Are you ready for climate change impacts in your city or town?
- Introduction to a Key Volunteer, AnushenAuthor: Anushen Selvasegar I was 16 when I first learned about a summer job from an organization called CREW. At first, I almost didn’t even care what they were about, I only just saw this as an opportunity to have something to do during the summer since I was stuck at home during the pandemic. … Continue reading Introduction to a Key Volunteer, Anushen
- TMU Students Empower St. James Town in Heat ResilienceAuthor: Melanie Seabrook Community Climate Resilience On the morning of March 9th , 2026, CREW volunteers, St. James Town residents, and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students came together at the newly opened Virtu Café located at Bloor and Sherbourne. The group met to learn about local experiences with heatwaves and community climate resilience. They also … Continue reading TMU Students Empower St. James Town in Heat Resilience
- Neighbourhood Heatwave Response Project VideoIn collaboration with residents and volunteers in St. James Town, Community Resilience to Extreme Weather (CREW) and the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) undertook the Neighbourhood Heatwave Response Project to support community-led climate resilience in high-rise communities. St James Town is one of the most densely-populated neighbourhoods in Canada, with 19 high-rise rental buildings. High-rise residents can … Continue reading Neighbourhood Heatwave Response Project Video
- CREW to attend CEC’s 2023 Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public ForumThe Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is holding the 30th annual Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public Forum on 28-29 June 2023 in Victoria, British Columbia. The session is organized under the theme of Indigenous and Urban Approached to Climate Adaptation. For nearly 30 years, the Governments of Canada, Mexico and the … Continue reading CREW to attend CEC’s 2023 Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public Forum
- Socially-Connected and Resilient SJT SeniorsOver the last three years, CREW has nurtured vibrant and enthusiastic senior volunteers in St. James Town. This very diverse group is growing, strongly connected to, and working effectively with youth volunteers. The volunteers are engaged with projects that promote physical activities, such as discovery walks, cooking clubs, community gardening groups and at the same … Continue reading Socially-Connected and Resilient SJT Seniors
Centering communities in local heat response: A qualitative community-based participatory research study in downtown Toronto.
The NAO research team partnered with CREW to better understand how St James Town residents stay safe during heatwaves and gain insight into how to strengthen relationships between the community and the city. Click to read the report!
CREW in St James Town
CREW has been building leadership capacity and volunteer teams in this exceptionally diverse neighbourhood since 2016.
CREW brings people together in workshops, training sessions, door to door outreach, asset mapping, lobby greeting tables, community events, gardening, homework clubs, ESL classes, and more. Learn more about our most recent initiative in St James Town – the Neighbourhood Heatwave Response project.
Core Impacts
Heat & Drought
Floods & Precipitation
Catastrophic Weather
Core Adaptations
Community Actions
Are You Ready?
Food Security
Green Spaces
Social Networks
“Recovery from natural and other disasters does not depend on the overall amount of aid received nor on the amount of damage done by the disaster; instead, social capital – the bonds which tie citizens together – functions as the main engine of long term recovery.”
Daniel Aldrich, 2010
Interested in taking part?
Please reach out if you’d like to make a difference on climate change in your community.