Below are extended snapshots with some additional detail on who participated in each of the Green Resilience Project conversations, how outreach was conducted, and some factors related to climate change or income security in their area that may have influenced the conversations. This content was pulled from our partners’ Community Summary Reports.
To read full-length Community Summary Reports from each of our community partners, please see volume B of this report.
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Partner Name: BYTE – Empowering Youth Society
Participant Notes: While we feel that it was able to capture a range of lived experiences amongst Yukon youth, we acknowledge that there is room to increase this diversity moving forward. For our conversation we sought to discuss issues impacting youth in communities across the Yukon. However, it should be noted that the vast majority of participants were based in Whitehorse. Several of our participants identified as Indigenous and several identified as persons of colour; we do feel, however, that there was a greater potential for representation that we would strive to meet in future conversations. Most of our youth participants described their socioeconomic status as middle income, with some participants identifying as low and high income earners. Five participants identified as belonging to or having belonged to a union. The youth present were reflective of a broad range of sectors in the labour force including: arts and culture; recreation and sport; community and government services; non-profit organizations; Indigenous governance; education; law and social services; media and publishing; finance and administration; agricultural and natural resources; natural and applied sciences; Indigenous languages; renewable energy; construction and trades; and charitable or grassroots organizing work.
Climate change/income security context: Warming at approximately three times faster than the global average, Northern communities in Canada are often on the front lines of climate change. Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather events, impacting communities, ecosystems, and wildlife. In 2021, the Yukon shattered summer records, documented record flooding, and experienced above average snowfall. Warming temperatures are also driving permafrost thaw, which is in turn damaging infrastructure and impacting ecosystems. The Yukon and Northern Canada also face heightened challenges to food security and food sovereignty, intersecting with both income security and climate change. In 2017-18, the Yukon had the third highest rate of food insecurity prevalence in Canada at 16.9%, behind only the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. For many Yukoners, the ability to harvest food from the land is greatly impacted by environmental changes. The Yukon is also currently experiencing a housing shortage and higher than normal rental rates.
Outreach Notes: In an effort to engage as wide a selection of Yukon youth as possible in our discussion, BYTE released an open call for registrations in the month preceding the community conversation. The conversation was advertised via posters and across social media for several weeks.
Location: Shirley, British Columbia
Partner Name: Alysha Jones (co-chair Intersectionality and Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment & member of the District of Sooke’s Climate Action Committee)
Participant Notes: Several people were immigrants from Europe and South America with English as a second language. While the group reflected a range of lived experience, forestry workers, people of colour, Indigenous peoples, and working-class or lower-income people were missing from the conversation.
Climate change/income security context: Shirley was selected for a Green Resilience Project conversation because of its vicinity to Sooke, vulnerability to climate change-induced wildfires and flooding, as well as the impacts on the social and ecological community by commercial timber harvesting. Residents of Shirley are concerned about damaging forestry practices, water quality (potable water comes from wells), limited transportation, agriculture, and community development (CRD, 2016). Most residents in Shirley are either self-employed (in the tourist industry or small home-based businesses), retired, or commute daily for work in Sooke or Victoria (Sooke Region Tourism Association, 2022). The largest employers in the community are Western Forest Products, a nearby resort, restaurants and B&Bs (Sooke Region Tourism Association, 2022).
Outreach Notes: Given the pandemic, the Community Conversation was hosted online. It’s likely that more Shirley community members would have been interested to participate if an in-person community event at the Shirley Town Hall had occurred.
Location: Sooke, British Columbia
Partner Name: Alysha Jones (co-chair Intersectionality and Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment & member of the District of Sooke’s Climate Action Committee)
Participant Notes: I (Alysha) reached out to youth, seniors, members of the T’Sou-ke Nation, people who are insecurely housed or experiencing homelessness, small business owners, young families, grocery store and retail workers, and staff at a long-term care facility. It was challenging to successfully recruit from several key informant groups, including the T’Sou-ke Nation, people experiencing homelessness, young families, retail workers and long-term care staff. Given immediate needs, daily life, and rising costs, it is not surprising that people who are more vulnerable to socioeconomic pressures could not afford the time to engage with this project. Additionally, the T’Sou-ke Nation are green leaders in the Sooke region, providing mentorship for other Indigenous Nations. T’Sou-ke community members are likely very focused on the needs and goals of their community, and rightly so.
Climate change/income security context: Sooke is a rapidly changing community in the Territory of the T’Sou-ke Nation, a true leader in green energy community development. Sooke’s ecology is remarkable, with a great river system, basin, and protected forested hills. Once a forestry and fishing town, the population has increased by about 15% in the past several years, and the one artery into the community is clogged with traffic. “Sooke is a sprawl community that developed along the highway, was resource-based, and pretty small until recently” (Conversation Participant).
The rising costs of living and unaffordable housing, pressure on ecosystems and loss of carbon sinks and green space, and the intensification of traffic and carbon emissions are increasingly unsustainable and impact the community’s mental health and future.
Outreach Notes: Participants were invited to the conversations through word of mouth, Facebook, email invitation, several community leaders in Sooke, and a non-profit organization.
Location: British Columbia, primarily Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island
Partner Name: Columbia Institute
Participant Notes: They discussed the key themes of community resilience, climate action, and income security. Additionally, we opened the invitation to individuals planning to run for local office in the Fall of 2022. More than 50 participants registered for the conversation, with participants primarily attending from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Climate change/income security context: The Province faced an incredibly tough year in 2021 with multiple health, climate, and socio-economic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the toxic drug crisis, the heat dome, and severe flooding and landslides. Furthermore, the Province faces ongoing housing and food security crises, with climate disasters exacerbating these issues.
Outreach Notes: Participants were invited from the Columbia Institute’s network of locally elected officials, particularly Mayors, Regional Directors, Councillors, and School Trustees. Columbia builds and supports a network of local leaders who set out to advance progressive values and ideas, to build sustainable, inclusive, and equitable communities.
Location: British Columbia, primarily urban areas
Partner Name: Aboriginal Life In Vancouver Enhancement Society (ALIVE) & North West Indigenous (NWIC)
Participant Notes: We experienced a high volume of indigenous youth and were missing representation from members from the LGBTQ2S+ Community.
Climate change/income security context: The Urban Indigenous Community has been facing unique issues related to income security and climate change. These issues are directly related to Legislation and Policy frameworks that follow the current model of the Distinctions Based Approach.
