Community Energy Association

The trusted independent advisor to local governments on climate and energy

Coaching and Education

Through our coaching and education programs we share our over 25 years of knowledge and practical experience with educational institutions, community based organizations and elected officials. We also celebrate the bold programs that communities across BC plan and implement to meet their targets and needs.

 
Coaching
Education
Climate & Energy Action Awards

Our coaching work recognizes high impact climate initiatives in communities and builds the capacity of local government staff, elected officials and the building community to advance climate action.

Learn more about coaching activities.

With institutional memory of over 25 years in operation, CEA continues progress the transition to low carbon communities by sharing knowledge and resources through our education work.

Learn more about our education work

The Climate and Energy Action Awards recognizes the efforts of BC communities of all sizes in reducing community and corporate energy use and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. The Awards also recognize municipal leadership on climate change adaptation.

Learn more about the CEA Awards

Community Energy Management education will provide the knowledge and resources you need to manage the art and science of saving energy, emissions, and money across the community.

Coaching

 
BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council
Community of Practice
Partners for Climate Protection
BC Energy Step Code training
Climate Leaders Institute

The BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council (BCMCLC) was established in 2010 when ten mayors from communities across BC came together as volunteers to assist other locally elected officials to move climate action forward. The mayors and councillors do this because they are passionate about climate action.

BCMCLC members are supported by CEA to engage their colleagues and communities to act on climate change. Rather than an advocacy group, members are mentored to develop strategies that work within the context of their communities while developing planning and implementation frameworks that can be adopted by other BC communities.

Learn more about BCMCLC

CEA manages the Federation of Canadian Municipality's (FCM) national staff grant Community of Practice (CoP) program, coaching 64 municipal staff from coast to coast to coast. The municipal staff are progressing work in adaptation and/or mitigation for their respective communities, having been hired on a two-year contract through Municipalities for Climate Innovation (MCIP) funding. Through this project, CEA and partners are providing one-on-one coaching, delivering webinars, and facilitating peer learning groups.

Learn more about FCM's CoP program

As the Regional Climate Advisor for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program, CEA supports BC and the Yukon communities to reach PCP milestones through training, peer learning and one-on-one support.

The Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program, from ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI Canada) and FCM, consists of a five-step Milestone Framework that guides communities as they take action against climate change by reducing emissions in their municipality. Together, we support municipalities as they move through the Milestone Framework, whose steps result in lasting and environmentally sustainable changes in your municipality.

To learn more about this free program, visit https://fcm.ca/en/programs/partners-climate-protection

CEA has facilitated and supported builder and building official training related to the BC Energy Step Code since 2017. Through builder workshops, hands-on training, educational materials and presentations to municipal Councils, CEA is accelerating the transition to the Energy Step Code by developing the capacity of the building community as well as local governments.

The Climate Leaders Institute (CLI) is a two-day workshop expressly designed to help British Columbia mayors, councillors, and regional district directors confidently lead or support bold climate action in their communities.

CLI moves beyond a traditional conference setting so participants gain the tools they need to translate their inspiration and political capital into real world, community-specific climate solutions. This is achieved through a combination of small break out groups along with presentations designed and delivered by colleagues, leading professionals and inspirational speakers.

Learn more about CLI

Do you have questions about our coaching and education activities?

Education

 
Certificate in Community Energy Management
Climate Leaders Institute

Community Energy Management (CEM) is a new discipline spanning the traditional silos of current and long range planning, policy, operations, engineering, transportation, finance, and others. Community Energy Management education will provide the knowledge and resources you need to manage the art and science of saving energy, emissions, and money across the community. This inter-disciplinary sequence of on-line courses provides a unique opportunity to refresh disciplines that you are already familiar with by viewing them through an energy lens while introducing new tools and concepts.

Community Energy Association partners with BC Institute of Technology to deliver the six online courses that qualify students to write the certification exam in Community Energy Management. Those who successfully challenge the take-home certification exam earn the professional designation of Certified Community Energy Manager (CCEM).

Learn more about the CEM online courses.

The Climate Leaders Institute (CLI) is a two-day workshop expressly designed to help British Columbia mayors, councillors, and regional district directors confidently lead or support bold climate action in their communities.

CLI moves beyond a traditional conference setting so participants gain the tools they need to translate their inspiration and political capital into real world, community-specific climate solutions. This is achieved through a combination of small break out groups along with presentations designed and delivered by colleagues, leading professionals and inspirational speakers.

Learn more about CLI

Coaching Project Highlights

BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council

Quick Summary
Project Partners: BC Hydro, Real Estate Foundation of BC
The BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council (BCMCLC) is composed of leading Mayors and Councillors from across BC representing communities - big and small, north and south, east and west - who are committed to climate action. In September 2010, ten mayors from large and small communities across BC came together to volunteer to assist other locally elected officials move climate action forward. This includes volunteering to mentor locally elected officials. The mayors and councilors do this because they are passionate about climate action and because they agree that: Climate change is happening now; is largely the result of human activity, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels; and is an urgent issue to address The importance of climate action transcends politics Local government leadership on climate action is critical Local governments can have a significant impact on energy and emissions in their own operations and across our communities Addressing climate change will require transitioning to low-carbon energy systems integrated across our communities Climate action is a relatively new area for many locally elected officials in BC Given the importance and scale of the challenge, it is important for locally elected officials who have some experience in climate action to support other mayors, councilors and regional directors who are interested in moving climate action forward in their community. BCMCLC is facilitated by the Community Energy Association who provides staff support, creates resources, coaches members and organizes events like the Climate Leaders Institute.
Visit the project website
Also categorized under: Coaching,
Fishbowl at the 2019 Climate Leaders Institute

Climate Leaders Institute

Quick Summary
Project Partners: Bc Hydro, FortisBC, Real Estate Foundatin of BC (REFBC)
The Climate Leaders Institute is a two-day workshop expressly designed to help British Columbia mayors, councillors, and regional district directors confidently lead or support bold climate action in their communities. CLI moves beyond a traditional conference setting so participants gain the tools they need to translate their inspiration and political capital into real world, community-specific climate solutions. This is achieved through a combination of small break out groups along with presentations designed and delivered by colleagues, leading professionals and inspirational speakers.
Visit the project website
Also categorized under: Coaching, Workshop,