Climate leadership course for elected officials
- Source Name
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Skills training on communicating climate change, public speaking, engaging with administration and others in the community
Course format
The online course will take place from September 2020 to November 2020, and the in-person summit will occur in January 2021.
Please note: There is no cost for successful applicants to participate in this course.
Online learning
You will be asked to commit approximately three hours total each month (for three months). During this time, you will complete a short assignment which will be followed by your participation in a live chat:
September 2020: Engaging and improving communication with administration, working collectively to advance municipal climate action
Live chat: Wednesday, September 30, 2020
October 2020: How and Why to Incorporate a Climate Lens
Live chat: Wednesday, October 28, 2020
November 2020: Taking Climate Action
Live chat: Wednesday, November 25, 2020
In-person summit
To complement your online learning, you will be invited to a day and a half in-person summit in Ottawa, ON, where you will meet and network with your peers in January 2021 (date to be determined, dependent on upcoming travel and gathering recommendations). The summit will include training in climate change communication, public speaking, and community engagement.
FCM will cover the cost of travel, hotel accommodations and meal expenses associated with attending the summit scheduled to take place in Ottawa, ON in January 2021.
Final assignment
You will be invited to reflect on your learning at the in-person summit with a small final assignment. The goal of the assignment is to share your experience with other elected officials, municipal staff and members of your community (e.g. through a presentation slide, a short LinkedIn article or op-ed).The time commitment for the final assignment will be approximately two hours.
Who should apply?
To be eligible to participate in this course, you must be:
A current municipal elected official
Able to demonstrate some local leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving climate change resilience, or integrating climate change considerations into asset management (An example might be that you have championed an environmental policy or participated in an environmental working group or plan development.)
Available to participate in the online learning component
Available to attend the in-person summit
Applicants do not need to be FCM members to participate. The course is limited to 40 participants to ensure the quality of engagement between participants. If more than 40 candidates apply, selection will be based on meeting the participation criteria and ensuring representation from communities of all sizes across Canada.
Apply by July 3, 2020
Interested applicants are invited to complete this application form by July 3, 2020. Selected participants will be notified by July 31, 2020.
For additional information and inquiries, please contact Jasmine Lum at jlum@fcm.ca or at (613) 907-6309.
This initiative is offered through the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.