Climate Caucus

The first episode of Oh Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is out now!

The Cities 1.5 limited miniseries, in collaboration with Elbows Up for Climate and C40 Cities, speaks with Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are implementing climate solutions in our own backyard, whether through politics, academia, or advocacy.

In this first episode, host David Miller takes a deeper look at why Canada went from being a global leader in combating climate change to doubling down on pipelines, overshooting emissions targets, and continuing to stake our future on a path that we know is unviable — for our planet and our communities.

Hear from esteemed guests on the science, data and politics behind Canada’s climate trajectory:
🟢 Steven Guilbeault, former Minister of the Environment
🟢 Ian J. Mauro, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS)
🟢 Amber Bennett Bennet, Executive Director of Re.Climate

While we unravel Canada’s complicated climate history, we also begin to look forward to the solutions we need to protect the people and places where we call home.

Listen to Episode 1 here: https://lnk.to/OCE1

Oh Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.

Cities 1.5 E1: Oh, Canada: How did we get here?

🌟 New Resource Announcement 🌟

Driven by the vast expansion of AI, data centres are growing rapidly across Canada - announced data centres are set to increase Canada’s MW capacity by 1400%.

Despite significant local impacts, from exponential energy use to water security and air quality concerns, municipalities are being asked to navigate this rapidly evolving land use with little guidance.

To meet this need, today we are launching Ground Rules: Ensuring Canada’s Data Centre Development Happens on Local Terms.

Developed in collaboration with Urban Climate Leadership, Ground Rules offers a series of resources to help municipalities navigate the opportunities and risks of data centre development, and build policies that work for their communities.

“Ensuring local governments have the information and tools they need to make decisions right for them is ultimately about democracy. Communities across the country are struggling with the pace of development and the consequences of data centres in their backyards. Ground Rules gives them practical tools to make informed decisions and sends a clear message to Ottawa: if Canada wants to get data centre development right, local leaders need to be at the table.” Zoe Grams, Climate Caucus Executive Director

Explore our website to discover:
🔵 The Ground Rules Toolkit on policy tools, planning mechanisms and decision-making levers available to municipalities
🔵 Case studies from communities of all sizes across Canada
🔵 Guiding questions to help local governments develop their approach to data centre regulation and
🔵 Requests for greater support from the federal government for municipalities as they navigate this transition.

👉 https://datacentregroundrules.ca/

What if there are reasons to hope for a more resilient climate future in your own backyard - right here in Canada?

That’s exactly the question Cities 1.5 podcast new miniseries, Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is asking - debuting next week on October 6.

Hosted by David Miller, Managing Director at C40 Cities and Co-Chair of Elbows Up for Climate, the 6-part series takes a deep dive into the climate crisis through the lens of Canadians fighting to write a different story.

The podcast features Elbows Up for Climate Signatories, who are speaking up to ensure their communities have a voice at the table, including Gabrielle Blatz, Otipemisiwak Métis Government's Provincial Secretary of Women, Gender Equity & Inclusion, Mayor of Jasper Richard Ireland, Mayor of Yellowknife Ben Hendriksen, Mayor of Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe and Mayor of Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell.

Other prominent guests include:
🟢 Avi Lewis, Leader of Canada’s NDP,
🟢 Amber Bennet, Executive Director of Re.Climate,
🟢 Steven Guilbeault, former Minister of the Environment,
🟢 Ian Mauro, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS),
🟢 Dr Jen Baron, Assistant Professor of Fire Ecology at University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Center for Wildfire Coexistence,
🟢 Seth Klein, Author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency and “Seth Klein / Emergency Measures” on Substack

You won’t want to miss it. Listen to the trailer: https://lnk.to/OCTrailer

Oh Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.

.5

Community Highlight: Penticton Council approves Solar-powered Micro-grid ☀️

The almost $9M electrical grid will reduce emissions and improve community resiliency and energy security by powering critical community infrastructure during outages, including Penticton Regional Hospital and fire hall.

Once again, this investment in resilience will pay off in spades:

🟢 The project’s capital costs are expected to be recovered through energy savings by approximately years 12 or 13 years.
🟢 Over the lifetime of the asset, the project is expected to provide a 252% return on investment and a net present value of $3.35 million.

For more examples of how investing in resilience saves money, check out our recently released Climate Costs Toolkit:https://climatecaucus.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Climate-Costs-Toolkit.pdf

“It all starts with a decision to treat sustainability as an investment for the future, not as an obstacle to investment,” stated David Miller, Elbows Up for Climate Co-Chair, when he sat down with Mitchell B**r from The Energy Mix during last week’s Investment Summit.

