total jobs. This growth presents a unique opportunity to create healthy, prosperous and environmentally sustainable communities through community design.
- Community design encompasses all elements of our built and natural environment – our homes, commercial and retail properties, schools, neighbourhoods, landscaped spaces, streetscapes, parks and urban forests, and our infrastructure needs – transportation systems, water, wastewater and stormwater management systems and green infrastructure.
- Sustainable community design is holistic, maximizing social, economic and environmental benefits. It reduces the negative impacts of climate change and protects and promotes agricultural spaces and green spaces. It creates opportunities for local jobs and livelihoods.
- The way communities are designed can improve physical health and well-being, as well as mental health. For example, compact, complete and connected communities make it easier for people to use active and non-polluting forms of transportation, such as walking, cycling, wheeling or using mobility aids, to get around and to access the services they need. Health benefits include more climate-resilient communities and people!
- Complete communities include mixed-use neighbourhoods that offer equitable access to necessities for daily living for people of all ages and abilities. Complete communities promote walkability, foster social interactions, boost opportunities for local businesses, and increase environmental sustainability by reducing dependence on car transportation and encouraging sustainable mobility.
As we recognize and celebrate significant calendar events in the month of March – take some time to learn about New Tecumseth’s community design plans to create sustainable and complete communities, and consider actions you can take to foster environmental sustainability around your home and in your neighbourhood.
Resources:
- The creation of sustainable, complete, connected, and compact communities, through healthy community design principles, is a key focus of the Town policies and plans, including the Official Plan, Urban Design Guidelines, Strategic Plan, Community Climate Action Plan, and many more!
- The Official Plan recognizes complete communities as part of the Town’s vision to guide future growth and development.
- The overarching principle of the Town’s Urban Design Guidelines is to design new communities, sites and buildings to improve overall sustainability by integrating economic, social and environmental benefits.
- New Tecumseth’s Strategic Plan includes a commitment to create complete communities that are livable, environmentally sustainable, inclusive and contribute to a vibrant local economy.
- Town of New Tecumseth’s Community Climate Action Plan includes actions to promote sustainable communities, including promoting best practices for sustainable building and community design in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from development, ensure more efficient use of municipal infrastructure and achieve other community benefits including better health and wellbeing.
- Take advantage of the healthy community design features that make it easier for you to live more sustainably in New Tecumseth. Support local businesses. Use non-polluting forms of transportation as much as possible. If you have to drive, plan ahead to combine multiple errands in one trip.
- Get to know your community and examine the design elements of your neighbourhood. Do they support or detract from the concepts of healthy communities and environmental sustainability? Are there places for both formal and informal social interactions such as parks, street benches, community gardens? How many destinations (e.g., shops, public transit, parks, etc.) can you readily access by walking, cycling or using mobility aids?
- Practice healthy community design and environmental sustainability in your own backyard. Plant a native garden to attract pollinators and climate-resiliency. Create a rain garden to reduce stormwater runoff. Install rain barrels for watering the garden and reduce stress on municipal water systems. Install a compost bin for organic waste and feed your garden.
- Support and participate in community initiatives such as tree planting and “Pitch-in Canada” events to help clean up the community.
Recognized Days and Events
International Day of Forests – March 21
International Day of Forests celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. “Forests and economies” is the theme of International Day of Forests, recognizing the essential role of forests not only in jobs from forest production, but also in sustaining family and community agriculture, enhancing agricultural productivity and safeguarding healthy watersheds.
Did you know that more than half of the world’s gross domestic product depends on nature, including forests? Forests help reduce the cost of producing clean water, and by storing carbon and moderating temperatures, help protect communities and people from climate-related disasters.
World Water Day – March 22
World Water Day celebrates water and inspires action to tackle the global water crisis. With 2.1 billion people worldwide living without access to safe water, a core focus of this United Nations observance day is to support achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 – water and sanitation for all by 20230.
