For many of us, a new calendar year started just seven days ago. This new year, despite our best hopes, brings the need for continued COVID-19 vigilance and precautions. In-person school is cancelled. Those that can are being asked to stay home and those that can’t, often frontline workers, are continuing to support and care for the rest of us in difficult, if not dangerous, circumstances. Much gratitude to everyone, for what you’re doing to protect each other and keep us going collectively.
Photo: December 21 Defund Coastal GasLink Gidimt'en solidarity call-out rally. See https://www.yintahaccess.com/ for more action call-outs and ongoing updates.
Throughout 2021, a COVID-19 restricted year, TO350 members also showed their mettle! We adapted to online meetings and when we were able to act in person, adopted COVID-19 protocols. Let’s start the year by acknowledging one another and the accomplishments and work we did together.
January-March 2021
We had new active members who continued to add their skills to our teams, ranging from social media to meeting structure, helping coordinate actions on and offline. Some highlights:
- Bankswitch - Why Bankswitch and Why Now
- Fossil Banks No Thanks
- Throne Speech
- Strengthen Bill C12
- Toronto Budget Committee Deputation
April-June 2021
This quarter of the year our writing teams were active again with a focus on divestment and a "Just and Green Recovery." We joined in with coalitions and kept up a strong social media presence. Some highlights:
- Toward a Just and Green Recovery
- Fossil Banks No Thanks
- Shut Down Line 5
- Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Must Stop Investing our Money in Climate Failure
Music Courtesy of AY Young “We Can Change The World”. Photos Deep, Gryphen and Dawn.
July-September 2021
Come late summer and early fall, there were several activities to participate in from coalition actions to collaborative rallies.
October-December 2021
In the last part of 2021, we responded to coalition and solidarity action call-outs, joining a new network coalition called "Climate Voice" and helping with a Wet’suwet’en, Gidimt’en Checkpoint solidarity call-out "Defund Coastal GasLink" rally. We also contributed to the groundswell of encouragement for Toronto’s accelerated climate actions put forward in the Net-Zero by 2040 report by city staff in December and voted on by city council on December 15, 16 and 17.
- RBC is Killing Me
- Defund Coastal GasLink Week of Action
- N6 Global Day of Climate Justice
- Submission in Support of the Net-Zero by 2040 plan
Thank you everyone for every bit you did in 2021. Whatever you were able to give, for however long, helped carry us along this river toward positive change and was a vital part of the group’s success. It is because of your energy, talents, big-hearted contributions and collective support that Toronto350 thrives.
Thanks again, to AY Young for giving us permission to use the song featured in the video included in this blog. AY Young does all of his concerts with renewable energy. He is also a UN Sustainable Goals Youth Leader. Here is a link to him doing the song and explaining his Battery tour.