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The excitement thrums in the air. Around the room, bright thinkers and thought leaders wait eagerly for the next speaker. Our audience is diverse. It includes farmers, teachers, activists, students, entrepreneurs, and members of government. Our diversity is our strength. Like a forest, our diversity is what allows us to thrive and innovate. We are eager to grow like young saplings, but we are also eager to share like the log giving nutrients back to the soil. We are all sharing and growing in the ecosystem of our discussions. Despite many of us only meeting today, we are also connected. Our passion for a strong food system connects us, as do our activities and dedication to our roles. We are here because we have heard of permaculture techniques, or we are concerned about the disappearance of small family farms. We all recognize how food insecurity is a persistent challenge in our communities. We were brought together by a shared passion for building resilience in our food system. Seven presentations, and seventeen audience members, all of whom travelled across Alberta to be here on this day. In this article, I will be sharing with you the recurring themes and lessons learned from our event, Cultivating Food Sovereignty, which was held in Bruderheim on November 28, 2023. Introducing Our Speakers Collaborating for the Cultivating Food Sovereignty Project, Resilient Rurals and SevGen Consulting Inc. chose presenters for the session based on their active involvement in the food system, as well as the relationships built in previous engagements. Our speakers included representatives of non-profits, tribal councils, educational institutions, and farmers. As such, we were able to learn from a variety of perspectives and experts. We have outlined our presenters and their associated organizations below: Penny Fox - Community Futures Keleigh Cormier - Connect for Food Cheryl Savoie - Yellowhead Tribal Council Gardens Brady Weiler and Mario Swampy - Maskwacis Education Schools Commission (MESC) Nanâtohk Mîciwin (Universal School Food Strategy) JR Weasel Fat and Ade Onanuga - Mi’kai’sto Red Crow Community College Trudy Harrold - Harrold Family Farm and Aspenhurst Permaculture Brayden Omeasoo-Steinhauer - Maskwacis Youth Representative and University of Alberta student We would also like to acknowledge our audience, their thoughtful questions, and their own valuable experiences. They contributed to a full and rounded discussion, and their contribution played a valuable role in the group’s learning. Hearing the unique perspectives and informed contributions of these speakers encouraged us all to expand how we think about the topic of food sovereignty. The messages interwoven throughout the day’s discussion left all attendees eager to continue the work and the conversation beyond the walls of Bruderheim’s Community Center. Fostering Connection in Diverse Ways Like the diversity in our attendees, a main theme that emerged from food sustainability and food sovereignty was the importance of diversity and connection. A diverse and interconnected ecosystem is more resilient than a monoculture or single-crop field. Likewise, the diversity of our roles around the food system is necessary, and speaking to one another about our roles, challenges, and areas of growth fosters connection. This theme also emerges in the diversity of actions taken to improve food sovereignty and the central role of connection in the success of those actions. Keleigh Cormier, a representative of Connect for Food, specializes in making connections throughout the food system. Her initiative recognizes the desire in Alberta to craft a healthy, thriving local food system, as well as the reality that there are challenges in this area, including the fact that consumers are disconnected from where their food comes from. Many consumers aren’t even eating food produced in our agriculturally-inclined province. “How can we start connecting these people?” she asks, explaining how she and her colleague drove across northeast Alberta to start conversations with producers, distributors, consumers, and more. “We want people in the community to understand, be excited, and drive an initiative,” she explains, and that drive only comes when people are truly connected to their food system. Introducing healthy food options to a community also necessitates diverse strategies and connections with that community. Penny Fox, the General Manager of Community Futures and President of St. Paul Champions for Change, has spent the past 14 years of her career introducing small strategies in St. Paul to encourage healthier eating and reduce the rate of chronic illness. “Everyone wants to live in a healthy community… let’s do things in a small and manageable way,” she explains. Small and manageable changes over a decade are bound to show up in big ways. Actions such as introducing healthful food options at community events give attendees the right to choose their food, and many choose to eat strawberry yogurt parfaits over cake and ice cream. Building connections between consumers, restaurants, and producers at their Harvest Ball brought the community together, supported activities, and established awareness of the local food system. Community gardens, food preservation workshops, and even policy changes were all a part of the diverse strategy in St. Paul to improve food options and overall health. Similarly, Brady Weiler and Mario Swampy play an integral role in establishing connections and diversity in the Nanâtohk Mîciwin (Universal School Food Strategy). Offering whole foods cooked in the schools themselves, this program introduces students to a variety of nutritious and delicious meals, including a fully stocked salad bar. Much like St. Paul, simply offering this nutritious option opened the door for students to introduce new foods to their diet. This innovative school food strategy would not have been possible without the connection between the four Nations that have partnered to establish Maskwacîs. Montana, Louis Bull, Samson, and Ermineskin Nations are all autonomous governments that have recognized the value of cooperation, especially as it pertains to the children and youth in their school system. Our youth are our future, and also our champions of diverse solutions. In his policy proposal written while studying at the University of Alberta, Brayden Omeasoo-Steinhauer emphasizes that a diversity of food sovereignty solutions can be generated if we give communities the tools to develop their own strategies. He points to the success of the Tsuu-tina bison farm, which not only feeds the Nation but also is an important connection to their traditional culture. “This is a wild game farm so we have to treat our relationships with the utmost respect, which includes animals and non-living things. When they harvest a bison, they practice their culture and ceremonies when harvesting that meat,” he emphasizes the importance of putting the creative power in the hands of communities. Connection and diversity on the land itself are equally important as our diverse connections within our food system. At Mi’kai’sto Red Crow Community College their agronomy program seeks to connect Indigenous students back to the land while imparting agricultural skills and opportunities. Ade Onanuga explains, “We have to connect to our land in order for the land to give us good produce… We always have Indigenous ceremonies, whenever we want to start an operation, we connect to our Creator”. JR Weasel Fat’s connection to the land is what drew him to an agricultural teaching position;  “Me going back to school – I did it with a passion, and I work the land with a passion. Because the land, it is us. I think everyone in here can say we depend on the land.” Connecting to the land, understanding its needs, and incorporating diversity are integral to farming in a sustainable way. Mi’kai’sto Red Crow Community College seeks to impart this knowledge to its students. Moreover, 10,000 pounds of food they grew was shared with the community, furthering this sense of connection. Trudy Harrold, representing Harrold Family Farms and Aspenhurst Permaculture, shared her own perspective on the importance of diversity when growing crops. Not only does her family farm integrate diverse strategies to improve productivity, including permaculture gardens, solar projects, and riparian area restoration, but Trudy explains “It’s not just about the parts, it’s about how to connect those parts and have them work really well together”. The diversity of her farm requires that relationships and interconnections are established between each component. Diverse plants work better when they are complementary to one another and the established ecosystem. For example, her pollinator garden nurtures native plants and is designed to support local pollinators. Beyond her garden, Trudy and her husband also act within their local food system to support small farmers. They have done this both by creating a livestock feed blend and by hosting a market of small producers on their property. Education Encourages Sovereign Choice Growing nutritious food is a piece of the resilient food system puzzle. But how do we get people in our community to eat the food we grow? If vegetables aren’t a staple already on someone’s plate, why would they suddenly eat vegetables that are locally grown? As we’ve researched and developed materials on this topic, we could not find the answers to these questions. Luckily, our event speakers were able to answer it for us. In the case of Community Futures and St. Paul Champions for Change, something as simple as offering a second option at public events meant that about half the community chose that second, nutritious option. Moreover, initiatives that introduce the concept of vegetables, what they look like, and how they grow also play an important role in increasing their community member’s familiarity with the produce. Incredible Edible Barrels is one initiative that does just that. By planting barrels filled with edible flowers and vegetables, and including information cards about what is growing and how to use it, St. Paul is showing (not telling) their residents how food is grown and how it can be incorporated onto their dinner plates. The freedom to use the produce of these barrels further encourages residents to take those vegetables home to cook with. Showing people nutritious options, rather than telling people they should eat healthier, is essential if one wants to shift the food environment. The Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission implemented a Universal School Food Strategy in 2013 to do just that. Made from whole foods, sourced as locally and affordably as possible, this program feeds nearly 3,000 students and staff breakfast and lunch each day. Brady Weiler, the Interim Director of MESC-Universal School Foods Strategy, is proud of the work his team has done to cut costs and introduce superior products to the students. For example, skipping the grocery store ensures that MESC is saving dollars and their orchard owner partner is better compensated for his produce. “[The apples] are an exceptional product, we buy them from the farm,” he explains. Perhaps most fascinating of all is the evolution of the salad bar in their program. At first, many students did not add fresh salads to their plates. However, that changed and over time a second salad bar was needed as the fresh greens became so popular. In addition to offering nutritious meals to students, MESC’s Universal food Strategy also offers a pipeline for students to join the food industry themselves by apprenticing in the program as cooks; “we are going to make the path for students to go through this program, and hopefully carry on with their education”. Offering the option of fresh vegetables is key. The Yellowhead Tribal Council operates within the City of Edmonton and serves the urban Indigenous population, 30% of whom are food insecure. A significant pattern within food insecurity is that fruits and vegetables are the first food groups dropped when money is tight (Eskandari et al., 2022). YTC decided to tackle this discrepancy by opening its hydroponic growing operation, which now has over 450 different cultivars and produces 400 heads of mature lettuce each week. “The uptake of the greens was massive, we didn’t expect it,” Cheryl Savoie shares, while explaining the other strategies YTC employs to improve their food environment. “At the tribal council level, we are saying to ourselves start demonstrating what healthy eating actually looks like.” This perspective led to the opening of a salad and smoothie bar within their building. Food sovereignty refers to a level of ownership and choice over one’s food that is not included under a food security definition. “I don’t want to rely on people for my quality of life,” Cheryl states, “people are hungry and we aren’t controlling our own food, we have this push from people looking to address their own constraints.” The work YTC Gardens is doing seeks to foster food sovereignty among the urban Indigenous population within Edmonton. The choice about what we eat and whether it supports our health is a key aspect of food sovereignty. In communities across Alberta, unique food needs are not often provided for in local grocery stores or convenience stores. In her role as a food producer, Trudy Harrold was able to learn to provide for her own needs when grocery stores did not provide celiac-friendly options. “If I can preserve some of my own produce and maintain it through the winter months, I would have that food to turn to,” she shares on the topic. This exemplifies critical aspects of food sovereignty whereby people should have the knowledge and the option to prepare food that is appropriate for their diets. How We Grow Supports Our Future Our food system is dependent on our environment, and our environment is shifting every year. Farming and growing practices that have become embedded in Alberta may not work as well as they once did and may hurt our ability to grow crops in the future. Our event participants had much to say on this matter. For example, monocultures use a large plot of land for one crop like wheat, barley, or canola. This method of farming not only makes that land vulnerable to the conditions of the summer, pests, and disease, but it also strips the soil of nutrients and leads to the overuse of fertilizers. Monocultures over time can have a disastrous impact on the soil. Our soil is one of our most important assets, “if we are not nice to our soil it will not be nice to us. If we don’t manage our soil very well, we will get crop failure.” Mi’kai’sto Red Crow Community College places high value on their soil, recognizing how the land itself allows us to farm at all. Using only organic fertilizer as needed, and reducing erosion with windbreaks and mulch, their program was able to produce corn, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tobacco, much of which was shared with the community and those in need. Trudy Harrold also integrates environmental goals within her family farm. Solar projects and riparian area restoration are key ways to reduce energy usage and protect local ecosystems and their services. Beyond that, Trudy’s permaculture projects are “a nature-based design method for land, people, and communities”. Permaculture seeks to provide back to the land, reduce waste, produce a yield, and maintain sustainable growing conditions. While the practice itself is new to Trudy, many of the principles were already in place on her farm as she and her family worked to reduce waste, protect their land, and cultivate a strong local food system. “Our new motto is about honouring the past and growing the future,” Trudy says in her presentation, and her actions demonstrate the vision behind this motto. However, one does not need to be working the land to protect it. At YTC Gardens in Edmonton, they have made significant strides in reducing their waste. Similarly, MESC’s school nutrition program recycles tons of cardboard, while incorporating land-based education through diet. “Treaty is not always about rights, it’s about responsibility” Councillor Mario Swampy shares, “Each and every one of us have a sphere of influence; no one has all the answers and all the solutions, but we can learn from each other and implement them slowly and truly.” Policy: A Barrier or an Opportunity? Municipal, provincial, and federal policies can serve to support or inhibit grassroots movements. The policies of a town may encourage residents to garden and potentially even raise small animals, or they may outlaw these