Annual Report 2015/16 - Ecology Action 2016 Annual R… · | 2015/16 Annual Report 7 Energy Climate change inevitably impacts all of us. The Energy Action Team inspires Nova Scotians

Annual Report2015/16

2 2015/16 Annual Report |

Our VisionA society in Nova Scotia that respects and

protects nature and provides environmentally and

economically sustainable solutions for its citizens.

3| 2015/16 Annual Report

Message from the Directors

Inspired by the necessity for more space and our passion to

raise the bar for green renovations, EAC focused much of our

attention this year on the ambitious renovation of our office in

Halifax’s North End. When we moved into our Fern Lane home in

2006 it was transformational. It made our community stronger and

our work better, it enabled us to “walk the talk” on reducing our

environmental footprint, and it gave us the profile and expertise

to advise others on aspects of green building.

After three years of planning, fundraising and renovating, 2016

saw us literally take our building to a new level. Our brand new

third floor adds the space needed to house volunteers and staff

for the coming decades. The building’s beautiful street presence

and ground-floor community meeting room make it more

welcoming and accessible. It is a remarkable demonstration site.

It uses repurposed and salvaged materials throughout – behind

the walls and under the floors, and also as showcase features

– and is a marvel of energy efficiency. Although it is a 130-year-

old building, we are projected to consume less than 14% of the

average energy that a NS office building uses per square metre!

This year included 8 ½ cramped months at a temporary office

and 2 ½ months in a construction zone. Nevertheless, we hung on

and continued to be amazingly productive.

This report highlights the work of EAC’s seven action areas whose

work is supported by dozens of funders, more than 35 staff,

hundreds of volunteers and over 4,500 members. In recent years

we have articulated three cross-cutting themes that inform our

extensive portfolio of work: biodiversity, climate change and

environmental justice. In each of these areas of our work we

continue to inspire, inform and take action.

We continued our extraordinary work at the international level to

protect fish stocks and advocate for biodiversity on the high seas.

We are supporting the daylighting of Sawmill River to create a fish

corridor between the Dartmouth lakes and the Atlantic Ocean

for migratory fish such as Gaspereau, American eel and Atlantic

salmon. And this year we celebrated the addition of over 100

new protected areas in NS, including beautiful coastal barrens at

Rogues Roost near Halifax and old growth forests in the Medway

Lakes Wilderness Area near Kejimkujik.

We are working towards a low-carbon economy in NS that

includes livable, walkable, bike-friendly cities. With that in mind

EAC and our allies helped to convince the provincial government

not to raise pedestrian crosswalk fines to $697 – which would have

made them the highest in Canada. Building on the momentum

from COP21 in Paris we brought together thought-leaders from

the Maritime Provinces to discuss the opportunities for a just

transition to a sustainable energy economy in our region.

Our annual retreat focused on environmental justice and we are

working to be good allies in various ways, including joining the

Sipekne’katik First Nation in their opposition to Alton Gas’ plans to

dump brine into the Shubenacadie River. We were a key player in

the development of Halifax’s Mobile Food Market, which will bring

affordable, healthy food to the communities of East Preston, North

Preston, Halifax North, Spryfield and Fairview.

With this as just a tiny slice of life at the EAC this past year, imagine

what we can accomplish in the years ahead with our improved

home base!

The journey of recreating Fern Lane has been extraordinary and

the results have already exceeded our expectations. It has also

been a reminder that what makes us happy in our workplaces is

much the same as what we are fighting to protect and restore –

fresh air and sunlight, a view of trees outside our windows, space

for dogs and bikes and strawberry plants, and a strong sense of

community, optimism and common purpose. Come visit us on

Fern Lane for a taste of what that feels like!

