Memorandum of Cooperation between Ontario and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Memorandum of Cooperation

Between:

• Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
  incorporated under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act S.C. 2009,
• The Honourable Glen R. Murray,
  Minister of the Environment and Climate Change for Ontario
• The Honourable Bill Mauro,
  Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry for Ontario
• The Honourable Jeff Leal,
  Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for Ontario

Whereas the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (the “Cities Initiative”)

and the Ontario Ministers of the Environment and Climate Change, Natural Resources and Forestry, and Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (“Ontario”) share the vision of a healthy, prosperous and sustainable Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem;

And Whereas the Cities Initiative and Ontario recognize that climate change presents a risk to the environment, economy, communities and businesses in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem;

And Whereas the Cities Initiative and Ontario recognize that 98% of Ontarians live in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and depend upon it for drinking water, food production, power generation, culture and recreation, climate resilience and social well-being;

And Whereas Our urban areas are growing with over 85% of people in Ontario living in urban and suburban areas and must accommodate this growth in communities in a way that stabilizes greenhouse gas emissions in the near term, supports substantial reductions over the medium term and prepares our communities and Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem for the worsening impacts of climate change

And Whereas the Cities Initiative and Ontario recognize that municipal and provincial governments each play an important role in restoring, protecting and conserving the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, and recognize the importance of setting ambitious greenhouse gas emission  reduction targets and taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase adaptation and resilience to climate change;

And Whereas Land use and infrastructure planning plays an important role in helping mitigate climate change such as curbing urban sprawl and creating complete communities that are healthy, walkable and supportive of transit and active transportation.

And Whereas Transportation emissions have grown at a rate faster than any other class of emissions largely because of population growth and urban expansion and Ontarians are looking for price competitive options in transportation.

And Whereas Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy was released in December, 2012 and to support the vision of healthy Great Lakes for a stronger Ontario – Great Lakes that continue to be drinkable, fishable and swimmable;

And Whereas on February 18, 2015, the Ontario Minister of the Environment and Climate Change re-introduced in the Legislative Assembly a strengthened Great Lakes Protection Act;

And Whereas on December 18, 2014 the governments of Canada and Ontario entered into the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health, 2014 (“the new COA”) in order to enhance efforts to restore, protect and conserve Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health over the next five years;

And Whereas the Cities Initiative is a binational organization of mayors and other local officials interested in restoring, protecting and conserving the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, and its membership includes various Ontario municipalities;

And Whereas Ontario values the contributions that municipalities have made in managing water resources and our natural heritage effectively and recognizes the importance of municipal government programs, policies and investments in restoring, protecting and conserving the health of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem;

And Whereas Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy intends ongoing collaboration by Ontario with the Cities Initiative and the new COA contemplates that Ontario will continue to work with the Cities Initiative under a Memorandum of Cooperation;

And Whereas the Cities Initiative and Ontario wish to engage and communicate with each other on various matters that relate to the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, and entered into Memoranda of Cooperation in 2008, 2010 and 2012 to facilitate collaboration on matters that relate to the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem;

And Whereas the Cities Initiative and Ontario have agreed to enter a new Memorandum of Cooperation to further enhance collaboration on matters related to the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, including climate change;

Now therefore the Cities Initiative and Ontario have agreed as follows:

1. Purpose

   The purpose of this Memorandum of Cooperation (“MOC”) is to outline the areas of cooperation between the Cities Initiative and Ontario in communications and engagement in respect of the priorities set out in Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy, in support of the new COA and to address climate change.

2. Goals
   • To build collaboration between Ontario and Ontario municipalities in the protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.
   • To establish mechanisms to discuss and pursue common objectives and address issues of concern to municipalities and Ontario related to the restoration, protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and to address climate change.
3. Commitments of the Parties

   Commitments of Ontario

   • Ontario will work with the Cities Initiative to develop appropriate mechanisms for engaging with the Ontario members of the Cities Initiative, as well as the broader Ontario municipal sector, on issues pertaining to the restoration, protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and, more specifically, on issues identified in Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy and in the new COA.
   • When appropriate, Ontario will involve and inform the Cities Initiative on future plans and approaches to restore, protect and conserve the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem through Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy and the new COA.
   • Ontario will receive, and take into consideration, information, advice and recommendations from the Ontario members of the Cities Initiative and the broader municipal sector on the restoration, protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem under the new COA on issues of municipal interest and responsibility. Ontario will explore additional areas of cooperation with the Cities Initiative that are of interest to the Parties, including areas of cooperation to address climate change.
   • Ontario will work with Cities Initiative and the broader municipal sector to identify better understand climate change mitigation strategies  to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in  the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and develop performance measures to assess progress;
   • Ontario will collaborate with the Cities Initiative on actions to promote climate adaptation and resilience, with a view to maximizing benefits for both GHG emission reduction and climate adaptation and protecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.

   Commitments of the Cities Initiative

   • The Cities Initiative will work with Ontario to develop appropriate mechanisms for engaging with the Ontario members of the Cities Initiative, as well as the broader Ontario municipal sector, on issues pertaining to the restoration, protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and, more specifically, on issues identified in Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy and in the new COA.
   • The Cities Initiative will accurately represent and voice the interests of its Ontario members to Ontario.
   • The Cities Initiative will engage its members and, where possible, the broader municipal sector in Ontario, by sharing information, advice and recommendations on the restoration, protection and conservation of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem under the new COA on issues of municipal interest and responsibility. The Cities Initiative will develop and propose areas of cooperation with Ontario that are of interest to the Parties, including areas of cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase adaptation and resilience to climate change.
   • The Cities Initiative will share best practices in modeling and assessment to understand projected climate impacts on the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, especially at the regional and local scale.
   • The Cities Initiative will promote the possibility of urban municipalities scaling up investments in energy conservations upgrades and retrofits for existing buildings for example through incentives and innovative finance including new builds that are even more energy efficient, harness renewable energy.
   • The Cities Initiative working with Ontario will promote climate-friendly communities and well-built sustainable urban design that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing people to live, work and shop in the same area such as allowing for more walking and cycling.
4. Implementation of MOC

   The Cities Initiative will establish a working group made up of the Ontario members of the Cities Initiative and the broader Ontario municipal sector to collaborate on the implementation of the MOC.

   The Parties will work together to organize periodic meetings to discuss the implementation of the commitments under the MOC.

5. Terms of MOC

   The MOC takes effect on the 18^th day of June, 2015 and expires on the 18^th day of June, 2018.

6. Measures and Obligations

   Nothing in the MOC creates any funding obligations for any of the Parties.

   Nothing in the MOC precludes any of the Parties from exercising any measures and satisfying any obligations prescribed under the laws of their respective jurisdictions.

7. Amendments

   The MOC may be amended in writing with the consent of all Parties.

8. Termination

   Any of the Parties can terminate participation in the MOC by providing not less than thirty days written notice to each of the other signatories.

9. Not Legally Binding

   The MOC does not create legally binding obligations on the Parties.

On behalf of the Cities Initiative:

And by the Ontario Ministers: