2025 Gathering Day 2 Program

Optional social activity - Free Yoga Class

Start your day with a refreshing and gentle morning yoga class, designed to awaken your body and mind. This beginner-friendly session will help you build flexibility, strength, and calmness to carry into your day. All yoga materials are provided, but feel free to bring your own. Sign up and payment required. See 'add-ons' under 'Get Tickets' on the Eventbrite page to reserve your spot!

Doors Open

Breakfast served.

Program Starts - Opening Comments

Keynote Speaker - Alkarim Devani

This session explores how infill and middle housing—such as townhomes, accessory dwelling units, and laneway suites—are not only vital solutions to Canada’s housing crisis but also a response to the climate challenge. Moving beyond traditional greenfield development, this session offers a fresh perspective on middle housing as a multi-faceted solution to some of the country’s most pressing issues. mddl co-founder, Alkarim Devani, delves into innovations in modular construction, municipal policy, and neighborhood connectivity, highlighting how diverse housing solutions in established communities can foster long-term environmental and social sustainability.

Breakout Session Previews

Before taking a quick break and then heading to your breakout sessions, take a moment to hear from each session host or coordinator as they deliver a brief 1-2 minute pitch about their session. These previews will help you choose the session that aligns best with your interests and goals for the conference.

Short Break

Use this time to grab a coffee or tea, enjoy light refreshments, and connect with fellow attendees. This is also your opportunity to make your way to the breakout rooms for the next session. Be sure to visit the booths or stop by the Gathering Lounge along the way!

Breakout Session: Harnessing AI for a Sustainable Future - Local Innovations and Case Studies

Discover how artificial intelligence is driving innovation in local environmental and climate solutions in this dynamic session featuring experts from Community Energy Association, Solway AI, and Applied Energy Consulting. From climate planning to building and energy management, and from enhancing community engagement to solving complex environmental challenges, this panel will explore cutting-edge AI applications making a real-world impact in Alberta. Gain insights into how these pioneers are leveraging AI to create smarter, more sustainable systems, and leave inspired to integrate AI into your own environmental initiatives. Speakers: Dr. Ali Syed, Founder (Applied Energy Consulting), Kristian Berg, Co-Founder (Solway AI), Shaheer Tariq, Co-Founder (Solway AI), Kate Letizia, Senior Community Energy Manager (Community Energy Association)

Breakout Session: Advancing Natural Infrastructure in Alberta - Opportunities, Lessons and Next Steps

Natural infrastructure (NI) is gaining recognition as a cost-effective, resilient solution for water management, climate adaptation, and economic development. This session will provide a foundational understanding of NI, highlight examples from Alberta, and engage participants in shaping a vision for the future. This session is designed for NGOs, municipal leaders, practitioners, advocates, and policymakers looking to scale natural infrastructure solutions in Alberta. Speakers: Josée Méthot, Senior Policy Specialist, Water (International Institute for Sustainable Development), Amy Berlando, Provincial Riparian Specialist (Cows and Fish), Jinny Toffelmire, Environment Team Lead (Town of Okotoks).

Breakout Session: Mobilizing Alberta - Bridging Information, Community and Climate Action

This session is a case study on Mobilizing Alberta, a five-year initiative helping Albertans turn climate concern into action. You’ll learn how two key tools—the Preparing Albertans for Climate Change e-course and the Climate Action Grant Program—are supporting Albertans through free, accessible climate education and funding for local projects. We’ll share what worked, what we learned, and how you apply these lessons to your work. Through interactive activities and group discussions, you’ll leave with practical ideas, new connections, and fresh inspiration to bridge the gap between awareness and action. Speakers: Rachelle Haddock, Manager, Partnerships and Engagement (University of Calgary), Maria Granados, Owner (Silver Spur Strategies)

Breakout Session: Otipemisiwak Métis Government session

Details coming soon.

Breakout Session: Scaling Climate Solutions - Insights from Funders at Every Stage

Details coming soon.

