The Best Sites

Partners for Climate Protection (Federation of Canadian Municipalities)
FCM manages a federally-funded program to assist Canadian municipalities to plan for climate adaptation and mitigation. Over 300 municipalities across the country are involved, at various steps along the five milestones:

1. Creating a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast
2. Setting an emissions reductions target
3. Developing a local action plan
4. Implementing the local action plan or a set of activities
5. Monitoring progress and reporting results

The Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change

Canadian government: the Canadian government's information page on climate change.

Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan

Energy Efficient Alberta
Alberta's one-stop site for energy saving incentives and rebates for homes and businesses. It doesn't get much simpler to save!

B.C.'s Climate Plan
Information on the government's climate plan. See the section on Get Involved to find incentives for home and office energy conservation, community organizing, and transportation.

Climate Action Toolkit
A detailed website of ideas, guides, and resources available for community-based climate action.

Manitoba Climate Change site
Look at the What You Can Do section for tips and links.

Manitoba Hydro
Information on conservation programs and incentives

New Brunswick Climate Change Site
New Brunswick's information site, with links to the province's climate plan

Charting our Course: Climate Change Action Plan 2011

Turn Back the Tide  (government site)
A great one-stop shop for Newfoundland and Labrador's climate action plan. Here, you'll find factsheets on solutions, links to incentives and resources, and interactive tools.

Climate Change
The government's information site on climate change.

Greenhouse Gas Strategy 2011 - 2015
A The NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework is being developed to replace the Greenhouse Gas Strategy

Climate Change
The government's information site on climate change, including a proposed cap and trade program.

What Nova Scotia is Doing
Includes a link to the 2009 Climate Change Action Plan, "Toward a Greener Future.

Nunavut Climate Change Centre
The government's information site on climate change, including a section on Voices From the Land. Information on climate plans can be found in the Publications section.

 

Green Ontario Fund
The Ontario government's one-stop information site on Ontario programs and rebates to reduce your energy costs and fight climate change. Find information for homes (homeowners and renters), businesses (proprietor owned/small scale businesses), or organizations (medium and large manufacturing, institutional and commercial enterprises).

Climate Change (Government of Ontario)
The Ontario government's main information page on climate change and their Climate Action Plan. Additional pages are available on key government initiatives, including:

• Cycling in Ontario
• Building Ontario (infrastructure projects)

Save on Energy (Independent Electricity System Operator)
Keep an eye out for their coupons for electricity conservation. It's a great way to save money while saving energy.

Local Utilities
Check your local utility for information as well - they usually run the same incentive programs and also have their own conservation programs

Toronto Atmospheric Fund
TAF has the mandate to support climate throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Check their grants section for more information.

City Programs
You may find good resources on your local municipal government site.

1. Live Green Toronto has great ideas on combining green living and quality of life. Be sure to sign up for the Live Green card to get discounts at participating stores and businesses.
2. Transform TO  integrates climate action and quality of life into a long term plan for the Toronto.

Climate ChangeAction Plan
The government's information site on its climate change action plan.

Climate Change
The government's information site on climate change, with a page of links to reports and information on the Green Fund.

Fonds Vert
Information on the Province's Green Fund (French only).

Climate Change
The government's information site on climate change, including a link to a Climate Change White Paper

Climate Change and Yukon
The government's information site on climate change, including a link to the Yukon Government Climate Change Action plan.

Community Resilience to Extreme Weather (CREW)
Just a bunch of community volunteers in Toronto, but they have already compiled one of the best sources of information on how to plan for extreme weather in your home, building or community.

Get Prepared (Government of Canada)
Three good sections: Know the Risks, Make a Plan, and Get a Kit

Weather Underground (US)
This site has summaries for all types of emergencies - so you can pick the preparation plan for the most likely events in your location.

Flood Ready (Government of Canada)
Tips on how to prepare for floods at home an in your community.

NAIMA Canada
NAIMA is the association for all those businesses that sell insulation products. They've made it super easy for people to find incentives and rebates for investing in conservation.  Smart!

Green Communities Home Energy Solutions
A program of Green Communities Canada, with non-profit associations in municipalities across Canada. A home energy assessment is the first step to figuring out which energy conservation measures will give you the best return in lowering your bills and improving your home comfort.

Interested in renewable energy? You can choose to green your existing energy bills, produce your own power, or participate in community energy projects.

Green your Bills

Bullfrog Power
Green your energy bills by paying a premium for green energy. Bullfrog Power invests in green energy projects across the country. so your premium is helping to green the grid and offset carbon emissions.

Produce your own power

Canadian Solar Industry Association
CanSIA is a great place to start for information on the solar industry in Canada.

There are a number of companies that offer turnkey solar solutions for your home. Here are some of them:

• Grasshopper Solar
• NRG Home Solar
• Free Ontario Solar

Community Power

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
OSEA works with communities in Ontario to set up community power projects.

Canadian Urban Transit Association
CUTA is the association for transit systems across Canada, and a strong advocate for urban transit.

Local and Regional Cycling Associations:

• La Route Verte - Quebec's top notch network of bike routes
• Velo Quebec - making sure cycling is part of the Quebec culture and DNA
• Cycle Toronto - pressing for safe cycling and bike lanes in Toronto
• Bike Hub - Vancouver's cycling association, promoting safe cycling through education, local organizing, and in the City's Transportation Strategy

Plug 'n Drive
Plug 'n Drive is an Ontario-based organization promoting electric vehicles. Their website has a guide to EVs, and, if you are in Toronto, they have an EV Discovery Centre where you can test drive e-vehicles.

 

Sustain Ontario
Sustain Ontario is a good example of a regional food network, working to support local food initiatives across Ontario.

 

Toronto Vegetarian Association
Looking to shift to a vegetarian diet? The TVA has all kinds of resources online, including a seven day veggie challenge to get you started.

Jane’s Walk 
Learn about communities through the eyes of others. Jane's Walks happen the first weekend of May in communities across Canada and around the world. They celebrate the ideas of Jane Jacobs, whose writing and actions transformed how we look at planning and community development.

Canadian Urban Institute
The CUI is an urban think tank, with research and programs aimed at promoting excellence in urban design.

Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition
OHCC has been bringing groups and communities together in Ontario for over thirty years. "Healthy communities" is the original integrated community development model, combining social, cultural, economic, and environmental health into local strategies for success.

Earth Day Canada
Earth Day Canada has developed a great program called Earth Play, designed to reconnect kids with nature in their neighbourhoods and cities.