practices entirely. So is policy a barrier or an opportunity? In our conversations, we found it could be both but most often was an opportunity to share knowledge and new perspectives. “Everyone has to eat,” Keleigh states matter-of-factly, but that does not mean everyone supports a thriving local food system. In her work, Keleigh found that sometimes municipalities don’t understand the value behind farming. They may be too removed from their food, and lack a fundamental understanding of how a farm operates. Agrotourism is an opportunity to shift those perspectives. If you take the time to invite government representatives to a farm and give them a tour of the operations, it establishes an understanding of the value of that work. Oftentimes, it also opens up new policy avenues to either allow for small-scale growing in towns or support wider agrotourism opportunities. A policy can also be used to prop up food initiatives. Penny Fox helped start conversations by asking “How do we make policy changes in our community to make it a little bit easier for people to access healthy food”? These conversations led to change, such as the implementation of a policy restricting how close fast-food restaurants are allowed to be to schools. In some high schools, the three closest food sources are fast food restaurants. A policy like the one implemented in St. Paul would have had a positive influence on overall student nutrition. Policy change is possible, but it takes time. Brayden Omeasoo-Steinhauer, a youth representative from Maskwacîs, shared with us his vision of a food-sovereign future which he developed in his pursuit of post-secondary studies at the University of Alberta. He shared important food statistics with us; did you know that 10% of households experience food insecurity, and of that 10%, 80% of those households are working but not making enough money to cover basic living expenses? In addition, food insecurity is connected to rates and patterns of chronic illness, including diabetes and heart disease. These facts are a public health problem, and yet communities usually hold the answers to these concerns themselves - they just lack the financial resources to pursue their solutions. Brayden and his peers, recognizing this pervasive problem, presented their policy proposal on a national level and recommended that the Government of Alberta initiate a funding program to aid communities in their pursuit of food sovereignty. By allowing communities to brainstorm their own solutions and giving them tools to make those goals a reality, this program would support the foundations for a better food system, including the right to food, healthy and sustainable food, a sustainable food system, an avenue for reconciliation through food, and the inclusion of more voices at the table. Food For Thought Throughout our Cultivating Food Sovereignty event, we have sown the seeds for a food system discussion that is rooted in resilience, sustainability, and connection. We have heard from representatives of traditional farming, Indigenous organizations, community initiatives, and future leaders. We are excited to see where our diverse initiatives and projects grow, and for what new ideas can sprout in this fertile ground. For more information on innovations in our food system, please visit our YouTube Channel to view our webinars continuing the Cultivating Food Sovereignty conversation. Cultivating Food Sovereignty - A Government of Alberta Project Funded Through The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) is a partnership between Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and the Government of Alberta. Their funding has enabled the Town of Bruderheim and its partners to implement Resilient Rurals actions to improve climate resilience in the region. Our project, Cultivating Food Sovereignty, emerged as a cross-cultural strategy to improve food sovereignty sustainably and adaptively. We engaged food system contributors across Alberta to better understand the challenges and hopes in this industry. Our engagement sessions helped us identify passionate speakers and stakeholders, whom we invited to our event, Cultivating Food Sovereignty in the Town of Bruderheim. The stories, lessons, and successes shared in this event opened up doors for conversation, and hope for new initiatives, and stressed the importance of building a resilient food system in the face of climate change. Above all, we were asked to continue the conversation around our food system resilience, which has shaped the development of our webinar series centered around innovative food choices. We have also learned that many of our attendees, despite being embedded in the food system, had not yet recognized the challenges a changing climate will bring to our food system. This information, and the value of sovereignty over our food, are topics Resilient Rurals will focus on in a growing conversation. Additional Resources Eskandari, F., Lake, A. A., Rose, K., Butler, M., & O’Malley, C. (2022). A mixed‐method systematic review and meta‐analysis of the influences of food environments and food insecurity on obesity in high‐income countries. Food Science & Nutrition, 10(11), 3689–3723. https://doi-org.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/10.1002/fsn3.2969

Resilient Rurals, SevGen Consulting Inc., and the Town of Bruderheim invite you to a day enjoying, sharing, and discussing our food. Where does our food come from? Who owns or manages the food we have access to? How do we keep our communities healthy? Cultivating Food Sovereignty is an opportunity to answer these questions and more. Food is Valuable Where would we be without food? Throughout time and space, food has been at the forefront of cultural change, family gatherings, and celebrations. Food is valuable. It is nourishing. Food creates nostalgia, builds connections, and fills stomachs. Food is also complex. What we eat is connected to political, technical, sociological, environmental, economical, and global forces. The food on our dinner plates has been grown, processed, distributed, and marketed. It will be eaten and some will generate waste. Passionate people provide food services, as well as education and advocacy for safe and healthful food. We are all a part of the food wheel, and we all have a place in the food conversation. Have you considered the processes behind the food you ate for lunch? Do you know where the vegetables or meat on your plate were grown? In a globally connected world, you might be eating food from anywhere. In an agriculturally inclined province, like Alberta, you may have even grown your food yourself. We often take food for granted. When we are rushing to buy groceries, make dinner, or splurge on a night out, many don’t consider the complexities behind what we are eating. The list of what we don’t know about our food can include: Who grew or made it? Were they compensated? Where did it ship from? How many kinds of travel (air, sea, land) were needed? How much has the price changed from when the ingredients were produced to the final product on my plate? How much labour went into making these ingredients into food? How will this food nurture my body? My mind? The parts of the food system we don’t see are some of the most important and the most vulnerable. When we go to a stocked grocery store to buy our weekly groceries, we don’t usually consider factors like supply chains. The food is right there, so it should always be there. Right? Food is Vulnerable Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us realized we had taken food access for granted. A complex food system can be disrupted in many different ways. What if the next shipment can’t make it to the grocery store? What if ocean shipping routes are disrupted? What if a natural disaster disrupts the growing of an important crop? Food is vulnerable to weather, transportation routes, and economic pressures. Severe weather events, such as wildfires and flooding can have drastic impacts on the food system. In Lytton, BC, both wildfires and flooding contributed to food spoilage, destruction, and disruption of food shipping routes. The residents of the town and neighbouring Kanaka Bar needed to find their own solutions to food security in their region. Due to their geographic limitations, a flood wiping out one road meant an abrupt