2025 Climate Motivators Meet Ahead of Epic Cross-country Train Journey

Ten climate motivators, two coordinators, two supervisors and GCO staff met at Five Oaks, Paris, ON, last week, to get to know one another and to plan their climate projects for the year.

The motivators include: Kaleo Duncanson-Hales (Sudbury, ON); Nathan Fawkes Talbot (Vancouver, BC); Sifa Kanyamuneza (Kitchener, ON); Hannah Polasek (Carberry, MB); Jackson Rukundo (Kitchener, ON); Jayden Schettler (Brandon, MB); Isla Sheridan-Jonah (Burlington, ON); Blessing Nyasha Tiriwepi and Brian Tiriwepi (Thunder Bay, ON), and Primrose Watson-Leung (Brampton, ON). The climate coordinators are Catherine Bergs and Blessing Tiriwepi.

More information about motivators and their climate projects for 2025 are available in the Downloads, below.

Three climate motivators and one coordinator will put their passion for climate advocacy into action as they travel by train from their hometowns in Ontario to the 45th General Council held in Calgary, AB, from Aug. 7–11. 

• Sifa Kanyamuneza, who was a climate motivator in 2023, is in Grade 11 at St. Mary’s in Kitchener. Sifa is an active member of Trillium United Church in Cambridge. Sifa grew up in Burundi, and actively helps local churches establish “green teams,” to lead greening initiatives in multi-denominational communities of faith.
• Jackson Rukundo of Kitchener, ON, recognizes how environmental issues and social justice intersect, and has worked with youth to organize awareness campaigns, participate in community clean-ups, and engage with local policymakers.
• Isla Sheridan-Jonah of Burlington, ON, is active in climate initiatives in her church, organizing letter-writing to MPs, inviting Indigenous and sustainable-business presenters, and organizing upcycling-recycling-repairing sustainable-practice events.
• Blessing Nyasha Tiriwepi, from Thunder Bay, ON, was a climate motivator in 2024, and is a coordinator this year. An honours student studying at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, he submitted an action plan for a retrofit initiative at his local church and hosted a "call to action" event that gathered other Thunder Bay United Churches together to respond to the ecological crisis.

The students travelling to GC45 will be accompanied by Rev. Kathy Douglas, a faith formation minister from Stratford, ON, and Rev. Deborah Laforet, lead minister at St. Paul’s United, Oakville.

In 2011, then-Moderator Mardi Tindal travelled across the country by train, visiting communities, attending congregational and community events, and holding town-hall discussions open to the public to raise issues around climate change and encourage low-carbon transportation options. The students' train journey is inspired by Tindal’s efforts.

“Travelling by train gives these youth time to really get to know each other, and significantly reduces their travel footprint,” says Amy Crawford, team lead and staff person for the Church’s General Council Office. “These youth are so committed to caring for Creation, as evidenced by the projects they work on as part of their own faith communities.”

They will depart from Union Station on July 30 and arrive in Edmonton, where they will visit the Canadian Energy Museum, and then head to Calgary to be one of 94 youth taking part in the 45th General Council.

Background

The United Church of Canada's youth climate motivator program provides youth the opportunity to learn more about, and encourage more participation in, specific climate efforts. The youth will spend the summer working with local congregations on climate justice or environmental necessities.

Funding from the Canada Summer Jobs Program covers minimum wage, which is topped up by the United Church to meet its own minimum salary scale. The four motivators and two coordinators travelling to Calgary also received funding from several ridings: Nipissing Timiskaming; Scarborough Centre; St. John's East; Lachine, Quebec; Edmonton Centre; Etobicoke Lakeshore, and Sackville, NS.

In April 2025, the United Church released its third Sustainability Report, which highlights the work it is doing to combat the climate crisis through a lens of four climate pillars: putting its own house in order, connecting with the earth, raising spirited voices, and responding to climate impact. Each of these pillars also form the foundation for the Youth Climate Motivator Program.

From vigils to attending the UN Climate Conferences (COP), from climate protests to Indigenous-led training, The United Church of Canada’s actions reflect its commitment to reduce its own carbon, energy, transportation, and operational footprint, and to work with allies and collaborators for stronger advocacy and church-wide participation.