PROTECTOURWINTERS.CA
WE KINDA CRUSHED IT 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Our Mission Our Vision ABOUT US Our mission is to turn passionate outdoor For our communities and outdoor playgrounds to people into effective climate advocates. Protect be healthy, safe, and resilient to a changing climate, Our Winters Canada is a passionate community we envision a future where we’ve transformed our of enthusiasts, professional athletes and industry economy and energy systems and cut our carbon brands uniting the outdoor community to address emissions in-line with science-based targets the climate change. We believe our love of adventure world agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement. in nature demands our participation in the fight to save and protect it.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 1 2020 BY THE NUMBERS
# POW CANADA MEMBERS GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH
11,063 3,541 (32%) 5,693 (27%)
DEMOGRAPHICS CRM OPEN RATE LEVEL OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT 76% 18 – 44 years old 28 .16% 61.6K
ENGAGEMENT RATE ON CALLS TO ACTION 50% MALE 43% FEMALE 7% OTHER up to 43%
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 2 2020 BY THE NUMBERS
SIZE OF ATHLETE ALLIANCE OUR CAMPAIGNS PREVENTED 58 173,000,000 METRIC TONS OF CO2 FROM ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE
REACH OF ATHLETE ALLIANCE Equivalent to 15,500 metric tons per member action. Which is also equal to:
The annual 33 FULL Boeing Driving 67 cars carbon footprint 747 round trip for 50 years 2.9M of 900 Canadians flights to Europe
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 3 NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2020 was a significant year for POW Canada — by no means a normal year, but significant nonetheless. From policy wins to program launches to grassroots organizing, we solidified our position as one of Canada’s most dynamic and fastest growing climate organizations.
Board Members These wins were overshadowed, and rightfully so, factors that make POW Canada a desirable advocacy by the rise of Black Lives Matter which ultimately partner: high engagement rate from a young and Mike Douglas Chair served as a much needed wake-up call for citizens, influential demographic. MJ Legault Vice Chair businesses and organizations to get serious about Daniel Scott Treasurer As we look to and plan for 2021, we commit to doing their part to eliminate the massive social Marie-France Roy Secretary delivering on our DEI Action Plan, we’ll grow our inequities in society. As an organization with Sven Sandahl At Large membership base, advocate for stronger climate influence, we acknowledge the inadequate job we Amil Reddy Board Member policy, activate our base around meaningful and have done to date and in response have created a winnable campaigns and fight harder then ever Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan with to protect the places and experiences we love. concrete actions and timelines. Thank you for belonging to the solution. In Canada’s NGO climate space, we’re starting to Sincerely, better understand our role and the correlating opportunities for us to best leverage our deeply committed and engaged community. In 2020, we worked with Ecojustice, Environmental Defense
and the Pembina Institute to elevate their work DAVID ERB Executive Director in key areas. Our involvement has highlighted the On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 4 GROWTH & CAPACITY BUILDING
Despite the social gathering restrictions (limiting events and activations) as well as financial hardships presented in 2020, we increased:
MEMBERSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE 32% 27%
VOLUNTEER BASE INDIVIDUAL DONOR SUPPORT 34% 48%
PARTNER NETWORK 7+ Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 5 POLICY ADVOCACY
In collaboration with our partners at Pembina Institute (Canada’s leading climate policy think-tank), we advocated for a Green & Just Recovery through our #NewPath campaign which elevated Pembina’s Green Stimulus Report. Over the course of 4 days, POW members sent over 11,000 emails to elected officials tasked with creating Canada’s post COVID stimulus plan. This massive effort resulted in POW Canada’s executive director being invited to participate in the Federal Government’s Roundtable for a Green Recovery which informed the governments recovery strategy and ultimately shaped their new net-zero framework. Most importantly, it pushed POW Canada’s mission and vision front and centre with national policy makers which created channels and relationships for further advocacy.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 6 CAMPAIGNS
We had three major climate policy wins in 2020 as a result of the following campaigns: #RejectTeck, #NewPath and #DeclineTheMine. All campaigns achieved their desired outcome, but the success of our #NewPath campaign (advocating for a green recovery) gained national attention and resulted in POW Canada being invited to participate in the Federal Government’s Roundtable for a Green Recovery. Ultimately 5 of our 6 policy asks were incorporated into the government’s strategy.
