Toronto Climate Week (TOCW) is a new city-wide initiative intended to bring together climate action, creativity, policy, innovation, and community engagement to accelerate climate solutions in Toronto. Lawson Climate Institute (LCI) was pleased to host the opening ceremony for inaugural events at U of T’s Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, setting the tone for three days of action, collaboration, and innovation in Toronto.
On October 1, more than 200 guests joined in-person to hear remarks from speakers including Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Julie Dabrusin, Former Toronto Mayor David Miller.
U of T’s Timothy Chan (Associate VP & Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives) said during opening remarks, “At U of T, we believe that addressing climate change requires more than just scientific innovation—it demands a multi-disciplinary approach. That’s why our researchers are working across fields as diverse as policy, finance, technology and sociology. Climate change touches every aspect of our lives, and our response must be just as comprehensive.”
Several of these U of T research leaders participated in engaging conversations as part of the opening ceremony: Laura Tozer (Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences) moderated a panel on Indigenous Leadership in Climate & Canada’s Green Economy; Rasoul Yousefpour (Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design) provided insights on a panel focused on the built environment, sharing his experience on mass timber projects; Olivier Trescases (Electrical & Computer Engineering) commented on U of T’s leadership in electric vehicle research during a panel on energy and transportation, and David Sinton (Lawson Climate Institute) invited audiences to celebrate U of T student innovation at an official case competition on climate solutions.
Adding their remarks were Joannah and Brian Lawson, who commented on the importance of climate research and its impact on the health and wellness of future generations.
“Everything vulnerable in our world is most at risk,” said Joannah Lawson. “But the biggest gap is creating a space for synergy, where people can come together and learn what each other is doing, and amplify it. We need this multiplier effect.”
This multiplier effect was demonstrated through a number of free events hosted at the university as part of Toronto Climate Week, inviting all – students, faculty, alumni, industry leaders, and community members – to join important conversations about all aspects of the climate challenge and a just transition to a net-zero future:
Lawson Climate Institute and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education hosted the Toronto Green Sports Breakfast & Panel Discussion as part of Toronto Climate Week. Gretchen Kerr, Dean, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, welcomed audiences for the event. LCI’s Shatha Qaqish-Clavering provided remarks to open a panel discussion featuring Dr. Madeleine Orr, Assistant Professor of Sport Ecology at University of Toronto, along with industry experts. The morning continued with a workshop on sport-engaged research and knowledge translation with sporting communities across Canada.
“When we think about sports, we think about resilience, endurance and fair play and this is exactly what we need to confront climate change,” said Qaqish-Clavering. “Sports unite us and sports platforms are a great tool to show us what is possible and how a sustainable future could look like. Sustainability initiatives within stadiums and arenas such as clean energy or zero waste do not go unnoticed. They support shaping the future by encouraging each one of us to be a change maker in our own ways.”
Lawson Climate Institute also supported U of T students to host 2 days of dialogue as part of the Local Conference Of Youth (LCOY) Canada, which works to educate and build knowledge and understanding among youth on climate change, sustainable development, and the United Nations system. The agenda offered sessions on renewable energy and alternatives in Canada, youth engagement in the energy transition, climate justice for marginalized communities, climate activism, and the role of the oil and gas sector in a just energy transition. U of T’s LCOY activities were organized by the university’s Student Energy chapter, Regenesis U of T, Green Speaking, Green Leading Club at U of T, and the President’s Committee on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability (CECCS).
To foster student engagement as part of the inaugural events, Lawson Climate Institute partnered with with Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, a national, industry-led cluster that accelerates the development and commercialization of made-in-Canada ocean solutions, for a multidisciplinary case competition focused on climate solutions. Over two weeks, teams raced against the clock to design bold, practical answers to real climate challenges, and pitch their solutions to experts. More than 60 students tested their creativity, gained hands-on experience, and competed for recognition during one of Toronto’s biggest climate events.
Closing out Toronto Climate Week on October 3, five shortlisted teams were invited to pitch their solutions in person to an expert judging panel – with three teams winning the top cash prizes. The teams were also invited to present their work at industry forums, and engage in mentorship opportunities with the judges.
“Canada’s Ocean Supercluster was excited to sponsor the Case Competition at inaugural Toronto Climate Week,” said Akash Rastogi, Chief Capital Strategy Officer of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. “The event was a big success – we had over 60 students from business, policy and engineering faculties submit their solutions to real-life difficult problems that the climate sector is faced with. We look forward to being part of such future efforts.”
Congratulations to the winners of the case competition:
| FIRST PLACE | Team 10Meetings: Unlocking Capital for Lake Nipigon Forestry Processing | Aaron Yen Ayushi Mehta Jordan Hebbert Munir Thanwarani Vignesh Lakshmanan |
| SECOND PLACE | Greenstream Capital Advisors: Blended Capital Stack: CCUS at Goreway Power Station | Isabel Duchesne Vishnu Kadambanat Rohan Dayal Mitchell Teal Wale Adio-Yinusa |
| THIRD PLACE | Mighty Sustainability Coalition Solving Mayhem: From Fragmented Solutions to Scalable Investments | David Poulin Kurt Willson Cassidy Mccaw Hamna Riaz Ibrahim El Haj |
Thank you to the judges:
- Akash Rastogi: Chief Capital Strategy Officer, Canada’s National Ocean Supercluster
- Jan Mahrt-Smith: Associate Professor of Finance, Rotman School of Management
- Ravinder Gill: Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance, RBC Commercial Bank
- Oksana Chikina: Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY
- Nicolas Al Nakhl: Principal, Arcadis
Toronto Climate Week will resume with an annual event June 1–7, 2026. To learn more, visit tocw.ca.