The City of Guelph has released a new climate action plan that charts how the municipality can cut more than 10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2035.

The strategies focus on buildings, vehicles, systems and policies that will  reduce energy use, lower emissions, and support long-term climate resilience. The city’s energy use has already dropped 17 per cent since 2018, with about 20 to 25 per cent coming from renewable sources.

The city intends to complete deep energy retrofits and construct new municipal buildings to meet zero-carbon standards. The plan also entails installing more rooftop solar on municipal buildings and exploring a large-scale solar project at the Eastview landfill. Aging gas-powered Guelph Transit buses and vehicles will be replaced with electric models, alongside low-emission options for waste collection.

The city is also modernizing solid waste and wastewater systems to cut energy use and expand renewable energy, while targeting corporate energy management standards, including maintaining ISO 50001 certification and developing consistent building temperature guidelines. The city will need an estimated $247-million investment to reach its per-capita emissions reduction target.