halt of food transport into the community. Rural and remote locations are especially vulnerable to transportation interference. During the wildfires in Alberta in spring 2023, there were other disruptions. The fires threatened livestock and cropland, and farmers were on the frontlines protecting their homes and communities. As families and towns evacuated, they were required to source their food from new places. If they did not have access to a kitchen, families had to buy expensive pre-made food on top of other necessities. Albertans and Food Banks alike banded together to support these displaced people, but the food system was shaken by this past wildfire season. Less severe events also have enduring effects on food systems. Wildfires were followed by a very hot and very dry summer. In southern Alberta, crops that would normally flourish grew poorly, resulting in insurance write-offs and poor production. Immediate effects were seen on grains such as wheat but impacts rippled beyond the price of bread. Albertan grains are used to make cattle feed, and without strong production, beef prices have soared in stores as cattle feed costs skyrocket. Temperatures are predicted to rise. Wildfires and floods are predicted to occur more frequently. Consider the impacts of these events on the food we eat. What effects have we already witnessed and overcome? What steps can we take to protect our food systems? How can we nurture our local economies and farmers? Food is Community Luckily, the conversation around food systems and resilience-building is not new. Many producers, advocates, and distributors are working to understand the strengths and weaknesses of our food system. They are operating on the front lines, maintaining our access and quality of food, and advocating for better conditions for those without. Producers, advocates, and distributors are all a part of a community - a community that cares about how our food is grown, where it comes from, who it supports, and how it nourishes us. On November 28th, 2023, Resilient Rurals will be hosting this community in our workshop, Cultivating Food Sovereignty. We are surrounded by brilliant minds and passionate hearts and are bringing both together for a day of learning and inspiration. Join us to learn about innovative and inclusive school lunch programming, operated by the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission. Learn from Harrold Family Farm about their operations while reducing their carbon footprint. Feel inspired by hydroponics programs such as Yellowhead Tribal Gardens, which provides fresh produce to the community while fostering food sovereignty. Our presenter list is ever-growing, and we all have something to bring to the food conversation. Our workshop is a chance to learn, collaborate, and inspire others to care about the complexities and vulnerabilities in our food system. To buy tickets for this event, please visit our page on Eventbrite.

How Bruderheim's Rural Assist Program combines the components of early warning systems with vulnerable person registry to provide emergency support on the small-town scale Disasters can wipe away people, places, homes, and memories that we cherish. Unfortunately, Canada has seen many such disasters in recent years, from wildfires to heat waves that have taken lives and destroyed homes. But digital tools have opened up new possibilities in emergency management and disaster response, offering opportunities for communities to prepare and protect themselves. Many of these digital systems have been developed and are in use internationally, province-wide, and right in our communities. Major Canadian cities like Vancouver are dedicating major resources to developing such programs and systems. While we can sometimes laugh at the pitfalls of technology and human error (here’s looking at you, glitchy Alberta emergency test alerts), we also can see the real value in technology when a true emergency strikes. Communities of all sizes should be able to see how they can make these new technological opportunities work for them. Early warning systems provide people in at-risk communities with more time to prepare, saving lives and memories Early warning systems are a critical part of emergency management and public safety. By collecting data and predicting disastrous events, they can alert people before an event strikes. This gives people in at-risk communities more time to prepare, potentially saving lives and memories. For instance, during the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, a lack of preparedness contributed to 619 heat-related deaths in just one week. Had more people had time to prepare, perhaps more lives could have been saved. Vulnerable Persons Registry Systems allow people to register themselves or their loved ones who may require additional support during emergencies Vulnerable Persons Registry Systems are another important tool in emergency management. These programs allow people to register themselves or their loved ones who may require additional support during emergencies. In Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, such a system has been implemented to help support people who may need assistance during emergencies, providing key information to local paramedics, police, and firefighters to help them designate and prioritize resources during a disaster. The program is a free service, available for anyone living in the city who has a disability or medical condition. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta, developed its Vulnerable Persons Registry System following the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires to help prepare the community to respond and support vulnerable community members during any future emergency event. This system gave a lot of design inspiration to Bruderheim's Rural Assist program. Resilient Rurals’ Rural Assist models vulnerable population support and early warning that can be applied in smaller rural communities across Canada Early warning systems can have national or provincial reach, and many major cities are developing their own systems and collecting their own sensor data to trigger alerts. With this large-scale focus, small and rural communities may be left behind and are particularly at risk due to their already limited resources. Vulnerable persons registries, however, can be an effective and relatively simple-to-implement tool for smaller communities, because of pre-existing tech like municipal notification tools and apps, and small population sizes. To address this issue and take advantage of small-town opportunities, the Town of Bruderheim and Resilient Rurals developed a program, called Rural Assist, to provide an early warning and emergency support model for vulnerable people in small communities. Rural Assist ensures that provincial and industry alerts are communicated directly to people who are most impacted by events. But unlike most early warning systems, Rural Assist directly responds to the needs of a community member if they require support through the emergency—a feature similar to a vulnerable persons registry system. By providing additional information, clarification, and resources, Rural Assist seeks to empower and prepare vulnerable community members. In the Rural Assist model, smaller community populations are a strength—being a small-town means it's much more feasible to run down the street to help a neighbor in need. Rural Assist in Action In partnership with the lead town, Bruderheim, AB, the team has developed and is currently piloting Rural Assist. Eligible residents include those with reduced mobility, caregiver dependence, equipment dependence, heat sensitivity by condition or medication, and concerns with air quality. Through the pilot program, the Bruderheim staff can provide those registered with the program additional resources, critical information, and support to those who need it most. For instance, if a heat wave is expected, an early warning alert will be sent through the notification platform to the Rural Assist contact list to inform people about heat risks and provide educational resources. If further support is needed, people can connect with the Town Office. If you or your loved ones live in the Town of Bruderheim and would like to register with Rural Assist, please visit the link or the Town Office today.