Short Break

Take a moment to stretch, grab a coffee or tea, and gather what you need before we reconvene in the main hall for the next plenary session. Use this time to recharge and get ready for the next engaging discussion!

Plenary Session: Scaling Innovation: Blatchford, An Urban Development Case Study

Blatchford is Edmonton's climate-focused vision to transform a 536-acre site into a sustainable, people-first, carbon-neutral community. Housing up to 30,000 residents, Blatchford uses 100% renewable energy and leads in sustainability and climate resilience. The project is empowering climate-friendly lifestyles, offering valuable lessons in green building, urban design, and district energy systems, and inspiring new funding programs for municipalities. This session will explore how Blatchford demonstrates the possible and discuss scaling these urban design principles and technologies to other new developments. Speaker: Christian Felske, Director - Renewable Energy Systems (City of Edmonton)

Lunch

Breakout Session: Navigating Difficult Conversations - A Hands-On Workshop

“Renewable energy is unreliable. Climate change is a false alarm, it’s natural. Recycling alone will solve all of our waste concerns. Beavers on the landscape do more bad than good. We have lots of natural areas in Alberta, we don’t need to protect more.” Working through a conversation template, we’ll address these conversation challenges, and similar ones, that participants have likely faced in their delivery of environmental literacy to promote change. The session will cover some of the do’s and don’ts for navigating difficult conversations and simple steps for starting a conversation. Participants will get to practice their skills in the art of mastering difficult conversations and improve their understanding of anticipated responses. Speakers: Jennifer Janzen, Executive Director (Alberta Tomorrow), Kelsey Spicer-Rawe, Riparian Specialist (Cows and Fish).

Breakout Session: Futures Thinking - Exploring AI’s Role in Shaping Environmental Futures

Join John Lewis from Intelligent Futures for an engaging workshop that applies the Futures Triangle framework to the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing environmental challenges. Participants will explore the Drivers of Change in AI, uncover how past trends and current forces influence its adoption, and imagine how AI might shape more sustainable environmental futures. This interactive session provides a practical approach to futures thinking, offering tools to critically examine the opportunities and risks of AI in the environmental sector. Speakers: John Lewis, President and Founder (Intelligent Futures), Kristian Berg, Co-Founder (Solway AI), Shaheer Tariq, Co-Founder (Solway AI), Kate Letizia, Senior Community Energy Manager (Community Energy Association)

Breakout Session: Empowering the Next Generation

This session will discuss how to engage and empower young people in the environmental and sustainability sectors, with three broad themes: education, connection, and empowerment. Participants will learn how their own industry, whether an NGO or private, can provide educational resources, create networks across sectors, and create leadership opportunities for youth. Key objectives include understanding how to initiate and sustain youth engagement, address multiple needs, and support youth-led movements. Participants can expect practical insights, inspirational cases, and an interactive Q&A to enhance their sense of empowering the next generation. Speakers: Laura Shutiak, Executive Director and Founder (Youth en Route), Sophia Young, Program Coordinator (Small Change Fund), Tanya Richens, President (TCR Environmental Consulting Ltd)

Breakout Session: Supporting Indigenous Climate Action

Details coming soon

Breakout Session: City of Calgary session

Details coming soon.

Short Break

Recharge with a light snack and refreshments as we prepare for the final session of the conference. Take this time to connect with fellow attendees, reflect on the day’s insights, and make your way back to the main hall for an inspiring drumming performance and closing remarks.

Plenary Session: Connection Through Rhythms - A Performance-Based Closing 

Join Julien Lepage, and the Circles of Rhythm Ensemble for a performance-based workshop Connection Through Rhythm. This interactive session will highlight the unifying power of rhythm, drumming, and shared experience in fostering understanding and collaboration. Through a dynamic, creative exploration of rhythm and music, participants will experience firsthand how rhythm can connect individuals, strengthen community bonds, and inspire collective action. This engaging session will leave you with a renewed sense of interconnectedness, setting the tone for the final moments of the conference and inspiring ongoing positive change.

Closing Remarks and Conference End