Environment and Climate Change

• Huntsville’s Climate is changing and will continue to change until heat trapping greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in the atmosphere start to decline (see Muskoka Greenhouse Gas Initiative).
• The Town of Huntsville is part of the District of Muskoka’s Climate Change Mitigation Taskforce (CCMT) and is working on a strategy for the implementation of a Community GHG reduction plan.

5 Ways You Can Take Action on Climate Change

1. Take the bus and other forms of public transit when you can for traveling long distances.
2. Reduce car trips by using active transportation (walking, cycling and rolling) for traveling short distances.
3. Be mindful of how the food you buy is packaged and transported and try to eat foods that are local and in-season (a local project uses an indoor hydroponic modular farm with climate control technology to produce food year-round).
4. Start a type of garden with native species of plants, trees, and shrubs (pollinator garden, vegetable garden, rain garden, shade garden).
5. Take time to learn about and appreciate nature and respect and acknowledge the land and wildlife where you live.

In 2022, the District of Muskoka installed and commissioned a 3-acre solar farm at the Golden Pheasant WTP. It is expected to cover 5% of the District’s total energy use through a net metering approach (see Golden Pheasant Solar Generation Net Metering Project for further details).

Related:

• Solar panels on Town owned buildings

In February of 2023, the Provincial Government introduced Ontario Regulation 25/23 (O.Reg. 25/23) – which supersedes the previous O.Reg. 397/11 and O.Reg.507/18 under the Electricity Act, 1998.

This regulation requires certain public agencies – Municipalities, Municipal Service Boards, School Boards, Post-Secondary Educational Institutions, and Hospitals – to report on their energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually. This also mandates that public agencies develop, and update every five (5) years, an Energy Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Plan.  

The intent of this regulation is to help the broader public sector (BPS) organizations better understand and report their energy consumption, help benchmark, encourage energy conservation and demand management activities within their organizations, and then ultimately make this information available to its public. (See Town of Huntsville Updated Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan).

• Plastics are mostly single use items; therefore they benefit a linear based economy. Single use plastics are used in convenience items such as straws, stirrers, cups, bottles, food containers, bags, etc. and, as the name implies, are typically used once and then discarded.

• Microplastics are small but harmful plastic particles that come from the breakdown of plastic materials and can damage Muskoka’s lakes, rivers, fish and wildlife.
• The federal government has banned some hard-to-recycle plastics, as part of its goal to reach zero plastic waste by 2030.
• The first phase of the ban has already come into effect, prohibiting the manufacture and import for sale of six single-use plastics. This includes checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware made from, or containing, problematic plastics that are hard to recycle, stir sticks, and straws, with the exception to accommodate people who need them. (see Fact sheet: Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations).

• Organic waste can be 30-50% (or more) of household garbage, by diverting organic waste from landfills has huge benefits for the environment (see District of Muskoka Green Bin Organics Collection).
• Maybe composting or vermicomposting is right for you! (see Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve Composting 101 and Muskoka Watershed Council Composting with Worms).

• Keep electronic waste, batteries, and their unsafe chemicals out of the landfill by recycling them instead.
• Drop your dead batteries off at the: Canada Summit Centre, Algonquin Theatre, Civic Centre and Huntsville Public Library (See also Battery Recycling Locations and District of Muskoka Electronic Waste Drop-Off).

• Trees provide a number of services for communities including habitat for species, increasing biodiversity, sequestering carbon dioxide, retaining water and providing shade. 
• The Town of Huntsville has a municipal tree policy to help preserve the urban tree canopy.
• The Town of Huntsville Community Planning Permit By-law contains study requirements and a list of conditions of approval or provisional approval that may be required including: A tree inventory and preservation plan including identification of trees on the site 5 years prior to the application and a plan for the identification, protection, maintenance and enhancement of existing trees and other vegetation, including the restoration or replacement of vegetation where removed. 
• The Town of Huntsville discourages feeding wildlife like deer or leaving food out that bears and other animals like raccoons can get into, as they can become food conditioned and habituated (see Feeding wildlife: dos and don’ts and Be Bear Wise).

