Planning for something as unpredictable as climate change and its potential impacts at the extreme local level takes time.
The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, as well as neighbouring MRCs in Beauharnois-Salaberry, les Jardins-de-Napierville, Roussillon, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges, has been working to develop a climate plan since the provincial government introduced the “Accélérer la Transition Climatique Locale” program in early 2024.
This program supports initiatives at the municipal level focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation, including the production of climate plans that assess both the risks and opportunities associated with climate change, while identifying projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and actions to support the climate transition at the local level.
Through this program, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent received financial assistance in the maximum amount of $1,113,016 from the provincial government during the 2023-2024 fiscal year for the creation of its climate plan as well as the planning and implementation of projects arising from the plan. The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte Contre les Changements Climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs has set an objective for all municipalities to have adopted a climate plan by 2027.
The MRC is currently working to complete the first phase of its planning process, with an allocated budget of $155,107 for 2026. According to Alexandre Racicot, the MRC’s territorial development coordinator, the work is proceeding according to schedule. “A greenhouse gas inventory has been completed, while the greenhouse gas reduction action plan and the adaptation plan are currently being drafted,” he said, noting these documents will be made public once they have been adopted by the regional council.
Racicot said that the results of the inventory did not reveal anything surprising and were consistent with the region’s existing profile.
Future projections suggest temperatures are rising in the Montérégie. The number of days exceeding 30 degrees Celsius is expected to increase to an average of 28 days by mid-century and 50 days by the end of the century. Extreme weather events will increase, and climate hazards such as floods, drought, and heat waves will result in significant costs for municipalities.
According to a study conducted by Ouranos, a Montreal-based consortium on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change, the annual cost of climate change for municipalities in the Montérégie is estimated at $233 per person. For the four area MRCs, this represents around $78 million per year in infrastructure repairs and emergency measures.
The MRC completed an online consultation in July 2025 that focused on residents’ preoccupations in the face of climate change. A similar consultation took place in the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry, where 578 individuals responded to an online survey. In-person consultations also took place in April in the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville.
Racicot spoke about the process to complete the MRC’s climate plan during the fourth edition of the États Généraux de l’Eau conference, hosted by the Société de Conservation et d’Aménagement des Bassins Versants de la Zone Chateauguay (OBV SCABRIC) in February, along with his counterparts from neighbouring MRCs. He noted that most residences in the Haut-Saint-Laurent rely on ground water, except for the municipalities of Sainte-Barbe and Huntingdon, and suggested that the plan involve gaining a better understanding of the aquifer recharge capacity and withdrawals, water contamination, and improving groundwater resilience.
“Water-related issues play a significant role in the climate action process. Beyond flooding, climate change poses specific challenges regarding water availability and quality,” he explained. “Heat waves in particular place increased pressure on resources due to rising consumption, while certain climate hazards such as storms, freeze-thaw cycles, or wildfires can affect water quality and related infrastructure,” he added.
The climate plan will also help to inform the MRC’s land use and development plan, which is currently being revised. As the focal point for choices and decisions that will affect all 13 municipalities, the land use and development plan balances local priorities with the provincial government’s land use guidelines and expectations to identify key development issues within the MRC’s territory.
“The climate plan is a key component of the update to the land use and development plan,” said Racicot. “It will enable the integration of identified risk zones and climate hazards, particularly regarding safety, resilience, and the sustainable development of the region.”