Climate Response Centre

GTEC Update – March 4, 2026

Canada’s First Climate Response Centre

Establishing Canada’s first Climate Response Centre is the Green Technology Education Centre’s (GTEC) current priority and premiere project. Initially visualized in the Charles Scott Gallery in the former Emily Carr University building on Granville Island, a ‘pop up’ version of the Climate Response Centre became feasible via a Memorandum of Understanding with the new Arbutus Neighbourhood House coinciding with its opening in the summer of 2026.

Why is GTEC focused on establishing a Climate Response Centre? In our analysis, the efforts of many well-intentioned and well-informed people have failed to decisively motivate a response to the climate crisis because they have often been:

• problem-focused rather than solution-oriented
• communicated in the lingua franca of science
• framed in terms that invite feelings of despair and hopelessness
• online rather than relational
• focused on engaging governments rather than on helping communities.

The GTEC Climate Response Centre is designed to engage people where they live and in an environment that is not only educational, but solution-oriented and supportive. The Centre’s aim is to educate the public about climate change and provide a supportive environment to discuss new ideas, learn new skills and generate innovative action in response to climate change and its many related issues.

What makes this Centre unique is its direct engagement with community and its focus on public education incorporating an arts and culture approach. The Centre will deliver educational experiences designed to accelerate the shift to a regenerative, just and resilient society. Sparking the regeneration of its environment and engagement with Indigenous values are critical parameters of the Centre’s evolution. Congruent with Vancouver’s aspiration to become the greenest city in the world, the Climate Response Centre will be a source of constructive and practical ways of responding to climate change. And could be a template for towns and cities everywhere.

The Neighbourhood in the 21st Century exhibit is planned as the inaugural event to celebrate the opening of the Centre. It will run for the first ten days after the Centre opens. The theme of this event is tagged “Weaving the Change: Making Our Future Together”. The exhibit will present a view of a climate change ready future in neighbourhoods through artist contributions from children and youth from the Fraser Academy.

Currently participating organizations for this event include:

• Arbutus Neighbourhood House,
• The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care,
• Salt Spring Seeds,
• The Federation of Community Social Services of BC,
• Be the Change Earth Alliance,
• Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society,
• The Climate Museum of New York,
• Museum of Vancouver,
• Fraser Academy.

Initial funding support has been provided by the Trottier, Wellspring Foundations and numerous individual donors but more is needed. A fundraising dinner is being held April 15, 2026. Please also visit our booth at the Cherry Blossom Festival Big Picnic on March 28, 2026 to learn more about the Centre and events that are planned.

---

Help us make the Climate Response Centre a reality! Follow this link to support GTEC and our projects. Or contact us for more information.