• Muskoka Watershed Council is a non-profit committed to empower the community to protect and enhance watershed health. Read the Muskoka Watershed Report Card produced every 4 years.

The Natural Edge Program and the Love Your Lake Program offered by the Muskoka Watershed Council, is for waterfront property owners hoping to re-naturalize their shoreline assesses the health of their lake.

Related:

• Making Waves: Integrated Watershed Management 

• There are several invasive species that are threatening Muskoka’s biodiversity, including phragmites, Japanese knotweed and spiny water flea.  Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, established Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program (ISAP) to address the increasing threats posed by invading species in Ontario.
  
• Remember to Clean, Drain, Dry - Aquatic invasive plants, animals, and diseases can spread through water-based recreation when they cling to watercrafts and gear.

Road salt effective at keeping roads free of snow and ice, but it also has damaging consequences. As snow and ice melt on roads, the salt washes into soil, lakes and streams, in some cases contaminating drinking water reservoirs and wells.

With climate change comes more frequent freeze-thaw cycles and more lake effect snow, which means people will apply more road salt due to more dangerous driving conditions.

The Town of Huntsville currently uses a minimal amount of salt (3-5%), due to the classification of its roads. The type of material used, and application techniques are based on factors like temperature, weather conditions, traffic volumes and speed limits.

The Facts

• The Town of Huntsville deploys sand and salt as a go-to solution for keeping winter roads and sidewalks clear.
• The Town is responsible for maintaining all municipal roads in Huntsville except for District roads and Highways which MTO oversees.
• Town of Huntsville Roads operations must maintain 418 km of roadway over a geographical area of 711 square kilometers.
• Winter sanding is the alternative to salting on rural and residential roads or used alongside salting. Sand provides traction control.
• Salt is used when the temperature is above -12 C. Below this, sand is used because salt is ineffective.
• Damage due to salt spray is usually short-term, the browning of trees is often noticeable on the east side of Highway 11 during early spring. By summer, these trees have usually recovered and have new green growth.

Reasons to Limit Salt Use

• Damages infrastructure causing corrosion of concrete, wood and metal.
• Damages aquatic ecosystems in local lakes and streams.
• Increases sodium and chloride levels in our drinking water sources (see Sodium in Drinking Water).
• Causes irritation and damage to pets and wildlife.
• Long-term pollution from legacy salt stores in soil and groundwater requiring costly remediation.

Solutions

Addressing accelerating salinization of lakes requires new thinking and innovative solutions that recognize the complexity of the issue.

• It’s imperative that research, investment and public awareness converge to address this challenge holistically.
• To mitigate the impacts of salinization, evidence-based approaches are urgently required.
• Solutions and policy recommendations must promote the reduction of salt runoff from road salt applications and other sources. Brine for example is still a salt solution, consisting of granular salt dissolved in water, but it sticks to roads better and has a more direct impact where it is needed, which means less is required.
• Establish effective and comprehensive monitoring programs.

What Can You Do?

So, what are some of the best ways to reduce your salt use while maintaining safety?

• Shovel first to remove as much snow and ice before applying salt.
• A little salt goes a long way. You only need to spread about a tablespoon or two of salt for a one-meter square area – the size of a sidewalk slab. Use a smaller grain-size, evenly spread on icy areas only, and give it time to work before clearing.
• Only use road salt when conditions are appropriate; road salt does not work when the temperature is below -10 °C.
• Redirect your downspouts away from walkways and driveways.
• Pile Snow in a lower area close to a storm sewer.
• Limit drifting snow by using snow fences or landscaping.
• Wear proper winter footwear designed for snow and ice.
• Use a traction aid like sand on your walkway to increase traction.
• Having snow tires on your vehicle and driving at a slower speed will increase traction, lower your chances of winter accidents, and save you money through lower insurance premiums.

Things to Consider When Hiring Winter Maintenance Contractors

• Hire a contractor that is Smart About Salt certified.
• Ensure payment is based on the number of snow fall events or per season and not tied to salt usage.
• Require a salt management plan.