By Joslin Jose, WE-CAN Volunteer, with Avi Dolgin
A Bright Friday Afternoon at Blooms Lane, Vernon
As they stood before the closed door of the Browns’ home, Heather and Janet glanced over at Jane, who was reorganizing the stack of papers under her arm.
“Well, nobody was home at the last two places, and someone was too busy to talk before that. Maybe this one will go better,” Janet sighed as she rang the doorbell.
Annie Brown opened the door, glanced at the young women with the papers, and smiled.
“Hi. What are you folks up to? Working for some cause?”
With an enthusiastic smile, Janet replied, “Hi, we are here as part of the Frack Free BC Campaign, are you aware of what fracking means?” She began explaining the purpose of the visit.
Overhearing the conversation, Annie’s husband Tyler, who was working in the adjacent room, came over. He interrupted politely, “Miss, I’m sorry to interrupt, but we do get a number of people coming to our home for different causes—some asking for donations, others for signatures. We’re not sure we’re interested this time.”
Sensing the direction of the conversation, Heather stepped in.
“Sir, you might think we’re just another group, but let me reassure you — we are committed to long-term climate action. We focus on educating people of all ages, including children, about the effects of fracking in our province. Through door-to-door outreach, poster-making, and organizing booths at events, we actively inspire people from all generations and walks of life to carry climate action forward.”
This caught Annie’s attention, and she convinced Tyler to continue the conversation.
As the discussion deepened, Annie and Tyler signed the petition and even asked the group to organize a small talk for an upcoming kids’ event.
As the conversation wrapped up, Jane, Janet, and Heather looked at the signed petition with a smile before heading to the next door, continuing their campaign.
(The story is based on a short excerpt shared by Jane, Janet and Heather, during a door-knocking campaign, all other places and characters are fictional)
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Jane Weixl, Janet Parkins, and Heather Clay are active promoters of the Frack Free BC initiative as part of Climate Action Now! North Okanagan (CAN!), a grassroots group supporting climate activism in Vernon.
Let’s explore the group and its climate initiatives.
CLIMATE ACTION NOW!
Climate Action Now! was founded in 2010 by two climate visionaries, Mary Stockdale and Bill Darnell. The initiative drew inspiration from the ‘Fast for Courage’ initiative that they had held in support of the UN Climate Change Conference – Conference Of Parties, in Copenhagen in 2009.
What began as a two-person effort has grown into a dedicated group of seven core activists and over 400 members. Today, CAN! organizes events such as speeches, rallies, and information campaigns, supporting climate advocacy at the local level.
“We’ve shifted more into policy advocacy now,” explains founder Mary Stockdale. “We meet with people at different levels of government to advocate for climate policies, and also engage during elections—encouraging voters to support climate-focused policies and candidates.”
One of CAN!’s most significant contributions was initiating the development of the City’s Climate Action Plan in 2018.
“In 2016, Bill and I realized much of the most impactful climate policy happens at the municipal level, so we needed to focus there. We presented to the council, asking them to set stronger climate targets and develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). We also urged them to create a volunteer advisory committee to support implementation. The response was overwhelmingly positive—Vernon recognized the community’s demand for more ambitious climate action,” says Mary.
Their efforts led to the creation of the Climate Action Advisory Committee, co-chaired at different times by Mary, Bill and now-Councillor, Brian Guy.
CAN! also pioneered the Climate Ambassador program, where volunteers were trained to engage their networks of family and friends in climate conversations. “To develop the CAP, over 30 ambassadors reached more than a thousand people in one year. It was an incredible success,” Mary recalls proudly. The CAP, with its innovative Climate Ambassador program, received provincial recognition from the Planning Institute of BC and was officially endorsed by Vernon City Council in 2021.
CAN! continues to run the Climate Ambassador program today.
