Increasing Access to Energy Education for Newcomer and Immigrant Households in Calgary

With support from the University of Calgary’s Climate Action Grant, Create Climate Equity delivered a highly successful initiative to expand access to energy education for Calgary’s multilingual and multicultural communities. Designed to support households facing barriers to navigating energy programs, the project delivered 27 workshops and supported 636 households within the first five months, quickly surpassing the initial goal of offering 20 workshops and reaching 200-250 participants over one year.  

These exceptional outcomes demonstrate the urgency of community need and the project team’s strong community relationships and clear impact.

Each workshop was tailored to the cultural and linguistic needs of participants, offering practical guidance on understanding utility bills, managing home energy use, and applying low- or no-cost strategies to reduce monthly expenses.

For many households, these sessions served as a gateway to access Alberta’s Home Upgrades Program delivered by Kambo Energy Group, which offers deep energy retrofits to income-qualified households experiencing energy burden. The Climate Action Grant was instrumental in ensuring newcomer and immigrant residents received the information and support needed to fully benefit from this important program.

The project team partnered with eight community organizations across Calgary, equipping both their staff and clients with energy-related knowledge and resources. Building strong relationships with these organizations was essential to the initiative’s success. These relationships fostered meaningful trust and ensured culturally informed support for residents seeking guidance on energy literacy and conservation.

The workshops created meaningful opportunities for connection. Participants were empowered with practical knowledge, while the project team deepened their understanding of the experiences and questions shaping daily life for newcomer households. This reciprocal learning strengthened program design and ensured services remained highly relevant, trusted, and responsive to community needs.

With its flexible design and strong community relationships, the project is well-positioned for continued growth.The team is actively exploring future funding opportunities to expand its reach and ensure ongoing support for households navigating energy affordability challenges.

This initiative demonstrates the impact of community-rooted, culturally responsive energy and climate education. It highlights both the enthusiasm of Calgarians eager to learn and the vital role of tailored programming in advancing climate equity for the city's diverse communities.