• The Help Communities Lead web site is now live.
  
• It includes policy briefs aimed at Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. As well as a sample resolution, and council report.
  
• A strategic planning exercise was completed before the past council term Ontario Climate Caucus network took a break for the 2022 municipal election to identify top municipal asks and then which ask should be directed to which ministries responsibility.
• The priorities identified by the Ontario Climate Caucus were brought together as part of an Ontario Help Communities Lead (HCL) effort.
• The main goal of the Help Communities Lead effort is to compile the municipal asks related to the alignment/supports Ontario municipalities say they need to better act on their local climate action opportunities. But, also recognizing that there is the need for all levels of government to work together to improve alignment between federal, provincial and municipal climate action and policy implementation.
  
• OCC's Help Communities Lead effort calls for the province to work with municipalities to advance a conversation with targeted Ministers and Ministries to identify where there is overlap between the municipal asks (as identified in HCL policy briefs) and the provincial willingness to work with municipalities to advance. Once alignment opportunities are identified advancement of those policies/actions would fall to municipal and ministry staff to implement.
• The Help Communities Lead builds on the effort in British Columbia (Help Cities Lead) that brought municipalities and the province together to advance key climate policies municipalities needed support from the province on. Lessons learned from the BC experience have been incorporated into the Ontario Help Communities lead effort.

Help Communities Lead Road Map

1. Help Communities Lead website and resources (sample resolution, staff report and policy briefs for each of the priorities and why those priorities are so critical to enabling municipalities to act on their local climate change opportunities).
   
2. Website will track individual endorsements as well as municipal council endorsements/resolutions.
3. Support OCC members to advance municipal council resolutions.
4. Work with community organizations to support their awareness of the Help Communities Lead effort.
5. Organize 3 OCC working groups (1 for each of the priorities/ministries)
6. Secure municipal endorsements - once there are 10 council resolutions, we start organizing Minister and OCC working group discussions.
7. Identify alignment opportunities between the municipal ask and the provincial willingness to advance.
8. Once alignment opportunities are advanced the implementation will fall to provincial and municipal staff to advance.