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Youth Climate Action Fund

 

The City of New Westminster was selected to participate in the Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

New Westminster was one of 100 cities around the globe and one of 6 Canadian cities to receive $50,000 USD in funding to spur youth-driven climate action to develop innovative projects and solutions to address climate change locally. The Youth Climate Action Fund supported young people to make a difference in our community and tackle pressing environmental challenges.

"Climate change is an all-hands-on-deck challenge,
and it's critical that young people — who
have the most at stake — help lead the way.” 
— Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy on Climate
Ambition and Solutions and 108th mayor of New York City

funding criteria

The fund was available to youth 15-24 years old who had an idea to take action on climate change in New Westminster and help foster a more sustainable future. All projects were required to fit within one or more of the following New Westminster Climate Action Plan priorities; 7 Bold Steps:

  • Carbon-Free Corporation,
  • Car-Light Community,
  • Carbon-Free Homes and Buildings,
  • Pollution-Free Vehicles,
  • Carbon-Free Energy,
  • Robust Urban Forest, and
  • People-Centred Public Realm.

contact

For more information, please contact: 

FUNDED PROJECTS

Eight youth groups applied for funding for 10 projects, which were all completed over the 2024 fall period. The projects fell into the following categories:

  • 3 – arts and education
  • 4 – environmental awareness and action
  • 3 – gardening and green spaces

These youth-led initiatives focus on sustainability, climate action, and community resilience. They include projects that promote environmental stewardship, sustainable food production, art-based activism, and education on climate change and extreme weather preparedness. By engaging students and community members, these efforts inspire action, build awareness, and address critical environmental and social challenges through creative and practical solutions.

Click the project titles below for details about each.

  • Art for Climate

    The Mural Legacy Group at NWSS is a continuation of youth-led initiatives to install concept-driven artworks within the school building at New Westminster Secondary School - to spread important youth perspectives and make an impression on everyone who walks through the doors. Each year, youth leads take over to host the next generation of mural-makers and lead a group of youth interested in art-based activism, through the lens of Climate Action, to create works of art that educate and inform audiences on how they can do their part to reduce their carbon footprints and advocate for systemic change in our school and community. This includes educating students on renewable, eco-friendly materials for art-making. Youth-led projects ensure leadership and creative direction are entirely in the hands of the youth, fostering engagement and commitment to climate action through art.

  • HOPE Mural

    The Monkey Rebels Mural has been designed with two moving partition murals which can be easily rolled and brought to different places to showcase the work throughout the school. They travel it around their school spurring teaching workshops and discussions around the environment. The kids designed one side of one of the walls to be a game of life, but with an environmental twist. They also received approval for the large wall outside the school. But we will only be able to paint it in spring as the wall is super moist.

  • Change Starts with Education

    The Monkey Rebels, a group of environmentally-minded youth aged 12-16 years, want to improve climate change education for New Westminster’s elementary and middle schools. They developed lessons and materials, as well as assembly presentations for the elementary schools, and designed a climate change themed escape room for middle-school-aged students.

  • E.C.H.O. (Environmental and Cultural Health Outreach) Workshop

    Youth members of the Umbrella Multicultural Health Cooperative developed and facilitated a workshop for immigrants and newcomers on how to mitigate the adverse health impacts of climate change through sustainable and energy-efficient living.

  • Students For Extreme Weather Preparedness

    With the extreme weather shifts in BC with our summer months experiencing extreme heats and our winters experiencing extreme cold temperatures; more people are lacking resources and information to stay warm or cool during these times of the year. Often those who are the most affected are our elder generations, lower income families and students. Along with comprehensive information about the local weather and extreme events, the Douglas Students' Union gave out reusable hand warmers and sustainable neck cooling scarfs. It was such a success that the students have expanded this program into the community by connecting with external partners to continue this support.

  • The importance of bats in our ecosystem

    The little brown bat is at risk of going extinct in New Westminster and yet plays an essential role bats play in the ecosystem by pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, and pest control. Students of School District 40’s Sigma Program learned about little brown bats and their role in the ecosystem. They learned how to, and constructed, usable bat houses that are being distributed and erected in appropriate environments throughout New Westminster providing safe, clean houses for remaining little brown bats. Through youth-led workshops the students encourage youth to spread the word that bats are good for healthy ecosystems and economies by breaking down any myths that people have about bats.

  • Glenbrook Ravine English Ivy Control

    Students of School District 40’s Sigma Program tackled the overgrowth of English Ivy, an invasive species, in Glenbrook Ravine. The dense ivy is chokes out ground vegetation and reduces sunlight availability, which weakens trees.

  • NWSS Garden

    The New Westminster Secondary School Environment Club, in cooperation with a new Gardening Club built a garden for the high school along with a vermicomposting system to divert school kitchen waste and create healthy soil. The spring garden will include plants that can be used by the cafeteria and food studies programs. Students will be responsible for planning, planting, caring for, and harvesting the garden.

  • Garden 4 Kids

    Formerly called the Queens Park Community Garden for Youth. The existing youth-exclusive garden was rebuilt to higher standards and is managed by Garden 4 Kids, a youth subset of the New West Community Gardening Society. Garden 4 Kids will use the garden and their acquired experience and knowledge to educate their peers on sustainable food production and environmental stewardship as well they dedicate a portion of the food they grow to donate to local food security charities in New Westminster.

  • Westminster House Garden

    Youth members of the Westminster House Society of Women and Youth Girls constructed garden boxes to grow and care for a fruit and vegetable garden as a way of learning about eating farm-to-table and growing food.