001-43_EJQR9_SUMMER26_PT - Flipbook - Page 22
Depave Paradise program. The former, to transform under-natured
sites into thriving forests. The latter, to remove unused pavement and
replace it with native planted green spaces.
“There’s a lot of demand for greening across Canadian cities,” says
Jenn McCallum who manages GCC’s Green Infrastructure department.
For a demonstration stream called the Living Cities Canada Fund in
support of new green infrastructure she shares that “we received 70
applications and were (only) able to fund 32 projects this year. So, it’s
very competitive.”
While the minimum size of projects is 100 metres squared “some of
the projects that we support are quite a bit larger,” says McCallum.
“Some are 500 meters squared, for example… projects like ecological
restoration and public park spaces. They’re quite varied across the
country.”
Looking through a similar lens as Calgary’s canopy initiative, she
says “we like these projects to be developed with equity (in mind) and
deserving groups (including neighbourhoods with) people on low
income, BIPOC individuals, newcomers to Canada, youth… areas of
need. Maybe where there’s low canopy cover or high 昀氀ood risk or other
environmental concerns.”
In addition to mini forests being created “we like to support a variety
of other projects as well, including the community food gardening, rain
gardens and other stormwater infrastructure projects.”
While GCC’s total budget is a modest $1 million, the group serves both as
a role model and educator for what other community groups across the
country can accomplish by harnessing people power.
And as a member of the Green Budget Coalition (GBC), which includes
the likes of Nature Conservancy Canada, Pembina Institute and Pollution
Probe, the group has an opportunity to have an outsized in昀氀uence on
federally funded programs moving forward, including the recently
announced Government of Canada “A Force of Nature” $3.8 billion
initiative.
“I’m really excited as a member (of GBC), that we are involved in
advocating for the protection of nature as well as restoring ecosystems,”
says McCallum.
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