Resilient Rurals launches Climate-Smart Gardening resources for municipalities, greenhouses, and enthusiasts alike Nature-based solutions (NBS) for climate adaptation and mitigation are becoming more popular and widely used among towns and cities across the world looking for a cost-effective way to adapt to changing climate conditions. Projects of NBS design protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems. Ecological restoration projects, green and natural infrastructures, and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction are all strategies that fall under the umbrella of NBS. Nature Canada makes the business case for NBS clear, saying these types of measures are a good economic decision for municipalities because they cost less to implement and maintain than traditional infrastructures, and are proactive adaptations that will save millions in the future in damage repairs and insurance. On top of long-term cost benefits, there are numerous bonus benefits to solutions that center nature like biodiversity enhancement, recreation and mental health benefits, and CO2 sequestration. So what exactly does investment look like on the ground? It could look like a city committing to increasing its urban tree canopy coverage annually that will help reduce urban heat island effects. It could be a rural town setting aside land for planting native fruiting trees that attract pollinator species, like was done in Bruderheim, AB. It’s the large-scale wetland restoration projects underway on agricultural land, reintroducing natural flood protection and biodiversity to the area (check out ALUS Canada!). Native plant species can play a pivotal role—even a starring role—in the effectiveness of NBS projects If the land is available to be nurtured, restored, and rebalanced, there is major potential for NBS projects. In many cases, restoration and rebalancing involve a focus on using native plant species. For example, in the City of Edmonton’s naturalization initiatives and Root for Trees program, the species used are all native to the city’s river valley and ravine systems. Ornamental trees and exotic shrubbery have their place in the beautification of many towns, cities, and acreages, but the real heavy hitters are those plants that are well-adapted to Alberta’s climate—which has traditionally been and will remain to be, a climate of extremes. From the trees and plants lining your town’s streets and filling your local parks, to the flowers blooming right in your very own garden, well-adapted native species can thrive in drought conditions, soak up flood waters, and restore balance to the local ecosystem. Introducing Native Roots—Native Alberta Plant Species Lists To support Albertans in growing their knowledge of the benefits and uses of native plant species, Resilient Rurals has created two reference lists. The plants included in these lists represent species that grow naturally in Alberta and are either drought-tolerant and/or flood-resistant. Each list exclusively names plants that are already available for purchase from local growers and greenhouses and don’t include any plants that have been naturalized since European occupation, invasive or noxious species, or other non-native plants. With NBS and native plant species becoming more popular, suppliers should consider how to meet the market demand, as well as how to nurture it We’ve heard from Bruderheim’s local greenhouse, Thiels Greenhouses, that more customers have been inquiring about native plant species. When exhibiting at the Green Industry Show & Conference this past fall, people’s faces lit up when they saw the words ‘native plants’ on our handouts. There is a real interest and emerging market for native varieties; as more municipalities and landowners undertake NBS and/or look to source native species, there is bound to be more demand for product as well as product knowledge. Nurture the demand: What are we telling gardeners about climate-smart gardening? Here are some of the key messages around native plants and their adaptive qualities that are important for everyone to know—from municipalities or organizations looking to procure a supplier to the gardening enthusiast coming into their local greenhouse: Looking for more on Nature Based Solutions in action? Government of Canada Nature Canada ALUS Canada City of Edmonton Nature Canada Report: Benefits of Adopting Natural Infrastructure: A Comparison of Natural and Grey Infrastructure Solutions

A Chain is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link Humans are adaptable. We have adjusted to some of the harshest conditions on earth and spread across a planet full of diverse ecosystems and experiences. Humans, as Albertans have proven, are designed to bounce back from dangerous situations. Alberta has endured several of the costliest disasters in all of Canada, including the 2013 floods and the wildfires near Fort McMurray. Our greatest strength is our support for one another—“Alberta Strong” is a slogan that embodies our urge to help each other survive and our ability to recover from whatever this province throws our way. While we’ve been able to respond and power through disasters to date, we may still be overlooking certain vulnerabilities in our communities that need to be addressed if recovery is to be successful in the future. What does it mean to be vulnerable? Vulnerability is the result of greater sensitivity or exposure to harm or risk, and a reduced capacity to adapt. A community's vulnerability to climate change may be impacted by a variety of factors, such as its capacity for emergency response, the severity of weather changes predicted for the region, relative isolation, the diversity of the local economy, or the state of local infrastructure. For example, a town located beside a river is more exposed to potential annual flooding, whereas a community without an emergency response plan is more sensitive to a wildfire that necessitates an evacuation. Vulnerable people in disaster planning We also need to consider which people in a community are more vulnerable—during disasters, some people are more likely to be injured, face greater financial repercussions, be at risk of houselessness, or even death based on where they live, the supports available to them, or their personal health conditions or circumstances. As weather patterns shift, vulnerable members of every Albertan community will be at risk. More heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and droughts will expose who in our communities requires more support. Health, age, income, housing, and social supports all play a role in managing vulnerability, so they must be considered when designing emergency plans. Vulnerabilities are difficult to spot during easy times but are magnified ten-fold and reveal themselves as pain points when disasters occur. We can build resilient communities. Resilient communities are tough—they recognize areas and populations in need, and navigate disasters and emergencies with greater skill and forethought. Resilience requires a holistic perspective. Strong infrastructure plays a crucial role in minimizing the damage caused by a flood. Likewise, when emergency preparedness is equitable, residents have emergency preparedness kits ready and positive coping mechanisms, as well as tailored supports, they themselves will bounce back quicker from the damage caused by the flood. Rural Assist Registry Program - Aiding vulnerable community members in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. In Bruderheim, Alberta, the Rural Assist Registry Program is a town-driven initiative to address vulnerabilities within the community. The registry program is currently in its pilot phase. The components of the pilot are designed to better understand and address Bruderheim's community-level vulnerabilities in two ways: Uncovering the specific kinds of vulnerabilities that exist in the community through the Bruderheim Community Vulnerability Survey Inviting residents to register with the official program—Program registrants will be placed on a list with the Town’s emergency alert system and receive alerts for events that could impact their health and safety. These alerts will provide additional resources, critical information about the event, and act as a touchpoint between those who may need additional assistance and Town Staff. Any Bruderheim resident who would like to take part in the Registry Program, or would like to register a family member or friend can do so at the Rural Assist web page.

