Follow-up Letter to Elected Leaders of Oxford County and Its Local Municipalities
To the Elected Leaders of Oxford County and Its Local Municipalities,
Thank you for the opportunity to present this week on the implications of Oxford’s continued participation in the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program. Over 130 residents filled the council chambers in support of the delegations and the call to withdraw, backed by a petition signed by 777 Oxford residents—a clear signal that the community wants Council to reconsider its direction and prioritize local needs over global targets.
We appreciate the respectful dialogue, thoughtful questions, and your continued commitment to serving residents.
As a follow-up to the delegations by Marie and Maggie, we are sharing several key resources that may support council’s next steps in evaluating the PCP program and its fit with Oxford’s local priorities:
Video Recording of the Deputations
Report Submitted to Council
Includes policy context, financial implications, lack of public mandate and clear evidence that Canada’s forests, wetlands, and farmland are already absorbing more CO₂ than many municipal plans aim to reduce.
Resident Letters (x3)
Thoughtful messages from Oxford residents raising serious concerns about taxpayer burden, program spending, and the need to realign council priorities with public input.
Read Letter 1 | Letter 2 | Letter 3
Petition Signatures (777+)
An overwhelming show of support for a pause and review of the PCP.
New CO₂ Cost Calculator Tool
We’ve developed a free, easy-to-use online tool that allows you to analyze:
The cost per tonne of proposed CO₂ reductions
The percentage of national, global, and atmospheric CO₂ impacted
The practical real-world equivalent (e.g., days of coal plant operation avoided, number of trees preserved)
Estimated local emissions based on municipal population
Estimated natural CO₂ absorption from local forests, farmland, and wetlands
Access the CO₂ Calculator here:
This tool is designed to support true cost-benefit analysis of CO₂ reduction proposals, encourage evidence-based decisions, and promote real environmental stewardship—rather than costly, negligible-impact programs.
We encourage you to use the tool to evaluate upcoming proposals in proper local, national, and global context.
Across Canada, municipalities—rural and urban alike—are re-evaluating their participation in internationally aligned programs like the PCP, particularly when programs:
Lack transparent cost-benefit analysis
Impose a third or even fourth layer of carbon-related costs on residents
Bypass provincial jurisdiction and local decision-making
Elevate emissions targets over economic resilience and core community needs
Ignore the vital role of natural carbon sinks—forests, wetlands, and farmland—that already mitigate CO₂
We respectfully request that Oxford County Council consider the four recommendations outlined in the deputation:
Pause and re-evaluate PCP participation with public input
Disclose all PCP-related costs to date
Withdraw from the PCP program
Refocus on local, nature-based environmental stewardship
A draft withdrawal resolution has been provided in your council packages. We are happy to assist with any edits or background information you may require.
As always, our team is here to support transparent, respectful dialogue rooted in Canadian principles of local governance, fiscal responsibility, and democratic consent.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Thank you again for your time and dedication to the people of Oxford County.
Warm regards,
Maggie Braun
Outreach Coordinator | KICLEI Canada
📧 info@kiclei.ca
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