Pour le français, cliquez ici.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 Aug, 2025 | OTTAWA | UNCEDED, UNSURRENDERED TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHINAABEG
Ecology Ottawa and City for All Women Initiative Join Forces to Empower Community-Led Equitable Climate Action
Today, Ecology Ottawa and City for All Women Initiative jointly announce the launch of a new Climate Equity initiative. The initiative sets out to put equity-deserving communities at the heart of Ottawa’s urban planning and development decisions. As our city rapidly grows, the initiative will push for decisions that cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, advance equity, and build a more climate-resilient Ottawa for everyone.
In Ottawa, buildings account for 46 per cent of Ottawa’s total greenhouse gas emissions, while transportation accounts for another 42 per cent. Meanwhile, our city is undergoing significant growth, with Council having committed to build 151,000 housing units by 2031.
“The planning decisions we make today will define the shape of our city for decades to come,” said William van Geest, Executive Director at Ecology Ottawa. “With this level of urban growth, we have a huge opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but only if we commit to sustainable choices now.”
Equity-deserving communities—including low-income residents, newcomers, and other marginalized groups—remain underrepresented in planning and development decisions in Ottawa, despite being disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. This new project tackles that imbalance head-on, empowering communities to advocate for solutions that reduce emissions, build resiliency and meet their daily needs.
“This is about building an Ottawa for all—one where climate solutions are informed by those who are too often excluded from decision-making, and where development doesn’t come at the cost of increased emissions,” said Camille Koon, Nature Organizer at Ecology Ottawa
"A resilient city must be an equitable city. It's a city where the people most impacted are the ones driving change. For example, if you’ve ever relied solely on public transportation, you know best what it would take to improve our transit system to reduce trips made by car. If you lived in a building without AC this summer, you know best what climate adaptive measures should be considered in a new home. Planning and decision-making led by the lived experience of its residents is how we build a caring city, a city we all want to live in,” said Meg Herod, Policy Director and Co-executive Director at City for All Women Initiative.
Funded by the Ottawa Climate Action Fund (OCAF), the initiative blends grassroots engagement and community empowerment with systemic policy advocacy. Activities will include workshops on climate equity, planning and development processes; public engagement opportunities; participatory planning exercises, including community walks, mapping, and art projects; tool development for residents to take equitable climate action; sharing of our replicable framework for other municipalities; and development of policy recommendations for lasting change.
- 30 -
For media inquiries, please contact:
Camille Koon, Nature Organizer at Ecology Ottawa
613-860-5353
Meg Herod, Policy Director and Co-executive Director at City For All Women Initiative
613-876-4559
About Ecology Ottawa
Ecology Ottawa is the heartbeat of the environmental movement in our nation’s capital, with a network of over tens of thousands of people. Ecology Ottawa is a not-for-profit, grassroots, and volunteer-driven organization that organizes in communities, engages citizens, and collaborates with partners to create a green, resilient, and inclusive city.
Website: ecologyottawa.ca.
About City for All Women Initiative (CAWI)
CAWI works alongside women of diverse lived experiences and community organizations to build their knowledge, skills and momentum to collectively advocate for economic, political and social justice. CAWI works with decision-makers and partner organizations to advance public policies and practices that make Ottawa a more inclusive and caring city.
Website: cawi-ivtf.org
