Becoming more resilient

Climate change is here, even in Beaconsfield. 
Extreme weather events are unfortunately becoming the norm. 

We are already experiencing: 

• More frequent and intense heat waves 

• Freezing rain events 

• Heavy rainfall 

• Flooding 

• More frequent power outages 

Vulnerable populations (seniors, persons with disabilities, newcomers, etc.) and individuals who are isolated are disproportionately affected. 

By strengthening neighbourhood connections, we help build collective resilience, which benefits the entire community, including those most at risk. 

During extreme weather, emergency and municipal services are heavily mobilized to ensure everyone’s safety. 
If you need help quickly, knocking on a neighbour’s door may be your best option. 

Building and maintaining connections today is preparing for tomorrow. 

Several characteristics make this project particularly relevant in Beaconsfield: 

• About 1,100 people live alone (StatCan, 2021) 

• Nearly 1 in 5 residents aged 15+ lives with a disability 

• Approximately 530 residents speak neither English nor French, and this number is growing 

• More than 3,800 residents are aged 65+, representing nearly 20% of the population 

• Nearly 1 in 2 residents knows fewer than 6 neighbours by name (survey for Connecting Beaconsfield, Summer 2023) 

Beaconsfield is 95% residential, with few local commercial hubs. 
This limits spontaneous meeting places and reinforces the need for initiatives that intentionally create opportunities for connection. 

When we think of climate adaptation, we often picture visible infrastructure: roads, buildings, electrical systems. 

But there is another form of infrastructure, invisible, yet equally essential: our social fabric. 

A community where people know each other, talk to each other, and trust each other is not only stronger day-to-day, it also reacts faster and recovers better during crises. This is exactly what Connecting Beaconsfield aims to build, one gesture at a time. 

A simple “hello” can become the first link in a neighbourhood safety net. 

The ripple effect of social connection 

These small gestures, repeated across the city, become a collective adaptation strategy. 

What if your gesture became the start of a movement? 

Beaconsfield’s Climate Action Plan rests on a key pillar: mobilizing and equipping residents. 

Why? Because mutual aid, social connection, and local action are powerful levers for adapting to climate impacts that are increasingly present in our territory. 

Connecting Beaconsfield is a cornerstone of the City’s climate adaptation work. 

It complements technical and infrastructure measures by strengthening our social infrastructure, the invisible network that helps us weather crises together. 

A socially connected community is more agile, more supportive, and better prepared to face major outages, flooding, or heat waves. 

Small everyday gestures become a true collective adaptation strategy. 

Learn more about the City’s Climate Action initiatives.

What are the negative impacts of climate change? 

The impacts of climate change are felt at every scale. Climate change means more extreme weather events like heat waves, ice storms, intense rain, and more frequent thunderstorms. These types of events can cause power outages, damage properties, and prevent people from safely leaving their homes. The Connecting Beaconsfield project aims to fortify communities against these weather events. 

Why should I care about climate impacts? 

Climate change impacts everyone, and at risk individuals are even more vulnerable. We must adopt an “all hands on deck” approach to address climate change impacts as a community. Together, we can create greater change than on an individual scale. 

What does climate change have to do with social connection? 

In a community with a sense of belonging, trust and reciprocity can flourish. Both of these components are key to building solidarity networks that are essential in times of extreme weather events. For example, if a socially connected community experiences a power outage, people will check on those most at risk, share scarce resources like generators, and help coordinate relief efforts with the City. 

Do I have to be friends with my neighbours? 

The City of Beaconsfield is not asking anyone to become friends, but simply helping neighbours meet neighbours. Many people are eager to introduce themselves to others in their neighbourhood but don’t know where to start. The purpose of this project is to help people meet each other and exchange.

• 24 residents opened their garden or studio for the 2025 Artist & Garden Tour, welcoming more than 300 visitors 

• Block parties have brought dozens of neighbours together 

• The Partage Club app has facilitated over 100 sharing exchanges since May 2025 

• After the July 2024 heavy rainfall, many residents spontaneously checked in on neighbours across the city 

These actions, repeated across neighbourhoods, strengthen our collective capacity. 

What your neighbours are saying about Connecting Beaconsfield… 

“I felt comfortable enough to host my first garage sale. Even though I don’t speak much English, neighbours came by to say hello.” 

A recent Beaconsfield resident, Beaurepaire Village 

“Since last year’s block party, everything has changed on my street. We talk to each other, we help each other. It’s as if the neighbourhood came to life overnight.”

