Government of Canada

BACKGROUNDER

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM

SUMMARY OF EARLY ACTION PROJECTS

The Public Outreach Program encourages projects that build public awareness and understanding of the climate change issue and that promote action by Canadians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These projects will build on the valuable work of organizations already working in their communities to help raise public awareness of climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For further information:

Anne Marie Smart, Environment Canada: (819) 997-6826

Nicole Martel, Environment Canada: (819) 997-6970

Neil MacLeod, Natural Resources Canada (613-995-0081)

Colleen Paton, Natural Resources Canada (613-996-0765)

Announced December 11, 1998:

1. Active and Safe Routes to School (Go for Green)

This project will expand the successful Active and Safe Routes to School program, reaching more schools and students and more sectors involved in transportation decisions. The project will involve:

• Making the Case for Active and Safe Routes to School: development of a targeted media campaign to increase awareness of the school transportation issues using the release of the results of an Environics poll and planning a national launch on National Walk a Child to School Day
• Action Kit: distribution of a promotional brochure and newsletter to every elementary school in Canada and to have available a response kit containing a video, success stories, fact sheets, how-to checklists, and a classroom support tool; create database of all schools and community groups participating in program.
• Action Fund: to support schools through a one-time grant of $500 to help implement the program.
• Community School Infrastructure Tools: working with the Canadian Institute of Planners to develop a resource that will help schools and planners to work together in addressing physical infrastructure issues related to routes to schools.
• Teacher Resources: working with curriculum advisors to identify resources teachers could use to help integrate program with existing curriculum such as geography, math and health.

Sponsors: Health Canada, Go for Green Provincial, Greenest City Development, Transportation Options, Canadian Institute of Planners, Rogers Communications

Budget: $900,000 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $330,000 for 3 years

2. The Multimedia Exchange Tour on Climate Change (Fondation québécoise en environnement)

Scientists using multimedia tools and an interactive booth will promote climate change awareness through tours of 15 universities, 12 colleges and three trade shows. The activities will cover climate change, what Canada and Quebec are doing, and what the public can do. The project will include the preparation of:

• an interactive information booth;
• a bilingual educational CD ROM;
• a tips pamphlet to promote action on climate change and point to further information on Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and Quebec Environment Department web sites;
• an educational poster;
• reminder stickers of quick tips for students;
• promotional postcards for students; and
• a kit envelope of promotional and educational materials

Sponsors: Quebec Environment, Le Journal de Montréal

Budget: $336,340 for 1 year CCAF contribution: $175,000 for 1 year

3. La caravane de l'efficacité énergétique (Centre de formation en entreprise et récupération)

This project will involve the expansion of a successful touring caravan show by adding two additional vans and many additional stops to the program. The caravan contains three exhibits: one on renewable energy, the effects of non-renewable energy on the environment and the impact of climate change in Quebec; another addresses the technology of renewable energy and the third illustrates the actions the public can take to protect the environment. The caravans visit schools and shopping centres across Quebec.

Sponsors: l'Union-vie (insurance company), Energie et Ressources, Québec

Budget: $152,500 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $76,000 for 3 years

4. Video Contest on Climate Change (E2M Consulting)

This annual video contest is designed to enhance ecological literacy and foster innovation as a pathway to sustainability among Canadian students. Students are encouraged to research an issue and to produce a video outlining their ideas of what a solution might be. The contest is open to all students and prizes are given in three age categories: K-to grade 5; grade 6-8; and grade 9- final year. This year, the theme of the videos is climate change.

Sponsors/Partners: Consumers Glass, Nestlé Canada, UNEP, Green Teacher Magazine, School Net, Innovators in the Schools, Niagara College, Caber Production Company, Future Shop

Budget: $75,137.50 for 1 year CCAF contribution: $25,000 for 1 year

5. Community Energy Planning Workshops (BC Energy Aware Committee)

Eight local government workshops will be held in British Columbia, of which six will be in municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, with the intent to assist communities in identifying and evaluating development options that combine elements of the community's proposed plans with relevant Community Energy Planning measures; quantify economic, social and environmental benefits of alternative policies and plans, and to support the development of a set of actions that the community can undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Community Energy Planning is the consideration of energy supply and demand in the design and development of regional districts, municipalities and neighbourhoods.

Sponsors: Real Estate Foundation (to be confirmed), participating local governments

Budget: $37,200 for 1 year CCAF contribution: $10,000 for 1 year

6. Saskatchewan Science Centre

Project Climate Change will consist of four complementary components: a hands-on, interactive exhibit that will introduce visitors to the topic of climate change, its causes, impacts, and what individuals can do to reduce the cases and the impacts. The exhibit will be accompanied by programming that can be used in school workshops, stage demonstrations, and public programming such as day camps and Science Centre sleepovers. Children, who can be effective agents of change within the home, will be provided with materials to assist them in affecting change at home and in their communities.

• a mobile exhibit that will replicate portions of the permanent exhibit and travel to various venues across the province.
• "travelling toolkits", based on the very successful "forestry toolkits" produced by the Saskatchewan Science Centre. Kits consist of leaders' guides, materials, and equipment for up to 32 participants to experiment and discover identified learning outcomes.
• public outreach programming with a primary focus on provincial parks, visiting each of Saskatchewan's 40 parks once during July and August, and on visiting remote Aboriginals Communities in the province.

Sponsors/partners: SaskEnergy, Wascana Energy, local media, Natural Resources Canada

Budget: $539,982 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $329,982 for 3 years

Announced October 19, 1998:

7. Alberta Pilot - National Education Initiative on Climate Change (FEESA/DestinationConservation)

The pilot is the first part of a larger project that aims at the development of elementary and junior secondary educational resources on global climate change. If the pilot is successful, and partners are confirmed, the material developed for Alberta can eventually be adapted and distributed in other provinces in later phases. The project includes training of teachers and development of an effective marketing strategy to ensure maximum uptake of the material.

Sponsors: Government of Alberta, Petro-Canada, Nova Chemicals, TransAlta Utilities, Suncor Energy

Budget: $149,000 for 1 year CCAF contribution: $64,000 for 1 year

8. Climate Protection Solutions: An Internet Clearinghouse for Practical Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Pembina Institute)

This project will establish and maintain a dynamic and accessible database of success stories on the Internet for practical information on greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Building on existing information and using the expertise of partners, the site will be organized to meet the practical needs of the following users:

• individuals and families
• communities and small municipalities
• large municipalities
• public institutions (e.g., universities)
• small and medium businesses
• large commercial, manufacturing and service companies
• agriculture
• heavy industry (e.g., oil and gas, electric utilities)

Within each sector, users will find a description of GHG emission reduction opportunities available in the sector; detailed descriptions of success stories; and detailed how-to information on tools and strategies.

Sponsors: Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Suncor Energy, Westcoast Energy, Petro-Canada, Government of Alberta, TransAlta Utilities

Budget: $630,000 for 3 years. CCAF contribution: $255,000 for 3 years

9. Climate Change Teacher Support Program (Pembina Institute)9. Climate Change Teacher Support Program (Pembina Institute)

The purpose of the Climate Change Teacher Support Program is to provide Canadian secondary school teachers with the knowledge and tools needed to teach about climate change. The program consists of:

• in-depth, two-day teacher seminars that will incorporate the perspectives and participation of a broad array of stakeholders and will provide secondary school educators with a solid knowledge and skill base to understand and teach about climate change;
• half-day teacher support workshops that will be designed to fit into standard professional development and teaching enhancement programs and will focus on: the science of climate change, Canada's contribution to the problem, climate change solutions, and tools for educators to address climate change;
• set of eight articles on teaching about climate change will be submitted to professional teacher magazines and specialist council journals, exposing the project to a larger audience of educators across the country, and promote other components of the program;
• update of Pembina's Climate Change Awareness and Action Education Kit (French and English) with new fact sheets and classroom activities and expansion into separate Science and Social Studies teaching packages; and,
• Pembina's Climate Change Education Web Site (French and English) will be updated and maintained.

Sponsors: Environment Canada, Suncor Energy, FEESA, Toronto Environmental Alliance

Budget: $239,000 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $120,000 for 3 years

10. Canadian CO2 Calculator (University of British Columbia)

The Canadian CO2 Calculator is an interactive software tool designed to raise awareness of greenhouse gas emissions from everyday activities. The calculator, which is province specific, will guide the user through an assessment of their lifestyle choices, provide an estimate of personal CO2 emissions, and link to actions they can take to reduce impacts.

