Building capacity for climate action within and among local governments and their partners
Channel: Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners
Date: 13/01/2019

January 11, 2019

Learn about proven solutions for building internal capacity and accelerating climate action in cities using an embedded resource model.  

Presenting to the CUSP network on Jan 11, 2019, Robyn Wark of BC Hydro shares the rationale and benefits for co-funding embedded resources in local govt.  

Robyn Wark introduces CUSP members to the BC Hydro Community Energy Manager (CEM) program, a co-funded resource embedded in local government to advance common objectives of the city and utility re climate and energy.  This program has been refined over its ten years of operation and investment by BC Hydro's Sustainable COmmunities Program.

CEMs are two year positions with renewal options.  Eligibility is limited to larger cities with greater impact potential though a group of smaller cities can pool together for one CEM in their region and channels are in place to share the work incubated by the CEMs to smaller city networks.  CEMs are supported by BC Hydro's peer network which provides structured training, policy design/implementation offers, as well as facilitates peer knowledge exchange to disemminate innovation and successes of individual CEMs.
About the webinar presenter, Robyn Wark:
Robyn Wark MRM MCIP is Team Lead of BC Hydro's Sustainable Community program, and a leading strategist and coach on low carbon communities.  Robyn has co-created numerous peer networks, innovation labs, committees and councils to bring partners together to solve sustainability challenges, including the Community Energy Manager Network, Energy Step Code Council, and Electric Vehicle Peer Network. She brings creativity and fun to her teams, as well as deep knowledge of organizational strategy, relationship mapping, and change management.  Robyn is a popular speaker, and has shared lessons from her work extensively with professional organizations, business, universities, and government.  Robyn is the vice-chair of the BC Energy Step Code Council (Vice-Chair).