WHAT ARE COMMUNITIES FACING

From a wilder and more intense climate to aging communities and skilled worker shortages to unaffordable housing and increasing food and energy costs, communities are facing significant challenges. These challenges are restricting communities’ ability to lower the cost of living, increase accessibility, create jobs in a world that is reducing emissions, and strengthen their ability to adapt to a changing climate. And no one level of government, industry, or individual can solve these problems on their own.

WHAT ARE COMMUNITIES FACING

HOW WE HELP

We work with government, industry, and civil society groups to deeply understand the problems that hold back local clean growth and more livable communities within a given region. We then provide practical solutions that build on the unique strengths of those communities, and where everyone involved has a role in creating a future where their family and neighbours thrive.

Learn more
HOW WE HELP

Be part of the solution that grows the clean economy, helps communities flourish, and improves the quality of life in your region.

PROGRAMS

Communities
Communities

How can we create accessible communities that meet the needs of everyone from ages nine to ninety; are affordable for everyone to have a home, heat that home, and put food on the table; and will help Canada meet its climate goals of zero emissions by 2050?

Growth
Growth

How can every region across the country grow their local economy as the world moves to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and Canada adapts to a changing climate?

Our Work

Four Pathways to Housing Affordability
November 19, 2024

The Blueprint for More and Better Housing, released in early 2024, provided a plan for Canada to build 5.8 million affordable, resilient and low-carbon homes. Although many of the recommendations have proven popular with policymakers and the public, getting buy-in for the overall vision can be difficult. Too often, those policymakers and the public see […]

Read More
Ontario Communities Falling Behind on Homebuilding
November 18, 2024

Over the past six years, from Canada Day 2018 to Canada Day 2024, Canada’s population has grown by over 4.2 million people, requiring a substantial increase in Canada’s housing supply. This rapid naturally leads to the question, Which communities are getting it done when it comes to homebuilding? In this memo, Ontario Communities Falling Behind […]

Read More
Less is More: Where we Build 5.8 Million Homes Matters
November 13, 2023

There is a broad consensus that Canada is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation has estimated that 5.8 million homes, nationally, need to be built by 2030 in order to address the housing affordability crisis. In Ontario, the provincial target is 1.5 million homes. As part of […]

Read More
Getting International Students To Stay and Work in Canada is at Odds with Our Policies
October 4, 2023

International students are an invaluable part of the prospective Canadian workforce that can help address the critical skilled labour shortages facing many Canadian industries, including construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. However, Canada’s current policies are at odds with the objective of having international students stay and work in Canada. If this is unaddressed, Canada will fail […]

Read More
Addressing Forestry’s Skilled Labour Shortage: Insights from Women Working in Forestry
September 19, 2023

Canada’s forestry sector is facing a labour shortage due to a wave of baby boomer retirements and little interest from younger generations to pursue a career in forestry. Despite the need for more workers, women still comprise only 17% of the sector in Canada. One study also found that women in forestry are rarely in […]

Read More
Working Together to Build 1.5 Million Homes
August 17, 2023

To keep up with an aging and growing population, it is projected that Ontario will need to build 1.5 million homes in the next ten years. Yet, Ontario has never built more than 850,000 homes in a ten-year period. Who is responsible for making this 1.5 million homes goal a reality, while making it happen […]

Read More
National Housing Accord: A Multi-Sector Approach to Ending Canada’s Housing Rental Crisis
August 15, 2023

Rents have been increasing rapidly in many parts of the country, primarily caused by a lack of accessible, climate-friendly, affordable, and market-rate purpose-built rental units to house a growing population. Increasing rents inflict the most significant harm on the lowest-income Canadians, including seniors, people on fixed incomes, single-parent led households, students, newcomers to Canada, and […]

Read More
We know Canada has a labour shortage. What should we do about it?
August 10, 2023

As Canada advances clean growth and climate action, tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of roles could be created in regions across the country. However, sectors are sounding the alarm about a challenge this growth could create: it may very well worsen labour shortages. This concern is valid. Without finding more skilled workers, increases in […]

Read More
READY FOR GREEN JOBS
June 20, 2023

Clean growth and climate action in Canada could create thousands of jobs in the next seven years. With a potential 300,000 jobs created, communities across the country have the opportunity to thrive while moving Canada towards meeting its climate targets. Yet, two challenges exist to realize this vision.   Workers must have the required skills to […]

Read More

Our Team

Dr. Mike Moffatt
Dr. Mike Moffatt

Founding Director

Read Bio
Teslin Augustine
Teslin Augustine

Senior Research Associate, Growth

Read Bio
Hem Dholakia
Hem Dholakia

Senior Research Associate, Growth

Read Bio
Jesse Helmer
Jesse Helmer

Senior Research Associate, Communities

Read Bio
Mykensie Kendrick
Mykensie Kendrick

Research Associate, Growth & Communities

Read Bio