Resilient Rurals attended GISC2022 as tradeshow exhibitors and had a front-and-center view of the exciting developments in the industries responsible for greening our yards and putting food on our tables. We extend a huge thank you to everyone that stopped by our table to learn more about the Resilient Rurals project—it was a wonderful opportunity to share! Now, let’s turn the spotlight onto some of the coolest things we learned about as we explored the tradeshow floor: Making the most of compost - City of Edmonton Compost We weren’t the only municipal climate-centered organization that came to GISC2022. The City of Edmonton hosted a table dedicated to the City’s urban composting program, which is a free service for Edmontonians. Not only has composting been a great way to reduce how much food waste ends up in the City’s landfills, but it’s also brought back nutrients to soils and gardens in and around Edmonton. Residents get to access the compost program for free, but anyone can buy their compost for $88/tonne (see information about buying Edmonton compost here). Compost can help improve the soil by releasing nitrogen back into the ground, and Edmonton compost has a neutral pH so it won’t impact your garden's natural pH. Adding compost can also help protect against drought and safeguard plants during hot summers. Digging into new innovations - Doug Gardens Inc. If you prefer raised garden beds, or know anyone whose garden could use a little mulch, Doug Gardens Inc. is a company offering both! Have you heard of the ‘easy-growing garden’? That’s Doug. A Doug Garden is an easy-assembly raised gardening kit, which can be delivered directly to your front door. Paired with the company’s soil subscription service, it takes out the guesswork of building and maintaining a healthy garden—you’re started off on the right foot and sent seeds, soil, mulch, and fertilizer needed to maintain your garden over the season. These kits also include irrigation and come in zero-waste packaging. Right now, the kits and subscriptions are offered in Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton, and we were told they’ll soon be expanding to Vancouver. Doug Gardens doesn’t stop with raised gardens, though. The company is also making notable strides in mulch innovation. Unlike wood chippings or plastic mulch that is commonly used, Doug Gardens created a new type of mulch that is safe for all organisms, soil regenerating, moisture regulating, and temperature regulating. The mix combines worm castings, wool, straw, humic acid, and biochar to create mulch capsules that expand to cover a much greater area than you would assume based on the size of a 20-square-foot bag. The best part is the wool absorbs water from the air—even in the driest months—and releases it slowly back into the soil. This simple solution has fantastic water-saving implications. Garlic? On a tree farm? - Purple Springs Nursery Purple Springs Nursery brings sustainability to another level. The nursery uses regenerative agriculture principles to support the trees they grow, such as companion planting to improve soil health. By focusing on the holistic health of the trees they grow, Purple Springs has cut their use of chemicals by 85%! The interesting thing we learned was that Purple Springs Nursery also grows garlic. As they told us, garlic is a quick cash crop that can be used as an alternative source of income while Purple Nursery lets the soil rest between trees. It relies on a complimentary set of nutrients, which allows it to grow alongside trees while boosting their health and the health of the soil. We were lucky enough to take a couple of samples home. Where the food won’t grow - Green Iglu Food security and sovereignty were also topics of conversation at GISC2022. Ensuring a reliable, local food supply is especially important in remote, northern communities, where 57% of homes in Nunavut are food insecure (2020). We met some of the team from Green Iglu, a non-profit working with affected communities to amend this injustice. Green Iglu builds greenhouses tailored to providing technology, education, and training to northern communities. Each one is specialized to the needs of the community. If a town needs a space to gather, Green Iglu will design their installation for that purpose! Green Iglu also focuses on supporting diverse diets and local cuisines. One of the ways they do this is by growing vegetables in the greenhouses that people will enjoy eating and are culturally appropriate. Potatoes, which are expensive to ship to northern communities, are a commonly grown staple because they provide lots of nutrients at an affordable cost. Green Iglu not only seeks to address the problem of not having enough food. They also want to reinforce food sovereignty by shifting control of food availability away from tedious supply chains and back into the communities and people managing the local greenhouses. Our seat at the table - What Resilient Rurals shared at GISC2022 Unlike many of the exhibitors, Resilient Rurals isn’t a producer. We don’t grow plants or trees to supply your favourite greenhouse. We aren’t raising healthy crops or livestock to feed your family. We are focused on climate-smart resilience measures, so we chose to bring information on the benefits of native plants to GISC2022. Our native plant resources are tied to climate-smart gardening, which means cultivating landscapes that are responsive to the local climate. Native plants can thrive in both droughts and flood conditions because they are prepared for the fluctuations in Alberta weather. Some of the producers and companies we met at GISC2022 were excited to see us talking about native plants and even selling native plants and trees themselves! TreeTime, an Edmonton nursery, is well-aware of the benefits of planting native trees and shrubs, and sells edible varieties as well as ornamental varieties. And Foothills Nurseries near Calgary also hosts a wide variety of native trees. Leaf Ninjas is an ecological restoration group working with native plants daily at sites throughout Calgary. We also found this topic was new and exciting to many producers—some had never considered selling native plants, while others found it difficult to find information on the topic. Many people had heard about the benefits of native plants, but they didn’t know what species they could offer that are beautiful, easy to grow, accessible, and appropriate for growing in a garden. We were happy to provide some information and connect with countless new networks! Next steps - Resilient Rurals’ comprehensive native plant lists GISC2022 was a fantastic opportunity to connect and collaborate with folks working in the areas of agriculture, nurseries, landscaping, and greenhouses. We met and learned from many different people and companies. Our team is excited to connect with more innovative companies and organizations in the future. Soon, we'll be releasing two comprehensive lists of plant species native to Alberta with drought-resistant and/or flood-tolerant properties. We hope these resources will support some of the companies we connected with and other people across Alberta to identify and select the most suitable species for their future projects and operations. We are thrilled to continue to grow alongside a positive, welcoming, and forward-thinking industry as represented by GISC2022!

