The Elbows Up for Climate campaign launched today with an open letter signed by more than 100 mayors and councillors from coast to coast to coast, urging all party leaders to advance Canada’s economic and climate security through five bold, and achievable actions.
These actions include building a national East-West-North clean electric grid; creating a high-speed rail network supported by locally made electric buses; constructing at least two million non-market, energy-efficient homes; scaling up retrofits and heat pump installations to cut bills and pollution; and funding a national resilience, response and recovery strategy to help communities prepare for, withstand and rebuild after climate disasters.
These projects would create hundreds of thousands of good local jobs in cities, rural and Indigenous communities, while bolstering our economy and making daily life safer and more affordable for us all.
The Open Letter Reads:
Messrs. Blanchet, Carney, Pedneault, Poilievre, Singh, and Ms. May:
We are mayors and councillors from across Canada, where we represent and serve millions of residents of all political backgrounds. Like so many of you, we are already feeling the effects of U.S. trade attacks in our communities through lost jobs, uncertainty for businesses, and increased costs of daily living.
Increasingly, we are also guiding our communities through another kind of crisis: recurring wildfires, floods, storms and deadly climate events. We believe this is the moment for Canada to fight back, by investing in national projects that will connect and protect our country from the dual threats of tariffs and climate change.
Leading through a climate emergency changes you. You can’t witness elderly neighbours overheating in low-income apartments during a heat wave, and not recognize the critical role of well-insulated, affordable housing. You can’t comfort people who have lost everything in floods and fires, and not wonder how we will afford to rebuild. You can’t watch your kids and loved ones choke on toxic wildfire smoke without knowing the time to act boldly on climate change is right now – because later is too late.
Over the past decade, we’ve watched wildfires rip through nearly every part of our country. Just like you, we were stunned when Lytton disappeared off the map. Then parts of Halifax went up in flames. Last year, wildfires engulfed the iconic and beloved Jasper. What’s next? Who’s next?
We can’t keep watching our homes, towns and forests burn to a crisp, and pretend the status quo is working or safe. We can’t adapt our way out of this problem.
It is time for us to get to work. We are proposing five bold and achievable ideas the next federal government can implement as soon as it is elected, to tariff-proof our economy and create a jobs boom in every community:
- create a national East-West-North clean electric grid, delivering affordable energy to urban, rural and Indigenous communities across the country;
- build a national high-speed rail network, and extend it with locally-made electric buses to reach every community in this country;
- build at least two million non-market, energy-efficient homes, creating more affordable, transit-linked communities;
- make our homes and buildings warmer in winter, cooler in summer with retrofits and heat pump installations across the country, that will cut energy bills and pollution;
- …. and fund a national resilience, response and recovery strategy so our communities can prepare for the climate disasters we know are coming, respond when they hit, and rebuild afterwards.
These projects would create hundreds of thousands of good local jobs in cities, rural and Indigenous communities, using Canadian steel, aluminum and lumber. They would bolster our economy and make daily life safer and more affordable for all of us. We can afford to pay for them now: by redirecting billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies, and strengthening the polluter pays principle, for example.
This is the kind of action that this moment calls for. That is why it has been so disappointing to hear voices following Donald Trump’s lead and using this crisis to revive long-dead and unpopular pipeline projects. Let’s be honest: new pipelines require massive public handouts, trample on Indigenous sovereignty, and mean more climate disasters hitting our cities and towns in years to come.
As local leaders, we know that whatever their political backgrounds, our constituents are worried about the same things: good jobs; a safe and affordable place to live; and confidence that their leaders have a plan for the next crisis we face, whether a climate disaster – or an economic sucker punch from our closest ally.
We are facing a growing climate threat, and an attack on our economic sovereignty. We can and must take them both on at once. This federal election, let’s put our elbows up for climate action, and commit to truly national projects to protect and connect our country.
