Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions 2026

The City of Kingston is seeking neighbourhood leaders to engage with residents on local environmental issues and inspire climate action. The Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions will inspire, motivate, and encourage other residents to undertake community-focused actions to support the City’s Climate Leadership Plan and climate adaptation and mitigation in our community.

As a Neighbourhood Climate Action Champion, you will:

• Engage your neighbours in discussions about environmental and climate-related topics and issues
• Lead constructive and meaningful conversations about the challenges of climate change and potential solutions.
• Connect and inspire your neighbours to participate in your climate action project and reduce their carbon footprint.
• Contribute to advancing the City’s Climate Leadership Plan and leading climate action in our community.

Training

Participants will receive training focused on climate change science, climate change communications, and climate action in Kingston. The training will follow the guidelines and principles set out in Kingston’s Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions Toolkit, of which all Champions will receive a copy following their training.

What is expected of Climate Champions

Climate Action Champions are required to commit approximately 50 hours per year (4-5 hours per month) toward climate outreach, project development, meetings with City staff and project execution.

The City of Kingston’s program will require participants to present their project’s deliverables, needed materials, their project evaluation plan, and a budget before receiving funding and entering into a funding agreement with the City. Participants will be eligible to receive a maximum of $2,000 per project.

Champions will meet with City staff monthly to discuss their neighbourhood projects and receive feedback and support. If you have questions about what kind of work and/or projects are eligible or need to discuss a prospective project, please reach out to the Program Coordinator, Jadon Hook at jehook@cityofkingston.ca.

Program eligibility

• 18 years of age or older
• Live in Kingston
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to commit at least 4 - 5 hours per month to climate outreach and attend monthly meetings with City staff
• Able to work as part of a team and have a strong leadership capacity
• Currently engaged in climate action work or engaged in neighbourhood or local community work or a post-secondary student interested in climate action
• Existing connections with neighbourhood networks/groups are an asset
• Fluency in a non-English language is an asset

Applications from community leaders and residents from communities experiencing social, economic and other barriers, including people of colour, newcomers, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities, will be given priority.

Apply to become a Climate Action Champion: Sept. 10 - Oct. 16

Submit your application by Oct. 16. Email GetInvolvedKingston@CityofKingston.ca or call 613-546-0000 if you need the application in an alternate format.