Municipalities across Canada are seeking practical ways to reduce emissions, lower energy costs and strengthen local energy resilience. Thermal energy networks offer a scalable solution. These systems use shared infrastructure to heat and cool buildings, balance demand across building types, improve efficiency, and reduce lifecyle costs by lowering operational expenses and electricity demands.  

Join our webinar on Thursday, March 26, at 2 p.m. ET for Planning for Thermal Energy Networks: A Municipal Guide, a session designed to illustrate how thermal energy networks operate on the ground and how municipalities can use them to lower costs and ease pressure on electrical grids.  

Experts will share practical guidance to build a strong early-stage business case, assess local resources and define clear municipal roles. The session will connect you to key tools, funding pathways and Canadian-wide national networks and resources, with practical guidance to assess feasibility, build partnerships and move projects from concept to implementation while delivering lasting economic and environmental benefits.  

What you’ll learn:  

• How thermal energy networks function and where they fit within municipal planning.  
• How to assess local feasibility and identify practical next steps.  
• Municipal roles and responsibilities in thermal energy network projects.  
• Key considerations for partnerships, governance and funding.  
• How to access Community Energy Systems funding and related resources.  

Speakers:  

• Aurélie Vérin, Policy Lead, Building Decarbonization Alliance   
• Janice Ashworth, Senior Consultant, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors 

Strengthen your municipality’s capacity to plan, evaluate and advance thermal energy networks. 

The webinar will be held in English (with simultaneous interpretation in French).

Register now

When municipal urban forestry projects lack meaningful engagement, dialogue and co-learning with Indigenous communities, Reconciliation commitments remain abstract. Projects that do not include meaningful Indigenous engagement miss the opportunity to incorporate Indigenous knowledge systems, build long-term trust and address broader social and environmental injustices that exist within the urban forestry landscape.

Join us at Advancing Reconciliation in urban forestry, a 2-day in-person workshop in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough region), from May 12-13. This workshop will provide opportunities for municipalities across Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador to gain knowledge needed to turn high-level Reconciliation commitments into tangible actions.    

By attending this workshop, you will:

• Learn about Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and its applications in urban forestry.
• Discover culturally significant tree species and Indigenous stewardship practices.
• Explore collaborative models for planning and decision-making.
• Learn about reciprocity and informed consent in community engagement.
• Identify and be able to explain key Indigenous knowledge systems and worldviews relevant to urban forestry.
• Gain knowledge on ecological restoration that aligns with Indigenous land-care priorities.

Who should attend?

Municipal staff in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, responsible for:  

• Urban forestry programs (planning, maintenance, and policy development)
• Green infrastructure projects (parks, tree canopy expansion, ecological restoration)
• Environmental planning and sustainability initiatives

Register by April 9, 2026.

Workshop details:

Location: Canadian Canoe Museum, 2077 Ashburnham Dr, Peterborough, ON K9L 1P8

Date and time: May 12 and 13, 2026, (2-day workshop)  

Language: English

Cost: This event is free. GMF will cover hotel accommodation costs and meals will be provided during the workshop.

Travel: Participants who have received project funding through GMF’s Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative may be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel costs. Please contact your Project Officer for more information.

Selection criteria: A total of 32 participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of one participant per organization. Once you have registered you will receive an email confirming your registration along with key information.  

If you have any questions, please reach out to Stephane Pressault.  

This workshop was created in collaboration with 4 Directions and Tree Canada through the Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative. GCCC learning opportunities are delivered in partnership through FCM's Green Municipal Fund by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, funded by the Government of Canada. 

Flooding continues to pose significant risks to communities across Canada, underscoring the need for practical, actionable approaches at the municipal level.   

Join us on Thursday, March 12 at 2 p.m. ET to explore how municipalities can move from understanding flood risk to taking action. Through applied tools and a case study from the City of Kitchener, you will learn how to assess flood risks in your community and begin integrating flood resilience into plans and projects. 

Register for the webinar

What you’ll gain

• Strategies for embedding flood resilience into municipal plans, processes and projects.
• Real-world examples from the City of Kitchener that demonstrate long-term outcomes and tangible co-benefits of flood resilience investments.
• A clearer understanding of how a structured framework can be used to assess community-wide flood risk, establish baseline risk levels and monitor progress over time.

Featured tools and resources

• Municipal Flood Risk Check-Up - Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation: a self-assessment tool that helps communities better understand and manage local flood risks.  
• Build flood resilience with our video training series: a free, one-hour video training series to help municipal staff use the Municipal Flood Risk Check-Up tool developed by the GMF and the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo.

The spotlight resource highlights a tool designed for heavy rainfall, river and coastal flooding, and the role of municipal action at multiple levels, including both large- and small-scale flood management.

This session is designed for municipal staff across diverse departments, elected officials and municipal partners. No prior adaptation strategy or completed risk assessment is required.

Speakers:

• Chris Nechacov, Design and Construction Project Manager, Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities, City of Kitchener, ON
• Dr. Anabela Bonada, Managing Director, Climate Science, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo
• Kathryn Bakos, Managing Director, Finance and Resilience, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo

The webinar will be delivered in English with simultaneous interpretation in French (SI).

Register now

Climate change affects us all—but not equally. Municipalities have a key role to play in addressing these uneven impacts through local adaptation efforts that are inclusive, community-driven and equitable.

This practical, hands-on workshop will help municipal professionals embed equity principles throughout their climate adaptation projects—from planning to implementation to evaluation. You’ll learn how to identify equity gaps, design inclusive processes and prioritize those most at risk. Through real-life examples and peer collaboration, you’ll gain ready-to-use tools, proven frameworks and new connections to support equitable, community-led adaptation. 

What you’ll gain

This series focuses on turning equity principles into practical actions for municipal climate adaptation. You’ll explore:

• Equitable climate adaptation 
  Explore why equity, Reconciliation, anti-racism and inclusion are essential for effective adaptation.
• Embedding equity into your projects 
  Apply an equity lens across the entire project lifecycle—from planning and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.
• Spatial and demographic equity 
  Identify populations most affected by climate impacts and tailor actions to address systemic barriers.
• Collaborative and inclusive project design 
  Move beyond consultation to co-create adaptation solutions with communities facing the greatest risks.
• Learning from lived experience 
  Engage with equity-deserving groups to learn how adaptation projects can better reflect their needs and realities.
• Peer learning and support 
  Build a network of municipal peers to share experiences, challenges, and strategies for advancing equitable climate action.

Register for the workshop

Why equity matters in local climate adaptation

Climate risks and resources are not evenly distributed. Embedding equity into municipal adaptation implementation actions helps ensure those who face the greatest risks also receive the greatest support. 

This series offers tools and insights to help make your local climate action more inclusive, effective and community-led. Building on the success of the 2025 workshop series, this session will go further—providing more concrete content and deepening peer collaboration. You’ll come away with clear, actionable steps to apply in your community. 

Who should attend

This workshop is designed primarily for municipal staff and elected officials involved in climate adaptation implementation with an equity lens—regardless of experience. It will be particularly relevant for professionals working in policy, planning, engineering, operations, engagement, equity, sustainability and climate adaptation.

Municipal partners and practitioners supporting adaptation implementation—including non-profit organizations and for-profit contractors in fields like design, engineering, engagement and evaluation—are also welcome.  

• Because this workshop will lean heavily into place-based group work, participants are encouraged to register with up to five peers. Every participant must register separately. Individual registrations are also welcome and will be grouped based on location and context.  
• Registrants will receive a workbook in advance to help guide their preparation. The session will feature hands-on activities using Miro, an online collaborative whiteboard platform.

This workshop series is made possible by the Green Municipal Fund and delivered by facilitating partners, the Caprivian Strip Inc and Transition Bridges Project. 

Register now

Do you know that urban trees are among the most valuable natural assets a community can have? Trees offer long-term economic benefits and enhance quality of life. They can help reduce municipal expenditures by managing stormwater and reducing flood damage. Given the many benefits trees provide, it is important that they be managed with the same care and consideration as built infrastructure.

Join our webinar to learn from a panel of experts how to value trees as strategic climate and equity assets in your community. You’ll also learn how to integrate  adaptation strategies into your community’s existing asset management practices.

By attending this webinar, you will:    

• Learn practical approaches to quantify the economic and climate benefits of urban trees.
• Explore real examples and understand how you can use valuation tools to get the most from your community’s investment in trees.
• Discover how natural asset inventories and tree condition assessment can help you plan maintenance, reduce risk and optimize your investment in trees.
• Understand how tree monitoring frameworks supports decision-making, risk management, lifecycle planning and more.

This webinar is well suited for Canadian communities of all sizes, including:

• Municipal staff working in urban forestry, climate adaptation, environment, community planning, community development, or parks and recreation.
• Municipal partners such as local organizations, NGOs, and community groups involved in tree planting or ecological restoration.
• Elected officials and municipal decision-makers interested in enhancing community resilience and biodiversity.
• Environmental consultants and practitioners supporting municipalities in developing or implementing urban forestry plans and projects.

Speakers:  

• Patrick Wong, Senior Natural Heritage Planner, City of Markham  
• Gillian Dick, Manager of Spatial Planning, City of Glasgow  
• Trevor Rutley, Director of Infrastructure Services, Town of Gibsons  

Register today

This webinar was created in partnership by Tree Canada and FCM’s Green Municipal Fund for the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.