Indigenous Peoples across B.C. are being impacted by economic marginalization. Such as, the high price of living and the lack of affordable housing. In the Urban Centre of Vancouver, the current projected living wage isn’t enough to sustain a single parent family with the current inflation trends of living fees.
It was made apparent by those participating within the discussion, that many community residents situated in urban centers across B.C. are facing barriers related to income insecurity. Some of the issues flagged included: lack of meaningful support in social assistance programs and an over-dependency on government supports, the severe conditions of being homeless, the use of Single Room Occupancy units as it relates to unsafe living conditions, co-dependency with other residents, inter-generational addictions, lack of stable employment income, and the discrimination of low expectation. Other concerns highlighted included high costs of tuition, distinctions-based approach funding on all levels of government, family wrap around services and child-care, and barriers to accessing community centre resources.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the world’s largest conservation network, has made a strong and clear statement on the impact climate change will have on Indigenous peoples:
“…. Indigenous and traditional peoples are going to be particularly burdened by the costs of climate change impacts and show evidence that the dangers of climate change are already threatening traditional cultures. The degree of vulnerability varies from one group to another and can be unevenly distributed across and within communities.”
SOURCE : Indigenous and Traditional Peoples and Climate Change Issues Paper. International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Mirjam Macchi Contributing authors: Gonzalo Oviedo, Sarah Gotheil, Katharine Cross, Agni Boedhihartono, Caterina Wolfangel, Matthew Howell. (2008) p 57
Outreach Notes: ALIVE and NWIC specifically targeted urban indigenous youth and advocates/service providers that urban indigenous youth tap into. We chose to host our dialogues in spaces where urban indigenous youth were present, such as outdoor community engagements and workshops. We also extended the invitation to representatives from the Co-operative Sector, First Nations Women’s Representation and Vancouver’s Food Security Network. All participants were engaged in a circle discussion where the key issues and solutions were presented and spoken on during the dialogue. We provided access to a zoom discussion and a lot of the youth who attended our zoom meeting also had barriers to accessing technology which was provided to them on behalf of ALIVE and NWIC.
Location: Yukon & Northern British Columbia
Partner Name: National Farmers Union
Participant Notes: The participants were not all located in the same local community. They were situated across Northern BC, and one Yukon farmer. Farmers’ experiences also varied based on what they produced, type of marketing, scale of farm, among other differences. 75% of participants identified “My livelihood has been or is in danger of being seriously impacted by climate change”. It was noted during the conversation that Northern BC communities will be heavily affected by the transition off fossil fuels, with some participants identifying a direct impact to their livelihoods.
Climate change/income security context: There are many unique climate events due to the different biogeoclimatic zones throughout BC and the Yukon. Flood, extreme wind, drought, were all experienced. Many in the local communities in northern BC work in oil and gas – both consumers of farmers’ products and some farmers with off-farm work with oil and gas. 4 out of 10 farmers in BC make less than $10,000 / year (Stats Can).
Outreach Notes: The National Farmers Union leveraged our network of farmers to reach participants. Participants did not need to be members to participate. All farmers and farm workers, member or non-member from the region were invited to participate.
Location: West Kootenays, British Columbia
Partner Name: West Kootenay EcoSociety
Participant Notes: Most participant responses came from the largest town center in the West Kootenays, Nelson, which included many participants experiencing homelessness and addiction recovery due to our ability to connect with a social services group in Nelson who offered to support organizing the interviews and providing space. The majority of folks were Caucasian settlers. Several are low income because they can’t work due to the pandemic or disabilities. There is a group of homeless and recovering addicts and ex-cons. Different ethnicities, and ages, including parents, grandparents, and guardians, varying disabilities, some experiencing homelessness, recovering addicts, ex-cons.
Climate change/income security context: Climate change is showing up as hotter and drier summers, more precipitation during precipitation events, and more rain in the winter, instead of snow in the West Kootenay region. The cost of living, housing, transportation and food to support families is a growing concern. All participants shared the need for more affordable and available housing. Participants in Trail, Nelson and Castlegar, the larger West Kootenay communities, felt that public transportation needed to be improved with more routes, stops, and hours. This is especially true on weekends where bus service is severely lacking in the region.
Outreach Notes: Our outreach efforts focused on low-income people who are often left out of conversations and most affected by climate impacts and social program resourcing. This included: BIPOC folks, folks experiencing homelessness, recovering addicts, and other low-income affected families. We have been working with over 85 low-income households enrolled in our Farms to Friends program, where with our network of volunteers, we deliver locally grown and produced food every week to their door steps. We started by contacting these households through email and phone. Additionally, we asked social service organizations to connect us to their clients for interviews. We asked people interviewed if they could connect us to anyone else they knew who was low-income and who they thought would be willing to be interviewed.
Location: Hinton, Alberta
Partner Name: Iron & Earth
Participant Notes: From the data collected, 50% of attendants opted for reimbursements with no other accessibility requests. None of the participants identified as racialised, yet 10% described themselves as Indigenous. Our session reached gender parity, with 50% self-identified men and 50% self-identified women. With regards to age, 60% of attendants were in the 20-40 range, 30% were in the 41-60, and 10% were over the age of 60. All the participants spoke English at home, and none described themselves as recent immigrants to Canada, with a disability, or being part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. With regards to socio-economic status, 70% of the participants identified as middle income, while 20% were high income and the remaining 10% were low income. Their job sectors showed that 50% of attendants were part of the agricultural/natural resources category, while the rest belong to various sectors: 10% in business, finance, and administration; 10% in arts, culture, recreation, and sport; 10% in education; 10% in health; and 10% in management. Compared to our original goal, these statistics show that we succeeded in some areas while we were not as effective in others. We recognize the absence in our community session of racialised, migrant, disabled, and 2SLGBTQ+ peoples, as well as youth. Still, it is important to point out that our participants’ demographics are representative of federal census data for the town of Hinton.
Climate change/income security context: Oil, gas and coal have built prosperity for Hinton and its people are grateful for the hard work of those who have contributed to the wellbeing of the community. However, the climate has become increasingly uncertain, and it has taken a toll on the local economy. In the past couple of years, the town has been experiencing: Extreme weather changes; Thermal coal phase out; Inconsistent income avenues; Several green projects with various degrees of success
Outreach Notes: I&E identified 3 local facilitators and provided tools and resources for them to conduct outreach. They asked people to identify any barriers to accessibility & offered to remove them. 50% of attendees requested reimbursement.