Since September 2021, Resilient Rurals was a part of the Adaptation Resilience Training (ART) Program, a new program for recent grads of the University of Alberta to work full-time in positions across the province, helping Albertans prepare for the impacts of climate change. Resilient Rurals welcomed two Project Assistants through the ART program, Jillian Calvert and Claire Kroening. Jillian graduated from the U of A with a BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences with a specialization in Human Dimensions. She has since worked in a variety of conservation and adaptation positions, including her term with Resilient Rurals, and continues to work in the field of water conservation. Claire graduated from the U of A with a BA in Human Geography and then obtained her diploma in Public Relations from MacEwan University. She has worked in a variety of communications positions in the public and private sectors and now applies her skills at Resilient Rurals as she continues her term as Lead Project Assistant. Watch the PA's wrap-up ‘3 Minute Thesis’ video where they detail their intentions, methods and outcomes of their placement with the partnership Read the final report, prepared for the ART program in May 2022 Discover the complete collection of ART reports from the 2022 and 2021 cohorts Wondering what the latest development is in sustainable agriculture? Curious to know just how much of an impact green infrastructure can make? Searching for a case where Traditional Ecological Knowledge has been harnessed in Indigenous communities? Find the reports at U of A Sustainability Council - ART Completed Internships We extend a huge thanks to the program sponsors for supporting critical work in our partner communities over the last few months and helping Resilient Rurals realize many of the partnership's goals. The program was a cost-shared initiative supported by Natural Resources Canada’s Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise (BRACE) Program and Alberta Environment and Parks, and it was administered by the University of Alberta's Sustainability Council and Associated Engineering.

In 2021, Bruderheim’s Climate Resilience Action Plan was proud to be awarded Alberta's Minister’s Award for Municipal Excellence in the Smaller Municipalities category for leadership, resourcefulness and innovation. Each year, the award recognizes projects and partnerships across the province that advance municipal service delivery for the betterment of their communities. In highlighting these initiatives, communities across the province are given new pathways and ideas from which they can take inspiration or even replicate. What Alberta municipalities can learn from one another is invaluable to safeguarding communities from extreme weather events, strengthening local economies, and leading in green technology adoption. This principle of knowledge and process sharing is at the core of Resilient Rurals’ approach to resilience. The partnership was formed following Bruderheim’s participation in a Climate Resilience Express workshop with All One Sky Foundation, where a risk assessment for the Town was conducted. Taking the knowledge and priorities identified from the workshop, Bruderheim saw significant opportunity to create a regional plan, and invited other communities in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland who shared the same risks and priorities to create and implement a regional resilience plan together. Conducting an environmental risk assessment isn’t a particularly novel idea—in fact, more and more communities across the country, big and small, are undertaking risk assessment projects as they prepare to adapt to their local climate change realities. Resilient Rurals is a model for municipalities to expand the impact of community-level climate work to an entire region. Expansion could look similar to the Resilient Rurals partnership, with similar-sized rural communities coming together to create a regional resilience plan, or it could look completely different—possibly a series of agreements among an urban centre and neighbouring towns to share emergency resources and climate adaptation expertise. However the collaboration unfolds, thinking not only locally but regionally can accelerate the process of climate change adaptation and raise the capacity of Canada’s smaller communities. We encourage anyone working in climate adaptation to think about how collaboration could benefit your community and its neighbours. Read about the 2021 Minister's Award's winning and shortlisted projects From the publication:

praLocal adaption leaders share how collaboration, perseverance and dedicated climate adaptation funding will lead Prairie municipalities to resilience ClimateWest, in collaboration with the Prairie Climate Centre, launched a short film featuring climate adaptation leaders across municipalities in the Canadian Prairies. Resilient Rurals was thrilled to be a part of this project with Jill Yanch, Director and Resilient Rurals founder, speaking to the significance of the collaborative approach taken by our three partner communities in building resilience against shared climate risks. Jill Yanch on the collaborative, small town approach “Much of the work related to climate change adaptation has been done in cities and that adaptation is going to look very different for small communities." Resilient Rurals was born as a collaborative project between Bruderheim, Gibbons, and Lamont, three small municipalities in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland facing similar climate change impacts. The Town of Bruderheim leads the project, which focuses on environmental, social, and business continuity priorities. On the challenges felt by residents in the region, Yanch explains, “like other areas, we’ve seen more hot days and more significant storms as well. Also, seeding and harvesting crops have been very difficult. It’s been felt very deeply in the agricultural community here.” “Collaboration with other communities the same size was very helpful to see how we can share resources and pool our knowledge and look for those common risks.” Resilient Rurals is bolstering the capacity for each partner to adapt by creating adaptation plans, strategies and tools that can be implemented in the communities. Currently, this extra capacity is funded by the Adaptation Resilience Training program, a cost-shared initiative delivered by the University of Alberta and supported by Natural Resources Canada’s Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise program and Alberta Environment and Parks. Barriers to implementation: the need for more inclusive and widespread funding streams Prairie Climate Centre explains that implementation of adaptation plans can be challenging for many Prairie communities. These challenges are largely due to the fact that there are currently not enough dedicated funding streams and resources available to do so. And this is undeniably the case for smaller-sized communities; even with the funding that is available, smaller communities have a difficult time tapping into the pot, as they often must compete with larger city projects for grant funds. “Often, when we talk about climate change adaptation we talk about climate; we don’t talk about other things that would impact a municipality’s ability to respond to climate,” says Yanch. Trevor Donald from the Town of Churchill explained, “few municipalities really have the tools available to them to incorporate climate change options in their municipal operations.” Donald says it’s critical to ensure the leadership and decision-making in a municipality is working and that necessary tools, funding and resources are made available. “A municipality with a suite of options like that—however big or small they are—can achieve so much more than how it’s currently being done.” In the short film Prairie Communities Adapting to Climate Change, frontline adaptation planners from five Prairie communities speak about the work underway and the future paths they envision for Prairie resilience. Resilience and adaptation tips from local leaders So how do people working in climate adaptation in small communities find the motivation to keep going in an under-funded environment? Start where you are; it’s important to start somewhere Make it community-based by engaging community members to learn about their climate change experiences to reflect their stories in your community’s adaptation Find your champions that can work in your community, organization and the political sphere Use the tools that exist like ICLEI’s many tools and other resources available through organizations like Resilient Rurals, ClimateWest, Prairie Climate Centre, and Climate Atlas of Canada Learn from each other by reviewing other municipality’s plans and sitting down with changemakers to have important conversations Collaborate with similar size communities, as is being done through the Resilient Rural’s partnership between Bruderheim, Gibbons and Lamont Don’t get discouraged; change doesn’t happen overnight, but adaptation work has critical, long-term impact Read ClimateWest's blog post: Community Action: How the Prairies are Adapting to Climate Change

