IN THIS ISSUE

Vancouver residents will go to the polls on Saturday, October 15 to vote for a Mayor, 10 City Councillors, 7 Park Board Commissioners and 9 School Trustees.

Voting in this election is your opportunity to shape the future you want and show you care for your community. Your vote also makes a difference for climate action; our elected officials make important decisions that can enhance the City’s climate leadership, champion ambitious and equitable climate action, and shape policies to cut our emissions, while making our homes, neighbourhoods and environment more resilient to our changing climate to support our collective future.

YOUR TURN

The candidates for Vancouver’s election were officially announced on September 16. You can now read about the candidates in the Voters' Guide that is available at vancouver.ca/vote, or at your library, community centre and other public places. You can also attend or organize a town hall or an all-candidates meeting where candidates will discuss key issues, such as climate action. 

Find out if you are eligible or already registered to vote at vancouver.ca/vote. If not, you can also register when you vote in October. Don’t forget to ask your friends and family if they are registered to vote, and encourage them to learn more about the candidates and voting process.

There are three ways to vote: 

On September 24, join the United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the One Earth – One Choice Environmental Festival.  The UNEP provides leadership, inspiration and opportunities for global collaboration on environmental issues. This event will highlight the program’s accomplishments and aims to inspire further community action. 

The festival will feature exciting speakers, networking opportunities, exhibitions of local youth-led environmental initiatives and community environmental organizations and much more. 

In collaboration with the UNEP and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNA-Canada creates a bridge between the United Nations and Canadians by involving them in critical international issues and empowering Canadian youth. 

YOUR TURN

Attend the festival at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability on September 24. Find the event program and details on how to register here.

Youth-led environmental initiatives and community environmental organizations that are interested in showcasing their work and opportunities for community to take action at the festival can apply here. 

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, CLIMATE ADAPTATION 

Does your organization have a project for 2023 that supports sustainability, equity and climate action in Vancouver? We have a grant for that!
 
The Greenest City Grant program offers grants for place-based, community-driven initiatives that help advance sustainability and climate action in our city, with a specific focus on addressing inequities and under-represented groups. These grants aim to foster sustainability leadership and collaboration, create opportunities for innovation, and advance our Climate Emergency Action Plan goals throughout Vancouver. 

Since 2012, we’ve funded over $2.7 million to 137 projects. Past recipients have focused on improving access to active transportation, climate leadership training, food waste reduction and more.

YOUR TURN

This year, we are moving to a two-step application process and inviting organizations to submit an Expression of Interest before October 7.  

To be eligible:

•    Applicants must be a registered charity, BC society, social enterprise or First Nations Band
•    Projects must take place in and benefit Vancouver
•    Applicants may apply for up to $50,000 and matching funds are encouraged
•    Projects may be one to two years in length 

For more information on the grant and application process, and to learn about past recipients, visit the Greenest City Grant website or attend the online workshop on September 23.

SUPPORTING: CLIMATE EMERGENCY, CLIMATE ADAPTATION 

The Rainway planned for St. George Street between Broadway and East 5th Ave is part of sweeping city-wide efforts to add green space and manage rainwater more naturally through green rainwater infrastructure. The Rainway will use plants and soils to help filter 10,500 cubic metres of polluted rainwater runoff per year — the equivalent of more than four Olympic size swimming pools. The new green corridor will also provide key food sources and habitat for a variety of species, including mammals, birds, bees, bugs and butterflies.

Collecting information about species in the area through BioBlitzes allows us to better understand and track biodiversity, and will help us choose a ‘planting palette’ for the Rainway that benefits a diversity of species. A year after the Rainway is built, we will return for another series of bioblitzes to measure the changes in biodiversity along St. George Street. 

YOUR TURN

On October 1, we’re calling for citizen scientists of all ages to join us at Guelph Park and help quantify changes in biodiversity along the St. George Rainway. 

To participate, all you need is an electronic device (like a smart phone or tablet) with a camera and access to the iNaturalist app. Paper forms will also be available for recording data. Can’t make it? You can collect biodiversity data along St. George St throughout the year and log it in our St. George Rainway project on iNaturalist.

SUPPORTING: RAIN CITY STRATEGY