Check out UN World Water Development reports including: Groundwater: Making the invisible visible – that describes the tremendous social, economic and environmental benefits of groundwater, and the importance of managing and using it sustainably, Water and Climate Change – that highlights the opportunities that improved water management offers in terms of climate adaptation and mitigation, and Nature-based Solutions for Water that describes how green infrastructure such as bioswales, natural and constructed wetlands, and floodplain restoration can reduce the risk associated with water-related disasters and climate change.
Earth Hour – March 28
The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Earth Hour, celebrating collective action and storytelling from communities around the world in support of our planet. The single hour, on Saturday March 28th, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time, is an opportunity to create thousands and millions of hours of action for our one shared home. Looking for Earth Hour activity ideas? Check out some positive things that you can do for the planet at Earthhour.org.
International Day of Zero Waste – March 30
International Day of Zero Waste highlights both the need to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, and the importance of improving waste management practices worldwide. With over 2 million tonnes of municipal solid waste generated every year, waste pollution threatens well-being and economic prosperity, and accelerates the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution. Zero-waste approaches can foster sound waste management and minimize and prevent waste generation.
Greening our Community – Environmental Sustainability, Climate Resiliency & Earthfest
- There are many ways you can live more sustainably, and the Town of New Tecumseth is here to help!
- This year we are celebrating our third annual Earthfest – April 27to May 2!
- Greenspace such as parks, street trees, urban and rural forests, greenways, trails, community gardens and naturalized school grounds, to name a few, provide many benefits to the health and well-being of our communities.
- Greening our community through tree planting, preservation of parks and natural areas, green infrastructure projects, and related initiatives:
- Provides protection from climate hazards including extreme heat, air pollution and flooding.
- Increases access to recreation, social connections and physical activity.
- Helps tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss New Tecumseth’s Official Plan includes several policies aimed at protecting natural heritage features such as wetlands, rivers and streams, woodlands, wildlife habitat and linkages, and fish habitat. For example, the Official Plan specifies the requirement for planting trees as a condition of development approvals.
- Earthfest 2026!
- With funding from the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Town of New Tecumseth is embarking on several projects to increase tree canopy cover and build climate resilience, including planting microforests, food forests, and street trees.
- Trees and Urban Forestry: The Town recognizes the significance of trees as green infrastructure and what they provide for the community and environment. It further considers preservation, protection, and enhancement of the Urban Forest of the highest importance. The three pillars of preservation, protection, and enhancement are significant initiatives to recognizing the benefits trees and the natural contributions they provide to the community.
- Urban Forest Protection: The Town has adopted a Tree Management Policy along with a set of Technical Tree Guidelines that provides both strategic goals and the details to protect and preserve trees with requirements for residents, developers, or anyone within the Town. Complementing this is the Tree Bylaw which provides the “teeth” to ensure our urban forest is protected as it continues to provide benefits for our growing community. As well, there is a Tree Permit Application for any resident who wishes to perform work on a Town tree. The permit is free for those who are looking to improve the tree while providing a compensation formula for those who may need to remove a Town tree.
- Urban Forest Preservation: The Town is constantly working towards enhancing its urban forest to reach a canopy cover of 30%. Funds are available under the Urban Forest Enhancement Rebate Program for residents maintain and plant trees on private property.
- Urban Forest Enhancement: As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship, the Town has created a Microforest Program and Food Forest Program. It is revitalizing a portion of Hillcrest Park with a native-based Microforest, and plans are underway for a food forest. Watch for future planting sites in Alliston and Tottenham coming this year!
- Commit to conscious consumption. Learn more at Earth Day Canada. Take at least one action every day to live more sustainably.
- Sign up for a community garden plot at the Alliston Community Garden – April 11 to 18.
- Join one of the three horticultural societies in our community. Find the one closest to you here.
- Volunteer to water a recently planted boulevard tree. Under the Watering Bag Program, and while quantities last, the Town provides street tree watering bags to residents willing to water a boulevard tree that was planted in the last two years.
- Install a rain barrel and save money! If you own or rent a home in New Tecumseth you can get up to $50 off when buying a rain barrel.
- Challenge yourself to get out in nature to discover a natural feature you haven’t experienced before.
- Fight Dirty! Participate in Spring Clean Up – April 12th to 26th . Watch for details about clean up events happening in your ward.
- Learn more about these important “healthy planet” concepts and start a conversation with family and friends about how we can all take action for climate resiliency and environmental sustainability – planetary boundaries, circular economy, carbon footprint, greenwashing, conscious consumption.
Check out the international observance days that celebrate and encourage action for living sustainably.
Recognized Days and Events
World Health Day – April 7
World Health Day marks the founding of the World Health Organization, and each year highlights a public health priority of global significance. The theme for 2026 is global action for universal health coverage.
National Wildlife Week – April 6-12
National Wildlife Week was established in 1947 to promote awareness, appreciation and conservation of wildlife and their habitats. It encourages Canadians to learn about, protect and exposure nature. Check out the resources on this website including interesting facts about migration and how climate change is impacting migration routes. Test your knowledge with the migration quiz.
Earth Day – April 22
This year’s Earth Day Canada theme is Conscious Consumption – encouraging each of us to consume less, but better, in order to reduce our impact on the planet while improving our quality of life. The goal is to promote a simpler, more inclusive and sustainable way of life, aligned with planetary boundaries.
International Mother Earth Day – April 22
International Mother Earth Day recognizes a global movement to restore our world by shifting to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. This day of recognition increases awareness about the urgent need to recover our ecosystems and promote harmony with nature and the Earth. “Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet – and its people. Restoring our damaged ecosystems will help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction. But we will only succeed if everyone plays a part.”
Global Action Days – April 22 – May 6
Global Action Days 2026 aims to mobilize people from around the world to bring global attention to the critical link between climate change and access to safe, nutritious and sustainable food. Find out more about Global Action Days including this year’s theme exploring how food connects people and the planet through five creative, hands-on activities as described in the Activity Guide. “From colourful, seasonal meals and legume-powered recipes to recipes with roots, food maps, and behind-the labelling. Each activity offers an inspiring and curious way to learn, create, and take action to understand our global food systems.”
EV chargers in New Tecumseth
In a major step toward a greener future, the Town of New Tecumseth has installed eight electric vehicle (EV) chargers at the southeast corner of the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre.
This exciting development means residents and visitors alike will be able to conveniently charge their EVs while enjoying the wide range of programs, events, and amenities offered at the popular community hub. Whether you’re attending a hockey game, fitness class, or community event, you’ll now be able to plug in and power up with ease.
Drivers using the EV chargers located at 7300 Industrial Parkway in Alliston are reminded that the designated parking spots are reserved exclusively for vehicles actively charging. Once a vehicle has completed its charging session, it must be moved promptly to allow others access to the chargers.
Learn more at FLO Network
Emerald Ash Borer
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an introduced insect pest that attacks and kills all species of ash trees in North America. The EAB has killed millions of ash trees across the northeastern United States and southern Ontario. It continues to spread across the province.
Report EABs
If you suspect an EAB infestation on a Town-owned tree, please let us know.
If you find an EAB-infested ash tree along a street or road in the Town of New Tecumseth, please contact the Public Works Department at 705-435-3900.
If you find an EAB-infested ash tree in a public park in the Town of New Tecumseth, please contact the Parks, Recreation and Culture Department at 705-435-3900.
You can help by protecting ash trees on private property and by planting or replacing trees. Removing an infested or dead ash tree can be dangerous, so we encourage you to contact an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist for tree removal or tree protection on your property.
You can help slow the spread of EAB by not moving firewood. Please buy and burn all firewood locally.
Learn how you can protect our ash trees:
Flooding
You can follow the Town of New Tecumseth on Twitter or find us on Facebook for updates during a weather event.
- In the case of an emergency, call 911
- The non-emergency line of the Nottawasaga OPP is 1-888-310-1122
Roads
- If a weather event requires road closures, we will post updates on our social media.
Drinking Water
- If you live in the Town and you’re on a private well and have questions regarding your water after a flood, you should:
- Visit the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for more information; or
- Call the Health Unit toll free at 1-877-721-7520