Signed
Councillor Neville Abbott, Lions Bay
Councillor Samantha Agtarap, Port Moody
Conseiller Francis Allaire, Blainville
Councillor Phil Allt, Guelph
Conseiller Pierre-Luc Arsenault, Chandler
Councillor Jordan Back, North Vancouver
Councillor Adam Baden-Clay, Antigonish County
Councillor Lori Baldwin-Sands, St. Thomas
Conseillère Anne Barabé, Boucherville
Former Mayor Lisa Barrett, Bowen Island
Councillor Dale Bass, Kamloops
Councillor Haley Bateman, Niagara
Councillor Jeff Bateman, Sooke
Mairesse Évelyne Beaudin, Sherbrooke
Councillor Scott Beaver, St. Mary’s
Councillor Donna Bell, Sechelt
Councillor Nancy Bepple, Kamloops
Mayor Andrew Black, Tantramar
Mayor Merlin Blackwell, Clearwater
Conseiller Loïc Blancquaert, Saint-Lambert
Councillor Gabrielle Blatz, Wetaskiwin
Conseiller Jacques Bouchard, Saint-Jérôme
Councillor Phil Brennan, Severn
Conseillère Gabrielle Brisebois, Montmagny
Councillor Riley Brockington, Ottawa
Mayor Alan Brown, Butternut Valley
Councillor Don Brown, View Royal
Councillor Matthew Brown, Kaslo
Mayor Vickey Brown, Cumberland
Councillor Jo-Dee Burbach, Stratford
Councillor Guy Burry, Muskoka Lakes
Councillor Sue Cairns, Kimberley
Councillor Ruby Campbell, New Westminster
Councillor Leanne Caron, Guelph
Deputy Mayor Marty Carr, Ottawa
Councillor Erin Caton, Guelph
Deputy Mayor Godwin Chan, Richmond Hill
Councillor Debbie Chapman, Kitchener
Mayor Scott Christian, Region of Queens
Councillor Karen Cilevitz, Richmond Hill
Former Mayor Charlie Clark, Saskatoon
Mayor Lucas Cleveland, Cobourg
Conseiller Jean Cloutier, Deschambault-Grondines
Councillor Will Cole-Hamilton, Courtenay
Mayor Spencer Coyne, Princeton
Conseillère Catherine Craig-St-Louis, Gatineau
Councillor David Croal, Gibsons
Conseiller Alvaro Cueto, Longueuil
Maire Martin Damphousse, Varennes
Councillor Tom Davis, St. John’s
Councillor Tobin Day, Georgian Bluffs
Councillor Lisa Deacon, Russell Township
Conseiller Etienne Decelles, Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir
Councillor Matt Dell, Victoria
Councillor Kacy DeLong, District of Lunenburg
Conseillère Anik Des Marais, Gatineau
Conseillère Alicia Despins, Québec
Councillor Sean Devine, Ottawa
Mayor Corrie DiManno, Banff
Councillor Deborah Doherty, Collingwood
Mayor Rob Douglas, North Cowichan
Councillor Nadia Dubyk, Grey Highlands
Conseiller Étienne Dupuis, Crabtree
Councillor Hilary Eastmure, Nanaimo
Councillor Alison Evans, Pitt Meadows
Area Director Andrew Fall, qathet Regional District
Councillor Jay Fallis, Orillia
Councillor Jon Farmer, Owen Sound
Councillor and Islands Trustee Sue Ellen Fast, Bowen Island
Councillor Ryan Fequet, Yellowknife
Councillor David Ferreira, London
Councillor Jane Fogal, Halton Hills
Mayor Adrian Foster, Clarington
Deputy Mayor Sarah Fowler, Tahsis
Councillor Skylar Franke, London
Councillor Danielle Fraser, Westville
Councillor David Froh, Regina
Councillor Pete Fry, Vancouver
Area Director Justine Gabias, Halfmoon Bay
Councillor Nora Gambioli, District of West Vancouver
Councillor Chantal Garneau, Halton Hills
Councillor Amit Gaur, Parksville
Conseillère Mélodie Georget, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Maire Paul Germain, Prévost
Councillor Ben Geselbracht, Nanaimo
Councillor Derek Giberson, Oshawa
Councillor Cindy Gilroy, Winnipeg
Conseillère Christine Gingras, Plessisville
Councillor Angela Girard, North Vancouver
Councillor Rodrigo Goller, Guelph
Councillor Robin Goodfellow-Baikie, North West River
Councillor Steve Gray, Metchosin
Councillor Lauren Greenlaw, Squamish
Councillor Alison Gu, Burnaby
