Our Members

Our members are based in Toronto or are an important part of Toronto activity and have been selected and approved through consensus. To date, our membership consists of the following organizations:

photo City of Toronto Clean Air Partnership Pollution Probe Ontario Environment Canada Toronto and Region Conservation AuthorityUniversity of TorontoRyerson University Institute for Catastrophic Loss ReductionYork University

The City of Toronto

  • To further Toronto's climate change agenda, the Toronto Environment Office leads and coordinates mitigation and adaptation efforts across all City organizations, as mandated by our Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan (2007).
  • Engage the community (residents, businesses) as partners in our mitigation and adaptation efforts through various outreach programs, including Live Green Toronto. Key components include Live Green Toronto Grants to help fund neighbourhood and community-based green projects, Community Animators to work with and help community groups turn their ideas into action, a one-stop website to promote living green, and public outreach at events including the annual Green Toronto Awards and Live Green Toronto Festival.
  • Conduct air quality and climate change related studies, develop inventories and reports such as greenhouse gas emissions inventory for analysis and decision-making purposes.
  • Develop and coordinate the City's climate change adaptation efforts, including implementation of our Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

    For more information: http://www.toronto.ca/environment/air.htm

 

Clean Air Partnership

  • Our energies are directed at addressing the greening of cities through cleaning the air, stabilizing climate and protecting people from air pollution and the impacts of climate change.
  • CAP protects the local environment and human health, researches solutions, educates, provides information and strategies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation. CAP employs a range of tools to achieve these results. These include research, mapping, policy initiatives, market solutions and public education. CAP works closely with local communities and others who share the common goal of healthy sustainable cities.
  •  CAP works with Canadians, decision-makers and businesses on climate change mitigation and adaptation. We focus on strategies that will get results, which for CAP means influencing decision making in the interests of livable cities.
  • We promote actions based on the sound research conducted by our team of expert researchers. We often present groundbreaking new research insights, conclusions and strategies for revitalizing and protecting our cities. Example: Cities Preparing for Climate Change. Website link to report: Cities Preparing for Climate Change (May 2007)

Environment Canada

  • Support climate change impact and adaptation research in Canada and other countries.
  • Support stakeholders requiring scenario information for decision making and policy development.
  • Provide access to the work of AIRD, an Environment Canada research group under the auspices of the Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate.
  • Provide access to Canadian research on the development of scenarios and adaptation research.

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction

  • Promoting disaster mitigation and prevention for small business, municipalities and homes.
  • Conducting and assisting with climate change research and adaptation program implementation in Canadian municipalities.
  • Researching social and physical dimensions of natural hazards in Canada.
  • Educating and advising the Canadian insurance industry on natural hazard research and disaster prevention.

Pollution Probe

  • Assessor of sound science to inform the development of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, including national assessments and sectoral specific reports.
  • Developer of clear and relevant educational material to help improve awareness and inform decision-makers and the public.
  • Strong advocate for integrating and mainstreaming climate change mitigation and adaptation considerations into long-term decision-making and planning.
  • Works with industry, government, NGOs and other agencies to understand climate change, disseminate information and best practices, and develop effective mitigation and adaptation measures.

Ryerson University

  • Researching climate change impacts.
  • Instructing and teaching students in climate change impacts and adaptation.
  • Implementing projects to directly address impacts.
  • Working with government, especially regarding data and information.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

  • TRCA is not only integrating climate change into our own business operations we are also proposing new partnerships and leveraging advanced science to meet the climate challenge on a local, regional, and national scale.
  • TRCA's adaptation approach is based on reducing harm to individuals and building resilient natural systems and watersheds. With an objective to improve air quality, community health, and biodiversity , we aim to acquire and enhance approximately 4,000 hectares of greenspace. TRCA is currently the largest landowner in the GTA region with approximately 15,000 hectares of greenspace.
  • To help reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), we are promoting a culture of conservation through market transformation programs such a Pearson Eco-Business Zone ( North America’s Largest ICI zone to achieve water, waste and energy efficiencies), Major’s Megawatt Challenge, Greening Retail and Greening Health Care, as well as the Living City Campus at Kortright.
  • Plans are underway to coordinate action to establish an Ontario Centre for Collaboration on Climate Change - a provincial centre for research and development in climate change adaptation and mitigation with a global reputation.

University of Toronto

  • Climate change research - detection of climate change in the GTA
  • Climate change impact assessment
  • Climate change in northern communities

York University

  • Science: Observing and monitoring planetary terrestrial and marine ecosystems (e.g. invasive species, paleolimnology, impacts on hydrological cycle); Chemistry and climate; Remote sensing and satellite technology; Engineering (e.g. instrumentation, measurement techniques); Weather and climate.
  • Impacts: Resources scarcity; Human security; Predicting impacts; Disasters and natural hazards; Human health and poverty.
  • Solutions and policy responses: Science, technology and society; Environmental thought, Ethics and philosophy; Economics; Management approaches and governance; Politics of climate change.
  • Communication: Public awareness and outreach; Bridging the gap between research and practice; Science-policy interface; Media and cultural forms of communicating; Pedagogy.

Government of Ontario

  • In December 2007, an Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation was appointed to advise the province on adaptation strategies that address the impacts of climate change in our communities and ecosystems.
  • Hosting events, such as the Spring 2008 summit.
  • Establishing a Climate Change Secretariat to provide central support and direction to the government.
  • Supporting research and community outreach being conducted by organizations like the Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources.