Faith Based Environmental Initiatives in Canada

About: The Canadian Council of Churches was founded in 1944 and in 2019 it represented 26 churches.

Environmental Activities:

• In 2011, the Canadian Council of Churches organized a meeting called the Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change, in anticipation of the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Partnerships:

• Citizens for Public Justice: https://www.cpj.ca
• Greening Sacred Spaces: https://www.faithcommongood.org/greening_sacred_spaces

About: Eglise Verte (also known as Green Churches Network) was established in 2006 and as of 2019 it consisted of 74 faith communities and continues to grow. The primary focus of Green Churches Network is to help Christian communities engage in caring for creation through programs, campaigns, stewardship activities, education and more.

Environmental Activities:

• Eglise Verte or Green Churches Networks environmental activities include supporting greening in congregations, providing online resources for practical action, education, worship, finding grants, and developing a green team.

Partnerships:

• Equiterre: https://equiterre.org/
• Teva Quebec: https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/

About: KAIROS was established in 2001 and is a charitable organization directed by the United Church of Canada. Today, KAIROS consists of 10 churches and organizations who work together for human rights and ecological justice through education, political advocacy, theological development, activism and more.

Environmental Activities:

• KAIROS’s environmental activities are primarily educational, political advocacy, theological development, congregational resources, activism, networking, and worship.
• The main areas of concern include climate change, international developmental justice, Indigenous concerns, national regulatory justice, water, energy, forestry and mining, the land, money and finance, and food and agriculture.
• Other programs and initiatives include creating resources, online research, policy briefing papers, media articles, action campaigns such as letter writing, and press releases.
• More specific programs include Global Partnership Projects; Re-energize: Time for a Carbon Sabbath; Watershed Discipleship; Our Waters, Our Life; and the Blanket Exercise.

Partnerships:

• Global Partners
• Council of Canadians: https://canadians.org/
• Polaris Institute: https://www.polarisinstitute.org/
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission: http://www.trc.ca/

About: Citizens for Public Justice began making an appearance in Canada in the early 1960’s and today focus primarily on educational activities including education, advocacy, activism, worship, networking, and theological devotion. Their main areas of concern include national regulatory justice, climate change, energy, Indigenous concerns, waste and pollution, and money and finance.

Environmental Activities:

• Lysack, Mishka, and Karri Munn-Venn (eds). (2013). Living Ecological Justice.
• Other programs and initiatives include research and analysis, publishing public dialogue, workshops, action and worship resources for climate change events, involvement in the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline inquiry and advocating for the carbon tax in Canada.

Partnerships:

• Canadian Council of Churches Commission on Justice and Peace: https://www.councilofchurches.ca/about-us/cjp/
• Canadian Council for Reform Judaism: https://ccrj.ca/
• Canadian Islamic Congress: http://www.canadianislamiccongress.com/
• Climate Action Network Canada: https://climateactionnetwork.ca/

About: s was established in the mid-1980s to work in activism, education, advocacy, and policy. The main areas of concern include indigenous concerns, International development justice, national regulatory justice, energy, forestry, mining, and fishery. Some programs include partnering with international communities such as Colombia, West Bank and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Environmental Activities:

• Educational work includes nonviolence training and taking delegations to project areas.
• In Canada, the Indigenous Peoples Solidarity is engaged in justice work around land, including: the Elsipogtog fracking blockage; the Algonquins of Barriere Lake; Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishnabek- Grassy Narrows; Haudosaunee Territory, Brantford; Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug- Northwestern ON; Algonquin Territory: Robertsville, ON; Esgenoôpetitj - Burnt Church NB (1999-2001); Indian Brook First Nation - Shubenacadie NS; Dumpsite 41; pipelines.

Partnerships:

• War Resister Support Campaign: http://resisters.ca/
• Canadian Voices of Women for Peace: https://vowpeace.org/
• Muslim Community in London, ON
• Mennonite Church: http://home.mennonitechurch.ca/
• Canada’s Indigenous Relations

Canadian Council of Churches

Eglise Verte, Green Churches Network

Kairos

Citizens for Public Justice

Christian Peacemaker Teams