Award types
Environmental Award
Recognizes environmental achievements of a larger scale, such as long-term commitments to an organization or cause, leadership, and projects of significant size and complex scope that have a broader community impact.
Environmental Star
Recognizes environmental achievements of a smaller or individual scale that may serve to catalyze larger initiatives and inspire others.
A maximum of 1 Environmental Award and 2 Environmental Stars are awarded per category.
2022 Environmental Awards
This award is presented in recognition of the club’s commitment to climate activism through public engagement and awareness. SFU350 is a student-run climate action club operating at Simon Fraser University (SFU), which has been active at SFU Burnaby since 2013. Their name references 350ppm (parts per million) of carbon dioxide (CO2), which represents the safe amount of carbon dioxide for our atmosphere to avoid a changing climate.
Since inception, SFU350 has demonstrated dedication to creating meaningful community impacts and positive change through various campaigns. The club ensures equity, sustainability, and Indigenous sovereignty are centered in all campaigns, and has a dedicated working group active with the express purpose of advocating for climate justice. Past campaigns have contributed to the declaration of a climate emergency from SFU’s Board of Governors; the full divestment of SFU from all financial holdings invested in fossil fuel extraction, refinement, and transportation companies; and acknowledgement of alignment between SFU’s goals and SFU350’s climate emergency open letter demands. These milestones were achieved through many hours of student advocacy – with support being garnered among a multitude of SFU community members and stakeholders.
The BFCS is recognized for their outstanding leadership and dedication in taking over operation of a community fish hatchery from the Sapperton Fish and Game Club (SFGC), many-time past Environmental Award winners in their own right.
In 2020, members of the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society (BFCS) were contacted by the SFGC to gauge interest in taking over operation of the community fish hatchery located in Cariboo Heights in Burnaby, near the Brunette River. The fire fighters charitable society confirmed their interest and in 2021, in a new partnership, the City took ownership of the hatchery building and entered into a licence agreement with the fire fighters as the new operator, under the technical guidance of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Over the last two years, the fire fighters society has learned how to operate the hatchery under mentorship from the DFO Community Advisor. They are now self-sufficient and have since released thousands of small salmon fry into Burnaby’s local streams and tributaries. Hundreds of hours of volunteer time are required of the members of the society, and family members, each hatchery season. This endeavor helps keep Burnaby’s salmon stocks healthy and growing. The fire fighters society’s commitment to the hatchery program not only helps make Burnaby a greener city, but also helps the next generation learn to understand and appreciate our environment and the importance of Community Stewardship.
Pablo is recognized for his exemplary commitment to environmental sustainability by raising awareness and knowledge about sustainable food systems within the community.
A resident of University Highlands in Burnaby, Pablo uses his comprehensive knowledge of sustainable food systems to educate community members, drawing upon his decades of agricultural experience and academic training in landscape spatial analysis. As Gardens Manager with Embark Sustainability Society, he manages two large-scale Learning Gardens open to Burnaby’s SFU community. There he facilitates various workshops exploring food systems and growing practices, making gardening accessible to community members and emphasizing organic gardening practices, minimizing garden waste, and gardening’s role in sustainable living. This includes hand-on gardening experience during the growing season.
Pablo also runs the Roots2Grow Gardening Program, facilitating gardening and edible education workshops in Burnaby elementary schools. Taking school groups through the gardening process from plot creation to harvest, Roots2Grow helps children understand local food production and supports Burnaby elementary schools to make the most of their outdoor space. He previously received an Environmental Star in 2014 for his volunteer work with the Stoney Creek Environment Committee, a local streamkeeper group in Burnaby. His Environmental Award in 2022 recognizes his other accomplishments noted above and overall contributions to his community.
Simon Fraser University is recognized for their achievements in building the Parcel 21 project on Burnaby Mountain, a non-market rental housing development primarily targeting mature students with children, a demographic that is typically undeserved by universities. This project will be one of the most energy-efficient buildings in British Columbia, with building envelope performance modelled at the uppermost tiers of the BC Energy Step Code. The original design target was the Passive House standard. However, as the design progressed, industry-wide construction costs continued to escalate and pushed the estimated construction cost beyond the budget allocated for the project. As a result, the project targeted the highest level of the BC Energy Step Code instead, while maintaining many of the design details and strategies typically associated with Passive House buildings. Significant is that this building’s energy efficiency performance level was achieved on a conventional construction budget.
Casey Lo is recognized for her outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and revitalization of an indoor greenhouse at Burnaby Mountain. She has been a part of the Forest Grove Garden Club since she was 7 years old, both as a participant and now as a volunteer leader in her Grade 12 year of high school. Casey volunteers for summer programs and serves as the current Youth Committee Head. She has also been involved with the Youth to Sea Youth Organization, through which she secured a grant to revitalize the indoor greenhouse at Burnaby Mountain Secondary School. The grant was also used to develop a self-watering system for the outdoor garden metal bins. The bins and the watering system are now used at other Burnaby schools.
The Greenhouse Project at Burnaby Mountain Secondary School has had a broader community impact. The project connected other students in the school to growing plants for their outdoor garden bins, as well as to other garden clubs that work with the Sprouting Chefs Society, including Forest Grove Elementary, Edmonds Community School and Windsor Elementary. Casey’s commitment to this project demonstrates environmental stewardship and climate resiliency to her peers and the younger students at the Forest Grove Garden Club. Casey has been an inspiration to her peers while showing a desire to create positive solutions for the future in permaculture, growing food and protecting the environment.