Location: Northern Alberta & Northwest Territories
Partner Name: National Farmers Union
Participant Notes: The farmers participating in this conversation all came from distinct communities throughout Northern Alberta and Northwest Territories and therefore the community description does not represent one specific location, but more a sentiment specific to Northern farmers. As mentioned, farmers are at the forefront of climate change and many Northern farmers and food producers face additional technical challenges due to remoteness, short growing seasons, and poor soil quality. It has been noted that the growing season is lengthening due to warming temperatures, but that there has certainly been an increase in extreme weather as well. The voices of more marginalized members of the community, who are disproportionately impacted by both the climate crisis and our current food system, were not well represented during this conversation. Of the participants that completed the identification form, all reported being white and middle income. All participants in this conversation were directly connected to the agricultural sector and they represented both urban and rural and small and medium sized farms.
Climate change/income security context: Northern communities are notoriously food insecure and multiple points were made on this topic. One being that Yellowknife in particular is only accessible by one road, a road that has recently been impacted by wildfires. Grocery stores only carry a three to four day supply of food and there are limitations on quantity and accessibility of food grown locally; therefore, road closures or extreme weather events may have a severe impact on food access. Financial barriers, including income inequality and homelessness, are also prevalent throughout the communities in question. Another comment noted that development, and mining specifically, has limited traditional foodways. This forced removal of traditional foodways – including hunting and fishing – inhibits the preservation of Indigenous knowledge.
Outreach Notes: All members in Alberta and Northwest Territories were sent email invites. Social media was used to extend the reach of the invite and several local groups shared our posts. The National Farmers Union leveraged our network of farmers to reach participants. Participants did not need to be members to participate. All farmers and farm workers, member or non-member from the region were invited to participate.
Location: Alberta (primarily Edmonton)
Partner Name: Citizens for Public Justice / Just Faith Alberta
Participant Notes: This conversation was mainly those from the Edmonton area but expanded to encompass all of Alberta, focusing particularly on Christians interested in just transition, climate change, and income security. The Green Resilience conversation brought together eight participants, including the local co-facilitator: five from Edmonton, one from Calgary, one from Fort McMurray, and one originally from Olds, but currently residing in Ontario. Four of the participants were over 60, four between 40-60 years old, and one between 20-40.
Climate change/income security context: The oil and gas sector is the major employer and contributes significantly to the economic success of the area. The contributions of oil and gas companies through property taxes and other agreements have largely contributed to the standard of living in the community. Though even those working in the oil and gas industry have acknowledged extreme weather events and changes, the acknowledgment of climate change brings immediate concern about jobs and livelihoods that make product conversation difficult. The oil and gas industry has been cutting back on workers both because of decreased extraction but also as technologies have meant less workers are needed to do the same job. This has increased instability and concern for workers in the industry.
Outreach Notes: The March 16 conversation was co-hosted by Just Faith Alberta, a new, grassroots initiative of Christians in Alberta concerned with social justice issues. Many of the participants had engaged with CPJ in the past and—since one of our focus areas is climate justice—had a general understanding and consensus around the necessity for change in terms of a just transition and action on climate change.
Location: Northwest Territories
Partner Name: Ecology North
Participant Notes: Our conversation included a diverse range of participants and groups from across the territory, although we were missing a strong presence from the Sahtu and Inuvik regions.
Climate change/income security context: The scientific community has agreed that the scope at which climate and environmental changes are occurring are exacerbated and intensified in the North. As a territory, the NWT is facing an incredibly diverse range of impacts (including flooding, wildfires, permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, sea level rise…), all of which have substantial connections and implications on various social factors, especially financial and income security. Specifically, the costs of healthy foods in the North are substantially higher than in other spaces in Canada due to the heightened costs of production and shipping. Moreover, climate and environmental changes have caused less stable growing conditions and a shorter growing season, thereby threatening individual and community abilities to overcome the financial barriers to food production and consumption. Overcoming these challenges (and climate change adaptation and impact mitigation) requires costly infrastructural changes (such as the shipping and installation and maintenance of solar panels and windmills) in spaces that often lack the existing supporting infrastructure. In the North, many have taken to traditional Indigenous economies and have found ways to integrate it into the capitalist structure and system much of Canada operates within. Fur crafts and beadwork have helped to supplement household incomes lost due to environmental and climate changes, providing more opportunity and security to individuals. However, as the climate changes, species migration patterns alter, and the ability for individuals to read their surroundings is lessened, similarly, the ability for crafters to rely on traditional methods and crafts is lessened. Although the NWT has been classified as one community for the GRP conversation, its broad scope and range of climate change experiences in the NWT made this conversation more challenging. For example, while one community faces flooding, others face watershed pollution from oil development, others face coastal erosion and sea-level rise, and so on… The sheer diversity of climate-related challenges in the NWT meant that our conversations focused more on breadth than they did depth.
Outreach Notes: To recruit participants, Ecology North called each of the 33 communities to directly invite them to the conversation. To accommodate those who face barriers to internet connection, we invited participants to join our conversation through a phone call, making it more accessible and welcoming to those in the territory.
Location: Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Saskatchewan
Partner Name: Ahtahkakoop Health Center
Participant Notes: There was no leadership at the Chief and council level present. 15 people attended including the speakers. We created 2 groups that identified ‘group1’ as mainly elders and ‘group 2’ that identified as a combination of both young people and elders
Climate change/income security context: Extreme weather have affected the berries, the animals, food security, their health, employment and environment.
Outreach Notes: We invited all community members between the ages of 20- 60 years old and extended our invitation to other department and Chief and council. Extreme blizzard conditions was a definite factor in low attendance levels.
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Partner Name: Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership (SPRP)
Participant Notes: Twenty-four participants registered using the Eventbrite link, including the ten who completed the intake form. Of these participants, three people self-identified as SPRP community partners living with experience of poverty. All SPRP partners with lived experience were compensated financially for their participation in events. Two of these participants were Indigenous.
Climate change/income security context: The facilitators focused on situational awareness for current income pressures, food security, housing and climate for this conversation. Additional inequity data can be found in the 12 Bold Ideas to Eliminate Poverty. Almost 50% of the monthly users of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre are children. Point in time homelessness count (2018) indicates that there are nearly 500 people who self identify as homeless: 85% are Indigenous; 5% are youth; 65% have had connections to the child welfare system. Under the current modelling, we [Saskatoon] are likely to see the following weather patterns: 24% increase in winter precipitation; More than 30% increase in spring precipitation under status quo emissions rates; Warmer winter days = increasing amounts of freezing rain; Seasonal wind speeds are increasing in winter and spring and decreasing in the summer and fall.
Outreach Notes: The invitation to attend the event was shared with many collaborative community-driven teams in Saskatoon. The SPRP leadership team is represented by more than 100 partners across intersectoral and multijurisdictional sectors. In addition to inviting this team, we invited members of the Saskatoon Interagency Response, City of Saskatoon staff, and community partners with lived experience of poverty.
Location: Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation, Saskatchewan
Partner Name: Willow Creek Health Centre
Participant Notes: We chose to have conversations with our elders because they are our knowledge keepers and know what the environment used to be like in the community. They are the best resources to document how the environmental changes have impacted the community. We also chose the grade four class who have land-based education incorporated into their curriculum because they expressed interest in being a part of this project.
Climate change/income security context: 40% of BOCN members living in the community rely on income assistance. BOCN is also between two cities: Prince Albert, SK is 30 minutes away and Saskatoon, SK is 60 minutes away. Traveling to the larger cities adds at least $100 to each grocery bill once fuel and childcare are taken into consideration. BOCN has also been impacted by several environmental changes including extreme temperature changes throughout the winter and summer months and lack of moisture for the past five years, which have impacted local wildlife populations and community members’ ability to grow food.
Outreach Notes: Due to covid-19, there were many participant groups absent from our conversations. No public programming is being done in the community except for the bi-monthly elders gathering due to the pandemic. These responses do not reflect the opinions of parents, young adults, two-spirit members, and members receiving income assistance.
Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba
Partner Name: Flin Flon Neighbourhood Revitalization Corporation
Participant Notes: If the live in person version of our event was any indication, people that self-identify as aboriginal and black people were likely overrepresented among the participants in this event. There was no sign of any attendance from Flin Flon’s most disadvantaged social strata, such as the street population. Attendance was very strong from the cultural community, and by those who traditionally support live music events and green projects in Flin Flon. There were several city councillors and those known for their concerns about climate change.
Climate change/income security context: A common theme was that many people had personal experience of climate change, almost all negative. Among the most commonly reported concerns were increased impacts from forest fires, both in the form of smoke blowing in from fires near and far, and being directly affected by wildfires burning close to our community. Other common concerns related to low water levels on the lakes and long periods of very poor air quality during the summer due to the forest fires, and how it was so uncomfortable when these coincided with heat waves. Many people agreed that conservation and reduced consumption at the local level were keys to battling climate change. The main points of consensus were that climate change was very real, was having a definite impact on our region, and could potentially complicate Flin Flon’s efforts to transition to a post-mining economy and that we needed to do something to fight it. It also seemed to be widely acknowledged that Flin Flon was facing a double whammy, in that the impending mine closure (and resulting economic devastation and loss of infrastructure) could complicate Flin Flon’s search for a role in the post-carbon economy.
Outreach Notes: To attract people, we eliminated all barriers to participation. It was a free event open to all (we invited everyone) and we also included an option to attend virtually. At the live version of the event extra efforts were made to encourage responses from participants who might otherwise have had reservations about participating due to cultural factors or on the grounds of age/background/newcomer status.
Location: Manitoba & Saskatchewan
Partner Name: One House Many Nations
Participant Notes: All members of One House Many Nations. Participants are from different communities and Nations across Manitoba & Saskatchewan.
Climate change/income security context: One of the big things is the increased level of resource extraction in the boreal region, such as impacts of clear cutting. The extreme weather fluctuations, melting permafrost, forest fires and the drought, have led to a certain kind of beetle and other insects and the birds that eat them, coming in that we haven’t had in the past. That has impacted the access to materials and even to land because there are huge areas that has been decimated by fire. There seems to be an increase in homelessness in the area community of The Pas with not necessarily OCN band members, but people from neighboring communities that come in for medical or come in because they’ve been relocated because of fires or flooding. With climate changes, we are seeing more wood ticks and warm weather creatures invading our hunting lands and lands in general. In nehiyaw collective memory, no wood ticks ever lived on Treaty 6. Generational medicines grounds are disappearing and no longer producing medicines, we are having to go further and further to find them encroaching on other nations’ lands. In this area, we recently experienced severe drought. With the drought and heat, we now see record highs in the summer, which tend to be higher in overcrowded homes without adequate cooling. Remote Northern First Nations communities have been disrupted by climate change including issues around food security with respect to being able to hunt on traditional lands and where the hunting patterns are. Youth (18 to 35 years) have employment at 20% – so that is 80% unemployment. But youth all want to learn and work but need that opportunity.
Outreach Notes: Direct invite to OHMN network
Location: Churchill / Wabowden / Thompson, Manitoba
Partner Name: Community Futures North Central Development
Participant Notes: Residents of Churchill, Wabowden, Thompson, MB
Climate change/income security context: As the communities we engaged with are all located in northern Manitoba and are affected by changing climate in various ways, they present specific, but not unique challenges. In the conversations we held, the communities shared their own hurdles including: job loss; reduced tourism and related revenue; Increased food costs; increased utility needs and related costs; various necessity shortages; depletion of natural assets; environmental impacts negatively affecting wildlife. Changes to the winds, temperatures, and related local climate all contribute to the above challenges, growing seasons and wildlife’s natural habitat.
Outreach Notes: Although the invitation to join was open to all community members in our region (17 communities), we focused on 3 main communities (Churchill, Wabowden and Thompson). Wabowden had heard about the project and approached CFNCD about hosting it. Churchill was especially included because of their location and reliance on ecotourism. Thompson is the northern hub for the surrounding communities so was also seen as a key community to highlight.
Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario
Partner Name: Crane Institute for Sustainability
Participant Notes: Majority of attendees identified as middle income; Some have lived experience of poverty; Majority did not identify as POC; Range of job sectors represented; KII participants reflected a cross section of academic and government stakeholders
Climate change/income security context: To help us think about climate change and its impacts, it can be instructive to consider this: in the Sault, we may be challenged to identify ways that climate change is affecting us now, and because of that, we look at the Sault being fairly secure, and that climate change will affect us some time in the future. After all, we haven’t had forest fires licking at our doorstep, and warming winters have happened before. However, we are transportation dependent. We need only to look at our food supplies: much of our vegetables and fruit supplies originate across North America. The raging climate-change-caused wildfires are destroying the croplands in California, year after year are a direct consequence of climate change. We see the indirect impacts of climate change in the form of food shortages and rising food costs. Similarly, the torrid summers (climate change) that the Sault has been experiencing, particularly over the last decade, may have given some of us more beach time, but local fish stocks have declined, and the threat of invasive species has increased (direct impacts) and the indirect impacts are being felt in the loss of the existing agricultural industry and in increased food costs/insecurities.