As a guest on The Better Ideas Show, highlighting investments that will build Canada’s clean climate economy, the former mayor of Toronto discussed how climate investments can strengthen our local economies.

Over 300 Mayors and Councillors across Canada are advocating for ‘better ideas’ to build up Canada:
🔋A clean energy grid across the country
🏠Affordable housing built to the highest sustainability principles
🚅Significant investments in public transportation

Watch the show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd9dhbP0cGE&t=3s

For more better ideas, visit elbowsupforclimate.ca and theenergymix.com

How climate investments strengthen local economies w David Miller, C40 Cities & ElbowsUp for Climate The Better Ideas Show: Mitchell B**r's interview with David Miller,...

“It all starts with a decision to treat sustainability as an investment for the future, not as an obstacle to investment,” stated David Miller, Elbows Up for Climate Co-Chair, when he sat down with Mitchell B**r from The Energy Mix during last week’s Investment Summit.

As a guest on The Better Ideas Show, highlighting investments that will build Canada’s clean climate economy, the former mayor of Toronto discussed how climate investments can strengthen our local economies.

Over 300 Mayors and Councillors across Canada are advocating for ‘better ideas’ to build up Canada as part of :
🔋A clean energy grid across the country
🏠Affordable housing built to the highest sustainability principles
🚅Significant investments in public transportation

Watch the show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd9dhbP0cGE&t=3s

For more better ideas, visit elbowsupforclimate.ca and theenergymix.com

www.youtube.com

Reeling from the plethora of climate impacts, new federal bills, major projects and the polycrisis we’re facing? Want a down-to-earth summary of what all that means for local and federal climate solutions? Need something to listen to for your evening walk or activities?

Our September Climate Caucus Podcast is now out! Hear from Climate Caucus' Executive Director, Zoe Grams and Senior Manager of Public Affairs, Alex Cool-Fergus on:

⭕ Breaking polling on Canadians’ climate concerns;

⭕ What the Investment Summit tells us about future priorities — and possibilities;

⭕ Fall Budget expectations, and what you can still do to ensure your voice is heard;

⭕ How we’re supporting YOU as local elected leaders both federally and locally…

⭕ and more.

Let us know what you think and what you’d like to hear from us on in the future.

🎧 Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WyDXlmDHXNQZfrVm8Cv7t?si=DeoZ_0sLQyi7i5Ic0iSXaA&nd=1&dlsi=dbf4f6f2167645c6

When Canadians are facing growing, interconnected economic challenges, local leaders need to increasingly demonstrate how action on climate is good for job creation and our economy.

Our new toolkit makes the fiscal case for climate adaptation at the municipal level.

In Climate Costs: How investing in climate resilience saves money we demonstrate:

💸 The monetary costs of inaction,
💰 The savings that can result from adaptation policies and projects, and
💲Real-world examples of how investments in resilience have saved taxpayer dollars from small, medium and large communities across Canada.

Access the Toolkit https://climatecaucus.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Climate-Costs-Toolkit.pdf

How much do residents know about local climate policies—and what kinds of investments in public infrastructure, buildings, and homes do they support?

Join us next week on Tuesday September 22 at 11am PT / 2pm ET to learn which local climate policies are most popular, and what framing is most compelling. This webinar is open to all!

Register Here: https://climatecaucus.ca/event/what-communities-want-to-know-about-enacting-climate-policies/

You’ll hear from:

🟢 James Boothroyd with EcoAnalytics Research whose Clean Cities Research Project has been exploring what residents of Canadian cities know about – and support, regarding — local climate policies and investments in public infrastructure.

🟢Amber Bennett with Re.Climate on framing to advance critical climate policies in a period of rampant misinformation and government hesitancy

You’ll leave understanding more about how to communicate clearly and effectively about key policies and how to build support for climate initiatives in your community through cutting edge research and insights.

Campaign season is well underway — and we’re here to help.

As hundreds of Climate Caucus members move into the final stages of campaign planning, we’re gearing up our support with fall Campaign School drop-ins and a NEW Get Out The Vote resource.

Join our Public Affairs Manager, Alex-Cool Fergus, and special guests this September and October to ask questions, test ideas, swap insights, and build connections with fellow municipal leaders.

Whether you’re a first-time candidate or a seasoned, multi-term leader, this is a space for you.
📅 Tuesdays | 11 AM–12 PM PT / 2–3 PM ET
September 22
October 6, 13, 20 & 27
👉 Sign up: https://climatecaucus.ca/campaign-school/

Can’t make the calls? No problem. We’ve also created a Get Out the Vote resource with practical tools for organizing effective voter mobilization drives.
👉 Explore the Toolkit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jonbs-pbNeN9zZvmYtfUrMOaH9UeJD5p/view?usp=sharing