A birds eye view of the Don Valley Brick Works

Tackling the climate crisis

Taking action to make our cities climate-ready and inspiring hope for a healthier future.

Cars in rush hour traffic jam

The challenge facing our cities

For decades, the impacts of the climate crisis have largely been felt in parts of the planet that feel remote in comparison with Canada’s cities. But that’s changing before our eyes as the fallout from extreme weather and natural disasters begins to find its way into everyday urban life. With over 50% of all people living in cities today — and that number rising to 70-80% by 2050 — cities will be the frontline in our fight against the climate crisis. Public places can provide protection from extreme heat, resilience to flooding, improved air quality, and a vision of how other spaces can be designed.

 

Today…

  • 80% of Canadians live in urban areas.
  • 78% of large Canadian cities have continued to lose tree canopy over the past 20 years.
  • A lack of green space is increasing urban heat and the risk of flooding.

In the face of the issue, the role of public places is vital for increasing the resilience of cities in a rapidly changing climate.

Meeting the challenge

In our work, we’re focused on tackling the climate crisis by:

Creating regenerative, climate-ready places

What is a regenerative place?

Well… just like a lizard given enough time will regrow a lost tail, a regenerative place gives nature the space it needs to heal itself and the world around it. Our teams work with communities to ensure that the places we help transform aren’t just beautiful green spaces, but truly regenerative places that people can enjoy while nature thrives.

Bringing people together

In the face of a crisis of this scale and despite our desire to do good, many of us feel too small to make a positive difference. That’s where bringing communities together truly helps. For us and for so many others, it’s much easier to roll up your sleeves and fight for our planet when we see that we’re not alone in the effort.

Investing in the innovators

Our work with community placemakers across the country reminds us that some of the smartest, kindest, and most thoughtful people imaginable are sharing in our efforts to ensure a healthier future. We take pride in providing a platform for those individuals to share their ideas and messages to inspire meaningful change.

People using a reusable container service at Evergreen Brick Works farmers market

Our programs

Learn more about our programs that are tackling the climate crisis

Our stories

Evergreen Brick Works

Invest in a healthy planet

Tackling the climate crisis requires vision, commitment, and resources. Support our work with communities so that together we can bring all three to this vital effort.

Donate today

Other impact areas

Get in touch

We love learning and sharing with our community, so contact us anytime. Whether you’ve got a great new idea for public places, a burning question about our work, or a perspective on something you’ve seen or experienced through Evergreen or at Evergreen Brick Works, we’re here to hear it.