Outreach Notes: The community partner project in Sault Ste. Marie consisted of two parts: Key Informant Interviews; and a community conversation.
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Partner Name: Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction
Participant Notes: Participants were invited based on Hamilton’s unique role in addressing both climate justice and income security issues. From 2017-2019, Hamilton was one of three pilot sites for the Ontario Basic Income Pilot project. More than 1,000 local residents participated in the program and gained first-hand knowledge of the benefits of income security through a basic income. Former participants of the pilot, joined local basic income advocates at the session to share their experiences and knowledge of how income security intersects with climate change. Hamilton also has a strong contingent of climate justice advocacy groups. Environment Hamilton, the Bay Area Climate Change Council and GASP (Grandmothers Advocating for a Safe Planet) are among many groups who were invited and attended to share their experience. In addition, the City of Hamilton has been on the forefront of addressing climate change from a municipal policy perspective and Mohawk College and McMaster University (the latter through the Centre for Climate Change) have been at the forefront of researching local and national impacts of climate change.
In addition, equity-seeking groups, including black, indigenous and queer representatives from advocacy organizations were invited given the profound impact both climate change and income insecurity has on marginalized populations in Hamilton.
Climate change/income security context: Climate concerns, economic inequality, extreme poverty, and homelessness are key issues affecting the Hamilton community, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The cost of living in Hamilton is rising at an alarming and unsustainable rate, which is contributing to an increase in homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty. Hamiltonians are experiencing the effects of inflation, stagnant wages, insufficient social assistance rates, income insecurity, and the affordable housing crisis. Emergency shelters are operating at capacity throughout the city, with many experiencing repeated COVID-19 outbreaks. More people have resorted to sheltering on the streets, in tents, or in precarious and unsafe living situations. Locally, climate change is leading to extreme cold winters and hot, humid summers, which place strains on public infrastructure and impacts human health, wildlife, and vegetation. In totality, these factors have a significant effect on mental health, physical health, and the general welfare of the community, leaving many to question what Hamilton’s future will look like.
Outreach Notes: Participants from the range of organizations mentioned below were invited to attend.
Location: St. James Town in Toronto, Ontario
Partner Name: St. James Town Community Co-op
Participant Notes: Nine participants identified themselves as persons of colour, two responded with a no and one preferred not to say. It shows that the community is a mixed community but it consists of people of colour predominantly.
Only one of 12 participants identified themselves as indigenous, but not living on a reserve. These conversations were conducted by SJT Co-op in the geography of St. James Town. All participants resided in the community when the conversations were held. It was important to note that three participants preferred not to say if they identified themselves as recent immigrants or not. This could be because they may be preferring not to be stigmatized as immigrants which is known to have sometimes negative consequences for jobs and other services. Nine (75%) participants identified themselves as low income and 3 (25%) as middle income. This is a general composition of the community. Six participants said that they had a lived experience of poverty. In SJT, poverty was a serious issue also spoken of in the conversations. While there were seven who said that they work or advocate in the area of climate change, only one said that they work or advocate in the area of income security. This being despite SJT being an area where income security is a major issue.
Climate change/income security context: St. James Town is one of the most culturally diverse urban pockets in the world, with an estimated 140 languages spoken in the 20,000+ person neighbourhood. St. James Town’s population density is more than 18 times that of the City of Toronto. Home to majority newcomers, this densely populated high-rise, low-income neighbourhood has, unfortunately, remained overlooked and underserved for several decades. St. James Town is a landing strip for newcomers from around the world; many of whom arrive with high levels of post-secondary education and relevant skills. Over 65% of St. James Town’s residents are recent immigrants from over 100 countries. The percentage of the population categorised as low-income in St. James Town is 36%, compared to the City of Toronto average of 20%. The median household income is just over $35,000 per family, compared to the average income of $112,000 Cabbagetown bordering St. James Town (City of Toronto, 2018; Canadian Urban Institute, 2016). Highly qualified persons immigrate to Canada and land in St. James Town; but struggle with the state requirements for recertification, which often require re-doing 6+ years of postsecondary education. In St. James Town, emergencies and changing climates threaten to exacerbate food insecurity. St. James Town has already seen the effects of climate change and extreme weather. Many residents migrated to Canada as climate refugees, or because of human conflict aggravated by climate change. The neighbourhood is itself becoming more vulnerable as well. As a high-rise neighbourhood St. James Town faces unique and increased food insecurity in extreme weather. Food and water access is reduced, especially for those with mobility issues, when the elevators are out of service. Food storage is shortened without electric refrigeration, and food preparation may not be safe without electricity to produce heat or pump water to upper floors. Older and disabled people with mobility issues are most at risk, as they become trapped in upper floors.
Outreach Notes: The co-op sent an invitation to our community list of members and neighbours, the resulting selection of participants represented a wide range of people who participated in the community conversation.
Location: Haliburton / City of Kawartha Lakes / Brock, Ontario
Partner Name: Joli Scheidler, BA, BEd, MA, PhD Candidate, York University – Health Policy & Equity
Participant Notes: Attendees were from all social classes and involved at various levels in the community. Many were low income, but middle and high income people also participated. Some were involved in our two largest industries, tourism and farming, which had been significantly affected during the pandemic and by climate change over several years. Some had experienced poverty, the reality of living off grid, and those affected by development challenges. The broader area is largely conservative, white and have a paternalistic mentality. A range of job sectors were represented as well as a diversity in ages and gender.
Climate change/income security context: Extreme heat, flooding and more intense storms present risks both financially and for health and wellbeing in the community. Rising temperatures are impacting people with disabilities who do not have the resources (AC). For those living outside urban areas, a vehicle is a necessity as there is no public transit system to rely on. Rural households – such as Haliburton County – are much more likely to experience energy poverty than urban households (29.3% vs 16.7%, taken from Energy Poverty in Canada: a CUSP Backgrounder). The rising costs of home heating fuel are having huge impacts on our poorest households. Unpredictable extreme weather events often cause power outages in our forested region, with few of our poorer neighbours having backup power, funds for the fuel to run generators nor money to replace food lost. Environmental changes are causing additional costs to farmers in order to maintain the status quo and resulting in additional work. Tourism is a common and important industry across our riding.
Location: Montréal, Quebec
Partner Name: Y4Y Québec
Participant Notes: Participants ranged from age 13 to mid-late 20s. This reflected a range of lived experiences, from someone who owns a hairdressing salon, one who works as an auto mechanic, to some who were still unemployed and living with their parents.
Climate change/income security context: In terms of climate change, this Montreal community faces flooding, heat waves and smog in the summer, and hot and cold snaps in the winter. In terms of income security, the community faces issues like the lack of affordable housing, a rising cost of living, underfunded social programs, etc. Montreal’s strength in terms of climate change is geographic. The island is not near an ocean, nor do its nearby forests get as hot and dry as those in British Columbia, which lead to forest fires. Montreal’s strength in terms of income security is that, globally speaking, it remains a relatively affordable city.
Outreach Notes: Conversation took place during weekly meeting of faith based group.
Location: Montréal, Quebec
Partner Name: Y4Y Québec
Participant Notes: Attendees were all roughly in their late 20s. While all were to some degree part of a nascent Montreal elite, there was a distinct range of lived experiences on display. Some were current undergraduate students, some had finished their education, some worked at a playwrights’ workshop, while others worked in nonprofits and community organizations. Furthermore, there were white and BIPOC folks involved, recent immigrants, and male and female participants. To my knowledge, however, there were no Indigenous persons present.[…]While there was no explicit call for ‘professionals,’ I know the Y4Y ecosystem well enough to have largely predicted who would respond.
Climate change/income security context: In terms of climate change, this Montreal community faces flooding, heat waves and smog in the summer, and hot and cold snaps in the winter. In terms of income security, the community faces issues like the lack of affordable housing, a rising cost of living, underfunded social programs, etc. Montreal’s strength in terms of climate change is geographic. The island is not near an ocean, nor do its nearby forests get as hot and dry as those in British Columbia, which lead to forest fires. Montreal’s strength in terms of income security is that, globally speaking, it remains a relatively affordable city.
Outreach Notes: Direct invite to conversation host’s network.
Location: Montréal, Quebec
Partner Name: Coalition Climat Montréal
Participant Notes: The age distribution was quite varied, but with a greater representation of young people. Four participants identified themselves as being from a visible minority, while three preferred not to answer the question. No one identified themselves as being Aboriginal and one person preferred not to answer the question. Three people said they were recent immigrants to Canada. There was a variety of languages spoken at home, but all participants were fluent enough in French to discuss matters with others in that language. The gender distribution was fairly well balanced. The age distribution was varied, but with a greater representation of young people. One person identified themselves as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, while two people preferred not to answer the question. No one identified themselves as persons as having a disability (one preferred not to answer). Income distribution appears to mirror that of the community’s population. Two people said they had experienced homelessness, and one experienced poverty.
Climate change/income security context: Several problems relating to climate change are beginning to affect our community (i.e. food insecurity, heat waves, floods, smog, pandemic). Owing mainly to real estate speculation, rental prices have risen sharply over the past few years, which seriously hampers access to housing for low-wage earners. As in all major cities, there are wide income disparities in Montreal. Solutions are being put in place, for example, access to food aid, the greening of neighborhoods, urban agriculture, the pooling of goods or services… Among the community’s strengths are the presence of many environmental, community and social groups, and there are a number of citizens’ initiatives. The municipal government is also relatively responsive to these issues. The authorities (https://www.ouranos.ca/en/) predict that by 2070 in Montréal’s central neighbourhoods, the number of days per year when temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius will rise from 12 to 43, and when temperatures exceed 32 degrees Celsius will rise from 3.8 to 22.9. Such changes will have significant repercussions on the population and for the time being, we are not sufficiently prepared to cope with them.
Outreach Notes: For the conversation, we aimed at reaching a greater diversity and sought to go outside the circle as much as possible, inviting people we don’t usually contact. To do this, we contacted 34 organizations, many of which work primarily at the social or community level, for example: an organization that provides services to immigrants and refugees in Montreal North, others that work with women, youth or families in precarious situations, the homeless population in the downtown area, and seniors. They were invited to share the invitation to participate in the conversation with their networks.
Location: Across Canada (primarily from Quebec)
Partner Name: Amanda Vincelli (cultural organizer based in Tio’tia:ke/Montreal)
Participant Notes: All in all, the group was fairly diverse in terms of ethnicity, backgrounds and experiences. Considering the precarious status of artists in Canada, it made sense that there wasn’t more diversity in terms of socioeconomic status. It should be mentioned that 35.5% of participants have lived experience of poverty and 9.7% (3 participants) have experienced houselessness; The livelihood of nearly half of the participants (41.9%) was seriously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also made sense that the conversations did not attract a younger audience since it was addressed to professionals and promoted within professional cultural networks. It is important to highlight that only a third of the participants identified as people of colour, only two as Indigenous, only one as a recent immigrant, and a majority identified as able-bodied. In one of the conversations, a few participants stressed the importance of Indigenous people’s participation in these conversations.
Climate change/income security context: Pollution and biodiversity loss are also having a big impact on our health and well-being. Most artists and cultural workers are grappling, intentionally or not, with this reality in their lives and practices. Data shows that climate literacy among Canadians is rather low, and many artists and cultural workers feel unequipped to tackle issues related to the climate emergency in their lives and practices. Aside from improving the conditions of cultural work in Canada, the arts and cultural sector certainly has a role to play in raising awareness and reducing its emissions. The largest impact potential for the sector however is undoubtedly its ability to influence culture. By fostering socially and environmentally just values and practices and engaging people in advocacy work beyond the arts, the cultural sector can support the transition more broadly.
In addition, a great majority of artists and cultural workers live under precarious and unsustainable conditions—facing lots of hardships and stress trying to maintain a practice while balancing a hodgepodge of jobs. Even with the support from the Canadian art councils, many cultural workers can’t access this competitive funding and fall through the cracks, notably recent immigrants and undocumented folks, people with atypical backgrounds and practices, etc. The pandemic has only exacerbated these conditions. On one hand, the isolation we face reminds us of the need for art in our lives and the important role of artists. On the other hand, the pandemic along with the climate emergency are having profound consequences on artists and cultural workers: financially, psychologically and spiritually. Many are struggling with mental health and questioning the relevance and urgency of their work, radically shifting and even abandoning their practice. The social and cultural repercussions of this loss are and will be significant.
Outreach Notes: Amanda reached out to a great number of cultural workers, organizations, and networks across Quebec and Canada with the intention and goal to bring together people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Postings mentioned that a $50 stipend was available to participants.
The event was mentioned in an article by Hill Strategies and was circulated in their newsletter. The Réseau Art Actuel also posted about the event on their website and newsletter. Several cultural organizations like The Shift Centre for Social Transformation, and art centres such as articule and La Centrale Powerhouse, shared about the conversations in their newsletter and/or social media. Aside from direct outreach in her personal networks, Amanda got in touch with over fifty cultural organizations, different umbrella groups, networks and cultural leaders with a focus on Indigenous, Black and other POC art workers and community organizers, as well as people and initiatives working specifically at the intersection of art, culture and the climate emergency. The organizer did more outreach in Quebec since a majority of the other community conversations were organized in other parts of Canada. Considering the most commonly-spoken languages in Quebec and Canada, two events were organized, one in English and one in French.
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Partner Name: Conservation Council of New Brunswick
Participant Notes: Participants mostly represented interest groups. Each participant, however, indicated that they personally experienced income insecurity, or that they knew someone who does. Despite the open call and our targeted effort to invite different stakeholders, there was a notable absence of people from BIPOC communities.
Climate change/income security context: The effects of climate change are getting worse as demonstrated by once-in-a-lifetime flood two years in a row. Summers are getting hotter and winter weather is unpredictable, often wet, and icy. The combined flooding and drought from heatwaves disrupt local food production and foraging. In addition to climate change, there is existing income inequality – more people are struggling to afford the basics to survive. There is an increasing housing accessibility problem in the region, with the cost of rent out pacing income increases. In addition to the threat of rent increases, residents experience high power bills due to energy inefficient buildings and rising food prices. Fredericton is a city that has an older housing stock, especially for low-income earners, that leak heat which forces people to spend more on their electricity bills.
Outreach Notes: We promoted the open call through frequent social media posts and newsletters as well as through ally organizations such as the New Brunswick Environmental Network and the NB Media Co-op. We had a good mix of community organizers, activists, and residents. We reached out to local organizations such as the Tenants’ Rights Coalition of NB, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, Human Development Council, NB Common Front for Social Justice, Sitansisk Wolastoqiyik First Nation, and The Greater Fredericton Community Inclusion Network.
Location: Lockeport, Nova Scotia
Partner Name: Centre for Local Prosperity
Participant Notes: Youth from 10 years of age to 100 years of age had a conversation. There were fishers, self-employed, business owners, newcomers, youth, elders, town council. There was a good range of representation of the community in Lockeport.
Climate change/income security context: Lockeport is a unique Atlantic coastal island town that is significantly exposed to climate change related ocean impacts since it is joined to the mainland only by a beachside causeway. Lockeport has a maximum elevation of 9 metres. In addition to its high-risk exposure to ocean changes, Lockeport has been experiencing other significant impacts of climate change. These include storm related power outages, lack of rainfall and drought conditions, and related concerns about food security. For example, the recent depletion of domestic dug wells in the town has intensified climate change awareness. Food insecurity is a significant negative outcome of climate change as some food growing areas can become unsustainable. There is negligible food growing in Lockeport. If the causeway to the Island is washed out by storm related events there is no way to get food or any other services. Economic diversification is also an issue due to longer term changes in ocean health and the strength of fish stocks. One major employer: Clearwater Seafood. Causeway failure is also an economic threat.
Outreach Notes: Because Lockeport is quite small, outreach was far and wide to anyone who would be interested and available. However there was a concerted focus on capturing fisher families, newcomers, as well as some long term care home residents to hear from elders and youth. The focus on the fisher families offers a perspective and voice not often heard. Their livelihood and direct observations on climate change impact is most relevant. A local resident reached out to the community by making phone calls, in person visits and sending emails as well as using social media.
Location: Lockeport, Nova Scotia
Partner Name: Centre for Local Prosperity
Participant Notes: Grades 10, 11, 12. 23% of the entire school population.
Climate change/income security context: Lockeport is a unique Atlantic coastal island town that is significantly exposed to climate change related ocean impacts since it is joined to the mainland only by a beachside causeway. Lockeport has a maximum elevation of 9 metres. In addition to its high-risk exposure to ocean changes, Lockeport has been experiencing other significant impacts of climate change. These include storm related power outages, lack of rainfall and drought conditions, and related concerns about food security. For example, the recent depletion of domestic dug wells in the town has intensified climate change awareness. Food insecurity is a significant negative outcome of climate change as some food growing areas can become unsustainable. There is negligible food growing in Lockeport. If the causeway to the Island is washed out by storm related events there is no way to get food or any other services. Economic diversification is also an issue due to longer term changes in ocean health and the strength of fish stocks. One major employer: Clearwater Seafood. Causeway failure is also an economic threat.
Outreach Notes: Keen to include the opinions and insights of local youth, a Lockeport resident and CLP board member approached a teacher at Lockeport Regional High School, about hosting a conversation with students from the school.
Location: Atlantic Canada
Partner Name: National Farmers Union
Participant Notes: Farmers, farm workers across Atlantic region primarily from small-scale diversified farms. The participants were not all located in the same local community. Farmers’ experiences also varied based on what they produced, type of marketing, and scale of farm, among other differences. The National Farmers Union leveraged our network of farmers to reach participants. Participants did not need to be members to participate. All farmers and farm workers, member or non-member from the region were invited to participate.
Climate change/income security context: Climate change has a direct impact on farmers and their livelihoods. Participants mentioned extreme weather causing damage on their infrastructure, and a fear that storms are only going to get stronger and more persistent. Additionally, rapid temperature fluctuations and potentially warmer winters may have impacts on healthy perennial production and lead to an increase in pest populations. Changes like these that are beyond the control of farmers result in real financial ramifications both in loss of crops and an increase in costs associated with preventative and supplemental measures (more greenhouses, more row cover and insect netting). The community in question does not represent a specific geographic region, rather a shared sentiment among food producers.
Outreach Notes: The National Farmers Union leveraged our network of farmers to reach participants.