“We are deeply involved in major policy and public engagement initiatives,” Mary adds. “ Important policies include the Zero Carbon Step Code, the Climate Action Plan, the Official Community Plan (OCP), and the Transportation Plan. We also lead advocacy campaigns to counter policies and projects that undermine climate goals.”
CAN! members Jane and Janet presented to the Vernon City Council to encourage the adoption of the Zero Carbon Step Code (currently at Step 1). They plan to return to the council to advocate for further action.
In partnership with Deb Humphries, a local community-based artist, CAN! also participated in a guerrilla postering project. The poster artwork, focused on asking provocative questions about local environmental issues, was displayed widely in Vernon and helped foster public dialogue about climate change.
“The guerilla postering project turned out to be a huge success,” recalls Jane. “Most of our posters were displayed in businesses that supported climate action, and many even welcomed them—looking forward to receiving a new one every two weeks.”
CAN! frequently collaborates with local Indigenous leaders to organize protests and campaigns. “We have also worked with local leaders to travel together by bus to large climate protests in Vancouver,” Mary explains.
THE FRACK FREE BC CAMPAIGN
Some CAN! members—Janet Parkins, Jane Weixl, Eli Pivnick, and Heather Clay—are active participants in Frack Free BC, a movement formed through the collaboration of Stand.earth, Dogwood, and the Wilderness Committee. The three organizations united to strengthen grassroots protests across the province, amplifying local voices to create a larger impact.
“In Vernon, the CAN! team has promoted the campaign through door-knocking, poster-making, and information booths at events like the Sunshine Festival,” notes Jane.
Janet expands: “The Wilderness Committee submitted a petition to the provincial minister, calling for a complete ban on fracking. It also urged the government to set a timeline for phasing it out and to ensure a just transition for workers and communities dependent on the industry. We’ve collected far more signatures than expected and continue to push for action.”
She adds, “We also host booths at the Downtown Vernon Association events and the Polson Artisan Market in Vernon, where we talk to people about fracking and its impacts on human and environmental health.”
“At our booth, we host a Climate Action Jeopardy game. It was aimed at students, but parents eagerly join in too!” recalls Heather.
LOOKING AHEAD
“We’ve achieved a lot in Vernon. For a community this size, we’re doing far better than most in advancing climate action,” Mary reflects. “The city has even hired staff specifically to implement the Climate Action Plan, which is remarkable for a town our size.”
Besides the work of the City of Vernon and CAN!, there is also the Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE) program, run by Fresh Outlook Foundation in partnership with School District 22 and the City of Vernon, where high school students develop projects aligned with Vernon’s Climate Action Plan and present them at community events known as ‘Expos’. “The ripple effect is powerful—students bring what they learn back to their families, neighbours, and communities. It really boosts engagement.” Mary notes.
Looking to the future, CAN! is collaborating with the City of Vernon and other climate partners to create a Climate Engagement Centre downtown—a space for face-to-face workshops, meetings, and coordinated climate initiatives. They also plan to expand their digital presence through a partnership with a WE-CAN social media intern.
“We want to bring all of our successful projects into one central hub. Our goal for the coming year is to strengthen our coalition across local initiatives. With a dedicated space to organize, we can take local climate action to the next level,” Mary explains.
Embracing the beauty of the little town of Vernon, CAN! is determined to create a ripple effect that extends from local residents to provincial stakeholders. With each small step toward their goal, their voices echo the conviction: “It’s now or never!”
Resources for further reading:
CAN! Members regularly write articles for local news outlets:
- Vernon Morning Star – every 6 weeks (approximately) in the “Focus on Climate” column.
- Castanet – every 2 weeks in the “Inside Climate” column.
https://climateactionnownorthokanagan.ca/
CAN! Team: https://climateactionnownorthokanagan.ca/about-us
Frack Free BC Campaign: https://climateactionnownorthokanagan.ca/activities/frack-free-bc
To get involved with the team: https://climateactionnownorthokanagan.ca/get-involved
guerrilla postering: https://climateactionnownorthokanagan.ca/gallery
