Calling it an emergency with no foreseeable conclusion, town councillors in Tecumseh have declared a climate emergency.
Tecumseh is the latest municipal government to do so. In Southwestern Ontario, London was the first to declare a climate emergency, followed by Sarnia in June and Chatham-Kent the next month.
In Chatham-Kent, residents living along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair experienced severe flooding over the summer months, most notably on Erie Shore Drive. In August, the municipality issued a state of emergency, and residents were forced to leave their homes.
The City of Windsor and Essex County followed in its footsteps in November.
In September, the city's environment and sustainability coordinator, Averil Parent, expressed deep concern about how changes in the local climate are impacting Windsor.
"The climate that we're actually seeing today is already surpassing the climate projections that we've received," said Parent.
Tecumseh also faced severe flooding in areas along the Detroit River over the summer, prompting officials to urge residents to make evacuation plans.
A release from the town Tuesday said, "Going forward, administration will identify action items, implementation measures, and cost requirements to assist council in prioritizing emissions reductions, and preparing for our climate future."
