Squamish-Lillooet Regional District renews support for youth climate education

Pemberton, BC – More students in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) will gain a new education experience to learn about climate leadership, thanks to continued funding from the regional district.

The SLRD Board, at its September meeting, approved a multi-year sponsorship for up to 10 elementary and five high school classes annually with School Districts 48 (Sea to Sky) and 74 (Gold Trail) to participate in the BC Sustainable Energy Association’s (BCSEA) Cool It! Climate Leadership Training program from 2025 through 2028. The sponsorship, totaling up to $29,175, will be funded through the Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP) (80%) and the SLRD’s Regional Growth Strategy General Government Projects fund (20%).

The Cool It! program, delivered by BCSEA, includes interactive workshops and a climate challenge and encourages students to complete real-world actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The SLRD previously provided sponsorship support for the 2024/ 25 school year, with the program reaching 334 students across 14 classes in the SLRD, resulting in 1,923 climate-focused actions.

Provincewide, BCSEA reports that more than 9,500 students participated, contributing to an estimated reduction of more than 1,500 tons of CO2e.

Climate Action is a priority of the SLRD Board. The SLRD’s support for this program aligns with the Board’s strategic priority area of climate action and sustainability and with the Regional Growth Strategy’s Goal 11: Take Action on Climate Change, which emphasizes community engagement and education as key strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation. The program also complements the Province’s CleanBC Roadmap and Climate Preparedness and Adaptation strategy.

“The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is pleased to be able to continue to support the Cool It! Climate Action Leadership Training Program, providing dynamic opportunities to students in the region, and investing in climate leaders of the future,” said SLRD Board Chair, Jen Ford. “Engaging youth in climate action is essential to building resilient, sustainable communities. The Cool It! Program not only educates students about climate change, but also inspires them to become sustainability champions in their schools, homes and communities.”

BCSEA has offered the Cool It! program in BC classrooms since 2020. BCSEA works directly with schools and educators, ensuring minimal administrative burden for the SLRD. Multi-year funding provides consistency for classrooms and teachers to engage in the program, and aligns with the LGCAP funding the SLRD has received from the Province of BC to support local climate action.

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About the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Located in southwestern BC, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is a local government federation consisting of four member municipalities (the District of Lillooet, the District of Squamish, the Village of Pemberton and the Resort Municipality of Whistler) and four unincorporated, rural electoral areas (A, B, C, and D). Headquartered in Pemberton, which is the approximate geographic centre of the region, the SLRD delivers a wide range of local, regional and sub-regional services to approximately 50,496 residents (2021 Census as certified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs).
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is found within the traditional territories of several First Nations, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), St'át'imc and Líl̓wat. Small parts of the SLRD also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka'pamux, Tsilhqot'in, and Secwepemc Nations. While the SLRD does not provide direct services to the residents of the First Nations communities located within the region, the organization is committed to enhancing relations with the Indigenous communities and First Nations within whose territories the SLRD operates.