ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEM CHANGE

If you want to be a climate advocate, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Be accurate with your facts - inform yourself so that you have a solid understanding of the issue you are concerned about and your proposed solutions. Do some research and talk to people. 

• Be specific with your demands - what exactly do you want this person in power to do? Be aware that they may not have the power to do what you are asking, but they may be a good contact to reach others who do.

• Understand your target audiences - the individuals you are trying to engage (e.g. politicians, community leaders, business leaders) are likely busy people.  Keep your interventions short and accurate.

• Get other people on board - if you are advocating for change and can show that you are representing a group of people, this will likely have more impact than your voice alone.

• Be firm, but polite and respectful, even if you are frustrated. Don’t give people an opportunity to dismiss you.

• Write letters to local businesses in your community to inform them about the City of Toronto’s climate action strategy (TransformTO) and to urge them to help reach the targets.  

• Reach out to your local Business Improvement Area (BIA) to see what kind of climate action they might be willing to take. 

• Visit different classes in your school to ask staff and students to contribute to or support a climate action you want to take.

• Create a video for the school display system asking students and teachers for their support for a climate action you are promoting.

• Share your views on a climate related item being discussed at a City Council meeting.

• Write letters to the leaders of local faith communities asking them to encourage their congregations to support and take climate action. If you belong to a faith group, ask to participate in a meeting to discuss climate action and make a presentation or call to action.

Depending on the issue you are interested in addressing, climate advocacy work can be directed at a variety of audiences: 

Local communities:

Think about who the leaders are within your community. Often these will be individuals with authority who have the ability to implement change. Consider writing letters, signing petitions or delivering presentations to these individuals on the issue(s) you are trying to address.  

Toronto District School Board:

TDSB Trustees are advocates for education and they can be good contacts for some of your own advocacy work. The TDSB also welcomes students, parents and members of the public to bring forward issues and concerns they have through a delegation, which is addressing a committee of the Board of Trustees (by speaking or submitting a written statement).

City of Toronto:

The City of Toronto encourages public participation in its decision making process. If you want to make your views known about a neighbourhood or city-wide matter there are a variety ways for you to have your say, including contacting your local councillor, deputing (i.e. speaking) at a City Council committee meeting, or submitting/signing a petition.

Province of Ontario:

Advocating for climate action at the provincial level can be achieved by contacting your local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), participating in a committee, or submitting/signing a petition. 

Government of Canada:

There are a variety of ways people can participate in advocacy at the federal level, including submitting a written brief to a parliamentary committee, or submitting/signing a petition. 

Writing a petition can be a great way to raise awareness about an issue and ask for change.  A petition is a written statement requesting some form of action that is signed by several people and submitted to the person or organization that is in a position to implement action/change.  

Petitions can be done on paper or online. Online petition platforms such as change.org also work hand in hand with social media platforms, making the sharing of petitions easier. Check out Wikihow for advice on how to go about writing a petition. 

If you want to do climate advocacy work that has an impact and inspires people to take more action on climate change, it’s best to make a plan! You may want to use the Community Climate Action Plan template (make a copy to your own Google account or print out) to craft your advocacy strategy. Think carefully about what specific change you want to see and who you need to target to ask for that change. Here are a few questions to consider:

• Where will you find more information about the issue to make sure that you have all of your facts straight and that your request is realistic, specific and do-able?  

• What is the best way to go about asking for the change?  

• How will you promote this advocacy to get more supporters?

• What partners or resource people can help you?

• How will you delegate tasks among the members of your group?

CultureLink - Engaging School Communities in Cycling Infrastructure Projects

If you are interested in advocating for the installation of cycling infrastructure on City streets, check out this guide developed by Toronto-based non-profit CultureLink, for guidance on how to consult with and involve key stakeholders within your community. 

Fridays for Future Toronto -  Sample Letters 

FFTO has some great tips for letter writing and social media campaigns on the Just Recovery section of their website including sample letters for members of parliament, letters to the editor of newspapers.

Toronto Environmental Alliance - Make a Deputation

Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) has a useful guide on how to speak at a City Hall meeting that will help you understand how this system works, and how you can make an effective deputation.

Youth Climate Lab - Toolbox

The Infiltration Manual, included in Youth Climate Lab’s Toolbox, aims to demystify municipal governance structures and provide youth with practical knowledge and tools on how to take climate action at the local level.