It is the cities – where most of our population lives – and the businesses within them that are taking action to build a hopeful, low-carbon future. Join community leaders and residents in Hamilton and Burlington for the Cities in Action: Bay Area Climate Change Summit on March 25 to 28. Julia Langer, TAF CEO, will present the afternoon keynote on March 27, “Investing in a Low Carbon Future” for Day 2: Energy and Community.

In case you missed it: Toronto achieved a major TransformTO climate milestone – a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its 1990 baseline, surpassing its 2020 target ahead of schedule. While we celebrate this success, we can’t take our progress for granted; Toronto needs to step up the pace, accelerate its actions, and invest deeply into low-carbon actions. Here are some of key recommendations for the City of Toronto’s TransformTO budget that can help us get there.

When a CBC reader, “longtime renter of different apartments in Toronto," asked why the temperature in many residential buildings is so high that she had to keep windows open, even in winter – TAF reached out and provided our best solution. In our TowerWise retrofits, smart thermostats and ventilation improvements led to about a 40 per cent drop in daily window-opening in winter. Full story here.

What is the role of energy efficiency in Ontario’s electricity system? Efficiency Canada has put together an Ontario Backgrounder, particularly to look at the unintended consequences of the Ontario Government’s electricity conservation measures – such as a more expensive electricity system, higher bills, and fewer jobs.

We recently had a guest blog from Ottawa Community Foundation's Rebecca Aird - who attended the course in 2018 - on the role of partnerships from a funder's perspective. Don't miss out on April's Partnership Brokering training session, hosted by TAF's Mary Pickering, VP Programs & Partnerships. More information and resources on the GTHA Partnerships website.