Foresight Canada: Driving Urban Sustainability Through Cleantech Innovation

We at Cities Programme North are excited to highlight the important work Foresight Canada is doing to advance urban sustainability across North America. Foresight Canada is Canada’s largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator, and they are making significant strides in supporting the transition to a sustainable future. Foresight Canada recently absorbed the Project Greenlight program in Metro Vancouver – a prime example of their commitment to driving real change at the local level. Project Greenlight was a highly effective program that helped municipalities and organizations in the Metro Vancouver area decarbonize their operations and advance their sustainability goals through technology demonstration and pilot projects. By taking over this program, Foresight is ensuring the continuation of this critical support for cleantech innovation and deployment in the region. 

Foresight’s work aligns closely with the Circles of Sustainability framework, which provides a holistic approach to assessing the sustainability of urban environments. This framework examines four key domains: ecology, economics, politics, and culture. 

In the ecological domain, Foresight’s focus on cleantech innovation and adoption is directly addressing the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy sources. Their support for pilot projects and technology demonstrations is helping to accelerate the deployment of sustainable solutions. 

From an economic perspective, Foresight’s efforts are fostering a thriving cleantech sector, creating high-paying jobs, and supporting the growth of innovative companies. This contributes to the long-term economic sustainability of the communities they serve. 

In the political domain, Foresight’s collaboration with local governments and organizations demonstrates their commitment to driving policy change and creating an enabling environment for sustainable development. Their work with Project Greenlight is a prime example of this. 

Finally, in the cultural domain, Foresight is helping to shift mindsets and behaviors by promoting the adoption of sustainable technologies and practices. Their engagement with diverse stakeholders, from businesses to community groups, is crucial in driving this cultural transformation. 

Overall, Foresight Canada’s comprehensive approach to supporting cleantech innovation and adoption is a shining example of how organizations can contribute to the holistic sustainability of our urban centers. By leveraging the Circles of Sustainability framework, we can clearly see the multifaceted impact of Foresight’s work and its importance in creating a more sustainable future for all.