Green Communities Canada

GCC’s Syeda Hasan, Communications Lead, & Alyssa Aglipay, School Travel Planning Lead, attended the inaugural Race & Nature Symposium at U of T Mississauga. GCC was proud to be a Canopy Sponsor of this conference. Meaningful conversations on racial equity and access to nature were held!

Drive-to-5 is a way to participate in Walktober for those living far from school. If you must drive, park 5 minutes from the school & walk the rest of the way !  Drive-to-5 disperses traffic away from the school site, creating a safer and healthier school commute for everyone. buff.ly/qS0jp5d

Today on the International #DayForClimateAction, we celebrate collective impact from local climate action. This is and should be an essential part of our national climate narrative, but often these stories remain local. Discover local stories here: buff.ly/NMZmVkw

GCC met with MP @gordjohns.bsky.social for #NatureOnTheHill! #ACanadaWorthBuilding puts #NatureUpFront. Smart projects prevent environmental damage. Urban nature-based solutions build resilient cities. Strong environmental regulations create economic certainty. @naturecanada.bsky.social

Canada needs to build housing, infrastructure and good jobs, but not at the expense of workers' rights, Indigenous rights or the environment. Bill C-39 goes too far. We shouldn't fight Trump's policies by adopting his approach. Building Canada strong means building Canada fair.

Eek! It’s almost the spookiest night of the year! 🎃 Sadly, children’s risk of being hit by a car on Halloween is higher than on any other day. Help protect trick-or-treaters by using our handy blog of Halloween safety spells. 🪄 🔮 buff.ly/eXvO5zg

Join the conversation about #OurFutureRoads with @parachute.ca for Canadian Youth Road Safety Week, October 19 to 25, with the goal of empowering youth ages 15 to 24 to become more involved in road safety issues. parachute.ca/cyrsw #CYRSW2026

GCC is on Parliament Hill this week to say Nature Is NOT Red Tape. To build major projects right, Canada must apply the Mitigation Hierarchy, safeguard our natural capital, & ensure 'A Force of Nature' funding reaches local restoration & conservation projects.

🎉✨Green Communities Canada + @cdntreesforlife.bsky.social have received a Canada's #Clean50 Top Project Award for co-funding of urban planting projects across the country through the #LivingCitiesCanadaFund ✨🎉 Read more: greencommunitiescanada.org/green-commun...

“The #HeatPump just feels like a kinder heat… than with our old furnace.”- Jim, homeowner.    buff.ly/CCI5pQq #HeatPumpWeek

“People have a presumption that if you’re doing something for the environment, you’re giving up something. That is not the case with a #HeatPump — it’s more efficient + works better.”  - Diana, Homeowner buff.ly/LuCCKBA #HeatPumpWeek

After many years of dedicated leadership, our Executive Director is retiring. We're seeking an enthusiastic and confident leader, ready to steer a values-driven organization with a strong commitment to the local community. Apply by Nov 5, 2026. Full details: www.greenventure.ca/careers #HamOnt

Walktober is a great time to explore the neighbourhood!  Challenge your children to play walk-to-school bingo with their friends using our IWALK I-SPY Activity Sheets. buff.ly/IqQ74fT

Featured in our October issue of GC News, Windfall Ecology Centre has developed Canada’s first multi-hazard Weather-Ready Home Assessment Protocol, helping residents prepare their homes for extreme heat, cold, wind, and flooding. Learn more: buff.ly/T58NGVq

👏 Good News ⚡️ Federal government announces landmark investment of $2 billion to retrofit one million homes over the next 8 years and help homeowners switch to #HeatPumps. ⬇️ Our response ⬇️ buff.ly/W4jjFBB

Happy International Walk to School Day! 🍂👟🚸 The weather may be getting cooler, but Walktober is warming up! 🍵 We encourage your child to embrace the Autumnal weather and walk, cycle, and wheel to school today and every day this month. 👟🚲🦽🛴🏫

International Walk to School Day is this Wednesday! It’s not too late to register your school and encourage students and families to join the fun. 👟 🍂 This event poster is here to help! Learn more: buff.ly/Swgau03

🌍 #WorldHabitatDay calls on us to protect the right to shelter & healthy spaces. In 2024, GreenUP & One City Peterborough worked together through our #LivingCitiesCanada Fund, to plant for resilience, building greener, more inclusive communities. 🌿 buff.ly/SDhQELb

Happy #IWALKandIWHEEL Month! 👟 🚴 🦽 🛴 Walking & wheeling to school = ✅ Healthy bodies ✅ Sharper minds ✅ Less traffic ✅ Greener planet 🌍 Join the movement this October! 💪🍂 @guelph.ca @ugdsb.bsky.social @greencommunities.bsky.social

GCC will be closed today to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day, we recognize the tragic legacy and ongoing harm of residential schools. We honour the children who never returned home, the families of the missing children, and the survivors.🍂

Attention, Canadian school boards! Annual student travel data collection helps your schools establish a baseline and set active travel targets for years to come. Get started this Walktober by using Green Communities Canada’s student travel survey data collection tool. buff.ly/uutuGzG

🌊 Sept 28 is #WorldRiversDay, a reminder that healthy rivers mean healthy communities. 🌱 Rain gardens filter runoff & protect waterways. Since 2016, GCC has supported communities, and we offer free courses to help you start. 💧 buff.ly/CPm8mZK

This #WorldEnvironmentalHealthDay, we’re thinking about the connection between clean air and healthy communities. 🚍⚡ CESBA’s first Electric School Bus Report Card tracks Canada’s progress on school bus electrification—and where more action is needed to get cleaner rides on the road: buff.ly/V4dw4tl

Buttonbush Woods has a lot of work to do for the @townofoakville.bsky.social That’s why Oakville is doing work for Buttonbush Woods. GCC was pleased to mark #NationalTreeDay + #NationalForestWeek with volunteer planting with Oakvillegreen + Definity: buff.ly/sZ5sYq4

This #NationalForestWeek, we’re celebrating how greener spaces can strengthen food security. In 2024, Hope Blooms youth planted trees and created a food garden in Halifax with support from GCC’s Living Cities Canada Fund & Tree Canada, helping to grow food, skills, and community. buff.ly/M0N4Evr

How is your Walktober planning going? Need some help? We’ve got you! Check out Green Communities Canada’s resources to take your celebration to the next level. buff.ly/eXh7Ra8