Keyword Infrastructure

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:

The Reep House for Sustainable Living is a 100-year old house in Waterloo, Ontario that has been retrofitted to be maximally energy efficient. This demonstration project shows how older housing stock can be an effective part of the climate change solution through a combination of cutting edge technology and simple upgrades.

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.

Indian Island First Nation is on a peninsula surrounded by water. Through a combination of traditional knowledge and scientific studies, it became clear to Chief Ken Barlow that his community would be underwater by 2100. Barlow and his community are in a race against time to protect homes, raise roads, and potentially even relocate the graves of their ancestors.