A resident, anecdote shared during an event at Centennial Park 

“I became widowed recently and was very isolated. Now I come early to concerts to chat. Connecting inspires people to socialize. You’ve given me the confidence to reach out to others.” 

A senior resident, loyal participant in summer events 

“We didn’t know anyone when we moved here. A neighbour invited us over for tea because we couldn’t attend the block party. It was a really nice gesture.”

A couple who recently moved to Beaconsfield 

“We weren’t prepared for the floods, but our neighbours were. They knocked on doors, lent equipment, and we pulled through together.” 

A resident, after the rains of July 2025 

“Ever since you told me about Connecting, I want to organize an event on my street. I’m seriously considering it for 2026.” 

A resident, following the Tuesday concerts 

“I’m a single mother and recently separated. I felt very isolated, but thanks to Connecting, I’ve found hope again. I'm starting to build a network in my neighborhood, thanks to all the wonderful opportunities created by the project.” 

A resident, Woodland area 

Your stories inspire us. 

Testimonials like these help us measure impact and inspire others to take simple, meaningful action. 

Want to share your story?  

Who can be a Neighbour Connector? 

• Do you like chatting? Great. 

• Prefer helping quietly? Perfect. 

• Available once a year? Wonderful. 

• Every gesture counts. Every personality fits. 

There is no “right way” to be a Neighbour Connector, there is your way. 

Start at your own pace. 

What is a Neighbour Connector? 

A Neighbour Connector is a resident who wants to improve everyday life on their street through simple, meaningful actions: chatting with neighbours, lending a hand, and building trust. 

By getting to know the people around them, a Neighbour Connector helps increase social activity on their street, creating long-lasting benefits: especially during extreme weather events. 

This role allows you to: 

• Break the ice with neighbours 

• Offer a bit of your time, at your rhythm 

• Help build a kind and supportive community 

This is not a formal volunteer position, but an opportunity to build lasting connections. 

Join the network 

Download the guide 

Receive your customizable card

A block party is much more than a BBQ: it’s a powerful opportunity to strengthen connections, reduce isolation, meet neighbours you rarely speak to, and build solidarity on YOUR street. 

Whether it’s a summer gathering, a driveway happy hour, a treasure hunt, or a collective picnic, all formats work to learn to know each other! 

Not sure where to start? 

The Connecting Beaconsfield team is here to help turn your idea into a memorable event. 

We offer: 

• An organizer’s guide (step-by-step) 

• A guide with themes & game ideas 

• A gift card to help with food expenses (available in limited quantity) 

• Games to borrow for all ages 

• Personalized support 

You don’t need event-planning experience — if you want to bring people together, we’re here to help! 

Curious? Start by: 

• Talking with 2–3 neighbours to form a mini-team (it makes things easier!) 

• Choosing a date and a format (potluck, animated party, interactive games…) 

• Reading our guides and submitting a simple online form… and you’re good to go! 

To place a request and for more info

The Beaconsfield pollinator garden is the result of a partnership between the Beaconsfield Garden Club, the Beaconsfield Environment Advisory Committee and the City of Beaconsfield. They came together to transform an underused space into a pollinator garden that supports biodiversity, provides food and habitat for pollinators throughout the growing season and brings people together.

This garden will also serve as a source of inspiration for residents interested in creating pollinator-friendly spaces of their own, in their front or backyard. Located at 1974 Rue City Lane, just in front of the Beaconsfield Recreation Center, we invite you to come by and see it for yourself!  

Learn more about the Beaconsfield Garden Club and its activities

Purpose of the garden  

Native pollinator gardens play many important roles in a neighbourhood. 

Not only do they help support vulnerable pollinator populations, but they also provide a boost to all biodiversity. By providing shelter and food to many different species of plants and animals, this garden will attract everything from the smallest insects to the largest birds. 

This garden was specifically designed to support native pollinators throughout the year. While the summer is often filled with flowers, spring and fall flowers often provide less variety

The selected species

 To help pollinators during the shoulder seasons, the following species were planted: 

Canadian Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) 

Canadian Columbine is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Its early blossoms provide an essential food source for pollinators emerging after winter. 

Why plant it? 

• Host plant for the Columbine Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis lucilius) 

• Provides nectar early in the season 

• Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects 

Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) 

Hairy Beardtongue takes over as the spring blooms begin to fade, helping to provide a continuous source of nectar. 

Why plant it? 

• Drought tolerant 

• Blooms during the transition from spring to summer 

• Attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies 

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) 

With its large, colorful flowers, Purple Coneflower is a favorite in pollinator gardens. 

