Mar 25, 2025

Climate Action Teams’ Activities, February-March, 2025

GBCAN is a network of ten Climate Action Teams from Bruce, Grey and Simcoe County. We meet five times a year to talk about what we have been up to and share ideas for effective climate action. Below you will find descriptions from each of the climate groups on things they have been doing this Winter.

Blue Mountains CANN

• Excellent presentation by Pollinator TBM; they have planted 34 pollinator gardens, including 13 canoe gardens. We will collaborate with them over the year, especially with an emphasis on families and educational projects.
• We are launching a RAIN BARREL sale, orders opening soon and pick-up on Saturday April 26^th at the Beaver Valley Community Centre. We will send you the information and flyers as soon as we are ready. I hope everyone will then post the flyers on your particular social media. We have ordered 300 barrels from rainbarrels.ca. They are much cheaper that commercial ones. Please spread the word and please order from us if you are looking for rain barrels.
• We are sponsoring an EARTH DAY clean-up in Thornbury on Saturday April 26^th in the afternoon.
• The ‘Families Go Green for Blue’ program members are developing a social media presence for all their upcoming programs.
• We are working on a possible vermicomposting project.
• CANN requested TBM Council have an EARTH HOUR proclamation. Our request was granted.
• We will attend the TBM Sustainability Summit on April 24^th
• CANN continues to work on new projects and the community is feeling energetic!

Clearview Sustainability Network

CSN held a very well attended public meeting regarding bylaws for boulevards and properties and how they can be updated to support biodiversity. Clearview Township will be updating their property bylaws in the near future, and CSN put this on to both inform and engage with public on this issue, with tremendous support shown for implementing bylaws that support biodiversity in our communities. Lorraine Johnson, who recently helped launch a Canada-wide campaign on ‘bylaws for biodiversity’, was a keynote speaker, along with representatives from the NVCA and Clearview Township.

Georgian Bluffs (GBCAT)

Green Homes Tour June 8th 1:00 to 5:00, Successful 1st anniversary of the Repair Café.Working towards an exhibit at Grey County Museum for 2025, met withclimate curator for the ROM, and will be doing a blue sky thinking session with a renowned exhibit developer who lives locally. Successful author’s reading by Holly Hogan about her book Message in a Bottle. Planning a gathering to be strategic about keeping Council on board. 2nd meeting with BWDSB Sustainability Committee.

Meaford

The Ensuring Sustainability Committee met earlier in March. Repair Café continues to be held on the second Saturday of the month. The Sustainability Project held a launch event in Meaford for a new video showcasing the wonderful work of the Community Garden Network, which can be found at: www.thesustainabilityproject.ca/projects/community-garden-network. High School students who wish to volunteer can apply here: https://www.thesustainabilityproject.ca/news/high-school-application-form

Owen Sound (CATOS)

Pollinate Owen Sound: has received a second grant from Bruce Power! This will allow us to add more pollinator habitat at the Billy Bishop Museum (we’re thinking a Serviceberry tree) and then design, prepare, plant, and maintain habitat (with perhaps some hardscape) for the Library, Art Gallery, and Community Heritage Waterfront Centre. Our initial work has already begun. Later this month our team will do a walkabout of the four sites and then begin the design and prep work. We also plan to have a launch in the fall, with speaker(s) TBA and a celebration. Stay tuned.

Engagement with the City: Owen Sound City Community Services reported on their Climate Mitigation and Adaptation strategies. CATOS sent a response to the City and media. We will be present on March 24, when this report will go to Council for approval. CATOS will foster a closer relationship with the City and extend existing allyships with staff and council.

We will further strategize how we best mobilize citizens around climate action. We will again participate in Home and Cottage Green Zone. We are looking to grow our membership of engaged and active folks!

Earth Works (West Grey)

Earth Works is currently producing and sharing a series of Emergency Preparedness articles with our community.  Besides suggesting items that a homeowner should keep handy for extreme weather events that affect the function and safety of your home, these articles include longer-term adaptation recommendations that people can use to make their homes more resilient.  Our ‘What you can do’ talk to Saugeen Nature was snowed out, so we are scheduled to give the talk on May 19th.  The West Grey Repair Cafe that had been scheduled for March 31 is now re-scheduled for May 24th.  We have lost another member of our core team but are developing a formal vision and mission and will work on an implementation plan.

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