Blog (2025 in Review)

December 16, 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, and to share what’s ahead in 2026.


Municipal elections are on the horizon and we’re focused on equipping you with the skills, networks, and tools required to grow progressive leadership in B.C. That’s why we’re developing a new suite of resources, research, and programming for local electeds in 2026. That means our next High Ground civic governance forum will be held in spring 2027. We look forward to sharing more details in the new year. Be the first to hear what’s next – sign up for our monthly newsletter, Briefing Notes.

Below, you’ll find a “best of 2025” list, celebrating everything we were able to accomplish with your support. If you’re able, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help sustain and grow this work.

We hope the holiday season offers you time to rest, recharge, and reflect. We look forward to reconnecting in 2026, renewed and ready for the work ahead.

Thank you for all that you do,

The Centre for Civic Governance Team

Best of 2025

Civic Governance

Our civic governance programming advances our core mission to grow, foster, and support progressive local leadership

High Ground 2025

Our 21st annual civic governance forum, High Ground, was held in person at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in downtown Vancouver from March 7 to 8, 2025. This year’s theme was Tipping Points: Navigating Turbulent Times, considering whether things are really falling apart, or if it just feels that way. 

The forum explored a range of topics, including climate change and public health, bystander training, leveraging community-municipal partnerships to respond to the toxic drug crisis, power mapping, smart communications, cyber hostility and political figures, and political polarization. 

“[High Ground] was a great conference. So reaffirming of how powerful simple true approaches to our work are. [It] helps us all keep the faith”.

“As a progressive minority in my community, the pressure to represent so many marginalized voices can feel intense. I look forward to High Ground each year as a place where I can connect with values-aligned peers, a place where I can put those pressures aside and feel grounded in myself again. I leave feeling refreshed and ready to re-open my to-do list”. 

Conversation Series

Now in its fifth year, we expanded our conversation series to offer unique virtual training and learning opportunities to local electeds. 

2025 Winter Conversation Series

2025 Spring Conversation Series

2025 Fall Conversation Series

Civic Governance Events During UBCM

We held our two annual civic governance events during the UBCM 2025 forum in Victoria from September 22-23, 2025: 

Community Voices Reception

In partnership with CityHive, Climate Caucus, Community Energy Association, and the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council, we hosted our annual evening reception on September 22 at Sticky Wicket. The reception focused on climate and featured materials from the host organizations while giving local electeds a space to learn, network, and build relationships.

Civic Governance Dialogue

We hosted the 2025 Civic Governance Dialogue at the Sticky Wicket on September 23. The dialogue, focused on key strategy, arguments, and counter-arguments on non-endorsed resolutions at UBCM. It also featured presentations from progressive candidates running for the UBCM executive board. 

Projects and Initiatives

Jobs for Today (formerly GreenJobs BC)

The Centre for Civic Governance housed the original iteration of GreenJobs BC from 2010 to 2017. Rooted in our strong labour union partnerships, GreenJobs BC addressed key issues such as the just transition and green economy through a labour/environmental alliance. 

In summer 2025, CCG set out to re-focus its energies on these issues under the GreenJobs BC-inspired new initiative called “Jobs for Today,” bringing together labour, Indigenous, and environmental efforts focused on a just transition. Our focus will be on promoting policies, programs and procurement actions to both advance a green jobs agenda, and meet the requirements of UNDRIP. 

INSPIRE: Inclusive Networking & Support for Public Officials in Rural Environments Project

The INSPIRE project  is a collaborative initiative between the Centre for Civic Governance and the Foundation for a Path Forward. This project, funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia (BC)’s Racial Justice Grant, aims to identify ways to better support racialized local elected officials in rural communities across the province. 

We will be publishing a report of the pilot’s in early 2026 and will continue work, including expanding research across the country, establishing support groups for racialized officials, developing resources and toolkits on online harms, and executing programming connected to online harms and systemic racism during the lead up to the municipal elections next Fall.   

WAGE: Systemic Change in Local Governments to Support the Advancement of Women and Gender Minorities

In collaboration with the Feminist Campaign School, we are scaling their Barriers Project to advance women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles across Canada. We are expanding the research agenda to Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia, while implementing recommendations through programming, education, and training in these three provinces as well as B.C. and Alberta. The project addresses the systemic barriers that women and gender minorities disproportionately face when running for, and serving in, municipally-held elected office, with a particular focus on those with intersecting identities of oppression.

Post Secondary Student Engagement Program: Green Cities

We continued our partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) on their Green Cities course, advising undergraduate students on the important role that municipalities play in the collective fight against climate change. 

Trustee Project

Elected school trustees play a key role a democratic, transparent, responsive and vibrant school system. The Trustee Project provides an ongoing program of support, curricula, training, research, and network building that helps progressively minded school trustees in the implementation of agendas that support thriving public schools. We are hosting workshops for progressive trustees virtually and in-person in 2025/2026, including partnering with Climate Caucus on two virtual dialogues. 

Research

Jobs for Today: Canada’s Building Trades and the Net-Zero Transition

In 2017 we released Jobs for Tomorrow, a seminal report looking at the amount of work that could be created amongst the skilled trades in Canada, with a concerted national focus towards next Zero by 2025.

In September 2025, in partnership with Canada’s Building Trades Unions, we launched an updated report based on the shifting policy and climate action landscape.

Implication of AI for Municipal Governance in B.C.

In response to rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing impact on public service delivery and policy-making, this report was created to help B.Cs mayors, councillors, regional directors, and school board trustees understand why recent AI developments are directly relevant to municipal governance.