Grassroots Action

What makes the Sierra Club Canada Foundation so effective is our network of experts, partners and volunteers. Our chapters are engaged in many projects at the local level. Want to get involved? Contact our national office or your local chapter. If you have a dedicated group of members who want to lead their own projects within a region, you could start a Group. According to our organization's policy: Groups may be formed by any three or more members who wish to be active in their local community or within a larger geographic area, in relation to a particular conservation issue or issues, with the intention that the group exist on an ongoing basis. Otherwise, more time-limited local issues are to be managed within the auspices of the Chapter, or if none exists, then in co- operation with program staff working at the national level.

In Defence of the Gulf of St. Lawrence - Open Letter to Federal and Provincial Ministers

Gretchen Fitzgerald — January 12, 2017

To the federal and provincial governments who have the jurisdiction over this issue, we submit this letter - signed by over 1400 people in under 72 hours. It is time to stand up for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the people who border it's waters, and the thousands of species who call it home. 

See Media Release

Make Muskrat Right - It's On all of Us Now

Gretchen Fitzgerald — October 28, 2016

Over the past few weeks,  protests about the potential for methyl mercury contamination downstream of the Muskrat Falls development in Labrador made national headlines. Sierra Club Canada Foundation has voiced strong opposition to the Muskrat Falls project for years, and tried to show the damage it will cause to wildlife and the Grande River, and the people who live downstream. We also tried to demonstrate that this type of mega-hydro development was not needed to meet our climate objectives, and there were plenty of less damaging, less expensive alternatives. All to no avail. Till now.

Contact Premier Wynne to voice your support for a fully protected and growing Greenbelt

Dan McDermott — October 20, 2016

There are positive proposals within the four draft provincial plans, including the Greenbelt plan, open for public comment until October 31st, Urban River Valley additions to note one example. There are also some alarming proposed changes that would allow land to be taken out of the current Greenbelt and handed to the developers. Section 3.4 Settlement Areas of the Greenbelt draft
 contains an outline of a proposed process that could do just that and subject the Greenbelt to being turned into a Swiss cheese belt.

Contact Premier Wynne to voice your support for a fully protected and growing Greenbelt

Dan McDermott — October 7, 2016

There are positive proposals within the four draft provincial plans, including the Greenbelt plan, open for public comment until October 31st, Urban River Valley additions to note one example. There are also some alarming proposed changes that would allow land to be taken out of the current Greenbelt and handed to the developers. Section 3.4 Settlement Areas of the Greenbelt draft contains an outline of a proposed process that could do just that and subject the Greenbelt to being turned into a Swiss cheese belt.

Shipments of Liquid Nuclear Waste Scheduled to Begin Soon

Peter Smith — September 26, 2016

Authorities in Canada and the United States are preparing to ship approximately 150 truckloads of liquid nuclear waste from Chalk River, Ontario to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The material is a mixture of bomb grade uranium together with a witches’ brew of highly radioactive fission products dissolved in nitric acid.

Summer with the WILD CHILDREN

Posted on September 5, 2016
Photo credit: Jim Day, The Guardian

 Blog by Jenn Whittaker (with Tony Reddin)

Sierra Club's Wild Child PEI is sad to say that nature immersion visits have finished for the summer- over 30 visits to 15 child care centres in Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague! These were wonderful experiences for me and the centre workers to let children explore, run free and unleash their inner curiosity about the world around them.

Conserving Edmonton’s River Valley and Ravine System

RuiLin Guo — June 24, 2016
Most of Edmonton’s natural lands lie within its extensive river valley and tributary ravine systems – an area of 7,400 ha and 48 km in length, including 22 ravines, for a combined total length of 103 km. Much of the area is either under private ownership or targeted by City Parks for recreational infrastructure. Golf courses, gravel quarries, a velodrome and other sports facilities, freeways, boat launches… have all been proposed over the past decades for what is often “free land” to the City. Fortunately there are a growing number of local ENGOs actively involved in conservation of these lands with whom we partner or support on a project basis.

Household Waste Diversion in Peel

RuiLin Guo — June 23, 2016

Getting it right with household waste is a hot issue in Peel right now. As construction costs escalated and as Sierra Club Peel Group and various other concerned groups presented multiple environmental, health and sustainability concerns, Regional Council gradually came to the conclusion that their plans to build an EFW (Energy From Waste Facility, the modern version of the incinerator) was not the ideal solution for long term waste management.

Active Transportation

RuiLin Guo — June 23, 2016

Through the leadership of Sierra Club member David Laing and a keen group of local cyclists, Bike Brampton is in it's third year of operation. June is Bike Month, and Bike Brampton's signature event is Bike the Creek. Over 500 cyclists participated in this year's third annual Bike the Etobicoke Creek event on June 18. Bike the Creek is a FREE event aimed at encouraging people of all ages to discover the joys of cycling. Four route options were offered this year, suiting all ages and levels of expertise from first time to seasoned participants. 

Highlighting Natural Heritage: the Credit Valley Trail

RuiLin Guo — June 23, 2016

Sierra Peel Members participate at local events, committees and roundtables to bring the voice of Sierra Club of Canada to the table in support of Watershed Health and Natural Heritage Preservation. Protection of river valleys and the ecological goods and services they provide to wildlife and people is at the core of our vision and commitment.

Norval Quarry

RuiLin Guo — June 23, 2016

The Proposed Norval Quarry is located within the Greenbelt in North West Brampton, a small area rich in natural heritage along the Credit River valley. The proposed shale extraction site has a tributary of the Credit River running through it, along with other Provincially Significant wetlands, and Significant Woodlands. Fish habit restoration by the MNR & CVC is on going in this tributary, to restore spawning trout habitat. Existing and future residential homes neighbor the quarry operations, as well as religious and educational institutions.

Sand Dunes? In Edmonton!

RuiLin Guo — June 20, 2016

The Edmonton Group has traditionally focused on parkland creation and conservation. These are usually multi-year projects; our favorite, going on fifteen, is the Sand Dunes Natural Area (our name - bureaucratically known as NW384) in the far southwest of Edmonton.

We identified the feature in 2001, characterized its pro-glacial origins, and with the support of the Curator of Geology from our Provincial Museum, induced the City to purchase the lands the following year. The dunes lie on the easternmost extent of the 200 sq km glacio-lacustrine Devon Dune Field to the west of Edmonton.

Come to the Pollinator Party at Heart Lake

Kristina Jackson's picture
Kristina Jackson — May 3, 2016

Annual Sierra Club Meadow Planting & Medicine Wheel Maintenance

Heart Lake Conservation Area
June 4th, 2016
10am to 2pm

Community wildflower plantings are fun for families, individuals and groups! High school students are welcome to gain volunteer hours

We provide all the equipment needed. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather.
Light refreshments will be available. Bring your own refillable water bottle, please.

Halifax Diverse

Halifax Diverse creates opportunities for the public to learn about, engage with, and contribute to urban green spaces in the Halifax Regional Municipality. See our blog (found here) for information on upcoming events, past events, and occasionally, information about environmental happenings in HRM.

Mines and Quarries

Gretchen Fitzgerald — February 9, 2016

Mines and quarries can impact the environment in a variety of ways such as water contamination, diverting water systems, air emissions, and destroying habitat for wildlife.

The way to reduce these impacts is through careful consultation, land-use planning, and - when serious impacts can't be avoided - saying "no" to certain mines and quarries.