WHAT WE DO
About
International accords - though essential - have proved insufficient to achieve reduction targets. Citizens, businesses, and civil society actors must step up to support a just transition.
Launched in 2017, the Community Climate Hubs program, therefore, focuses at the local level, where risks of a changing climate (floods, heat-waves, etc.) and rewards of reducing pollution (air quality, cost savings, etc.) are most tangible. We support citizen-led, grassroots organizing at the local level, in the form of Community Climate Hubs, pushing folks to raise the climate ambition in their municipalities across the country.
The Community Climate Hubs program delivers the support and structure to grassroots groups that may not be as easily available to them, notably due to capacity reasons. The Climate Reality Project Canada provides invaluable administrative support and the creation of quality resources so that people with boots on the ground can focus on what’s important: pushing the climate movement forward with their campaigns.
By connecting and supporting 20-30 Hubs across the country, the program offers a unique bird’s-eye-view knowledge of what is happening locally across the country, everywhere from small towns to major cities. This knowledge is used and shared across the network, allowing connections to be made between people and Hubs doing similar work as one another, connecting experts in areas on which Hubs are working, and having fast access to the latest resources and organizational prowess.
Hubs' Goals
The Community Climate Hubs follow a decentralized model, recognizing that successful approaches will vary based on local regions and community contexts. Hubs are encouraged to follow common main goals such as:
- Help unify voices around a shared vision for decarbonization and advance their communities along the milestone process set out by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
- Obtain municipal commitments to net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and ensure communities are on track to reaching their target without leaving anyone behind.
- Ensure that their cities not only work to decarbonize, but do so in a way that champions building equitable, climate-resilient communities in the process.
- Connect and facilitate a local network of people and groups who are working towards building sustainable, liveable communities in order to help share resources, streamline efforts and cultivate the potential for collective action
Of the 3,608 local governments in Canada
<5% have set a GHG reduction target
<1% have signed the UN Compact of Mayors
<0.1% have committed to carbon neutrality by 2050
Municipalities are key in the fight against climate change
They have jurisdiction over transportation, waste management, building bylaws and land-use planning, and can act as laboratories to experiment before solutions are scaled to provincial and federal levels.
Over 1,200 local initiatives in nearly 600 municipalities, led by 30+ national and international organizations
What if these local climate initiatives coordinated their efforts to maximize imapcts?
You are not alone
With teams of support behind you, and a network made up of those who have successfully started their own Hubs, your Hub can learn to become a force of change in your community.
Hub activity
Check out what our amazing network of Hubs are doing and how they're increasing local climate ambition across the country in our database below!
FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)
How can I start a Hub?
Head over to the page Start a Hub found underneath the "Get Involved" tab.
Who can start a Hub?
Anyone! The program is open to everyone and anyone who is interested in starting or joining a group that is committed to working on local climate action.
How do I get connected to an existing Hub?
If you have signed up at ClimateHub.ca and have not yet heard from those leading the Hub in your community, write to us to be put in touch: contact@climatehub.ca. You can also find your local Hub and its contact information on the interactive map on our Home page, as well as on the Find Your Hubs page.
What if an existing organization in my community does similar work?
Partnering with existing organizations to fulfil the Hubs' goals is essential. Hubs can also play a connecting role between established organizations to facilitate good communication and potential collaboration.
How are Hubs governed?
Hubs are autonomous and self-governed. In some instances, they are incorporated not-for-profits that pre-existed the Climate Hub initiative; in others, they decided to incorporate to enable grant applications, internships, or other benefits that come with not-for-profit incorporation. A suggested structure for community organizing is provided on page 13 of the Hub Handbook.
What resources are provided to Hubs?
The Climate Reality Project Canada provides resources that are available to Hubs in the "Toolkits" section of the website, in addition to the National Climate League Standings. The Support Network, made up of the Community Climate Hubs Manager, Regional Organizers, and Regional Engagement Coordinators, is available to help Hubs navigate and make the most of those resources. Members of the Support Network also directly support Hubs in providing coaching, guidance, and networking.
Do Hubs communicate with each other?
Hubs share stories of their journey through social media, webinars, blogs and the National Climate League benchmarking initiative with other Hubs to help identify best practices that can be implemented across the Climate Hub network. Hubs may also choose to coordinate their efforts on provincial and federal issues.
Why the emphasis on public participation?
You are an expert in your everyday life and are best positioned to identify barriers and solutions to a more sustainable lifestyle. Recent political trends demonstrate the challenges of governing without effective public engagement. Development of bottom-up solutions to reducing carbon pollution engages citizens in the process, resulting in policy that has deep roots and is broadly supported. The OCPM and the IOPD provide many valuable resources, some of which are brought together in our Best Practices Guide on public participation.
We have trouble getting members of our community on board with our Hub’s vision. What can we do?
Before defining your mission and vision, ensure you have consulted as many relevant stakeholders as possible. See this example from the Montréal Hub. Often it is the language of climate action that dissuades people from getting involved. Refer to the Tactics section (p.38) of the Hub Handbook and the Best Practices Guides on framing and empathic communication for pointers.
What role can public consultations play?
Public consultations are only as effective as the people who attend them and follow up on resulting recommendations. Government funding for consultations on climate plans offers citizens and non-profits a unique opportunity to engage a diversity of their neighbours and members in dialogue. It’s a wonderful way to have your municipality essentially run an awareness campaign on climate challenges & solutions!
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? CONTACT US!
We will answer any questions you may have about Community Climate Hubs.
If you prefer to email directly, send to contact@climatehub.ca