Update:

Canada’s House of Commons has declared a national climate emergency

It’s true that our climate is changing – and we know it is because of human influence.

Recently, Canada’s Changing Climate Report, led by Environment and Climate Change Canada, was released and stated that Canada is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world.

The report contained alarming facts on the state of climate change in Canada and an urgent warning to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

While it might be kinda tempting to throw your hands up and panic, feel nervous, anxious and feel reallyyyyy uncomfortable….

We here at Random Acts of Green want to help.

Thankfully, 490 Canadian municipalities have joined forces with an international movement to declare a state of emergency regarding the climate crisis!

We wanted to take a moment and champion them here – and hope that more cities take charge 🙂

Listed here are 93 Canadian Champions declaring climate emergencies from coast-to-coast.

1. Vancouver, British Columbia

Declared January 26, 2019

Image Source: City of Vancouver

2. Halifax, Nova Scotia

Declared January 26, 2019

Image Source: Canadian Encyclopedia

3. Kingston, Ontario

First city in Ontario declared on March 6, 2019.

Image Source: Canadian Encyclopedia

4. Richmond, British Columbia

Declared on March 25, 2019.

Image Source: Tourism Richmond

5. Hamilton, Ontario

Declared on March 27, 2019.

Image Source: City of Hamilton

Capital Regional District (CRD)

The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government for 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, serving more than 413,000 citizens. The board voted unanimously in favor of making a Climate Emergency Declaration on February 13 2019.

Image Source: Victoria’s Intersecting Municipalities

This includes:

6. Central Saanich, British Columbia

7. Colwood, British Columbia

8. Esqimalt, British Columbia

9. Highlands, British Columbia

10. Langford, British Columbia

11. Metchosin, British Columbia

12. North Saanich, British Columbia

13. Saanich, British Columbia

14. Oak Bay, British Columbia

15. Sidney, British Columbia

16. Sooke, British Columbia

17. Victoria, British Columbia

18. View Royal, British Columbia

19. Edmundston , New Brunswick

First city in New Brunswick declared on February 19, 2019.

Image Source: Tourism New Brunswick

20. Powell River, British Columbia

Declared on February 21, 2019.

Image Source: Tourism Powell River

21. Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Declared on February 12, 2019.

Image Source: Tourism Nova Scotia

22. Islands Trust Council (Bowen Island Municipality), British Columbia

The Islands Trust is a federation of local government bodies representing 26,000 people living within the Islands Trust Area and another 10,000 non-resident property-owners.

The area covers the islands and waters between the British Columbia mainland and southern Vancouver Island. It includes 13 major islands and more than 450 smaller islands covering 5200 square kilometers.

Declared on March 25, 2019.

Image Source: Map Island Trust

23. Moncton, New Brunswick

Declared on April 1, 2019.

Image Source: Wikipedia

24. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Declared on April 8, 2019.

Image Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia

25. London, Ontario

Declared on April 23, 2019.

Image Source: London Academy

26. Burlington, Ontario

Declared on April 23, 2019.

Image Source: City of Burlington

27. Ottawa, Ontario

Declared on April 24, 2019.

Image Source: Wikipedia

28. Nanaimo, British Columbia

Declared on April 29, 2019.

Image Source: Nanaimo Bulletin

29. St. Catharines, Ontario

Declared on April 29, 2019.

Image Source: City of St. Catherines

30. Saint John, New Brunswick

Declared on May 6, 2019.

Image Source: City of Saint John

31. Halton Hills, Ontario

Declared on May 6, 2019.

Image Source: InHalton

32. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation – Old Crow, Yukon

Declared May 19, 2019

Image Source: Wikipedia

33. West Nipissing, Ontario

Declared April 23, 2019

Image Source: Baytoday.ca

34. Greater Sudbury, Ontario

Declared May 28, 2019

Image Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia

35. Prince Edward County, Ontario

Declared May 28, 2019

Image Source: Visit PEC

36. Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Declared May 21, 2019

Image Source: Town of Wolfville

37. Vaughan, Ontario

Declared June 4, 2019

Image Source: Wikipedia

38. Brampton, Ontario

Declared June 5, 2019

Image Source: InBrampton.com

39. Port Moody, British Columbia

Declared June 11, 2019

Image Source: City of Port Moody

40. Sarnia, Ontario

Declared June 17, 2019

41. Kitchener, Ontario

Declared June 24, 2019

42. Oakville, Ontario

Declared June 24, 2019

43. Squamish, British Columbia

Declared July 2, 2019

44. North Vancouver District, British Columbia

Declared July 8, 2019

45. West Vancouver, British Columbia

Declared July 8, 2019

46. Chatham-Kent, Ontario

Declared July 15, 2019

47. qathet Regional District, British Columbia

Declared June 18, 2019

48. Mississauga, Ontario

Declared June 19, 2019

49. King Township, Ontario

Declared July 8, 2019

50. Smithers, British Columbia

Declared July 9, 2019

51. Duncan, British Columbia

Declared July 15, 2019

52. Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Declared May 8, 2019

53. North Cowichan, British Columbia

Declared July 17, 2019

54. Langley Township Council, British Columbia

Declared July 22, 2019

55. Milton Town Council, Ontario

Declared July 22, 2019

56. Edmonton, Alberta

Declared August 27, 2019

57. Burnaby, British Columbia

Declared September 9, 2019

58. Peterborough, Ontario

Declared September 23, 2019

59. Annapolis County Council, Nova Scotia

Declared September 23, 2019

60. Whitehorse, Yukon

Declared September 23, 2019

61. Woolwich, Ontario

Declared September 24, 2019

62. Wilmot Town Council, Ontario

Declared September 24, 2019

63. Kenora, Ontario

Declared September 17, 2019

64. Canmore, Alberta

Declared October 1, 2019

65. Toronto, Ontario

Declared October 2, 2019

66. Wellesley Town Council, Ontario

Declared October 8, 2019

67. Waterloo, Ontario

Declared October 9, 2019

68. Barrie, Ontario

Declared October 7, 2019

69. Berwick, Nova Scotia

Declared October 8, 2019

70. Peel Regional Council, Ontario

Declared October 24, 2019

71. Bowen Island Municipal Council, British Columbia

Declared October 28, 2019

72. Surrey, British Columbia

Declared November 4, 2019

73. St.John’s , Newfoundland

Declared November 4, 2019

74. Brantford , Ontario

Declared November 13, 2019

75. Collingwood, Ontario

Declared October 16, 2019

76. Central Elgin, Ontario

Declared October 28, 2019

77. Windsor, Ontario

Declared November 18, 2019

78. Meaford, Ontario

Declared November 18, 2019

79. Cobourg, Ontario

Declared November 25, 2019

80. Brant County, Ontario

Declared November 26, 2019

81. Tecumseh Town Council, Ontario

Declared December 10, 2019

82. Amherstburg Town Council, Ontario

Declared December 11, 2019

83. Pickering, Ontario

Declared December 16, 2019

84. Thunder Bay, Ontario

Declared January 13, 2020

85. Newmarket, Ontario

Declared January 13, 2020

86. Goderich, Ontario

Declared January 13, 2020

87. Durham Regional Council, Ontario

Declared January 25, 2020

88. Caledon, Ontario

Declared January 28, 2020

89. St. Thomas, Ontario

Declared February 10, 2020

90. Stratford, Ontario

Declared February 10, 2020

91. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Declared February 24, 2020

92. Shippigan, New Brunswick

Declared March 2, 2020

93. Clarington, Ontario

Declared March 3, 2020







Additionally, a movement has grown in Quebec that has seen more than 400 municipal councils endorse a Declaration d’urgency Climatique.

First Nations leaders from across Canada passed a resolution declaring a “global climate emergency” at the Assembly of First Nations, representing 634 First Nations across Canada.

There are a number of municipalities across Canada that are currently debating declaring a climate emergency. Many councils end up debating the particular language used when addressing climate. For example, the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) in British Columbia serves 60,000 residents in 11 electoral areas and nine member municipalities. They declared a ‘climate action imperative’ on April 11th rather than a climate emergency. The City of Guelph in Ontario voted to ‘acknowledge a climate crisis’ rather than declare a climate emergency.

Many of these cities are also part of The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Partners for Climate protection (PCP) program. This is a network of 350+ Canadian municipal governments who have committed to reducing greenhouse gases and acting on climate change.

The evidence provided in the most recent report confirms that Canada’s climate has warmed in response to global emissions of carbon dioxide from human activity.

This is a clear wake-up call for all Canadians that climate change is real and requires urgent action – and we want to help!

The science is clear that we all need to reduce our carbon footprint.

The Random Acts of Green® mobile app is designed to help you understand your impact by quantifying the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that can be reduced when you make low-carbon lifestyle choices. Our app provides individuals with a range of behavior-based approaches to achieve a daily carbon reduction target that best fits your lifestyle.

Take action TODAY.

Download the App

Take real action confronting your IMPACT on the Earth across sectors like Transportation, Waste, Food, Water and Energy.

Join these brave municipalities who have the courage to acknowledge the situation we are in and commit to do something about it – Today. 🙂

Ohhhh, Canada…!! Our home and native land… Let’s do something good…. to help protect it 🙂

Last Updated: April 30, 2020