The City of Surrey, located south-east of Vancouver, is one of Canada’s fastest growing and most culturally diverse cities. This immersive session treats Surrey as a case study to spotlight multisolving in action. Delegates join City of Surrey staff on a guided bus tour of climate adaptation and flood resilience strategies and projects being implemented in South Surrey, including a guided walk along Boundary Bay to explore the Living Dyke, a discussion of coastal flood adaptation in Crescent Beach, and an excursion to a regenerative agricultural pilot project at Mound Farm Park. Join us for an enriching experience that highlights Surrey’s commitment to creating holistic resilience solutions for its residents.

Join us for this spotlight on North Vancouver, located just across the Burrard Inlet, where municipal staff have been working to prioritize active transportation and biodiversity conservation as core components of their broader climate action. This bike-based tour through North Vancouver starts with a short walk to Waterfront Station and a public transit Seabus trip across the Inlet. After hopping off the Seabus, experience how multisolving can be applied to active transportation and biodiversity conservation to enhance urban life. The tour explores the North Shore via the Spirit Trail, an inviting greenway that exemplifies the region’s commitment to safe and accessible active transportation. Next, discover the innovative “complete street” designs in Lower Lonsdale, where mobility meets community, and explore various rainwater management strategies that enhance the city’s resilience to climate impacts. Along the way, learn about local initiatives to protect biodiversity, which illustrate how vibrant urban environments can thrive alongside nature.

The way we talk about climate action matters, especially when we want to connect with audiences that have different backgrounds, perspectives, and priorities. In this immersive session, explore how to apply behavioural insights to create effective climate communication strategies that drive meaningful and impactful climate action. Get equipped with actionable communication strategies you can implement in your community. Let’s rethink our approach to climate communications!

Walk around False Creek to learn from the Sea2City Design Challenge – a project that has been recognized nationally and internationally for setting a precedent for multidisciplinary collaboration and addressing intricate issues related to climate change, decolonization, and urban ecology.

Join representatives from the City of Vancouver and the False Creek Design Team for an immersive session that takes delegates to Coopers Park, a Sea2City study site and the home of a future Sea2City seawall softening pilot project. From Coopers, hop on a ferry and zoom to the south side of False Creek to look at the Stamps Landing site.

The year-long Sea2City project engaged diverse participants in reimagining the future of the False Creek waterfront in response to rising sea levels. The result is not a single solution, but rather a renewed approach and deeper understanding of the relationships and connections that sustain us – and how this knowledge might be applied to help tackle the complex challenges ahead. Sea2City offers precedent towards comprehensive, community-driven design approaches.

Seeing is believing: in this immersive session, we will delve into on-the-ground examples of low-carbon development, transportation, and nature-based solutions. Join us as we explore some of Vancouver’s leading examples of climate mitigation and energy transition in action. Participants will have the unique opportunity to engage with local experts and practitioners and observe innovative projects firsthand. This session promises to inspire and inform, offering practical insights and takeaways that can be applied in your own communities.

Join us for an immersive workshop that delves into the transformative potential of multisolving to advance climate action. Multisolving goes beyond traditional problem-solving approaches by addressing multiple challenges with each action, achieving co-benefits across sectors such as health, equity, and economic development while tackling climate issues. In this interactive session, participants explore real-world examples and case studies where multisolving strategies have been successfully applied. Through guided discussions and hands-on activities, seize the opportunity to analyze complex climate challenges and brainstorm innovative solutions that maximize co-benefits. Learn how multisolving can enhance resilience, foster community engagement, and promote community well-being.

Whether you’re new to multisolving or looking to deepen your understanding, join us to gain practical insights and tools that you can apply in your own climate initiatives. Together, let’s explore how multisolving can be a powerful tool for creating resilient and equitable communities in the face of climate change.

Each plant, each tree has its own special story. On this nature walking immersive session hosted by Talaysay Tours, an Indigenous owned and operated tour business, hear the stories of how shíshálh (Sechelt) Coast Salish & Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) People have been utilizing the land for food, medicine and technology for thousands of years. Walk along the seawall to learn how the Talaysay team has been studying climate change and its impacts on our lands and ocean. Experience multisolving in action as your Talaysay cultural ambassador guide shares their ecological practices, ancient and contemporary history, stories, legends and Indigenous ways of living (knowing). Finish off this session with an Indigenous tea service and totem pole presentation.

