Keyword Infrastructure

The 2021 heat dome killed more people than any other natural disaster in Canada. In a world struggling with more frequent heat waves, this film investigates the delicate balance between the life saving use of air conditioning to stay cool and the environmental risks associated with its overuse. Researchers focused on the impact of rising temperatures on heart health explore the challenge of keeping cool without succumbing to the dangers of overheating. This documentary prompts viewers to consider the broader implications of our reliance on air conditioning, and offers cool solutions in an increasingly warming world.

Winter is central to the Canadian prairie identity. It’s the defining season for a people whose common enemy is also their strength. The long cold snowy winter is also important to economies and ecosystems. And that winter is changing. Set to the backdrop of the Nestaweya River Trail, one of Canada’s longest skating trails, resilient settlers and newcomers alike talk about adapting to a world where the joys of the season are shrinking and what that will mean for future generations.

Montana First Nation is located in what was once rich oil and gas country in central Alberta. But as the oil wells began to dry up, the small community was faced with the enormous challenge of finding new employment for many of their members who landed out of work.

LUFA farms in Montreal have built the world’s first commercial rooftop greenhouse and they’re changing the way the city eats. Their online market currently feeds 1% of Montreal’s population, with an on-demand system that has virtually no food waste. Using escaped heat from the building below and delivering fresh harvested food by electric car, LUFA are at the forefront of alternative food systems.

Wind-swept, remote, and jaw-droppingly beautiful. These are Quebec’s Îles-de-la-Madeleine. A narrow archipelago, surrounded on all sides by the unpredictable waters of the Gulf of St Lawrence, the islands are home to just under 13,000 souls who live mainly from fishing and tourism. Like many small islands around the globe, the consequences of climate change are altering life here dramatically. Islanders are coming together to grapple with this reality and find local solutions, and are asking hard questions about the future.

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.”

Featuring members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), this video showcases how the planning profession is at the forefront of developing policy, capacity, and climate resilience within communities and environments across the country.

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: