January 2017 | Business View Magazine

108 109 reen Communities originated in Ontario in 1993 under a provincial government fund- ing program that established a model of independent, community-based organiza- tions, individually incorporat- ed, with their own paid staff, boards, partner- ships, and programs, reflecting local needs and opportunities. In 1995, the government funding ended, so in 1996, the individual organizations in Ontario formed the Green Communities Asso- ciation to continue working together and shar- ing information. By 1999, the Green Communi- Green Communities Canada Green Communities Canada Positive action for the environment ties movement had spread to other provinces, and in 2005, the name was changed to Green Communities Canada to reflect the Association’s new national scope. Today, Green Communities Canada has ap- proximately two dozen members in every region of the country. “Our members are com- munity-based non-profits that work in all kinds of ways to engage people at home, in their businesses, at play, etc., in taking practical, positive action for the environment and for a sustainable economy,” says Clifford Maynes, Green Communities’ Executive Director. “They’re all independently incorporated and they do what makes sense in their own communities. Our members are really well-connected in their