Vancouver Climate March

It was a beautiful autumn day in Vancouver. The sun was out, giving the afternoon one last taste of summer, as thousands of people gathered on the usually-bustling intersection of Broadway Street and Cambie Street. Normally, large express buses would be pulling in and out of the Canada Line Skytrain station, busy patrons would be making their way in and out of the many shops, and just up the hill on Cambie and 12th, Vancouver City Hall would be presiding over it all. The afternoon of Friday, September 27th 2019, was different. Instead, the intersection was packed with people, many holding signs, many young, (though not all), but all linked with the electric crackle of excited energy in the air.



Photo Dan Toulgoet via VancouverIsAwesome.com

Greta Thunberg, a teenage Swedish climate activist, started alone in August 2018, striking from school every Friday. Her movement has grown to a global phenomenon, with school-age youths and adults from all over the world participating in communities’ #FridaysForFuture strikes in front of town halls, with the aim of raising awareness of and action for the climate crisis. Since Greta started, she has gained worldwide attention and there have been several global climate strikes, including May 24th 2019.

September 27th was the latest global climate strike, and it was one for the books. Over 1 million Canadians participated in the climate actions from the 20th to the 27th, and on Friday, September 27th, over 100,000 people marched in Vancouver, BC, and over 300,000 marched in Montreal, QC.

According to one Ecotrend employee who left early on Friday in order to march in Vancouver, there was a tangible energy and overwhelming, youthful excitement at the march. “It was massive, definitely the biggest protest I’ve ever been in,” she said, smiling. “So many kids and parents were there, it was definitely a youth-led event. I hope that the momentum continues and more people start paying attention.”



Photo via Vancouver Courier

John Harrison, Ecotrend Ecologics and DōMatcha® founder, and Anna Pokora Harrison, International Director for DōMatcha®, were in Toronto for a tradeshow on Friday, September 27th, and joined in the march there, excited by the strong energy towards meaningful change to environmental policies.


Photo via Anna Harrison