Events

Join us for our fall 2025 series for local electeds. We’ve partnered with an inspiring line-up of community leaders, organizers, experts, and local electeds who are doing transformative work on the issues impacting our communities.

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Polluting Education: The Influence of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Education in Canada

With Climate Caucus

Oct 29| 12pm – 1pm | via Zoom

Calling all school board trustees! Join us on Oct 29 from 12pm – 1pm for a discussion on CAPE’s report Polluting Education: The Influence of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Education in Canada. The report reveals how oil and gas companies have funded and supplied misleading climate education to children across Canada. We’ll cover the scope of the issue, what steps school board trustees can take to address it, and wrap up with a peer-supported discussion on barriers and solutions.

Email Melissa at mgregerson@ccg.eco for more information.

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Safer Communities for Everyone: Developing a Sex Worker Safety Framework
With Living in Community

Nov 5| 12:00PM – 1:00PM PST | Via zoom

Join us on Wed, Nov 5 from 12pm – 1pm for a discussion on improving sex worker safety in your community. We’ll cover:

• Barriers to adoption, and strategies to overcome them

• What a Sex Worker Safety Framework is, and why it matters for municipalities

• A case study from New Westminster

• A draft motion

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Unveiling the 2025 Living Wage Calculations in BC
With Living Wage BC and BC Policy Solutions

Nov 25 | 12pm – 1pm PST | Via zoom

Join us for an insightful webinar exploring the newly released Living Wage calculations across British Columbia. Learn what’s changed, why it matters, and what steps elected officials can take to ensure every worker is earning a Living Wage. 

Presenters include Anastasia French from Living Wage BC, Iglika Ivanova from the BC Society for Policy Solutions, and a local community partner sharing on-the-ground perspectives.

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Designing for Equity: Tools for Local Leaders
With Women Transforming Cities

Dec 4| 12pm – 1pm | via Zoom

We all bring experiences and biases to our work that might make it harder to understand how policy decisions impact people differently. Join us for Designing for Equity: Tools for Local Leaders a workshop that explores an assessment tool to help elected leaders identify where decisions may have intended or unintended consequences for people who have been historically the most marginalized and harmed by institutions that hold power. This workshop will provide a hands-on approach for mayors, city councillors, and regional district directors to draft motions, resolutions, and amendments that support equitable processes so that we can collectively build systems where everyone can participate and succeed.

For more information contact Melissa at mgregerson@ccg.eco.

There is more to do to help kids have access to healthy food at school – let’s do it together.

On September 25th at 6:30pm, please join the Coalition for Healthy Schools and school trustees from across the province to discuss how to help kids have access to healthy food at school and support the implementation of quality programs in every district.

Featuring Brent Mansfield (co-founder of Lunch Lab, founder of the BC Chapter of the Coalition for Healthy Schools and Vancouver teacher), Mark Robinson (Trustee for school district 68 – Nanaimo Ladysmith) and Shar McRory (Trustee for SD57 – Prince George).

Please join by Zoom at this link.

Hosted by the Institute for Public Education and the Centre for Civic Governance.

Attending UBCM in Victoria this year? So are we! Join us for two exciting events this September, held just up the road at The Sticky Wicket.

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Community Voices Reception 
Held in partnership with CityHive, Climate Caucus, and the Community Energy Association, join us on Monday, September 22 from 6:30-8:30pm at The Sticky Wicket (The Clubhouse) for a chance to unwind and connect with progressive local electeds. Register now!

Wine, beer, and light snacks provided

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Civic Governance Dialogue
Then, on Tuesday, Sep 23 from 11:30am – 1:30pm, return to the The Sticky Wicket (The Maple Room) for a discussion and strategizing session on key resolutions hitting the floor at UBCM this year. Space is limited, register now!

Lunch and light refreshments provided

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For more information please contact Melissa: mgregerson@ccg.eco.

Join us for our sixth conversation series for local electeds. We’ve partnered with an inspiring line-up of community leaders, organizers, experts, and local electeds who are doing transformative work on the issues most impacting our communities.

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Why We Need a Coastal Marine Strategy and Law – And Why Now
With West Coast Environmental Law and CPAWS-BC

May 7 | 12pm – 1pm | via Zoom

B.C.’s coastlines and communities are facing growing challenges—and local leaders are stepping up. With the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities’ recent resolution supporting the legislation of the B.C. Coastal Marine Strategy, the call for strengthening the strategy is gaining momentum ahead of the Union of BC Municipalities convention this fall. Join this webinar the week of May 5 (date coming soon!) presented by West Coast Environmental Law and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – BC to hear directly from municipal councillors about why legislating the Coastal Marine Strategy is essential for the health, resilience, and future of their communities. Come with your questions—there will be time for an open Q&A to dive deeper into this important topic. 

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Resistance in Tumultuous Times
With Feminist Campaign School

May 23 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM PST | Via zoom

We’ll talk briefly about the theory of change. Bring your stories of how you’re resisting, questions, and actions to this community that can support you.

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Championing a Living Wage — A Conversation Among Progressive Leaders
With Living Wage BC

June 4th | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST | Via zoom

In today’s challenging economic climate—marked by rising costs, deepening inequality, and tariff threats —progressive leadership on living wage has never been more urgent. 

Join fellow elected officials for a timely conversation on how we can meet this moment with solutions that lower costs and lift wages for workers in BC.

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If you are having difficulties registering, or if you have any questions, please contact Melissa at mgregerson@ccg.eco.

Our annual civic governance forum continues to inspire, inform, and connect progressive electeds (mayors, councilors, regional directors, and school trustees) from B.C. and across Canada around inspiring policies and practices, informed research, and transformative actions. Better known as “High Ground,” the theme of this year’s event, “Tipping Points: Navigating Turbulent Times,” explores the question of whether things are really falling apart or if it just feels that way.