Maire Pierre Guénard, Chelsea
Maire Marc-André Guertin, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Councillor Wendy Hall, Jasper
Councillor Danika Hammond, New Denver
Mayor Jennifer Handley, Nanton
Councillor Colby Harder, Langford
Councillor Jimmy Hassan, Kingston
Former Mayor Lisa Helps, Victoria
Councillor Erin Hemmens, Nanaimo
Councillor Bonnie Henderson, Stratford
Former Mayor Brad Henderson, Saint Andrews
Councillor Tasha Henderson, New Westminster
Deputy Mayor Benjamin Hendriksen, Yellowknife
Mayor Greg Henley, Oxford
Councillor Linda Heshka, Melville
Councillor Doug Hillian, Courtenay
Councillor Claire Holloway Wadhwani, Port Hope
Councillor Jenn Houghtaling, Cumberland County
Conseiller David Huggins-Daines, Sainte-Adèle
Mayor Armand Hurford, Squamish
Mayor Michael Hurley, Burnaby
Mayor Richard Ireland, Jasper
Councillor Trina Isakson, Powell River
Councillor Chris Istace, North Cowichan
Former Mayor Don Iveson, Edmonton
Conseillère Rita Jain, Chelsea
Councillor Michael Janz, Edmonton
Councillor Laine Johnson, Ottawa
Mayor Patrick Johnstone, New Westminster
Councillor Evan Jolicoeur, Courtenay
Councillor Christopher Justice, North Cowichan
Mayor Todd Kasenberg, North Perth
Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Ottawa
Councillor Jonathan Kerr, Comox
Councillor Susan Kim, Victoria
Mayor Peter Koetsier, Township of Georgian Bay
Mayor Sean Krausert, Canmore
Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, Hamilton
Mayor Dan Kutcher, Summerside
Councillor Johanna Kwakernaak, Berwick
Conseiller Dominic Labrie, Chelsea
Councillor Joy Lachica, Peterborough
Councillor Michel Lalonde, Champlain
Maire Guillaume Lamoureux, La Pêche
Conseiller Jérémy Laplante, Paspébiac
Conseillère Julie Lavoie, Beloeil
Councillor Casey Law, New Denver
Mayor Andrew LeBlanc, Riverview
Conseiller Joey Leckman, Prévost
Conseillère Line Légaré, Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard
Councillor Jeff Leiper, Ottawa
Conseiller Martin Leprohon, Saint-Basile-le-Grand
Conseillère Laure Letarte-Lavoie, Sherbrooke
Councillor Rik Logtenberg, Nelson
Mayor Adam Lordon, Miramichi
Councillor Joel Loughead, Grey Highlands
Councillor Gord Lovegrove, Kelowna
Councillor Amy Lubik, Port Moody
Area Director Patti MacAhonic, Fraser Valley Regional District
Conseillère Cecilia Macedo, Laval
Councillor Kate MacNaughton, Prince Edward County
Councillor Leah Main, Silverton
Councillor Lucy Maloney, Vancouver
Councillor Paul Manly, Nanaimo
Councillor John Manuel, Golden
Mairesse Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, Gatineau
Mairesse Marie-Andrée Mauger, Verdun, Montréal
Area Director Robyn Mawhinney, Strathcona Regional District
Councillor Brian Mayes, Winnipeg
Councillor Reid McAlpine, Markham
Mayor Dorothy McCabe, Waterloo
Councillor Melanie McCollum, Courtenay
Councillor Ian McGrath, Truro
Councillor Cat McGurk, Yellowknife
Councillor Jessica McIlroy, North Vancouver
Councillor Tom McLennan, Yellowknife
Area Director Donna McMahon, Sunshine Coast Regional District
Conseillère Robin McPherson, St. Catharines
Councillor Jennifer Meilleur, Comox
Councillor Shawn Menard, Ottawa
Conseillère Kim Méthot, Saint-Basile-le-Grand
Former Mayor, David Miller, Toronto
Mayor Nicole Minions, Comox
Councillor Cathy Moore-Coburn, Georgian Bluffs
Mayor Andy Morel, Rossland
Conseiller David Morin, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Councillor Wendy Morin, Courtenay
Councillor Lenore Morris, Whitehorse
Trustee Deb Morrison, Islands Trust
Councillor Joy-Anne Murphy, Camrose
