People who live, work or spend time along Burlington's lakeshore will get a first look at draft updated maps of where Lake Ontario floods, erodes the shore and reshapes its beaches, at an open house at the Art Gallery of Burlington on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The maps cover the Halton and Niagara shorelines and come with projections of how climate change could affect them.

The drop-in session runs from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the gallery, 1333 Lakeshore Rd., which overlooks the lake beside Spencer Smith Park. Parking is on the north side of the building, off Elgin Street. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. For those who can't make the afternoon, an Oakville session runs that evening from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Trafalgar Park Community Centre, 133 Rebecca St.

The maps are part of the Lake Ontario Coastal Resilience Pilot Project, a joint effort of Conservation Halton, the local agency that manages watersheds and natural hazards, and partner conservation authorities. The project covers about 100 kilometres of shoreline from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Oakville, not including Hamilton Harbour, and is paid for through Natural Resources Canada's Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities program.

Building in areas Conservation Halton regulates requires its permission under Ontario Regulation 41/24, the provincial rule it administers.

In the project's first phase earlier this year, residents shared what they had seen along the shore and what they value most about it. Building on that and ongoing technical studies, the project is now turning from the problems to possible solutions. Visitors will hear about options ranging from nature-based approaches to hybrid designs and engineered structures, and how each might work in different spots, with its benefits and trade-offs.

What people say will be weighed alongside the technical findings to shape future shoreline management and policy recommendations, and a final Coastal Resilience Management Plan meant to reflect both the science and local knowledge. More public consultation is planned for 2027.

To RSVP for an open house or take part online, visit the project website at lakeontariocoastal.ca.