Patricia Lane

Columnist | Victoria
About Patricia Lane
Patricia Lane's column gives voice to climate leaders across Canada, in their own words. They are mostly young but some showcase elders whose focus has shifted to climate in their later years.
Patricia specialises in collaborative decision-making, public policy creation and effective climate communication. As a lawyer, she worked in every region in Canada in diverse areas such as tax policy, human rights, economic development, restructuring health care, family law and labour law, human rights, securities law, climate change, real estate and land development, wilderness protection, renewable energy, housing, and Aboriginal rights and title.
Lauren Castelino and the Green Career Centre connect youth to dream green jobs
As the co-executive director at Regenesis and the founder of one of its initiatives, the Green Career Centre, this 22-year-old has helped thousands of youth — many of whom are women, newcomers, Black, Indigenous or people of colour — find employment in the emerging clean economy.
Cogie Cogan makes climate crisis everyone’s business
In 2020, Cogie Cogan founded Western University's first student club to foster the next generation of environmentally aware business leaders.
Jane Devonshire left the stage behind to make the world a safer place
One of her latest projects was helping found the West Coast Climate Action Network (WE-CAN), a British Columbia-wide network of 236 climate groups.
With razor-sharp wit, Hazel Thayer takes her climate fight online
In early 2022, 26-year-old Hazel Thayer started posting punchy, colourful videos about climate change. She found it was a quick, easy way to spread the word about the need for action.
Sufi composer Shumaila Hemani shapes soundscapes for climate justice
This Alberta-based singer and songwriter is Artist-in-Residence at Trico Changemakers Studio at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Her prize-winning compositions mix the sounds of climate change-caused catastrophes in South Asia, youthful protests, and her own voice in spoken word.
Tristan Surman makes a career out of lights, camera and climate action
In 2019, this 23-year-old McGill University student founded the award-winning agency My Media Creative to amplify the work of student groups. It has since raised millions of dollars and narrative support for over a hundred non-profits across the country.
Jennifer Hong can see the forests — and the trees
This 26-year-old Vancouverite works for the Canadian Forest Service providing information and analysis on the potential economic interfaces between humans and forests. She also conceived, founded and runs Faces of Forestry.
Lisa Akinyi May uses facts to make the world a fairer place
As the new associate director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ B.C. office, Lisa Akinyi May leads the organization’s communications and public engagement and is a member of the management team.
It’s only natural Jacqueline L. Scott would be out there removing barriers
Jacqueline L. Scott is a PhD student who researches ways to make outdoor recreation and environmentalism accessible for Black people.
Alicia Richins is putting the UN’s sustainable development goals to work
Alicia Richins is a sustainability and social impact consultant based in Toronto, and a fierce advocate of the United Nations' sustainable development goals, or SDGs.