October 26, sessions 7-9
Session 7
Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA): Ready Business
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 9:00am - 10:00am MST
As we have experienced, disasters can strike without warning. Learn about the risks in Calgary that may affect your business operations, how you can prepare your business ahead of time through the development and implementation of a business continuity plan, and learn what to expect after the emergency or disaster has occurred.
The Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) plans and coordinates services and resources during major emergencies and disasters. We work with city services, emergency responders and other partners, communities, businesses and non-profit agencies to mitigate risks and help Calgary prepare, respond to, and recover from a disaster.
Ellen Campbell, The City of Calgary – Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
Ellen is a Business Continuity & Recover Planner with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA). Ellen has her BComm from the University of Toronto and her MBA from the University of Calgary. Prior to joining CEMA, Ellen worked as a Commercial Underwriter, assessing hazards and risks for large companies across Canada. Ellen’s first day with CEMA was during the Fort McMurray wildfire, and she has been involved in various emergency activations throughout her time with CEMA.
Session 8
Funding for a low carbon future
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Join The City of Calgary, Greener Homes Grants representatives, and Emissions Reduction Alberta to learn about funding programs for citizens, businesses, and non-profits.
Last year, Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Energy Savings for Business (ESB) program opened to applications. Incentives for a wide range of energy saving technologies and up to $250,000 in funding per project are helping small- and medium-sized businesses save energy and money. Join Brittany Tran to learn about what some recipients have already put in place with their funding and what funding/programs are still available.
Natural Resources Canada administers the Canada Greener Homes Grant Initiative, which provides funding (including grants up to $5,000) to homeowners for retrofits to increase energy efficiency and climate resilience. Dinesh Parakh, Manager of Program Policy and Outreach for the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, will share information about the Initiative and how it can help Canadians save money, save energy, reduce emissions, and make homes more comfortable.
City staff will also share information about the new Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) launching this fall and how citizens can access funds for energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
Brittany Tran, Reductions Alberta.
Brittany Tran is a Program Manager at Emissions Reduction Alberta. She has a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Calgary and has experience in designing and delivering programs, environmental consulting, and strategic planning. At this time, she is managing the Energy Savings for Business Program and Expanded Technologies Pilot. These initiatives help Alberta businesses reduce emissions, reduce operating costs and become more competitive.
Dinesh Parakh, Natural Resources Canada, Greener Homes Division.
Dinesh is the Manager of Program Policy and Outreach for the Canada Greener Homes Initiative and has 15 years of experience working on clean energy and climate change. A qualified lawyer in Ontario, he was formerly with the United Nations Development Programme and World Food Programme in South Africa, as well as the Canadian International Development Agency in Ottawa, Canada. Dinesh holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.A. and J.D. from the University of Toronto.
Claire Beckstead, The City of Calgary – Energy and Carbon Strategy.
Claire is passionate about helping cities and communities translate the overwhelming problem of climate change into tangible solutions on the ground. For the last 14 years, she has been working with leading local governments in Alberta, BC, Ontario, and the Yukon to develop and implement creative solutions to the challenges of energy, climate change and greenhouse gas reductions. She is currently the Acting Leader of Energy and Carbon Strategy at the City of Calgary, and her experience includes facilitation and multi-stakeholder engagement, advocacy, research, project implementation, strategy development and policy design. Claire most recently led the development of the Climate Mitigation Action Plan in the recently updated Calgary Climate Strategy. She holds a Master of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.
Session 9
Urban heat: Cool ways of reducing impacts of extreme heat in Calgary
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 1:30pm - 2:30pm MST
Climate projections tell us that Calgary will continue to experience increasingly hot summers with longer and more frequent heatwaves. Urban areas in particular are more at risk to extreme heat where daytime surface temperatures can be as much as 10-15°C hotter than rural areas. The impacts on our social, economic, mental and physical wellbeing can be significant, especially for more vulnerable groups. This discussion will explore the expected impacts and possible solutions for our warming city, including how Calgarians can take action themselves.
Lindsay Dandridge, The City of Calgary – Urban Forestry.
Lindsay began her forestry career as a tree planter in Northern Ontario. After moving to Toronto, she proceeded to work in every facet of urban tree care, planting, watering, and maintaining trees until ultimately pursuing a Masters of Forest Conservation at the University of Toronto. She worked as a silviculture forester in Saskatchewan before settling down in Calgary at the beginning of 2022. Apart from looking at and talking about trees, Lindsay enjoys sewing, floating the Bow, and exploring Calgary’s bounty of parks and open spaces with her dog Wesley.
Joanna Eyquem, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo.
Joanna is Managing Director of Climate-Resilient Infrastructure at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. With over 20 years’ experience, her focus areas include: (1) mobilizing flood-resilience for homes, new and existing communities, and commercial real estate; (2) promoting retention of natural infrastructure to mitigate flood risk, (3) promoting programs to limit wildfire risk; (4) developing programs to limit risk of extreme heat; and (5) incorporating climate risk into institutional investing, credit rating assessments and securities disclosure.
Samantha Cheuk, Alberta Health Services.
Dr. Samantha Cheuk is a senior Public Health and Preventive Medicine Resident Physician at the University of Alberta and is also a Family Physician. She is completing an elective rotation with the Calgary Zone Medical Officers of Health. She is delighted to engage with key partners to share about the health impacts of extreme heat and share evidence-informed interventions to reduce impacts of urban heat on the health of communities.
David Klassen, Alberta Health Services.
Settler, Treaty 7 Territory; Medical Officer of Health, Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services; City of Calgary Climate Panel member; Family physician; Clinical Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary.