The Pembina Institute works directly with communities, First Nations, companies, governments, schools and the public to create sustainable energy solutions and minimize the impacts of fossil fuel-based energy projects.
We have undertaken community-based consulting projects in British Columbia for nearly a decade; and more recently, have expanded our public and community outreach work. Today our work focuses on five primary areas. Click below to learn more:
Community Outreach and Advocacy
Pembina conducts community outreach on energy issues affecting British Columbians including the impacts of coal-fired power, coalbed methane, and oil and gas development on air, land and water. We also promote the development of low impact renewable energy resources such as wind, solar and small-scale hydropower. In the past two years, we have delivered energy workshops in more than 15 communities throughout the province. We are also working at the provincial level to ensure that the BC government has one of the strongest climate change action plans in Canada.
Sustainable Communities
Pembina's Sustainable Communities Group helps communities identify and achieve their sustainability goals through energy and greenhouse gas baselines, resource monitoring, renewable energy assessments, energy and sustainability planning, and other services. The B.C. team has worked with municipalities including Abbotsford, Bowen Island, Dawson Creek, and Smithers, and with First Nations communities in Hartley Bay, Kyuquot and Quinalt.
Corporate Consulting
The Pembina Institute actively engages with companies in BC. Through our Corporate Consulting Group, we provided strategic advice and support to help companies develop sustainable business strategies. Companies we have worked with in B.C. include Catalyst Paper and Salt Spring Island Coffee. Most recently, we helped launch the Carbon Neutral Workgroup program, designed to help small and medium-sized businesses in BC become carbon neutral.
Northern BC Energy Watch
Coming soon!
GreenLearning
GreenLearning, Pembina's energy education program, aims to inspire, engage and empower today's young people. The program, which targets youth ages 8 through 24, addresses critical energy/environment issues and solutions including climate change and protection, renewable energy technologies, and energy conservation and efficiency. GreenLearning was designed to help young people develop an understanding of energy in their lives, as well as the skills to think critically, assess options, make decisions and take positive action. GreenLearning was the winner of the 2007 Alberta Emerald Foundation Award for Education.
GreenLearning provides teacher workshops and follow-up support on environmental education programs including EnerAction, eCards and reEnergy in British Columbia. Visit www.greenlearning.ca for more information.
Our Team
Matt Horne is a Senior Technical and Policy Advisor for the
Sustainable Communities Group, and Acting Director, B.C. Energy
Solutions. For the past four years, Matt has been helping B.C.
communities develop and implement strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Matt is also an expert on energy efficiency and works with
governments and utilities to improve energy efficiency in the province.
Alison Bailie is a Senior Technical and Policy Advisor for the
Sustainable Communties Group. She provides recommendations to
governments on policies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
with an emphasis on increasing the efficiency and reducing the harm of
energy consumption in homes, businesses and municipal operations.
Alison Cretney is a Senior Project Manager for the Corporate Consulting Group. Alison facilitates triple-bottom-line design of capital projects and systems thinking in decision-making for businesses. Alison also helps to identify and analyze sustainable business opportunities.
Josha MacNab, Technical and Policy Advisor for the Sustainable Communities Group, helps facilitate community energy and sustainability planning. Most recently she worked extensively with the city of Dawson Creek on the design of an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan.
Greg Brown is the Northern B.C. Program Coordinator with the Pembina Institute's B.C. Energy Watch team. He works on mining and energy issues in the northwestern region of B.C.
Johan Stroman, Director of B.C. GreenLearning, conducts teacher workshops and provides project support to teachers and other educators in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and other B.C. regions.
Laura Fauth, Communications Lead, helps manage publication projects for the Pembina Institute, with a focus on British Columbia issues.
Karen Campbell, Staff Counsel and Director, B.C. Policy, is on leave until Fall 2008. Karen has extensive experience on upstream oil and gas issues in B.C., and has worked with directly-affected communities and First Nations. Karen is also knowledgeable about coalbed methane, coal-fired power and climate change. Her legal expertise includes aboriginal and mining law and environmental assessment. Karen has conducted workshops throughout the
province on energy issues and has worked extensively with First Nations
communities in responding to proposals for oil, gas and energy
developments.
