Équiterre was founded in 1993 by a group of young people including Steven Guilbeault, Laure Waridel, Sidney Ribaux, Patrick Henn, François Meloche and Beth Hunter who had participated in various preparatory conferences at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the previous year. This group shared the view that issues of poverty, the environment and North-South inequities must be considered in order for real change to occur in society. They decided to create an organization that would enable them to put their principles into action. Équiterre has since been devoted to implementing projects that focus on solutions rather than problems. The organization has grown thanks to the synergy of the many individuals who have joined its ranks.