BC Climate Resilience Summit 2025
A Call to Action for a Climate and Disaster Resilient BC
The BC Climate Resilience Summit 2025 will be a 1.5 day event designed to foster cross-sectoral dialogue with the ultimate aim of enhancing resilience across various sectors. It will bring together stakeholders from government, academia, insurance and finance, small and medium-size businesses, and other key industries and sectors to explore cross-cutting themes in climate risk management, low carbon resilience and disaster risk reduction. The summit will feature a lineup of leaders in the climate resilience space and result in a communique that clearly outlines needs and opportunities for advancing climate and disaster resilience in the province.
Announcing Keynote Speaker
Agenda
| Title | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
Registration + Networking |
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM |
Refreshments & appetizers included. |
Welcome Remarks
|
2:00 PM - 2:25 PM |
First Nations Welcome by Squamish Ocean Canoe Family |
Program 1: Setting the Stage: Climate Science, Scenarios & Risk Assessment Showcase
|
2:35 PM - 3:50 PM |
Moderator: Tamsin Mills (PINNA Sustainability) Panelists:
|
Program 2: Innovation Showcase A |
3:55 PM - 4:40 PM |
Speaker: Wilma Leung, BC Housing Featuring: BC Housing Toolkit (BC Housing), Climate Insight Tool (ICLEI) and Business continuity laws in the context of climate change. |
Program 3: Panel Discussion Leadership in Climate Action |
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM |
Moderator: Kookai Chaimahawong Panelists:
|
Wrap Up & Next Day's Programs |
6:00 PM - 6:10 PM |
Jessica Shoubridge & Youth Reflector |
Networking at the Vancouver Art Gallery |
6:10 PM |
Join us for the kick-off networking reception. Light appetizers and one complimentary drink included. |
| Title | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
Registration + Networking |
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM |
Refreshments & appetizers included. Artistic contributions via Still Moon Arts. |
Welcome Remarks + Agenda
|
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM |
Jessica Shoubridge, MAP |
Program 1: How to Keep Insurance Available & Affordable with Rising Risks
|
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM |
Speaker: Dr. Maryam Golnaraghi, the Geneva Association |
Program 2: Panel - Financing Resilience in BC |
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM |
Moderator: George Benson, ZEIC Panelists:
|
Program 3: Innovation Showcase B |
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM |
Speaker: Julianne Pickrell-Barr, PRISM engineering Low Carbon Resilience Retrofits: Tackling building decarbonization and climate resilience in tandem |
Lunch |
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM |
Featuring Still Moon Arts & Lazy Gourmet Catering |
Program 4: Housing as a Solution for Climate, Connection, and Equity |
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
Moderator: Shaun Kaser, HICC Panelists:
|
Program 5: The Climate Crisis is a Health Crisis |
2:20 PM - 3:20 PM |
Moderator: Arianna Cruz S, VCH |
Program 6: Keynote & Q&A with John Valliant, Author of Fire Weather |
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM |
Moderator: Justin Bull (Sauder Centre) Keynote Speaker: John Valliant, Author of Fire Weather |
Program 7: Transformations to Coexist with Wildfire in BC |
4:50 PM - 5:50 PM |
Moderator: Dr. Robin Freeman (SFU) Panelists:
|
Program 8: Risk Governance - Call to Action + Next Steps |
5:50 PM - 6:50 PM |
Moderator: Jessica Shoubridge, MAP |
Closing Remarks |
6:50 PM |
Key themes will include:
- Climate Scenarios & Showcase of Local, Regional, Provincial and National Risk Assessments
- Housing as a Solution for Climate, Connection, and Equity
- Transformational Adaptation to Coexist with Wildfire in BC
- Financing Resilience in BC
- The Climate Crisis is a Health Crisis: Supporting Health and Well-being in an Age of Disruption
- Insurance Affordability, Availability & Advancing the Incentivization Agenda
- Regional Risk Governance