Phase one -development of preliminary version of the software (completed).

Phase two -development of a fully functional CD ROM version (in both official languages) of the software that will have been tested with key audiences (e.g., schools,munity groups, and employees).

Phase three - developing a web-based version of the calculator to provide widespread access. It also includes the development of support material for the use of the Calculator in climate change school programs. This will be done with partners already involved in the development of these types of programs.

Sponsors: Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Suzuki Foundation, Petro- Canada

Budget: $371,875 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $222,875 for 3 years

11. Global Change Game (Global Change Game Inc.)

The Global Change Game is an award-winning "live action" simulation workshop with a 7 year history of successful environmental education in Canada. The Game now tours across Canada offering up to 100 performances to the nation's high schools, universities and community gatherings each school year. Each performance of the Global Change Game features a floor map of the Earth the size of a basketball court. The Game starts with an introduction to participants of the current state of world as they inherit it in the late 1990's and the object of the Game is to let the players determine the next 30-40 years of Earth history. The last part of the workshop is reserved for participants to make connections between their global efforts and more local opportunities for positive change.

Building on this foundation, the Global Change Game will incorporate the potential impacts of climate change into the workshop. Climate Change Action Funds will support:

• improvements to the Global Change Game Workshops that provide more profile to the issue of climate change and improved access to the Workshops by low-income or remote communities.
• an Internet version of the Global Change Game.
• a needs assessment as a foundation for climate change teaching materials in high schools.
• student Climate Change Workshop as an add-on element to the program.

Sponsors: Environment Canada, National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy, International Development Research Centre, Canadian International Development Agency, Bronfman Family Foundation, Via Rail, Hjostelling International, EA-RTH Inc, the Royal Society of Canada, the World University Service of Canada

Budget: $498,025 for 3 years CCAF contribution: $73,625 for 3 years

12. Climate Change 2000 (Clean Nova Scotia)

The project proposes to build knowledge about climate change issues among community groups, providing community groups with options on how to deliver climate change programs in their communities and helping community groups develop and deliver local climate change programs. The scope of work includes two phases:

Phase 1: series of workshops to be held in Yarmouth, Halifax and Port Hawkesbury to increase understanding of the basic science of climate change, the sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia, the opportunities for reducing emissions and the role of individuals and communities

Phase 2: action-oriented workshop series in the same three venues to empower communities to take action and develop community-based climate change programs. A train-the trainer approach to discuss opportunities for action, identify barriers to change and to review programs and education approaches that have worked in other areas of the country.

Sponsors: Nova Scotia Department of Environment, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Canada

Budget: $127,283 for 2 years CCAF contribution: $84,483 for 2 years

13. The Climate Change Action Pack (Scientists and Innovators in the Schools – SITS)

SITS will research and assess relevant material on climate change and develop Climate Change Action Packs for targeted groups of Nova Scotia teachers and students. As well, SITS will co-ordinate professional development workshops for educators so that they might be better equipped in the classroom to explore climate change.

SITS will promote the Climate Change Action Pack to teachers through its hotline, free newsletter, Science and Technology Week school mail-out, SITS Internet home page, teachers' conferences and tours to schools. In the first year SITS expects to pilot 12 Climate Change Action Packs. Using the feedback from the pilots, they will build and distribute 105 Packs to provide 240 schools and 600 classrooms with the resource material. Over 13,000 students will be reached with the material in 1999.

Sponsors: Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Nova Scotia Department of Environment, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Industry Canada

Budget: $21,000 for 1 yearCCAF contribution: $13,000 for 1 year

14. Saskatchewan Pilot - Prairie Adaptation Outreach: Achieving a Broader Network (Saskatchewan Research Council)

Pilot workshop in Regina to engage resource sectors and provincial, regional and local governments within the Prairie Provinces in a dialogue to develop an understanding of the issue and the potential ramifications for current and future economic development, environmental health, human health and social security.

A key objective is to build a knowledge base among participants who are in a position to take the information and engage Canadians through a variety of outreach methods including brochures, workshops, fairs and exhibitions and other educational opportunities.

Sponsors: PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-food Canada), Natural Resources Canada, Saskatchewan Energy and Mines, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Prairie Adaptation Network, Environment Canada

Budget: $60,000 for 1 yearCCAF contribution: $30,000 for 1 year