Location: The Tantramar Region, New Brunswick
Partner Name: Aster Group / Margaret Tusz-King
Participant Notes: 20-40 years of age – 55%; 41-60 years of age – 26%; over 60 – 19% ; People of Colour – 1; recent immigrant – 1; English-speakers – all ; women – 58%; men – 32%; agender – 10% ; Low income – 42%; middle income – 53%; preferred not to say – 5%; Living with a disability – 21%.
Climate change/income security context: The Tantramar region of southeast New Brunswick is located in a coastal part of Canada at high risk of catastrophic impacts of climate change, mostly in relation to rising sea levels, inland flooding and extreme weather. Dykes protect railway infrastructure and the Trans-Canada Highway joining New Brunswick with Nova Scotia, so a main transportation corridor is at risk (impacting economic activities, access to healthcare, ability to travel to work, etc). The dykes also protect many farms and pastures upon which the local agriculture community depends. With the oceans warming, the risk of severe hurricanes reaching further north is increasing. This will mean more uncertainty and risk to infrastructure and public safety. The concomitant flooding of roadways could also mean that some people will be unreachable by first responders. Farm livelihoods and infrastructure could also be washed out. This risk of flooding will affect housing: people may find that their properties now have no re-sale value; landlords may cease to invest maintenance in their buildings due to their risky locations. New Brunswick has the highest percentage of citizens in the lowest quartile for income (17.1% for NB; 14.2% for Canada). In Tantramar, there are proportionately more people living with disabilities than across New Brunswick (28% vs 22%); more people living alone (17% vs 13%); more children and adults in low-income households; higher incidence of cancers in women; higher proportion of adults living with 3 chronic medical conditions; and more premature deaths among youth (cancers, injuries, suicide). All of these factors may be correlated with income insecurity, with better outcomes among those with higher income levels. Due to the combination of subsidence of the land, rising sea levels and expected catastrophic storms, new predictions for impacts resulting in flooding appear to be more dire than ever. Recovery from the current and anticipated losses due to the pandemic regarding livelihoods and income resilience, may be slow due to limited local resources.
Outreach Notes: Priority to invite a variety of people who met some of the following criteria: lived experience of disability and/or mental illness; lived experience of low income or homelessness; balance of people from the rural area as well as from towns; people who live in flood plains or other at-risk locations; those knowledgeable or engaged with climate change and/or income security issues; those engaged in local government; those knowledgeable about climate change and/or poverty issues; a range of ages; balance of genders; First Nations participants; People of Colour; newcomers; and, those with long experience living in the region.
Location: Prince Edward Island
Partner Name: PEI Working Group for Livable Income / Cooper Institute
Participant Notes: We had representatives of the following sectors: farming, fishing, independent business, health care people, church groups, NGO social justice, environmentalists (climate change, land, water, watershed), youth, seniors, BIPOC people, academics, advocates for Basic Income Guarantee.
Climate change/income security context: The extent of poverty in Prince Edward Island is significant. The province typically has among the lowest wages in the country. It was noted that 40% of people living in the province would qualify for Basic Income. The effects of poverty are unequally distributed and amplified among certain groups including BIPOC community members, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ community, and newcomers to Canada. Approximately 14% of PEI’s population, or almost 20,000 people experience food insecurity. A vulnerable workforce: Prince Edward Island’s economy is highly dependent on three sectors, all of which are vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis, fishing, farming and tourism. The Gulf of St Lawrence, the health of which is essential to our fisheries, is warming at an alarming rate; extreme weather events can cause devastation of crops, erosion of soil and damage to water and aquatic life; variations in seasons due to climate change may affect farming, fishing and tourism.
Outreach Notes: e-mail and phone to randomly selected community people, inviting participants who represent a wide range of the population.
Location: Newfoundland
Partner Name: Dan Meades (Provincial Coordinator, The Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador)
Participant Notes: I was disappointed with the number of people who participated in the conversation (low attendance was possibly related to a tragic news story that broke the day before). I would have preferred to have greater participation from the Provincial Government but overall, I was happy with the representation. We offered stipends to anyone who would need one in order to attend and offered community groups the ability to have their program participants be involved in the conversation.
Climate change/income security context: Newfoundland plays a unique role in conversations about climate change and income security because there is a large oil extraction industry in the waters off Newfoundland’s shores and Newfoundland has currently, and historically, higher than the national average poverty rates. Newfoundland’s economy is seen as tied to carbon intensive industries and as such there is often a dichotomous view between address climate change and economic prosperity. Newfoundland has seen extreme weather events in the last three years that are significant outliers from previous weather patterns. People are realizing that these are a part of what is described as “climate change”. Newfoundland has always felt isolated, geographically as well as politically, from the rest of Canada. This isolation allows the island to feel a very strong sense of community and social cohesion and a history of mobilizing to help those in need.
Outreach Notes: Participants were invited based on their geographical diversity, lived experience, expertise, and community leadership. I had a series of brainstorms sessions with community leaders to ensure we had invited people with diverse perspectives to ensure a fruitful and representative conversation.
Location: Labrador
Partner Name: Dan Meades (Provincial Coordinator, The Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador)
Participant Notes: I was disappointed with the number of people who participated in the conversation (low attendance was possibly related to a tragic news story that broke the day before). I would have preferred to have greater participation from the Provincial Government but overall, I was happy with the representation. We offered stipends to anyone who would need one in order to attend and offered community groups the ability to have their program participants be involved in the conversation. The conversation was a success, and the only challenge was the timing for the news story the day before. I also wondered in retrospect if the strong private sector presence deterred some part of the conversation so I followed up with all participants individually to give them a chance to voice anything they had not during our initial conversation.
Climate change/income security context: The region of Labrador West relies heavily on the mining industry and there is strong tension between what is seen as economically sustainable and environmentally sustainable. The negative impacts that these communities have seen when the mine has been temporarily shut down have been catastrophic to families and there is a real fear of it happening again. It was noted that Labrador has a much higher poverty rate than the national average and as inflation and other negative financial impacts of fossil fuel reliance take place the population has less ability to handle those bumps in the road.
Outreach Notes: Participants were invited based on their geographical diversity, lived experience, expertise, and community leadership. Specific effort was made in ensuring that Labrador Land Protectors were included in the conversation. I had a series of brainstorms sessions with community leaders to ensure we had invited people with diverse perspectives to ensure a fruitful and representative conversation.