Southern Ontario Growth Conference
Many municipalities are trying to understand how to best integrate climate change into their municipal decision-making process, such as in the development of their official plan. Because plans for growth and infrastructure have far-reaching impacts on climate change, municipalities are seeking additional guidance to better understand how to integrate into practice various, seemingly competing, priorities.
With official plans currently being finalized, the goal of this conference is to lift up the voices of experts, organizations, individuals and community groups that may not readily have the ear of elected officials and municipal planners.
Part 1: Community Focus
Feb 17, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
The voices in our communities are extremely powerful. Learn why your voice is important, meet others taking action and get your hands on campaigning resources.
Part 2: Municipal Focus
Feb 18, 9:00 - 3:30 pm
Municipalities learn how to best integrate Climate Change into your Official Plan, from the voices of experts, other municipalities, as well as your community.
Press Conference
Feb 18, 4:15 - 4:45 pm
In order to have a greater impact on the decisions made by our elected municipal councillors, more groups and people need to step forward to talk about important issues, such as housing, food insecurity, transportation, land use, farmland, ecological areas and more.
The voice of the community is extremely powerful and many federal, provincial, and local organizations are trying to help by offering additional support and resources.
Part 1: Community Focus
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Learn about the resources available to help you and your group advocate
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Hear stories of communities raising their voices
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Understand why you as a person, or as part of a community group should care about the completion of your municipal official plan and how it impacts the health of your community
Part 2: Municipal Focus
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Bringing forward the best evidence by other municipalities & organizations
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Provide opportunities to network
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Connect with available resources for municipalities
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Learn specific policies that can be used


Part 1: Community Focus
Future Ground Network: Divya Arora
Title: Opt-into Future Ground Network
Future Ground Network supports local groups taking action in their communities to secure healthier, more viable futures in the areas of climate justice, biodiversity, waste reduction and sustainable systems.
Joining the network means connecting with other community groups to share knowledge, find inspiration and work together to achieve common goals. As a network member, you can tap into a wealth of tools, resources and wisdom to help your community build a better future from the ground up.
Climate Reality Project Canada: Campaign Toolkit: Maheep Sandhu & Margo Burgess
Title: Cities and Communiy Climate Action in Practice
Title: Campaigning 101
Our approach is rooted in the empowerment of citizens: we are dedicated to equipping them to be effective catalysts for change in their communities. How do we accomplish this? By training people of all walks of life to be strong communicators on climate science and solutions.
Former US Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore regularly trains contingencies of citizens to join the Leadership Corps, a worldwide network of Climate Reality Leaders advancing solutions and raising awareness in their communities. We also develop tools and programs that are tailored to the Canadian context, in order to deepen citizens’ impact in their communities and to propel Canada towards carbon neutrality.
Climate Interactive: Stephanie Goertz
Climate Interactive is an independent, not-for-profit think-tank that grew out of MIT Sloan in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Based on a long tradition of system dynamics modeling, our simulations and insights help people see connections, play out scenarios, and see what works to address climate change, inequity, and related issues
Jane Fogal, Local & Regional Councillor for Town of Halton
Titlte: Maximizing Citizen Impact on Municipal Decision Making
Jane is serving her 5th term as a Halton Regional Councillor representing Halton Hills. She is committed to developing a liveable Halton Hills by championing trails and bicycle infrastructure. Currently she is the Chair of the Halton Hills Low Carbon Transition Committee and is a core member of Stop Sprawl Halton.
Divya Arora
Title: Official Plans - Your Voice at the Table
Sarah Syed: Youth Advocate
Title: Food Scraps become bioplastics - who knew?
Sarah has won first place at the Toronto Science Fair, the UTSC Best Environmental Award, was a finalist at the International GENIUS Olympiad and won the Nature Inspiration Finalist Award which is offered to only 4 youth across Canada. Sarah is a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist. Sarah loves sharing her passion and journey in STEM with other youth groups. She has organized a community STEM club and an international hackathon with over $42,000 in prizes and 1000 participants.
Kevin Thomason
Title: Municipal Official Plans
Land use planning decision, infill, ways we can see community members coming together to influence decisions regarding official plans. The new growth push by the provincial government.
Smart Growth Waterloo Region is a group of citizens of Waterloo who want to enjoy both thriving liveable cities and a sustainable countryside. We see the Ontario Municipal Board ruling against the Region of Waterloo Official Plan in favour of private developers and urban sprawl as a serious threat to our community’s vision of the future.
Kevin Thomason has worked in the technology and marketing fields for Apple Computer, KPMG, Quarry Communications, and as the co-founder of a leading high-tech start-up acquired by Google. Concerned with rampant growth and the destruction of the Waterloo Moraine, Kevin volunteered full-time for three years to help develop a Greenbelt Plan and protect thousands of acres of the most threatened and critical lands in Waterloo Region from development.
Kevin continues to coach a number of start-ups focussing on clean-tech, green-tech, and high-tech as a Sustainability Mentor at the Accelerator Centre in Waterloo, sits on numerous Board of Directors, and is actively involved with organizations such as the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, SmartGrowth Waterloo, the Grand River Environmental Network, Youth Challenge International, and Medecins Sans Frontieres. He recently completed construction of an innovative zero-waste, net-zero sustainable home on the shores of Sunfish Lake where he lives with his wife and young children.
Please help by sharing the graphics with other organizations and community members.

