The road to an equitable low-carbon future isn’t a straight line. It’s a winding path full of experiments, partnerships and lessons learned along the way. Over the past year, the Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) Network has been walking that path with purpose, working across six urban centres to accelerate climate action while making sure equity isn’t left behind.
This work critical. It challenges us to rethink how we design programs, measure success and share benefits of climate action with all members of our communities. We’re learning that climate action in cities isn’t just about technology or policy—it’s about people, trust and collaboration.
What’s happening on the ground
From January 2024 to April 2025, LC3 Centres invested $1.2M of McConnell Foundation funding into 17 equity-focused climate initiatives, unlocking projects worth $7 million in total value. Here’s a snapshot of what that looks like:
- In Vancouver, ZEIC worked with partners to install EV chargers in multi-family buildings—because clean transportation should be accessible to everyone.
- In Edmonton, CIF’s Home Upgrades Program helped upgrade low-income housing, cutting energy bills and emissions at the same time helped upgrade low-income housing, cutting energy bills and emissions at the same time.
- In Toronto, TAF pushed forward municipal bylaws to protect vulnerable residents from rising summer temperatures.
- In Ottawa, OCAF teamed up with City for All Women Initiative and Faith and the Common Good to bring diverse voices into climate planning.
- In Montreal, Fonds Climat du Grand Montréal continues to support retrofit accelerators for low-income renters and homeowners.
- In Halifax, HCi3 hosted a Youth Climate Pitch Competition with Tribe Network, giving racialized youth a platform to lead climate entrepreneurship.
Together, this portfolio of initiatives shows practical ways climate action and equity can go hand in hand.
Photo: TRIBE
Building strength from within
One big takeaway is that external impact starts with internal change. LC3 Centres have been investing in their own capacity to lead with equity by:
- Updating hiring practices to attract diverse talent.
- Creating internal communities of practice to share insights and challenge assumptions.
- Revising governance structures to broaden representation.
These steps may seem small, but they add up, shaping how we design programs, choose partners, and show up in our communities.
The challenges we’re owning
Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. We’re wrestling with:
- Time and capacity: Building authentic relationships takes time—and time is always tight.
- Measuring impact: How do you put a “return on investment” number on the value of equity or the level of strength in our community relationships? We’re still figuring that out.
- Policy engagement: Fast-moving legislation leaves little room for nuanced dialogue, leaving us struggling to convene diverse community members to participate in important public policy debates.
Our responses to these challenges continue to be imperfect, and while we don’t have all the answers, we’re committed to learning and deepening our insights by comparing experiences among all the diverse local LC3 Centres.
What’s next
Cities are where climate change hits hardest—and where solutions can make the biggest difference. By weaving equity into climate strategies, we’re not just cutting emissions; we’re building cities that are fairer, healthier and more resilient.
Looking ahead, LC3 will keep working hard to see the crossover points between climate action and equity, scaling retrofit programs that serve multiple demographics, advancing equitable transportation policies and deepening collaboration across sectors to access the experiences of the many segments of our urban communities.
The road ahead is complex, but every lesson—every success and every stumble—brings us closer to the cities we want to build. For those of us working in this space, the message is clear: climate action isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a social one. And if we approach it with curiosity and courage, we can create solutions that truly serve everyone.