About Sierra Youth

About Us

Sierra Youth is a national, youth-led organization dedicated to empowering young people to lead the way toward environmental and social justice.

Founded in 1996 as the Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC), we are the official youth branch of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation. Since day one, our primary mission has been to support our youth across Canada to help them become active, informed, and courageous change-makers in their communities.

Photo by/par Nigel Boeur

Held together through grassroots organizing and guided by a strong anti-oppression framework, we tackle some of the most urgent issues of our time: climate change,  globalization, and overconsumption. We provide tools, training, and platforms for youth to engage in collective action and build a more just, sustainable world.

Our network is made up of passionate members and volunteers aged 15 to 30—from high school students to young professionals—all united by a shared commitment to creating lasting change from the ground up.

Our History

Sierra Youth began its journey in 1996 as the Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC)—a national, youth-led organization founded to empower young Canadians to take action on environmental and social justice issues. As the official youth arm of the Sierra Club of Canada, SYC quickly became a hub for youth organizing, sustainability education, and climate advocacy.

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, SYC led groundbreaking initiatives like the Sustainable Campuses Project, which supported student-led climate audits and sustainability strategies at over 70 post-secondary institutions across the country. Programs like the Community Youth Action Project and Sustainable High Schools equipped teens with leadership tools to create change in their communities.

SYC played a key role in national and international youth climate movements, organizing campaigns like Keep Kyoto and Deconstructing Dinner, and sending youth delegates to major global policy forums.

By 2015–2016, the organization had grown into a recognized national youth chapter within the Sierra Club Canada Foundation. With a new generation of leaders and an evolving mission, SYC transitioned into Sierra Youth—continuing the legacy of youth empowerment while embracing broader issues of climate justice, intersectionality, and systemic change.

Today, Sierra Youth remains committed to amplifying youth voices and building a more just, sustainable world—led by young people, for everyone.

Sierra Youth Coalition History

Sierra Youth Executive Committee

Sydney Beres is the Youth Director of Sierra Club Canada, a passionate environmental activist focused on environmental policy, community organizing, and intersectional approaches to climate justice. Currently, Sydney is studying Law at the University of New Brunswick, where she has had the opportunity to continue to delve into her passions through pro bono research with East Coast Environmental Law and her role as an executive with the Environmental Law Society.

Before returning to school, Sydney worked in advocacy and research for one of Canada’s leading student associations with a particular passion for work on housing policy. Sydney has been part of the Sierra Youth since March of 2023 and is committed to continuing to fight for climate justice.

Sofia Panzetta is the Environmental Education coordinator for the Sierra Youth executive team. She has a background in marine biology and is currently completing her MSc at the University of Alberta, where she researches marine invasive species and their ecological impacts. Her work aims to inform conservation strategies and promote sustainable marine ecosystems in the face of climate change. She is passionate about science communication and education, with a strong commitment to making science accessible and engaging for everyone. She brings her research background and community-focused mindset to support meaningful climate action and environmental justice.

Danielle Romaine is the Youth Outreach & Communications Coordinator for Sierra Youth. Alongside this, Danielle is the Quebec Director for the Let’s Plant! campaign with Sierra Club Canada. Though having studied Fine Arts and Chinese, Danielle’s passions lie in the outdoors. Combining the two, Danielle has not only painted insects in gouache, but created a board game with insects as the main topic! Currently, Danielle studies restorative ecology and entomology as a hobby, holding the belief that knowledge truly is power. With hopes to inspire others to put in effort for the world we call home, Danielle hopes the recommendations we provide are informative and motivating.