Ottawa, September 18 – In a determined effort to combat climate change and foster a culture of sustainability, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is thrilled to launch the second annual ImpAct-Climate Challenge. This innovative contest is designed to empower students, staff, and faculty members at colleges and institutes across the country to actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions both on campus and in their personal lives.
The initiative spans over six weeks and tackles different themes related to greenhouse gas emissions. Participants will receive key facts related to each theme, actionable strategies for emissions reduction, and be prompted to complete a simple challenge that tests their knowledge. These resources will encourage participants to make simple yet impactful changes in their daily lives.
By completing the challenges, participants have the chance to win $350 in weekly draws and a grand prize of $1,000. In addition to individual prizes, the top-performing colleges and institutes—based on the highest number of challenge participants in four distinct size categories—will win a $3,000 bursary for a student climate leader.
“The ImpAct-Climate Challenge is a pivotal step towards creating a profound impact on our environment. By engaging our campus community, we are fostering a collective commitment to sustainability and encouraging meaningful behavior change that can shape a greener future,” said Denise Amyot, CEO and President of CICan. “Launching the challenge during Global Goals Week highlights our steadfast commitment not only to SDG 13, climate action, but also to the broader spectrum of SDGs. Climate action is no longer a choice; it’s an imperative. “
As climate leaders around the world celebrate Global Goals Week, a dedicated week to accelerating action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the topics addressed by the ImpAct-Climate Challenge are particularly resonant. The six challenge themes—related to greenhouse gases, energy, food, transportation, waste, and Indigenous stewardship—will ensure participants better understand how the spectrum of the SDGs relates to their personal lives.
The contest is open to all students, staff, and faculty at CICan member colleges and institutes. This will be the second climate challenge run by Colleges and Institutes Canada following a successful pilot last year. The ImpAct-Climate program is funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The challenge will run for six weeks starting Wednesday October 11. For more information and to sign up, please visit www.impactclimate.ca.
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.
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For more information:
Katrina King
Senior Digital Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: kking@collegesinstitutes.ca
Twitter: @CollegeCan