Latest Report Forecasts Northern Ontario: It Looks Like People Will Face Warm, Rainy Winters, And More

A new analysis predicts northern Ontario will have rainy, mild winters and scorching, dry summers by the 2080s. According to the provincial government-commissioned report, this will provide new opportunities in agriculture. Still, the variable weather will also endanger everything from electricity lines to motorways to water treatment plants to the forest sector.

"Have things already changed? It has been changing for quite some time. We've had some severe weather. We know what it looks and feels like," said Al Douglas, head of the Climate Risk Institute in Sudbury and one of the report's authors.

"We must act quickly because climate change is outpacing our efforts. There will be no more pilot studies or small-scale experiments. We need to step it up a notch."

There Has Been A Change In The Weather

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The analysis projects that by the 2080s, vast areas of northeastern Ontario, including essential cities like Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and North Bay, might experience up to 55 days per year with temperatures above +30, compared to the current 10 days when that temperature is reached.

Similarly, winters will be significantly warmer.

According to the analysis, the number of days with temperatures below minus 25 might be decreased by half for the James Bay Coast to around 20. When it's so cold, other portions of northern Ontario may only get a few days of snow each year.

Warmer winters will result in significantly less snow. Winter precipitation in northeastern Ontario currently takes the form of rain between 0% and 30% of the time, but in 60 years, it might grow to 40% to 60%.

The Infrastructure Is In Danger

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The Climate Risk Institute warns that with changing weather patterns and an increasing risk of wildfires and flooding, fundamental public services may be disrupted for extended periods.

This includes the winter roads on which villages in the far north rely and highways, railways, and water treatment plants, which could be swamped by floodwaters and cause contamination.

Experts estimate that substantial investment in new hydro lines across northern Ontario will be required to help electrify vehicles and other businesses.

Still, this paper also warns that shifting weather patterns may result in regular blackouts and brownouts.

The Changing Environment For Plants And Animals

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The Climate Risk Institute anticipates that the ecosystem of northern Ontario will continue to change as the climate warms, with some species disappearing and others increasing.

According to the paper, warmer winters and less snow cover might lead to a reduction in the moose population and a rise in white-tailed deer, which are also expected to be found considerably further north by the 2080s.

Warmer water might also impact populations of the prized sport fish pickerel, better known as walleye, harming northern Ontario's tourism economy, which traditionally relies on American visitors.

Experts also believe certain species, such as the dusky salamander and woodland caribou, may become extinct in the north.

What's In The Swamp That Holds The Secret?

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The research suggests various remedies and activities that the province might take, some anchored in the north.

It observes an "unprecedented opportunity" to construct a "protected area network" of peat bogs and boreal forest in northern Ontario, where there is still a lot of relatively unspoiled wilderness.

According to Douglas, these lands would provide vitally needed animal habitat, especially for those whose migration options may be limited, and a massive carbon storage region.

"The more we do now to lock in carbon, the more opportunities we'll have to build resilience and slow down climate change, so we don't have to worry about it continuing," he says.

What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.

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