#rejectteck Overview #declinethemine Overview #preseasonstoke Overview POW Canada was part of a strategic coalition of Coalspur’s Vista Mine, was planning for a 2020 was a heavy year in many respects and our NGOs uniting to block Teck Resources proposed massive expansion that would have put Canada #preseasonstoke campaign was designed to give the Frontier Mine, which would have been the well out of reach of the Paris Climate Agreement. outdoor enthusiasts something positive to focus largest tar sands project in the world. Luckily Coalspur was using evasive tactics to avoid an on and engage with. In October, enthusiasts were 31,928 Canadians engaged in climate action by environmental assessment which was called out asked to put on their seasonal best including their signing petitions including 4341 POW Canada by our ally Ecojustice. POW stepped in and built gear (from helmets to boots/skis), head outside members (engagement rate of 40%) who sent a social advocacy campaign resulting in 4318 and capture their excitement with a video or photo. emails to politicians eventually leading to the engaged POW Canada members (engagement The content was then shared on Instagram and abandonment of this project. Each email stopped rate of 40%) writing letters / emails to the Alberta participants then challenged friends to do the 1382 tons of CO2 per year from going into the and Canadian governments demanding Coalspur same. We had 421 entries with a hashtag reach of atmosphere which is equivalent to stopping the Vista Mines face an environmental assessment over 2.8 million . Stay tuned for another addition of emissions of an average Canadian for their entire which was ultimately mandated. Each one of #preseasonstoke in fall 2021. lifetime of 82 years. POW Canada member letters helped ensure 7,642 tons of CO2 remain in the ground. That is equivalent to a full Boeing 747 flying 17 round trip transatlantic flights.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 7 NANCY GREENE One o Canada s ost cele rated alpine s iers and a pioneer or o en s elite sports around t e orld ers as een a ouse old RESEARCH na e in Canada or a eneration o s iers reene s le ac li es on in Canada s current eneration o Winter Ol pians o ca e up t e ran s o s i racin t rou t e anc reene i ea ue ince e innin in t e pro ra introduced t ousands o c ildren to alpine s iin and s i racin an o Canada s ational ea at letes are a product o t e lea ue includin so e o Canada s ost acco plis ed racers
LOSING OUR COOL THE FUTURE OF SNOWSPORTS In October we released Losing Our Cool: The Future IN A WARMER WORLD
is article su ari es a ne researc of Snowsports in a Warmer World which was an report e a inin t e i pacts o cli ate c an e t rou t e careers o t o pro inent e ale Ol pic old edalists anc reene extensive research project led by POW Canada old in and As lei c or old in 20 0 sin t e latest in cli ate odelin t e report also loo s at t e pro ected i pacts researchers Natalie Knowles and Brooklyn Rushton o cli ate c an e on uture Ol pians and Canadian s i areas eepin our cool depends in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Centre on t e e issions pat a e c oose for Climate Change at the University of Waterloo.
