Stream: Revitalizing Existing Neighbourhoods: Buildings and Infrastructure
Topic: Building Local Resilience: Community-Based Renewable Power

Think locally, act locally. It is challenging, but neighbourhoods are doing it. Harry and Teresa will discuss their roles in the development of a solar co-operative slated for a school roof in Toronto. Harry will discuss how community power projects build community while Teresa will elaborate on her local experiences in overcoming critical challenges to make it happen. An effective process for establishing renewable energy projects is the creation of community-based co-operatives. It is a business structure that inspires community resiliency through cooperation, collaboration and local ownership.

You will hear about the need to be flexible for implementation, patient and persistent in vision.

Speaker: Harry French,
Director, Community Power Services Group

After completing a Masters Degree in Interdisciplinary Resource Planning, University of Guelph, Harry worked across Canada in various provinces and territories planning, designing and implementing actions for the development of natural and recreational park systems. He has been an Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism for the Province of Ontario, a partner in the national consulting firm of Marshall Macklin Monaghan (MMM Group) and a research Director at the Conference Board of Canada.

Harry joined OSEA, the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association in early 2010 as Director of the Community Power Services Group. OSEA’s Community Power Solution service offers opportunities to communities and municipalities to improve their energy performance, enhance community quality of life and contribute to Ontario’s economic development through green jobs and green investment. Recently as Director, Community Power Services with OSEA, he completed 15 workshops across the province in which he introduced the concept of community capacity building through renewable energy to audiences of 50 plus. As a consultant in organizational development for 10 years, Harry regularly provided human relations training seminars and workshops to public and private sector clients.

Speaker: Teresa Miller,
Vice President, Beach Community Energy Co-operative

Teresa has her BSc in Biochemistry and MSc in Molecular Toxicology. She completed an interdisciplinary design program that introduced her to sustainability and she hasn’t looked back since. She most recently secured LEED certifications for existing buildings and worked to change the behaviour of building occupants. She is active in her community, hosting green events and working with the ward’s city councillor on development in her community. She has a strong understanding of the coming challenges due to climate change and sees the value in community based distributed power.

Her speaking experience includes presentation of charrette results to a group of 200 international participants in Italy, guest lecturer at George Brown College sharing LEED EB experience and most recently, a webinar hosted by Community Energy Partnerships Program for school related renewable energy projects.

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