Keyword Community

We often think about climate change as something abstract or remote. We hear scientists talking about melting ice caps, see images of drought in faraway places, or browse through news coverage of exotic weather disasters. But climate change is having effects right here and right now in Canada. And the risks aren’t just theoretical or abstract. The effects of climate change promise to be up close and personal, affecting the everyday lives and health of Canadians. As Jeff Eyamie of Health Canada says, “The most immediate and personal impact of climate change is the health impact.”

The Métis village of Green Lake may seem small, but they have big ambitions. The community started a solar energy project and installed 96 solar panels on their community hall. As Mayor Ric Richardson describes, Métis people have “used the sun for generations,” so the opportunity for renewable energy development was warmly welcomed by community members. Through this Métis leadership, Green Lake generates cheaper and more reliable power, which creates connection to the land, educational opportunities for the community, and is a source of both clean energy and cultural pride.

The Lubicon Cree Nation of northern Alberta are leading the low-carbon energy transition. Community member Melina Laboucan-Massimo witnessed the changing landscape from industrial development in her territory, and she decided to take action. As part of her Masters Thesis, she fundraised and coordinated the construction of 20KW solar energy system. Melina calls the project “a beacon of what is possible in our communities” and her perspective shows how renewable energy aligns with Indigenous philosophies of reciprocity, relationship, and reconnection with the land.

“It’s been nothing but positive,” says Chief Cadmus Delorme about the Cowessess First Nation wind-battery project, located just outside of Regina. In this video, community members describe the project’s significance for environmental responsibility, community pride, and local sustainable economies. The community has now developed a 320KW solar farm on the site, making the first known wind-solar battery storage project in the country, and Chief Delorme says they’re “hungry for more.”

At FortWhyte Alive’s solar-powered farm, young people are coming together to fight climate change, restore habitat and encourage biodiversity.

The Meechim project follows the story of Garden Hill First Nation – a northern Manitoba community that is only accessible via air and ice roads – and its journey to build a self-sustaining farm. Through a combination of both Indigenous and farm knowledge, the community’s efforts to attain food sovereignty show that climate resilience can lead to better social, economic, health and environmental outcomes for all.

The Climate Atlas allow you to explore how climate change is likely to impact Canada’s urban centres. Hotter temperatures can magnify pollution problems and cause health problems, and changes in precipitation and freeze-thaw patterns can accelerate damage to critical infrastructure. Understanding the magnitude of these changes and risks allows citizens, politicians, and planners to take meaningful action to mitigate and adapt. These maps describe some of the key climate impacts facing Canada’s cities:

Qapirangajuq: Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change was co-directed by acclaimed Inuk filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk (Atanarjuat The Fast Runner) and PCC’s Executive Director Dr. Ian Mauro. It’s the world’s first Inuktitut language film on climate change, released in 2010, and takes viewers into the Arctic and the Inuit knowledge that is bearing witness to rapid climate change. This award-winning film has been screened around the world – the Smithsonian Institution, Berlin International Film Festival, ImagineNative, etc – and its findings and the community-based process that created it continue to be discussed.

Toronto understands the importance of climate action. In recent years it has been hit by extreme weather that has adversely affected services, infrastructure and economic activities. The human impact of climate change is front and centre as the city works to increase its climate resilience, increase awareness about climate change, and to make urban life better.

Near the end of the century, the City of Toronto could experience nearly two months of +30 °C days a year, according to climate projections. To address the growing risk of future heat waves, local faith leaders have created a network of cooling centres in churches, mosques, temples and synagogues, and are mobilizing their congregations to provide support for susceptible populations. For City Councillor Gord Perks, this example of grassroots community resilience makes him hopeful about the future.