Losing Our Cool e uture o no sports in a War er World The report looked back at the conditions experienced in the 1960’s when Nancy Greene won her gold medal and contrasted them to 2010 when POW ambassador Ashleigh McIvor won her gold medal during the Vancouver Olympic Games. Using the latest in climate modeling technology e 20 0 Ol pic Winter a es ade istor in an s i e ents ents t at nearl did not appen ecause o a nota le cli ate record ancou er as t e ar est Winter Ol pics on record since t e e an in 2 the report predicts how snowsports across Canada ittin 00 ear te perature i s around 2 C in id inter e Ol pic Or ani in Co ittee ad to i pro ise uildin t e s i cross course it stra and ood and rin in in sno ro near ountains truc and will be impacted by 2050 and 2080 on our current elicopter e e ents too place arel ut ancou er as not t e last inter e ent to e a ected a ar in cli ate path. Psssst……..it’s not good. e 20 Ol pic Winter a es in oc i ro e ancou er s record as t e ar est cit e er to ost t e a es t as serious At letes pulled out o trainin runs due to ear o in ur on t e sparsel co ered slopes n oc i t e orld sa t e e ects o a ar in cli ate on pro inent displa and s iers sa t e ris it poses or t e uture or t e sport Radical easures ere ta en and t e e ents too place ut not all s i e ents ould e so luc n act t e 2022 ei in Winter a es are predicted to rel entirel on artificial snow production.
Wit t e a era e da ti e te perature o Ol pic ost locations steadil increasin ro 0 C at t e a es eld in t e 20– 0s to C at t e ASHLEIGH MCIVOR Games held in the early twenty-first century, many voiced concern for the uture o t e Winter Ol pics and sno sports in an era o acceleratin As lei c or is one racer o attri utes er success to t e anc reene cli ate c an e i ea ue and anc reene ersel I re u in histler and as a ear old ho ust anted to ta e chances and o fast the anc reene i ea ue ro ided the o ortunit for me to do ust that anc as the ins iration for all us oun irls c or e an s i racin at a e 0 under t e tutela e o reene and er us and Al Raine e spent er su ers trainin ates on t e orst an lacier in W istler and inters racin around Canada er career cul inated it seasons as a World C a pion in 200 and Ol pic old edallist at t e 20 0 Ol pic Winter a es in ancou er
Losing Our Cool e uture o no sports in a War er World Losing Our Cool e uture o no sports in a War er World
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 8 EDMONTON
GOLDEN REVELSTOKE CALGARY WHISTLER VANCOUVER
QUEBEC CITY MONTREAL OTTAWA COLLINGWOOD TORONTO
2020 was also a year to solidify our framework and strategy for our REGIONAL CHAPTERS regional chapter program. We now have 11 chapters across Canada, led by trained and committed volunteers using the principles of engagement organizing. These grassroots chapters are trained, resourced and ready to unleash climate campaigns locally / regionally. At the time of writing this report, we are interviewing candidates for the position of Community Coordinator (CC). The CC will lead our grassroots chapter strategy and supercharge them for effective organizing around campaigns and events.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 9 COVID provided the opportunity to re-deploy Hot Planet Cool Athletes (HPCA) in a digitized format for widespread reach and engagement. Specifically we created 4 new elements in our HPCA Toolkit in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change at the University of Waterloo:
01 New interactive website
02 Plug-and-play video presentation with option for virtual athlete host
03 New Illuminate video game
04 The Climate Educator’s Resource Portal (first of its kind in Canada) with searchable, curriculum based material to aid in climate education.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 10 PROGRAMS TRAINING & EDUCATION
Growing our membership base continues to be a There were a lot of firsts in 2020 and creating a priority for POW Canada. To support this objective virtual training and leadership summit for our we created two new programs: Resort Program athletes and partners was one of them. Although and Retailer Program. The resort program is best it’s hard to replicate the impact, experience and described as a creative marketing opportunity knowledge sharing of a 3 day, 2 night in-person for resorts to see how far they can push POW’s retreat, the virtual session provided other unique message for climate action with members and opportunities. With the virtual format, not only guests. Several of Canada’s largest resorts have was the need to travel eliminated but participants joined as founding members (Mont Tremblant and were able to join for specific sessions over the day Blue Mountain) and interest is strong from across based on what their schedule permitted, resulting the country. Knowing everyone who steps into an in over 70 people participating throughout the day. outdoor retailer is a potential climate advocate, Sessions included: the POWer of Social Movements the Retail Program introduces POW Canada’s with Harvard Professor Naomi Oreskes, Unravelling mission and vision through instore signage and Your Unconscious Bias with DEI consultant Amil displays with a call to action to join the movement. Reddy and Passion Into Purpose with POW Board Chair Mike Douglas.