The Town of Georgina received the Healthy Community Award at the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority’s 2026 Conservation Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
Mayor Margaret Quirk, Regional Councillor Naomi Davison and Town staff attended the ceremony to accept the award, which recognized the Town’s development of its Climate Action Plan (CAP) and its innovative approach to connecting climate action with the protection of Lake Simcoe.
“It is an honour to receive this Healthy Community Award which recognizes the Town for delivering innovative environmental programs or services through our Climate Action Plan,” said Mayor Margaret Quirk. “Climate change is no longer a distant concern. We are already experiencing its effects, from more extreme weather events and hotter summers to milder winters and heavier rainfall. Lake Simcoe is central to our community’s identity, health and well-being, making it more important than ever to protect and preserve this vital resource. The Town thanks the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority for this recognition.”
The CAP aims to help reduce nutrient loading in Lake Simcoe to protect the lake for continued use and enjoyment. It demonstrates how climate change can contribute to nutrient loading, including through more freeze-thaw cycles that can increase salt runoff and more intense storms that can increase phosphorus runoff.
The development of the plan also involved extensive community engagement, with input from more than 500 residents, including youth aged six to 16, and more than 25 community partners.
As the Town continues to implement its climate actions, it will report on progress annually through the Climate Action Year in Review. The 2025 Climate Action Year in Review can be found on the Town’s website.
More information about the Climate Action Plan can be found at georgina.ca/ClimateAction.
For more information about the 2026 Conservation Awards, including a list of award recipients, visit lsrca.ca.