This resource is also available in French. Click here to access the French version.
This blog post is part of a series written by participants in the Tamarack Institute’s 2022 Community Climate Transitions Cohort, a 10-month learning journey in which multisector teams from 19 communities across Canada explored a collective impact approach to climate transition. See the full list of posts here.
We have organized educational events (webinars and public gatherings) to increase awareness and encourage cross-sector climate crisis literacy and solutions; we have hosted about 20 such events in the past four years.
- We successfully lobbied the Municipal Council to declare a climate emergency
- We have organized climate-oriented political debates for federal and municipal elections
- We have met with our new MP to advocate for bold climate action.
- We have met with the Mayor, councilors, and municipal officials to seek climate solutions
- We have prepared a set of “resolutions” or policy guidelines regarding emission targets, water protection, conservation, food security, agriculture, transportation, equity and Indigenous rights which we will share with the Municipal Climate Change Commission.
- We network with local farmers and environmentalists
- We are connected to several climate justice organizations and keep our community informed of events and actions.
- Our advocacy resulted in our municipality becoming a member of Partners for Climate Protection with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- We have provided mentoring and support to local youth through the Imagine Action Youth Council.
- We have completed a mapping exercise for all green initiatives in the municipality
- We write a regular column in the local newspaper: The LowDown entitled From the Grassroots: Climate and Justice focusing on local actions and solutions
- We have two members on the Municipal Commission for Developing a Climate Action Plan
- Two of our members founded the Portager Wakefield Community Garden which addresses food security issues and provides opportunities for education and collaboration toward sustainable food-growing practices with links to local farms and food banks.
- We are initiating a Resilient Neighbourhoods through Emergency Preparedness campaign
We are co-founding members of the Outaouais Community ZéN network to be launched on November 2.
The Tamarack Cohort has provided relevant education; pragmatic strategies and a profoundly useful array of resources (and splendid coaching sessions) to further our work in stimulating collaborative strategies to address climate, ecological, and social justice crises. We feel more connected to a Canada-wide network of committed climate action advocates and the solidarity experienced is empowering. Mutual care is evident in all Tamarack work which is at the heart of developing community-led solutions for transformational change. The road is long and hard. Being part of the Tamarack cohort contributes to the momentum needed to do the work and remain steadfast.