Candace Stevenson and Grant MacDonald, Board Co-chairs

Maggy Burns, Managing Director

Mark Butler, Policy Director


OperationsOPERATIONS STAFF

Administrative Assistant: Cormekia Clayton

Digital Media Manager: Emma Boardman

Fern Lane Expansion Manager: Phoebe Owen

Fern Lane Expansion Project, Volunteer & Materials Manager: Emma Norton

Financial Director: Carla Vandenberg

Magazine Advertising: Dana Lipnicki

Managing Director: Maggy Burns

Membership Administrator: Adrienne Redden

Membership & Development Coordinator: Ryan O’Quinn

Office Manager: Julia McRae

Policy Director: Mark Butler

Volunteer & Events Coordinator: Joanna Bull

The Ecology Action Centre’s operations team works to support our

Action Area staff, and to keep the centre running smoothly. They

help with everything from staying in touch with our members to

maintaining the building, keeping the finances in tip-top shape,

training and appreciating our volunteers, speaking to the media,

and more. The operations team also supports the effectiveness

and long-term sustainability of the organization as a whole by

working to secure funding, create a positive work environment,

and build meaningful relationships with the community.

Membership Canvass Coordinator: Dana Lipnicki

Membership Retention Officer: Rowan Swain

Membership Canvassers: Caitlyn Parsons, Caleb Wheeldon,

Cate Burton, Cate May-Burton, Edward Finigan, Emily Colin,

Graham Ereaux, Kayla Kazda, Kristen Lavallee, Liv Bochenik,

Louise Brigham, Meghan Murray, Samantha Dibblee,

Sarah Wilkin, Seamus O’Neill, Taylor Olson,

Willow Davidson, Yue (Beatrix) Yuan

Membership at the EAC stayed steady this year, peaking

at 4,500 members in August. We put our strategic focus

on membership retention, and we launched our first

bicycle canvass team which canvassed rural areas of the

Annapolis Valley.

Membership


Built EnvironmentThe Built Environment Committee encourages ecologically

sustainable, affordable, healthy building design and construction,

and promotes urban planning and design in harmony with the

natural and social environment.

• Helped mobilize dozens of groups and experts to contribute

to the Green Network Plan, and raised awareness about

the benefits and potential to use this plan to create a robust

greenbelt for Halifax.

• Reached over 10,000 people through a social media

campaign related to our Hike The Greenbelt initiative.

• Grew Our HRM Alliance, a coalition of groups advocating for

sustainable development, to 58 groups.

HIKE THE GREENBELT

The Halifax Greenbelt exists, and it is

beautiful! Halifax’s Green Network Plan,

currently in development, is our chance

to keep it, by creating an inspiring system

of protected natural landscapes. We

knew that for the Plan to achieve its full

potential, it would need widespread

public support.

So, in the summer of 2015, we set out

to show Halifax the incredible natural

world it has. We led a series of hiking,

biking, canoeing, swimming, running, and

camping trips in a giant loop through

the Greenbelt, from the Porters Lake

Canal to Saint Margaret’s Bay, to raise

awareness about the lands we want to

see protected. Dozens of people from

ages 5-75 participated, and hundreds

more joined in the conversation online

using #hikegreenbelt.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Our HRM Alliance: Mark Butler, Tristan Cleveland

Hike the Greenbelt: Tristan Glen (June-Sept. 2015)

• Worked closely with ally groups to develop Fusion Halifax’s

Pitch for a Great Youth City, a set of policy ideas for the 2016

municipal election, including a full network of bus lanes for the

Halifax region.

• Together with our Sustainable Transportation Action Team and

other allies, successfully advocated against NS raising fines for

pedestrian infractions at crosswalks to $697.

• Worked to create Regional Parks, including Blue Mountain

Birch Cove Lakes and the Purcell’s Cove Backlands.

Successfully supported adding 160 acres to

Sandy Lake in Bedford.

HIGHLIGHTS


Coastal and WaterOur vision is that all Nova Scotia’s coasts and watersheds are

healthy, valued and protected. We work toward this goal through

research, education, community engagement, policy change,

collaboration, and public mobilization.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Coastal Adaptation Coordinator: Robin Tress

Geoscience Coordinator: Jennifer West (until June 2016)

Water Coordinator: Jocelyne Rankin

• Designed and implemented a Living Shoreline demonstration

site on the Northwest Arm in Halifax with the help of 100

volunteers.