The 2025 forum took place from 1:00 PM on Friday, March 7th to 5:00 PM on Saturday, March 8th.

Check out our 2025 Impact Report below…

Revisit our past civic governance forums here.

Join us for our virtual winter programming for local electeds. Start your year informed and connected with timely lunch & learn discussions. We’ve partnered with an inspiring line-up of organizers, experts, thinkers, and local electeds who are doing transformative work on the issues effecting your communities.

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Leaving A Legacy
With the Feminist Campaign School

January 22, 2025 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM PST | Via zoom

This workshop is developed directly from the findings of Phase one of The Barrier Report: Retaining Progressive Women and Gender Minorities in Local Government. Join us to talk about how to be a good ancestor in your elected roles, what the legacy workshop is about and how to book it, and what’s happening in Phase 2 of The Barrier Project and how you can help!

Facilitated by Nadine Nakagawa and Trudi Goels, Co-Founders of The Feminist Campaign School and leads on The Barrier Project.

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Climate Change and Insurance in B.C. Municipalities
With Investors for Paris Compliance

February 6, 2025 | 11am – 12pm PST | Via zoom

This webinar will explore how climate change is driving rising insurance costs, uninsurability, and increased risks for municipalities and people living in British Columbia. Attendees will gain insights into the role of municipalities and insurers for climate risks, and solutions for policy and insurance reform.

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The Future of Civility in B.C.: Equity-Centered Governance Online and Offline
With Foundation For a Path Forward

February 10th | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST | Via zoom

The INSPIRE Project (Inclusive Networking & Support for Public Officials in Rural Environments) is a collaborative initiative led by the Foundation for a Path Forward and the Columbia Institute, with support from the Law Foundation of BC. Designed to empower local electeds in British Columbia, the project addresses the systemic barriers and identity-based challenges that impact leadership, including the far-reaching effects of online harms. By fostering equity, resilience, and innovation, the INSPIRE Project seeks to create more inclusive and effective governance practices. This webinar is a space for meaningful and forward-looking conversations about navigating the complexities of modern leadership. Through open dialogue and collaborative exploration, participants will engage with practical strategies and shared insights to support inclusive practices, enhance resilience, and build stronger connections within their communities.

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Local Climate Governance in a Shifting Political Landscape
With Climate Caucus 

What do the recent (and future) elections in Canada and the United States mean for local climate governance? Drawing on lessons learned from local climate action during the first Trump presidency, as well as insights from local electeds from Ontario and BC, we’ll unpack what local governments can do to advance progressive climate policy despite a shifting and radicalized political landscape.

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If you are having difficulties registering, or if you have any questions, please contact Melissa at mgregerson@columbiainstitute.eco.

A free, engaging webinar on school board budgeting for School Board trustees across the province. This interactive workshop will provide an overview on how to read budgets as political documents and include guidance on the challenges and opportunities that arise during budget time. 

Please join us for this free event on Thursday, February 22 from 6:30PM to 7:30PM by zoom! 

Brought to you by The Trustee Project, a joint initiative of the Institute for Public Education and the Columbia Institute to support school trustees in their advocacy.

Thursday, February 22, 2024 6:30PM – 7:30PM PDT
Via Zoom
Register Now

If you have any questions or are having trouble registering, please email Isabella Johnson at ijohnson@columbiainstitute.eco.

We look forward to seeing you there!

We have two great events in partnership with The Feminist Campaign School. First, on October 26th from 4:00pm to 5:00pm PST via Zoom, for a look into the research project Retention of Progressive Women in Municipal Elected Offices, with insights into the barriers that women face in office, and the reasons why they don’t run again.

Following the webinar, on November 9th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm PST via Zoom, we invite women and non-binary folks to join us for a dialogue for Progressive Women in Municipal Elected Offices and a discussion on how better to support these individuals and what can be done to change the trend of women leaving elected office.

Date and Location
Webinar: October 26, 2023 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm PST
Via Zoom
Register Now

Dialogue: November 9, 2023 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm PST
Via Zoom
Register Now

If you have any questions or are having trouble registering, please email Isabella Johnson at ijohnson@columbiainstitute.eco.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for a deep dive into the Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) initiative with Curran Crawford, Executive Director of ACET, and Tamara Krawchenko, University of Victoria via zoom on Thursday, October 12 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm PST.

The Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) Initiative, led by the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) at the University of Victoria (UVic) together with four partner institutions, is being formed to help communities rapidly move from planning to action.

This talk with give an overview of ACET’s mission and vision, and examples of how academic research can provide tangible benefits to communities in implementing low carbon solutions from technology to policy. We’ll then present the opportunities and mechanisms for interested communities to partner with ACET. This will be followed by a Q&A session to hear from communities themselves their needs for support capacity in actually implementing their action plans.

Date and Location
October 12, 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Via Zoom
Register Now

If you have any questions or are having trouble registering, please email Isabella Johnson at ijohnson@columbiainstitute.eco.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for a post-UBCM debrief conversation via zoom on Friday, September 29 from 10:00am to 12:00pm PST.

The post-UBCM webinar is a space to debrief and reflect after the convention. Facilitated by Amy Lubik, Port Moody City Councillor, this discussion will focus on ideas and possible next steps stemming from UBCM 2023 – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Date and Location
September 29, 10:00am to 12:00pm
Via Zoom
Register Now

If you have any questions or are having trouble registering, please email Isabella Johnson at ijohnson@columbiainstitute.eco.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Columbia Institute Reception is a space for local electeds to come together for lively conversation with colleagues. For more information, email averdeflor@columbiainstitute.eco,

Date and Location
September 19, 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Vancouver, BC