The Peel Climate Champions program will be a transformative, youth-led initiative that empowers BIPOC and equity-deserving youth in Peel Region to take bold, informed action in the face of climate change. As climate impacts continue to disproportionately affect racialized, immigrant, and low-income communities, this program will equip those most affected with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to lead local, grassroots climate solutions.
Through interactive workshops, leadership development, mentorship from local experts, and peer-to-peer learning, participants will gain hands-on experience in climate literacy, political advocacy, and community organizing. Each Climate Champion will design and implement their own climate-focused project—from hosting climate cafés and organizing cleanups to launching awareness campaigns and building community resource hubs—creating tangible, place-based impact in their neighborhoods.
The program will also provide accessible and culturally relevant materials, translated into key local languages including Punjabi, Hindi and Ojibwe, ensuring that climate education reaches Peel’s diverse communities. By building a supportive and inclusive network, we will reduce barriers to participation—offering transportation support, stipends for books and meals, and wraparound mentorship that meets youth where they are.
This project, in partnership with the Community Climate Council (CCC), builds on CCC’s proven track record. Since 2019, CCC has engaged over 100 youth volunteers and reached more than 5,000 residents across Peel through events, campaigns, and educational workshops. Our advocacy work has been featured in local media and acknowledged by city councillors, and in 2024, CCC was awarded the Youth Climate Action Award by the City of Brampton. Our past initiatives include climate literacy summits, planting events, litter pick ups, climate rallies (e.g Healthcare not Highways), and multilingual public education efforts in partnership with OMNI Punjabi and local ethnic media.
The Peel Climate Champions program will be a launchpad for the next generation of climate leaders—youth who reflect the communities they serve and who will carry this work forward well beyond the program’s end.
Your donation will help us launch this vital initiative, empower young climate advocates, and ensure communities across Peel are equipped to respond to the climate crisis. With your support, we can scale our impact and build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future—starting right here in Peel.
