St. Catharines Council is expected to make a largely symbolic gesture in the fight against climate change today.
A motion will be before council to declare a 'climate emergency' to recognize the urgent need to take action.
Several other cities in Canada have taken similar steps to call on all Canadians and governments to do their part to protect the environment.
Council has taken more concrete actions in the past, including banning plastic straws and stir-sticks at city run facilities to reduce the amount of plastic ending up in our landfills.
Over the weekend, the Clean City Advisory Committee and volunteers fanned out to collect litter in a city wide clean up.