Press release - C-Vert

Press release
For immediate release
C-VERT AND YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL POWER:
OVER 500 ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS IN ONE HOUR TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY
MONTREAL, APRIL 22 2010 – Taking concrete action for the environment, that is the challenge
that C-Vert youth groups from four Montreal boroughs (Villeray – Saint-Michel – Parc-Extension
(VSMPE), Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN-NDG), Mercier – HochelagaMaisonneuve (M-HM) and Saint-Laurent (SL) presented to 400 teenagers, teachers, partners
and elected officials at la TOHU.
C-Vert is a unique project led by the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation and
several partners. C-Vert offers young people from inner city neighbourhoods the chance to
acquire new knowledge and leadership skills through nature experiences and workshops dealing
with environmental and social issues led by experts. After consulting other young people and
community leaders, each C-Vert group implements environmental community projects mainly
during the month of July.
According to Foundation co-president, Stephen Bronfman, “We should never underestimate the
power of young people to change things and to show us the way in finding solutions to our
planet’s environmental problems. C-Vert is a program that allows us to discover how important
and necessary this contribution really is!” For co-president Claudine Bronfman, “C-Vert allows
youth to have access to a unique experience. We’re convinced that this type of program is not
only beneficial for the community, but also allows investment in solutions led by youth that
combine quality of life, environmental protection and sustainable economic development.” The
co-presidents were proud to welcome elected dignitaries to the event, including the federal MP
Justin Trudeau, the borough mayors Anie Samson, Michael Applebaum, Réal Ménard and Alan
DeSousa, as well as other elected officials including Frank Venneri, Mary Deros, Frantz
Benjamin and CSDM school commissioner Paul Evra. The Quebec Minister for Sustainable
Development, Environment and Parks, Line Beauchamp, made a major announcement
concerning the future consolidation of the C-Vert project for the next five years (see other press
release.)
During C-Vert’s 3rd Environment Forum, teenagers were able to demonstrate their
environmental leadership. “We hope that today will contribute to changing youth stereotypes
that portray us as not being active for the environment or for our community” said C-Vert
spokesperson Eugenie Shportak. Over 500 concrete actions were accomplished by young
people in such environmental issues as urban agriculture, biodiversity, waste reduction and
ecodesign, active transportation, water pollution and eco-citizenship. “We’re going to continue
to be active and mobilize other young people and create a snowball effect” added Ms Shportak.
“Today with our 500 actions we’ve made a difference. And we’re going to continue to do so in
order that it becomes a positive force for ecological change throughout the planet and our
future!”
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Contact :
Michel Séguin
C-Vert project Coordinator
Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation
Telephone : (514) 878-5318
Cellular : (514) 755-5318
Email : [email protected]
The Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation was founded in 1998 and
incorporated in 1999. It has since invested close to $30 million in different projects of which
almost half has gone to environmental initiatives such as the Trans Canada Trail. The C-Vert
project is the first that the Foundation has designed and implemented with its partners.
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C-VERT: A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP!
The Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation was founded
in 1998 and incorporated in 1999. It has since invested almost 30 million $
in many projects, including the Trans Canada Trail. The C-Vert project is
the first that the Foundation has designed and implemented with its
partners.
The management partners of the project are la TOHU for C-Vert in the
VSMPE borough, and the YMCAs of Quebec for C-Vert in the CDN-NDG,
M-HM and SL boroughs. Y Camp Kanawana collaborates in organizing CVert nature expeditions.
The major partners of the project include the Quebec government’s
Secrétariat à la jeunesse and its Stratégie d’action jeunesse 2009-2014, as
well as the boroughs of Villeray – Saint-Michel – Parc-Extension, Côte-desNeiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, and
Saint-Laurent.
The other project partners are Environment Canada’s EcoAction program,
the David Suzuki Foundation, the Quartiers 21 program of the city of
Montreal and of l’Agence de santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, the
CSSS St-Michel – St-Léonard, Doris Hosiery, the Commission scolaire de
Montréal (CSDM) and the Groupe de recherche sur les institutions et les
mouvements sociaux (GRIMS) of the University of Montreal.
Project collaborators include la Commission jeunesse de Gatineau,
Soverdi, Vivre Saint-Michel en Santé (VSMS), Éco-quartiers Saint-Michel,
Maisonneuve – Longue-Pointe, and the Société environnementale de CDN
(Éco-quartier CDN), Action Communiterre, Y’a quelqu’un l’aut’bord du mur
(YQQ), the Forum Jeunesse Saint-Michel, Seracon and the following high
schools : Louis-Riel, Chomedey-de-Maisonneuve, Louise-Trichet, ÉdouardMontpetit, Académie Dunton, Louis-Joseph-Papineau, Joseph-FrançoisPerrault, Lucien-Pagé, Georges-Vanier, La Voie, Saint-Luc, Marymount,
Saint-Laurent and Lauren Hill.
The other collaborators to the C-Vert Environment Forum include the
Canadian Wildlife Federation, the RIVE project of the Société pour vaincre
la pollution, Écostage – Katimavik, and the Congrès international of the
Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeois.
C-Vert offers young people from inner city neighbourhoods the chance to
acquire new knowledge and leadership skills through nature experiences
and workshops dealing with environmental and social issues led by experts.
After consulting other young people and community leaders, each C-Vert
group implements environmental community projects, mainly during the
month of July.
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