Ecotrust Canada Newsletter - July No Images? Click here Research students seek solutions to energy povertyRural and Indigenous communities in B.C. lack access to affordable energy Three months into his internship with the Community Energy initiative, student researcher Phil Climie said it was apparent that there are too many people in B.C. who are forced to decide between heating their homes and feeding their families. His research took him to Bella Bella, a remote Indigenous community on the Central Coast of B.C., where Ecotrust Canada partnered with the Heiltsuk Nation in 2018 to replace diesel furnaces with air-source heat pumps in 40 on-reserve homes. Under the guidance and leadership of Graham Anderson, Ecotrust Canada’s Director of Community Energy, Phil and fellow student researcher, Rudri Bhatt, are seeking to better understand household heating experiences in rural and Indigenous communities across the province. To dig deeper into the issue, the Community Energy team has identified three partner communities, including the Heiltsuk First Nation, Lower Similkameen Indian Band and the vast Mount Waddington Regional District. While working in these communities over the summer, Phil and the Community Energy team will aim to identify gaps in the current provincial energy policy and find practical solutions to reduce the energy poverty rate on Indigenous reserves and in rural communities. Also from our Community Energy teamNew and NotableNEW FACE: Shannon Lough joined Ecotrust Canada this summer as the new Manager of Communications and Engagement. Before stepping into this role she was the editor of The Northern View, a Black Press Media newspaper in Prince Rupert. Welcome to the team! COVERAGE: CEO of Teem Fish Monitoring, Amanda Barney, was featured in conversation with Sealives.org. Read “The devastation of futures past” to learn more about her previous work with Ecotrust Canada and Teem Fish, and the importance of systemic thinking when it comes to marine ecology and the fishing industry. PUBLISHED: Ecotrust Canada board member, Rick Williams, published his opinion piece “Feds take first step to a sustainable B.C. fishery” in The Province on July 13, following the passing of Bill C-68, legislation to modernize Canada’s Fisheries Act to protect the rights of inshore fish harvesters in Atlantic Canada. Prove the PossibleEcotrust Canada is powered by the vision of people and nature thriving together. With your support, we’ll continue to bring real, tangible solutions to big questions that integrate social, economic and environmental well-being. Thank you for your continued support! The Ecotrust Canada Team |