PROJECT SUMMARY
How can Canadian work and workplaces contribute to slowing global warming? Environment and climate issues have traditionally been the domain of the natural sciences. But the complexity, destructiveness and speed of climate change are increasing. Responding to climate warming has become an urgent social issue (Dupressoir 2007). Recent research (ILO 2011) has found that work creates as much as 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) produced by human activity in developed countries. Canada is no exception. The physical and social upheavals of climate warming are already changing how we work, how products are transported, what we produce and where we produce it. If we are serious about creating a low- carbon economy in Canada, bringing work, the workplace and workers “in” to a green transition, is as crucial as it is timely. As a major producer of GHGs, the work world can also become a major contributor to Canada’s efforts to slow global warming. ACW engages with the challenge of slowing global warming, by developing tools to green the workplace and work itself. ACW is Canadian-focused and national in scope, setting Canadian experience in international perspective.
Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces (ACW) asks:
- How best can Canada’s diverse workplaces adapt work to mitigate greenhouse gases?
- In Canada’s present economic and social environment, what changes in law and policy, workdesign and business models, would assist the “greening” of workplaces and work?
- What can we learn from other countries to clarify our understanding of strategic options?
ACW Goals
- Produce new research on the opportunities and obstacles that law, public policy and work design create for low-carbon adaptation of Canadian resources, manufacturing, construction, services
- Develop work-based strategies to reduce GHGs and energy use
- Strengthen green workforce skills, leadership, opportunities for collaboration
- Integrate international and national best practices into Canadian work
- Train the next generation of social climate change experts
- Create enabling conditions for green work reform on a large scale.
Expected Outcomes
- Increased knowledge about social implications of climate change at work for Canadians via focused knowledge mobilization to six audiences
- Increased training in green workplace reform for highly qualified personnel
- Increased aid to employers and unions in implementing green work reforms.
Partnership
ACW membership includes 56 individual researchers and 25 partner organizations in 7 countries and is a member of the Belmont Forum (EU). Team expertise spans natural and applied sciences, engineering, management, law, environmental studies, social sciences and organizational leadership. It includes senior provincial and federal government officials, leaders of major unions, large, medium and small enterprises and directors of some of the most influential think tanks in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Core ACW members have worked together since the 1990s, funded by CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. In ACW all levels of work are co- governed by partners. Partner organizations reach millions worldwide via their multilingual online networks.
ACW Project Summary (PDF) ACW Résumé du projet (PDF)
- York University, Canada, Lead Organization
- Blue-Green Canada
- British Columbia Federation of Labour, CA
- British Columbia Government and Service Employees Union, CA
- British Columbia Building Trades Council, CA
- Canadian Association of University Teachers
- Canadian Labour Congress
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- Canadian Union of Public Employees
- Coalition of Black Trade Unionists-Ontario
- Environmental Defence—Canada Environmental Law Centre of Alberta CA
- National Union of Public and General Employees, CA
- Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, CA
- Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy/Professional Engineers Ontario, CA
- Ontario Federation of Labour, CA
- Pembina Institute, CA
- Public Service Alliance of Canada
- Queen’s University, CA
- Simon Fraser University, CA
- United Food and Commercial Workers—Canada
- United Steelworkers—Canada
- University of New Brunswick Environmental and Sustainability Development Research Centre, CA
- University of Westminster, U.K.
- Voices for a Sustainable Future/Labor Network for Sustainability, U.S.
- Elaine Bernard, Harvard University U.S.
- Geoff Bickerton, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- Kean Birch, York University, CA
- Coralie Breen, University of Victoria, CA
- Keith Brooks, Blue-Green Canada
- Larry Brown, National Union of Public and General Employees, CA
- Lynn Bueckert, Formerly B.C. Federation of Labour, CA
- John Calvert, Simon Fraser University, CA
- Bruce Campbell, University of Ottawa, CA
- Jim Chorostecki, B.C. Federation of Labour, CA
- Linda Clarke, University of Westminster U.K.
- Louise Comeau, University of New Brunswick, CA
- Jose Etcheverry, York University, CA
- Pamela Foster, Canadian Association of University Teachers
- Bela Galgoczi, European Trade Unions Institute, BE
- Becky Glass, Labour Network for Sustainability, U.S.
- Colin Gleeson, University of Westminster U.K.
- Rafael Gomez, University of Toronto, CA
- Caleb Goods, York University, CA
- Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Simon Fraser University, CA
- John Holmes, Queen’s University, CA
- Gerry Leblanc, United Steelworkers – Canada
- Donald Lafleur, Congrès du travail du Canada
- Warren Mabee, Queen’s University, CA
- Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- John Mummé, Architect, CA
- Kerry Murray, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour
- Lynne Pajot, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- Sheila Ritson-Bennett, Govt. of Ontario, CA
- Joanna Robinson, York University, CA
- Annie Rochette, Université du Québec à Montréal CA
- Mark Rowlinson, United Steelworkers—Canada
- Larry Savage, Brock University
- Dayna Scott, York University—Osgoode CA
- Steve Shallhorn, Labour Education Centre, CA
- Dimitris Stevis, Colorado State University, US.
- Fred Steward, University of Westminster, UK.
- Chris Tollefson, University of Victoria, CA
- Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay, Télé-Université, CA
- Joe Uehlein, Voices for a Sustainable Future, U.S.
- Howard West, Public Service Alliance of Canada
- Christopher Wilson, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists – Ontario
- Gerry Leblanc, United Steelworkers─Canada
- Andres J. Drew, Natural Resources Canada
- Deborah Bourque, Hospital Employees’ Union
- Matthew Firth, Canadian Union of Public Employees
- Jawara Gairey, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists – Ontario
- Brian Gardiner, British Columbia Government and Service Employees Union, CA
- Shelley Gordon, Canadian Union of Public Employees
- David Langille, York University, CA
- Lee Loftus, B.C. Building Trades Council CA
- Colin Long, Victorian Trades Hall Council
- Mary Shortall, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, CA
- Adrian Smith, Carleton University CA
- Mark Winfield, York University, CA
- Romain Felli, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Geneva, CH
- David Jordhus-Lier, University of Oslo, Norway
- Samantha Mason, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), U.K.
- Kendra Strauss, Simon Fraser University, CA
- Tessa Wright, Queen Mary University of London, U.K.
Administrative Group
- Dr. Carla Lipsig-Mummé | Director
- Dr. John Calvert | Associate Director
- Dr. Warren Mabee | Associate Director
- Dr. Linda Clarke | Associate Director
- Mr. Donald Lafleur | Associate Director
- Mr. Lee Loftus | Associate Director
- Mr. Jim Chorostecki | Grant Manager
Steering Committee
- Carla Lipsig-Mummé, York University
- John Calvert, Simon Fraser University
- Jim Chorostecki,York University
- Elaine Bernard, Harvard University
- Larry Brown, National Union of Public and General Employees
- Lynn Bueckert, Formerly BC Federation of Labour
- Linda Clarke, University of Westminster
- Donald Lafleur, Canadian Labour Congress
- Lee Loftus, Formerly British Columbia Building Trades Council
- Warren Mabee, Queen’s University
- Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay, Télé-Université
- Chris Schwartz, Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
- Chris Wilson, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists-Ontario