On June 7, the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) participated in a launch event held by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in Wheatley to announce that it was the successful recipient of a $385,000 grant from the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks to fund a new urban resiliency project.
The grant will be used to fund the Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP) project, which is a voluntary and collaborative approach for enhancing climate resiliency in existing urban residential neighbourhoods.
It involves working with interested local residents to identify and implement environmental improvements on both municipal and private properties in partnership with the Municipality and the LTVCA.
The LTVCA’s Urban Stewardship program will support the chosen improvement by providing the expertise and staff needed to carry out the on-the-ground work.
“The Chatham-Kent SNAP project aligns with the themes of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health,” said the Honourable Todd J McCarthy, Ontario’s Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, in a media release.
“These include protecting water quality, protecting habitats, enhancing regional resiliency to climate change, and engaging communities. The Chatham-Kent SNAP project supports all these areas, and the grant provided through my Ministry demonstrates the Government of Ontario’s commitment to bringing the Canada-Ontario Agreement to life.”
The Chatham-Kent SNAP project will be implemented in Wheatley, Thamesville, and an area in Wallaceburg south of the Sydenham River.
“The Municipality undertook a rigorous evaluation process to select the three SNAP communities,” said Gabriel Clarke, Manager of Growth & Sustainability with Chatham-Kent, in a media release.
“This included analyzing existing storm water infrastructure and planned infrastructure investments, tree canopy and urban heat island data, flood prone areas, and access to resources information. Our analysis included every primary and secondary Urban Centre in Chatham-Kent. The selected communities most closely aligned with the criteria, and we are excited to start collaborating with area residents.”
“We are very excited to be named as the recipient of this grant from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff, in a press release.
“This funding will enable us to fund the implementation of three neighbourhood-scale resiliency stewardship projects in urban communities across Chatham-Kent.”
Throughout the summer months, staff will engage with residents from the three SNAP communities to identify resiliency improvements in preparation for implementation in 2026.
“This 2-year process will give the Municipality enough time to get to know the residents and the project areas, to develop customized plans for each community, and to work with interested residents to take action in 2026,” said Alyssa Broeders, Urban Stewardship Technician with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority and SNAP Project Partner.
More information on the SNAP project can be found, here.