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 11 POW Canada’s mission is to unite and organize many communities. We recognize that diversity DIVERSITY, EQUITY the outdoor community to take action against and equity in the outdoor space are integral to climate change. When we say the outdoor solving climate change. The more opportunities & INCLUSION community, we mean mobilizing EVERYONE that are available for participation in the outdoors who appreciates and enjoys the outdoors for ALL, the more chances we have at protecting regardless of gender identity or expression, it. We have created a robust and practical sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, DEI Action Plan with targets that will lead to neurodiversity, disability, status, citizenship, or meaningful change. You can find our full DEI any other aspect which makes them unique. Action Plan at protectourwinters.ca/everyone To date, our story has lacked representation of
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 12 SOME OF OUR ATHLETES
ALANNAH YIP CASEY BROWN KIM LAMARRE HALEY DANIELS MIKE DOUGLAS
JOSHUA DUECK MARIE-FRANCE ROY MARIO RUGBY PHILIPPE MARQUIS WILL GADD
ASHLEIGH MCIVOR CRAIG MCMORRIS KELSEY SERWA YUKI TSUBOTA SPENCER O’BRIEN
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 13 2020 FINANCIALS POW + HPCA
Income – $499,602.16 500 000 $8,241.72 Partnerships Campaign & Events $46,311.17 Donations & Foundations $95,910.32 400 000 Services $48,694.19 Wage Subsidy Other $72,033.58 $102,471.95 300 000 Expenses – $480,466.00 Administration $85,62.48 Campaigns & Advocacy $108,094.00 $40,074.91 Outreach & Development 200 000 Hot Plant Cool Athletes Capacity Building $73,650.36 Reserve 100 000 $197,719.15
Surplus – $19,156.16 $101,244.31
0 Unaudited and consolidated financial INCOME EXPENSES statements for Protect Our Winters Canada and Hot Planet Cool Athletes Canada.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 14 LOOKING TO 2021
Election Readiness HPCA Community Engagement In a minority government situation the prospect Officially launching in Q1 2021, we’ll deliver In 2021 we’ll look to supercharge our grassroots of an election is always looming. We’ll develop our high-impact climate education to classrooms community chapter program through the strategy for activating around the next federal across Canada in a COVID-friendly manner while leadership of our new Community Engagement election to ensure we’re ready to apply our positioning Hot Planet Cool Athletes as the Coordinator. We will also invest in a new CRM pressure in the ridings and communities where premier climate education program in Canada. (Community Relationship Management) to POW Canada’s involvement can make a difference. ensure we communicate and engage our Advocacy & Campaigns members as effectively as possible and move them from passionate outdoor enthusiasts to DEI We’ll look to build or support high-impact effective climate advocates. We’re serious about DEI and in 2021 we’ll deliver climate policy campaigns to further our on the commitments outlined in our DEI advocacy efforts around carbon pricing, Action Plan including board and ambassador renewables, incentives and a just transition Membership Growth recruitment, training and education for staff, with overall alignment to the Paris Climate POW Canada’s success is contingent on our board and ambassadors, partnering with BIPOC Agreement. In addition, we will continue to ability to build a large, engaged membership organizations and integration of DEI principles solidify our relationships with key politicians base. In 2021 we’ll grow our membership by 50% into all aspects of POW Canada’s work. and bureaucrats to ensure the voice of POW through social media campaigns, local events, Canada’s community is represented on partner activations and peer-to-peer recruitment important policy decisions. which will greatly increase the effectiveness of our programs and campaigns.
Protect Our Winters Canada – Annual Report 2020 15