PARENTS' THANKS The parents of Adam Thompson have a message to the community PAGE 3 There is lots to do for Earth Week. 8 PAGES EARTH WEEK www.theIFP.ca Thursday, April 19, 2012 Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper serving Acton & Georgetown 72 Pages 50 Cents (+HST) Are you ready for Halton Region is preparing for climate change By CHRISTINA COMMISSO Metroland Media Group By the end of the century, Halton's summers will resemble the mild, humid, costal climate of Virginia today and the winters will be like those in south-central New York. A report presented to regional councillors last Tuesday shows the region, like the rest of the province, will experience increasing annual temperatures and heatwave durations as the 21st century progresses, which will lead to more precipitation, a longer growing season and a decline in the number of frost days. But it's not all good, Halton's health and social service committee heard. "Climate change isn't expected to create new health problems, but it changes existing ones," said Peter Steer, a regional environmental analyst. He said a warmer Ontario climate will see the spread of Lyme disease caused by the blacklegged tick. Steer said within the next century the tick will be able to survive as far north as Sudbury while in the past it has been contained to the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Industrialized countries are better equipped to address the impact of climate change, "however, they can be overwhelmed," said Steer. Pointing to the European heatwaves of 2003 where estimates vary between 30,00 and 70,000 premature deaths due to the extreme heat, and the Russian heatwave of 2010 where See STAFF, pg. 7 a heatwave? Carel VanderSluis, 12, and Luke Vuyk, 13, of the Acton Cadets assist 11-year-old Ruth Vuyk of the Acton Gems Club in filling the shelves at Acton Foodshare. Almost 5,000 lbs of food was collected on Saturday, April 14th by the Acton Scouts, Guides, Gems and Calvinist Cadets. See story on pg. 8. Photo by Ray Lavender Thinking of buying or selling? Dir: 416-991-4247 905-456-1000 EFFIEatDIMOU at Sales Representative www.georgetownrealty.ca edimou@georgetownrealty.ca Call Effie Dimou for all your real atneeds. at 905-456-1000 905-456-1000 at at estate 203 Georgetown Volkswagen Guelph Street 9 0 5 . 8 7 7. 5 2 8 5 georgetownvw.com Toward Your 0% APR + Up To $500 First Payment ^On select models. Visit Georgetown Volkswagen for details. We handle all insurance work. 905-877-5211 O LD · Truck T Accessories Accesso · Upholstery · Heavy Equipment Glass ·Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage 905-873-1655