(Photo by Brandon Griggs on Unsplash)

In 2020-2021 GVAT member groups invited their members to the virtual town halls organized by the Project bringing stories of people in the region with lived experience of being unhoused to various community associations and allied groups in Victoria.

While Saanich has had affordable housing policies for almost 15 years and participates in regional housing programs, the municipality still faces a severe deficit of affordable rental housing. The recent Saanich Housing Strategy considers current and future needs and identifies a dozen high-priority actions to diversify and expand the affordable housing stock.

Scientists and climate experts tell us we have all the scientific information we need to know we face catastrophe if business as usual continues and we also know we have technology to make the transition. What is missing is sufficient engagement from the population at large. GVAT has started hosting conversations so we can reflect together on what we can do, and are doing, to save our common home.

On March 28, Climate ART Co-Lead Jane Welton facilitated a wide-ranging Zoom conversation with members of the Social & Eco Justice Committee at Holy Cross Catholic Parish. Jane began by defining the difference between “climate change” and “climate Justice,” giving examples of how economically advantageous countries like Canada could work to achieve the latter.