Canadian Green Infrastructure Society

Canadian Green Infrastructure Society
Name	Canadian Green Infrastructure Society
Formation	2009
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region served	Canada
Leader title	Executive Director

Canadian Green Infrastructure Society is a Canadian non-profit organization focused on promoting sustainable urban infrastructure, low-impact development, and resilient stormwater management across Canada. It engages municipalities, provincial agencies, Indigenous governments, and private sector actors to advance green infrastructure planning, design, and implementation. The Society operates through policy advocacy, technical training, research synthesis, and demonstration projects in collaboration with national and international partners.

History

The Society was founded in 2009 following dialogues among practitioners from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Institute of Planners, Urban Land Institute, and regional groups such as Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Metro Vancouver to address urban stormwater challenges and climate adaptation. Early milestones included pilot projects with City of Toronto, coordination with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and submissions to the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. It expanded programming after engaging with academic partners like University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Toronto, and research centres such as Canadian Water Network and Pembina Institute. The Society later contributed to federal initiatives coordinated through Infrastructure Canada and policy dialogues with the Parliament of Canada and provincial ministries in Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.

Mission and Objectives

The Society’s mission emphasizes resilient urban design and ecosystem-based solutions drawing on expertise from Royal Roads University, Dalhousie University, Queen's University, and international standards from International Finance Corporation and World Wildlife Fund. Core objectives align with municipal priorities from City of Vancouver, City of Calgary, City of Montreal, and regional authorities such as Capital Regional District and Halton Region: (1) mainstream low-impact development practices promoted by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Canadian Standards Association; (2) support policy instruments advocated by Canadian Environmental Law Association and David Suzuki Foundation; (3) build capacity through partnerships with Canadian Water Resources Association and Landscape Ontario.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs include technical training delivered in collaboration with Redeemer University, Concordia University, and industry partners like Jacobs Engineering Group and Stantec Inc.; demonstration sites established with Town of Innisfil, City of Ottawa, Region of Peel, and Indigenous partners including Assembly of First Nations. Initiatives feature stormwater retrofits inspired by projects in Portland, Oregon, Chicago, and Melbourne, Australia and guidelines informed by reports from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Bank, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Society also publishes best-practice guides drawing on case studies from Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation, Vancouver Convention Centre, Burrard Inlet, and Saint John River watershed projects.

Organizational Structure and Governance

The Society is governed by a board of directors with representatives from municipal governments such as City of Edmonton and City of Halifax, academic institutions including McMaster University and University of Waterloo, and private sector firms like WSP Global and AECOM. Executive leadership liaises with advisory committees featuring experts affiliated with National Research Council Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Canada, and professional associations including Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. Internal governance adheres to non-profit frameworks recognized by Canada Revenue Agency and corporate registries in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The Society collaborates with national organizations including Canadian Federation of Municipalities, Federation of Canadian Municipalities programs, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and regional conservation authorities like Conservation Authority of Hamilton Region and Credit Valley Conservation. International linkages include partnerships with United Nations Environment Programme, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, US Environmental Protection Agency, and academic networks at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Technical University of Munich. Project-level partners have included Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, SNC-Lavalin, and philanthropic funders such as The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation.

Funding and Financial Model

The Society funds operations through a mix of project grants from Infrastructure Canada, research contracts with Natural Resources Canada, contributions from provincial programs in Quebec and Alberta, consulting revenues from partnerships with Stantec, and philanthropic support from organizations like The McConnell Foundation and Tides Canada. It has received competitive awards and funding through federal programs such as the Green Infrastructure Fund and strategic initiatives administered by Employment and Social Development Canada and continues to leverage cost-sharing arrangements with municipal partners including City of Toronto and City of Winnipeg.

Impact and Recognition

The Society's work has influenced municipal bylaws in City of Surrey, municipal stormwater manuals in Halifax Regional Municipality, and design standards cited by Canadian Standards Association and National Research Council (Canada). Recognition includes awards and citations from Canadian Urban Institute, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Canadian Water Resources Association, and acknowledgements in policy reports by Parliamentary Budget Officer and Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Demonstration projects and publications have been showcased at conferences hosted by Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Canadian Institute of Planners, Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition, and international forums such as World Urban Forum.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Canada Category:Environmental organizations based in Canada