New grant program will help Ottawa communities prepare for extreme weather

The Environment and Climate Change Committee and the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee today approved a new three-year pilot Extreme Weather Preparedness Grant Program to help communities prepare for extreme weather events.

Ottawa is seeing more frequent and intense extreme weather, including heat waves, flooding and ice storms. The City is investing in community organizations to help neighbourhoods prepare, respond and recover more effectively.

Residents will benefit from better-prepared neighbourhoods through a $1 million investment over three years. The program will provide up to $50,000 per year to local non-profit organizations to strengthen neighbourhood-level preparedness. Eligible organizations include community associations, non-profits and other local groups that support residents and that have the capacity to deliver projects at the neighbourhood level.

Funding will support practical, on-the-ground solutions, like creating community emergency plans, training volunteers and improving coordination and public awareness. It will also help communities purchase and share essential equipment and supplies, including mobile generators and power stations, temporary shelters, cooling and warming solutions, and items like radios, safety equipment and emergency kits. These resources will help communities respond faster during emergencies, support residents locally and reduce pressure on first responders and social services.

The program responds to community feedback, which identified a gap in preparedness. Fewer than one-third of survey respondents reported having a community emergency plan. This program will help close that gap by giving communities the tools they need to be ready.

At its regular meeting, the Environment and Climate Change Committee received a mid-year update on the Solid Waste Master Plan, showing strong progress and participation from residents.

Residents' actions are already making a difference. The amount of garbage set out at the curb dropped by 15 per cent in 2025, with almost all households staying within the three-item limit. This shows more people are using other options like recycling and the Green Bin.

Ottawa is seeing more ways to reduce and reuse waste as well. The popularity of Repair Cafés, Drop & Swap events and Giveaway Weekends continues to grow, helping residents reuse items, avoid waste and save money. A new reuse directory will make it easier to find these options locally.

Access to waste diversion services is improving across Ottawa. More multi-residential buildings now have Green Bin service, and more parks and public spaces have three-stream bins, making it easier to sort waste where people live and spend time.

These efforts help keep more waste, including organics, out of landfill and support the City’s climate goals. The City is also planning ahead to ensure waste services remain reliable in the future, including securing organics processing beyond 2030 and exploring long-term waste solutions.

City Council will consider the recommendations from these meetings on Wednesday, June 24.

• Joint meeting agenda
• Environment and Climate Change agenda