Why plant it?  

• Host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly (Chlosyne nycteis) 

• Provides abundant blooms throughout the summer 

• Its seeds feed many birds, including goldfinches 

Canada Tick-Trefoil (Desmodium canadense) 

This native plant plays a key role in supporting pollinators and birds. 

Why plant it? 

• A favorite of bumblebees 

• Produces seeds that are eaten by several native bird species 

Spotted Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium maculatum) 

Joe-Pye weed provides an important source of nectar when many other plants have finished blooming. 

Why plant it? 

• Supplies nectar late in the growing season 

• Attracts a wide variety of pollinating insects 

• Helps support pollinators when food sources become scarce 

“Dragon’s Blood” Stonecrop (Sedum spurium “Dragon’s Blood”) 

Sedum extends the flowering season by providing food for insects well into the fall. 

Why plant it? 

• Blooms in late summer and fall 

• Provides nectar when few other flowers are available 

• Attracts a wide variety of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators 

What to expect over the next few years? 

All the plants in this garden are perennials.  

That means that they will return next year, and for many years to come, ready to provide food for future generations of insects. This is important, as the garden will become a reliable source of food for pollinators, especially those who will wake up in spring and remember locations of flowers (including bees and bumblebees!).  

Next year, the plants will have grown, providing even more food and shelter for insects while beginning to spread their seeds.  

By the third year, the garden will have reached maturity. We can expect even more blooms and the most pollinators we have seen yet! At this point, the garden will have become a true hub for the insects and wildlife of Beaconsfield, providing year-round support to our local ecosystem.

Through this mobile app, residents can easily lend, borrow items, or request services from neighbors, in a spirit of trust and mutual aid. 

Fully bilingual, the app is designed to promote exchanges and strengthen social connections at the local level. 

Here are a few examples of what you could do: 

• Borrow tools 

• Ask for help with a small project 

• Offer or request a service 

Learn more and download the app

Located next to the Herb Linder Annex, the Beaconsfield urban garden is a communal space where fresh vegetables, mutual aid, and connections between residents grow. 

Why an urban garden? 

To provide healthy food to those who need it, while cultivating joy, knowledge-sharing, and solidarity. 

Where do the harvests go? 

To Meals on Wheels, which prepares hot meals for seniors living alone or with reduced mobility. 

The garden grows thanks to you! 

We need volunteers to: 

• Water, weed, and tend the garden during the summer 

• Share gardening tips and positive energy 

• Participate in planting, closing, or youth activities 

You don’t need to be an expert, just willing to get your hands in the soil and be part of a useful and lively project. 

A project for all ages 

• Day camps and the Summer Reading Club help with watering and discover the joys of gardening 

• The Semis Urbains organization supports the opening and closing of the garden, and provides horticultural advice 

We need you! 

Even 1 hour a month makes a difference. 

A lively, creative, inspiring event at the heart of Beaconsfield’s neighbourhoods. 

Once a year, during the summer, residents are invited to open their gardens and/or art studios (some open both!) to share their world with the entire community. 

The tour offers a free and friendly journey through the city. An interactive map is shared as the event approaches, and each participant receives a personalized sign. 

What participants loved: 

• A great opportunity to forge connections: exchanges between visitors and hosts are warm, spontaneous, and meaningful. Many new connections have been made. 

• Residents of all ages come to meet their neighbors, discover their hidden passions and interests, explore new areas, and share their love of nature or creativity. 

• Some visitors who have recently moved to Beaconsfield take the opportunity to introduce themselves to people in their new neighbourhood. 

• Some hosts also showcased other passions, including vintage cars, delighting visitors of all ages. 

It also becomes a touchpoint for conversations about solidarity during heat waves or storms.  

“We talked about gardening, neighbourhood life, painting and art, and even the recent floods!”  

A participant, 2025 edition

Here are some ready-to-use tools: 

• Block Party Guide

• Neighbour Connector Guide 

• Customizable Connector Card 

• Book collection at the Library 

Additional tools available on the Block Partypage

More tools coming by summer 2026 - stay tuned 

Each season, we propose a simple challenge to do in your neighbourhood: 

• Fall: Share homemade soup with a neighbour 

• Winter: Help shovel the driveway of a neighbour in need 

• Spring: Offer a seedling and gardening tips 

• Summer: Invite a neighbour for coffee or lemonade outdoors 

Watch the Connecting section of Contact magazine for more ideas.