We can’t return to what once was, but we can be guided by nature to make tangible and sustainable improvements that benefit water, community and ecology. Join the City of Vancouver’s Green Infrastructure Implementation team for this immersive session that includes three sites in the City that showcase how to use nature-based solutions to enhance livability, increase biodiversity, and improve water quality.

This session is an opportunity to learn about how the City designs and operates Green Rainwater Infrastructure (GRI) at different scales, with an emphasis on equitable service delivery in high urban heat areas of Vancouver. The guided tour stops first at Gibby’s Field, a newly built naturalized park that creates a respite zone for species while allowing the community to interact with the space from the periphery. Next, see small-scale bioretention interventions at Woodland & 14th that demonstrate the impacts of place-based interventions. The tour wraps up at Woodland & 2nd with a blue-green system – a connected space that makes room for water, people, and animals.

Canadians face increasing risks as the climate and housing crises escalate. This session builds on discussions from the Opening Plenary, diving into practical and applicable tools to multisolve these dual challenges. Explore how urban renewal, green infrastructure, and transit-oriented development can simultaneously address climate risks, revitalize communities, and increase access to affordable housing. Through interactive case studies and group discussions, discover practical strategies for creating resilient, equitable cities that meet both housing and climate needs.

A new go-to destination for relevant, actionable data and information on climate ready infrastructure and housing is launching as part of the Livable Cities Forum! The platform is set to empower communities across Canada with the data and information they need to build low-carbon, resilient infrastructure and housing today for a changing tomorrow. Join this interactive training session to learn how the Climate Insight platform addresses the challenges of disparate and fragmented sources of climate and compliance information by bringing in streamlined access to relevant data, assessment, decision support tools, infrastructure options, case studies, and more. This is an interactive session to walk attendees through the various features and capabilities of the platform.

How do we move forward on the challenging work of implementing local climate adaptation actions, and do so equitably? Explore possible paths forward, building off Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative. This session kicks-off with brief presentations on the LLCA’s funding and capacity development opportunities, and on equitable adaptation. Next, hands-on activities and engaging discussions enable participants to apply and build on these learnings. Identify and walk away with equitable climate adaptation implementation practices ready to be woven into your local context. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and collectively move forward on implementing equitable adaptation actions that reduce climate risks and build more resilient cities.

This session is brought to you in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.

Mobilizing research into Canadian communities is a vital component of climate action. The Municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N-ZAP) is an ongoing effort to bring together research institutions, municipal organizations, and dozens of municipalities to advance net-zero transition. Join this session to engage with the latest N-ZAP findings, from knowledge on the State of Climate Action in Canadian Municipalities to three transformative guides on Collaborative Governance, Climate Budgeting, and Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Come prepared to share your opinions on how to mobilize knowledge further to help municipalities meet Canada’s net-zero targets while also financing multisolving solutions.

Municipalities across Canada have long been grappling with water management concerns, but the escalating impacts of climate change – rising temperatures, droughts, floods, hailstorms, and heat waves – are placing unprecedented pressure on aging infrastructure. Join a panel of municipal staff from three diverse municipalities to discuss strategies for adapting to various climate hazards. Gain insights into practical solutions to enhance the resilience of public infrastructure in the face of a changing climate, learning from real-world examples and collaborative efforts. Join us to explore how municipalities are navigating these challenges and paving the way for a sustainable future.

Imagine that your public spaces are also green energy hubs: they create renewable energy, while at the same time providing benefits like shade, public art, recreation, and education. In other words, the public spaces are designed to leverage the potential of multisolving.

This workshop-style session from Evergreen dives into the benefits of various green energy solutions in public spaces, from micro-hydro in parks to energy-generating playgrounds. Learn about implementation of various technologies, as explored in Evergreen’s Green Energy Solutions toolkit, which was designed for the Community Solutions Network to help practitioners leverage public spaces, like parks and beaches, to host green energy technologies. Practitioners developing climate mitigation plans or net-zero projects won’t want to miss this workshop.