In recent years, the Town of Lamont has experienced two significant flooding events, which caused significant damage and left many residents fearful of future storms. As climate change continues to impact Alberta's precipitation patterns, it is critical to prepare for an increase in the severity and frequency of similar extreme weather events. The Town of Lamont's experience showcases actions that can be taken by other rural Alberta towns to prepare for climate change. Following these two floods, many of Lamont's residents learned how to better prepare for extreme events. Residents from other rural Alberta towns can read their stories, understand their vulnerabilities, and learn how best to adapt to increased flooding risks. 2016 Flood A local resident's recollection "Like many residents of Lamont, I have experienced two instances of sewer back up in my basement. Both are due to extreme rainfall in a short period of time. It is a traumatic experience that has left me feeling very stressed whenever I feel the rain coming hard and fast. I find myself looking outside, looking downstairs, wondering if this will be another heavy rain and watching with great angst until it stops." In July 2016, the Town of Lamont experienced unprecedented levels of rain in a short period of time. The downpour started at 7 p.m. on July 9, and by 8:30 p.m., the streets were filled with water. The Town received 3 - 6 inches of rain in less than 30 minutes. The harsh downfall inundated the sewer system, and the town's lift station was quickly overwhelmed. Over 100 homes were damaged by the flooding. The majority of damages were caused by sewer backups flooding the basements of affected residents, while only a few residences experienced overland flooding. The Hillside and Campbell neighbourhoods were hit worst by the floodwater, as they are closest to the lift station. Time to pay... Although most residents had flooding insurance, some families experienced damages that their insurance would not cover. Damages from sewer backups are typically covered under most home insurance packages in Canada. However, overland flooding damages are generally not. Luckily, the Town had assistance from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and a session was held at the local arena where around 40 families were able to apply for funding. The Town of Lamont also received assistance and quickly began repairing culverts and walking trails, hiring vac trucks, draining water and repairing the lift station. 2018 Flood In April 2018, warm temperatures led to quick spring snowmelt, causing Lamont Creek to flood over into the Town and the neighbouring county. In town, the areas closest to the creek were hit hardest. The extent of flooding caused Lamont County to declare a local state of emergency. With many roads washed out and eroded, some residents were left stranded. How can you prepare? Advice from a local resident "I would recommend the installation of a sewer backup valve. The best one is installed in the main sewer line, but that can be expensive. You can also install a cheaper version yourself in the drain(s) in your basement, but this may not be as effective. Having to deal with an insurance claim, is, in my opinion, almost as bad as the flooding incident itself. I was not prepared for the amount of work it takes to claim what is rightfully owed to you for paying premiums diligently for years. You must provide details on all your damaged items: item details, date purchased, purchase price, and replacement cost." What can we learn? The 2016 flood highlighted learning opportunities for the Town's infrastructure and emergency management procedures. Prior to 2016, the Town had not experienced severe flooding, and many residents were unprepared. Communication Challenges Given that this was the first time an event of this magnitude had occurred, communication challenges were experienced between the Town, the local RCMP, and the fire department during the flood. The development of a clear step-by-step process would be very helpful to guide action in similar emergency events. Proactive communication between the Town and residents could help to prepare residents and reduce calls for assistance. Following the flood, the Town implemented an integrated emergency plan with Lamont County. Additionally, the Town has improved its communication processes and implemented regular advisories, and updates on the Everbridge Emergency Alert System and the Town's website and Facebook page. As many rural communities in Alberta have not experienced significant weather-related emergency events, they also may be unprepared and lack a robust emergency response system. With the impacts of climate change on the horizon, we must ensure our communities are better prepared. Infrastructure Challenges Lamont's lift station and sewer system did not have the capacity to handle the quick inflow of water from the 2016 flood. Following the flood, the Town's lift station was repaired and upgraded. However, Lamont's infrastructure still remains vulnerable to future floods, with the limited retention of the creek and stormwater system. The Town has devised a 5-year capital plan and has pursued funding from the Federal Government to address these vulnerabilities. Town officials have investigated creating retention ponds, and plan to keep the area around the creek natural to allow for increased drainage. The Town of Lamont is making changes to bolster its infrastructure against future floods and is taking the region's climate projections into consideration. The Town aims to bring retention capacity up to 100-year flood levels. Mitigating for 1-in-100 year floods will be necessary to limit current vulnerabilities. Adjusting risk management scenarios with climate change in mind will be essential in the long term as the impacts of climate change become even more apparent. Climate Change Experts project that higher spring temperatures will result in earlier spring snow melts, and more ice jams, spring floods and rain-on-snow events. In addition, more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns are already causing 100-year floods to occur more frequently. Sudden warm April temperatures and a very quick spring melt brought on Lamont's 2018 flood. With most of the ground still covered in ice and snow, water drainage was limited and most of the meltwater ran over the ground, flooding the Town and greater County. The 2016 flooding was caused by a heavy precipitation event, and infrastructure was ill-equipped to handle such a large volume of water in a short amount of time. These instances are indicative of a changing climate, and our region must prepare for more events like these. Unfortunately, most communities in Alberta may be ill-prepared, with residents unaware their homes are located in flood-prone areas, municipalities dealing with aging infrastructure, and most Albertans uninsured against overland flooding events. With a changing climate, we should consider these risks, and begin to prepare for what's to come.