Urban forest management plans are critical to the resilience of trees, and trees are critical to the resilience of communities. Learn from experts and from municipal leaders who have developed an urban forest management plan to discover the benefits they bring to local communities and why to build your own.

Watching this webinar will help you:  

  • Learn what benefits an urban forest management plan can offer to your community.
  • Determine what makes a strong plan, including the role of community engagement and data collection.  
  • Consider how to ensure your plan is suited to your local needs and builds resilience to climate change.  
  • Receive resources, tools and networks you can rely on to increase your capacity.

Speakers:  

  • Jade Schofield, Climate Compass Advisor and GCCC Urban forestry coach
  • Miles Peart, Manager, Urban Forestry, City of Vaughan
  • Jeff Boone, Project Manager, City of Saskatoon
  • Peyton Meters, Engagement Manager, pipikwan pêhtâkwan  

This webinar is well suited for:

  • municipal elected officials
  • parks and recreation staff
  • asset management staff
  • climate change and sustainability staff
  • urban forestry practitioners  
  • planners
  • municipal partners, including local organizations, NGOs and community groups

Watch the webinar


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.  

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Climate hazards are pushing infrastructure to its limits, but practical building design choices can reduce those risks. This webinar showcased tools that support the design and upgrade of climate-resilient buildings. Watch the webinar recording to discover practical insights and next steps to apply in your own community.

Whether you’re just beginning your municipality’s adaptation journey or looking to advance existing projects, this session will provide practical insights to support your next steps.

Speakers:

  • Lucas Coletta, Senior Engineer, Natural Resources Canada
  • Devin Causley, Senior Policy Analyst, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
  • Pouriya Jafarpur, Physical Science Officer, Canadian Centre for Climate Services, Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Sharmalene Mendis-Millard, Director, Partners for Action, University of Waterloo

Resources discussed in the webinar (in order of presentation):

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

FCM’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative is delivered through our Green Municipal Fund and funded by the Government of Canada.

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This webinar explores how municipalities can improve youth health, safety and sustainability by developing safer, low-emission travel routes in school zones. Through GMF’s new Safe and Active School Routes Offer, municipalities can access up to $125,000 in funding (covering 50–80% of eligible costs) and join a national peer learning cohort to plan and implement infrastructure that supports safe, healthy school travel such as sidewalks, bike lanes and other quick-build improvements.

This webinar was delivered in both French and English.

Watch the webinar recording to learn more about:

  • The new Safe and Active School Routes funding offer and how the cohort-based model works.
  • Real-world case studies from municipalities across Canada, featuring creative and practical solutions.
  • Strategies for designing and implementing school travel plans that put youth safety and community health first.
  • Quick-build infrastructure examples that make a measurable difference.
  • How active school routes contribute to broader public health and emissions reduction goals.

Panelists:
English session:

  • Philippe Desrosiers, Planning Consultant, City of Montreal
  • Tyler Figgitt, Infrastructure Services Manager, City of Penticton
  • Stephanie Johnstone-Laurette, Youth and Community Active Transportation Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre

French session:

  • Philippe Desrosiers, Conseiller en aménagement, Ville de Montréal
  • Ben Hammer, Transportation Officer, Ecology Action Centre
  • Elyse McCann, Directrice du développement d’affaires, EnviroCentre

Explore how your municipality can design safer, more sustainable school routes and access the funding and expert support needed to bring those plans to life. Don't miss your chance to advance healthier, safer school communities.

FCM’s Safe and Active School Routes offer is delivered through the Green Municipal Fund and funded by the Government of Canada.

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40% of the population took part in the inaugural Energy Transition Week

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Honourable mention, FCM’s Sustainable Communities Awards in the Reconciliation and anti-racism, equity and inclusion (R-AREI) category

Summary

Lac-Mégantic launched its Energy Transition Plan in 2024, targeting a 22% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The plan, dubbed Mission Mégawatt, now has the whole community on board to achieve its ecological and sustainability targets. It’s an expression of the people’s resolve to make 2013 rail disaster mean something.

Background

A runaway tanker train derailed in July 2013 and burst into flames, devastating the Lac-Mégantic downtown core. There were 47 deaths, numerous injuries and an oil spill without precedent. More than 100 homes were destroyed, 80% of which were affordable or social housing.

The rural municipality of 5,747 in Quebec refused to throw in the towel. Instead, it made a commitment to build back green with an emphasis on sustainability, which would also reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Lac-Mégantic today has a Hydro-Québec microgrid that’s been supplying the downtown core with clean electricity using solar panels and batteries since it came online in 2021. Surplus power is transferred to Hydro-Québec’s main grid. The microgrid is a technological showcase that Lac-Mégantic is capitalizing on as part of its strategy for the energy transition.

Part of the funding for Mission Mégawatt is covered by profits from a wind farm in the Granit RCM that Lac-Mégantic is a partner of.

The challenges

Lac-Mégantic’s energy transition plan is part of the 2020–2025 strategic plan, with its emphasis on environmental stewardship and renewable energy.

Implementing that plan, however, is not without its challenges:

  • Governance: maintain continuity with strong, clear messaging by municipal authorities.
  • Resources: prioritize investments to respect financial capacity.
  • Sustainability: establish an energy transition culture in municipal departments and Council.
Aerial view of solar panels on buildings, Lac-Mégantic, Quebec

The approach

Lac-Mégantic is working with a range of partners to achieve its energy transition plan objectives, including the Commission on Innovation and the Ecological Transition, a citizens’ committee that advises elected officials and supports mobilization, education and awareness initiatives.

Consulting with municipal departments and Commission members, Lac-Mégantic aims to:

  • foster an inclusive and equitable citizens’ movement
  • bring the people of Lac-Mégantic closer together
  • get young people involved, from elementary school up

“Anytime we can get people involved, we will.”

- Julie Morin, Mayor of Lac-Mégantic

The impacts

In 2022, Lac-Mégantic made an inventory of GHG emissions in its jurisdiction. The inventory will be used to benchmark energy transition plan results in future years.

Here are some of the results to date:

  • great response to the 1st Energy Transition Week (40% of the population)
  • events, challenges and talks to raise public, business and partner awareness  
  • new Innovation Hub on smart, renewable-energy microgrids established with the University of Sherbrooke
  • new help desk for energy-efficient buildings established, a free support service to help people with renovation and construction projects
  • in collaboration with Hydro-Québec:
    • production of educational materials to improve young people’s energy literacy
    • research on public participation in the energy transition
    • use of energy transition technology (heat pumps, solar panels, thermic accumulators, etc.) in social housing currently being built
  • provision of grants to support individual initiatives

What we’ve accomplished

The team has come up with some remarkable initiatives in recent months. It established the Mission Mégawatt brand to coordinate its work and get people’s attention. There’s a website to engage the public, update people on plan progress and run regular challenges.

Inclusion is key. That’s why youth, seniors, newcomers, people with disabilities and families have been brought into the project through Transition Commission activities.

There’s also new housing for vulnerable low-income populations, such as the 21 apartments in the Le Chevalier Building. Le Chevalier is a real technology showcase with its hybrid solar panels, local thermic accumulators and heat pumps.

Next steps

Lac-Mégantic aspires to be a leader and model for the energy transition in rural Québec and all of Canada. The plan incorporates 20 actions by 2027, in six areas: transportation, buildings, urban agriculture, industry, waste materials and awareness. It will be reviewed every three years.

“Mission Mégawatt is much more than an energy transition project—it’s a community working together to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and inspire other communities to do the same.”

- Julie Morin, Mayor of Lac-Mégantic 

Electric car charging station, Lac-Mégantic

 

Sustainable Communities Awards

FCM’s Sustainable Communities Awards

Celebrating innovation in local sustainability

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Case study: Sustainable homes, stronger community

How one award-winning apartment building project in Waterloo Region combines affordability, community and sustainability

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Case study: Sustainable heating from unlikely sources

Metro Vancouver’s award-winning policy turns waste heat into community power

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Community Energy Systems

Available funding: We support projects at various stages of development through grants and loans. Funding amounts are based on total eligible costs. Further details on eligible costs are provided on individual funding pages.

Business case: Community Energy Systems

Funding to assess viable community energy projects and their business models

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Study: Community Energy Systems

Funding to outline the design of a proposed community energy system

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Capital project: Community Energy Systems

Funding to construct, commission and rapidly deploy a community energy system

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Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.

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