Area Director Alison Nicholson, Cowichan Valley Regional District
Councillor Katrina Nightingale, Pemberton
Councillor Troy Nixon, Fernie
Councillor Vincent Noël, La Prairie
Conseiller Jérôme Normand, Montréal
Councillor Lukas Oakley, County of Brant
Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary, St. John’s
Councillor Sean Orr, Vancouver
Councillor Lisa Osanic, Kingston
Conseiller Keith Page, Nelson
Councillor Aaron Paquette, Edmonton
Councillor Jasmin Parker, Saskatoon
Conseillère Valérie Patreau, Outremont, Montréal
Local Trustee Laura Patrick, Salt Spring Island / Islands Trust
Conseillère Véronique Payette, Crabtree
Councillor Leslie Payne, Nelson
Councillor Elizabeth Peloza, London
Councillor Kourtney Penner, Calgary
Councillor Gord Perks, Toronto
Councillor Liz Petrie, Goderich
Councillor Chris Pettingill, Squamish
Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff, Saanich
Councillor Stéphanie Plante, Ottawa
Mairesse Valérie Plante, Montréal
Councillor Catherine Pope, North Vancouver
Maire Jacques Poulin, Fossambault-sur-le-Lac
Councillor Matt Rodrigues, Waterloo
Councillor Sherri Rollins, Winnipeg
Councillor Erin Rutherford, Edmonton
Councillor Bridget Ryan, Erin
Councillor Maita Santiago, Burnaby
Councillor Dianne Saxe, Toronto
Councillor Ken Sentance, Thorold
Councillor Margo Sheppard, Fredericton
Conseillère Julie Simoneau, La Prairie
Councillor Anne Skipsey, Qualicum Beach
Councillor Alison Smith, Lunenburg
Councillor Evan Spencer, Calgary
Councillor Tony St-Pierre, Sooke
Mayor Michelle Staples, Duncan
Councillor Wendy Stephen, Kingston
Councillor Dan Stevens, Chase
Councillor Anne Stevenson, Edmonton
Former Mayor Kennedy Stewart, Vancouver
Councillor Jenna Stoner, Squamish
Councillor Stephanie Stretch, Kitchener
Councillor Jenny Tan, Maple Ridge
Councillor Keren Tang, Edmonton
Councillor Kyle Tapper, Mackenzie
Councillor Alvin Tedjo, Mississauga
Councillor Daniel Tetrault, Burnaby
Conseiller Jonathan Théorêt, Chertsey
Councillor Troy Therrien, Cumberland
Conseillère Natacha Thibault, Otterburn Park
Conseillère Isabelle Thibeault, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Councillor Dave Thompson, Victoria
Councillor Jeremy Thorne, Riverview,
Area Director Roger Tierney, Regional District of Central Kootenay
Councillor Senos Timon, Saskatoon
Deputy Mayor Nathan Townend, Loyalist Township
Councillor Brandon Tozzo, Kingston
Maire Mathieu Traversy, Terrebonne
Councillor Sam Trosow, London
Conseiller Alexandre Turcotte, Otterburn Park
Conseiller Benjamin Turcotte, Val-d’Or
Conseillère Elizabeth Ulin, Montreal West
Councillor Tony Valente, North Vancouver
Conseillère Stephanie Valenzuela, Montreal
Councillor Penny Varney, Gravenhurst
Mairesse Mélanie Villeneuve, Otterburn Park
Conseiller Christopher von Roretz, Dorval
Councillor Mary Wagner, Langford
Councillor Tim Wake, Bowen Island
Councillor Courtney Walcott, Calgary
Councillor Nick Ward, Cumberland
Conseiller Alexandre Warnet, Laval
Councillor Pat Warren, Kawartha Lakes
Mayor Bob Wells, Courtenay
Councillor Courtney Wentzell, Region of Queens
Mayor David West, Richmond Hill
Deputy Mayor Ghislaine Wheaton, St. Stephens
Councillor Laura White, Halifax
Councillor Howard Williams, Wolfville
Councillor Pam Wolf, Region of Waterloo
Councillor Michael Wolfe, Richmond
Councillor Sean Wood, Parksville
Councillor Theresa Wood, District of Invermere
Councillor Jesse Wright, District of Mackenzie
Councillor Julie Wright, Waterloo
Councillor Keith Yacucha, Langford
Councillor Shanon Zachidniak, Regina
Councillor Margaret Zwart, Clarington