This session is brought to you in partnership with Evergreen.

In the journey towards climate resilience, failure can be a powerful teacher. This session explores the concept of “failing forward” in municipal climate action, emphasizing how missteps and setbacks can lead to innovation and success. Join us in this “fishbowl” session to hear – and share your own – real-life stories of turning climate challenges into opportunities for growth. Learn how to embrace failure as a stepping stone, fostering a culture of resilience and continuous improvement. Discover how embracing the concept of failing forward can accelerate your community’s climate action and create a more sustainable future.

Learn how cities can harness the power of natural systems to create more resilient, low carbon, and livable environments for all. As climate change impacts intensify, cities must prepare for more frequent and severe heatwaves, droughts, and floods, significantly impacting infrastructure, housing, livelihoods, and public health. Immediate action is essential, including implementing green, resilient, and inclusive urban development to combat climate change. This session employs an interactive “world café” format to foster idea generation and knowledge sharing about natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions that enhance climate resilience in cities. Join us in engaging in dynamic discussions, sharing best practices, and exploring innovative strategies for integrating nature into urban planning.

This session is brought to you in partnership with Happy Cities.

As climate misinformation and disinformation proliferate, local governments are increasingly vulnerable to their effects. As populist movements gain traction, proponents of environmental policies confront organized opposition. How can we bolster Canadian communities’ abilities to confront this challenge and bridge crucial knowledge gaps through countering misinformation? Join this interactive “fishbowl” session to engage directly with experts and fellow delegates. Through facilitated dialogue and collaborative brainstorming, explore practical strategies and case studies from municipalities tackling misinformation effectively. Gain insights into building community resilience, enhancing media literacy, and fostering transparent communication strategies. Together, let’s empower local leaders with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate misinformation in the context of climate action.

Join us for a dynamic workshop focused on overcoming barriers that hinder local governments from effectively integrating equity and community engagement into climate change adaptation efforts. This session is designed to advocate for and equip local government partners with actionable strategies and tools to consider equity in various adaptation projects – from policies to programs, and capital investments. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, participants will:

1. Explore and tackle primary barriers preventing municipalities from prioritizing equity and engagement in climate adaptation.
2. Draw inspiration from successful case studies of local governments and partnerships that have effectively centered equity in their adaptation initiatives.
3. Gain access to a toolkit of tangible resources and tools aimed at guiding local leaders in integrating equity and community engagement into their adaptation strategies.

Whether you’re seeking to initiate change or enhance existing practices, this workshop offers invaluable insights and practical solutions to foster inclusive and resilient adaptation efforts in your community. Join us to empower local action and advance climate resilience through equity and engagement.

As municipalities grapple with aging infrastructure and increasing stresses from climate change, integrating natural assets into asset management plans offers a dual opportunity. This approach not only protects vital community resources but also enhances cost-effectiveness, service levels, and climate resilience, all while also sequestering carbon. However, effectively accounting for carbon sequestration and offsets, and integrating Natural Asset Inventories (NAIs) into asset management strategies, remains a challenge. Join this session to discover how municipalities are assessing and valuing ecosystem services, conducting NAIs, and successfully integrating them into asset management and climate action strategies. Gain practical knowledge on translating these assessments into actionable steps that enhance sustainability in your community.

As climate change accelerates, the need for actionable information to support climate adaptation intensifies. Whether you are a local official developing an adaptation plan, or a city planner working on urban resilience, looking to other municipalities can help.

This session guides participants through the new Spatial Analogies tool on ClimateData.ca, which offers a window into communities’ climate futures, helping to understand and anticipate upcoming challenges and opportunities. By examining places that have a similar number of hot days and warm nights as your city is expected to face in the future, users can borrow strategies for urban design, public health initiatives, and emergency planning to effectively combat heatwaves.

Join for an interactive guide through using the tool, and an exploration of its potential to address impacts across multiple sectors in your community.