• Hosted a climate change adaptation strategy session for

NGOs across Nova Scotia to create a common vision and

network of climate adaptation champions.

• Presented at the NS Utility and Review Board in support of

changes to Halifax Water’s fee rates to include a stormwater

credit program for non-residential customers.

LIVING SHORELINES

In 2015, over 100 people joined in creating our own Living

Shoreline in Halifax. We planted native trees, shrubs, grasses, and

flowers to turn what was once a lawn back into a diverse coastal

ecosystem. We did this demonstration project to show that

healthy coastal ecosystems can manage erosion and stormwater

effectively, and also have lots of other benefits (human and

animal habitat, for example). Kids, parents, university students,

corporate volunteer teams, and coastal experts helped make

this project a reality. We used Helping Nature Heal’s hay bale

technique to build up the shoreline’s defences against erosion

from wave action and stormwater run-off, and give new plants a

chance to build strong root systems and contribute to the stability

of the shoreline.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Presented to municipal councils, municipal planners, and the

Atlantic Mayors congress about policy options for climate

change adaptation in the coastal zone, and on freshwater

policies in the region, at a UPEI Symposium called Currents:

Regional Perspectives on Water.

• Built support among businesses, local politicians, and residents

for daylighting the Sawmill River in Dartmouth.

• Transitioned Project Groundswell to an entirely volunteer-run

groundwater monitoring program.


EnergyClimate change inevitably impacts all of us. The Energy Action

Team inspires Nova Scotians to prosper in a future that is free

of fossil fuels, where energy is used as efficiently as possible.

Through education, consultation and advocacy with the public and

government, we work for a just transition into this future.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Community Energy Campaigner: Stephen Thomas (from Feb. 2016)

Energy Coordinator: Catherine Abreu

Energy Efficiency Coordinator: Emma Norton

• Brought strong representation from our Energy Action Team to

the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP21, in

Paris: Catherine Abreu, Stephen Thomas, and Jayde Tynes.

• Completed Energy Management Plans for 15 non-profit

organizations from around Nova Scotia and developed

a toolkit to help non-profits overcome financial barriers to

investing in energy efficiency, through a continued partnership

with EfficiencyOne.

• Continued pushing for a price on carbon in Nova Scotia,

and hosted a successful Carbon Pricing Forum that brought

together leaders from business, civil society, First Nations, and

academia to discuss what a made-in-Nova Scotia approach

to carbon pricing might look like.

• Brought together 33 sustainable energy and climate

thought-leaders from the Maritime Provinces through the

Charlottetown Initiative on the Maritimes’ Sustainable Energy

Transition, to discuss the opportunities for a just transition to a

sustainable energy economy in our region.

• Together with many community members and businesses,

successfully advocated for a strong budget for EfficiencyOne

to continue its important work reducing electricity

consumption in Nova Scotia.

• Entered into an international partnership project, SECURE

(Smarter Energy Community in Northern and Arctic Regions)

with representatives from Faroe Islands, Finland, Ireland,

Sweden and United Kingdom. During this 3 year project, the

EAC will be advising the communities looking to improve their

energy use through efficiency and renewables, using lessons

learned from projects and policies in Atlantic Canada.

THE CHARLOTTETOWN INITIATIVE

Our Energy Action Team convened the Charlottetown Initiative

on the Maritimes’ Sustainable Energy Transition, which took

place on February 18th & 19th, 2016. The Initiative provided an

avenue for sustainable energy and climate thought-leaders

from Nova Scotia, PEI, and New Brunswick to contemplate the

regional implications of, and opportunities offered by, the recent

UN climate negotiations in Paris, and the election of a federal

government committed to a new model of climate action

in Canada.

Participants agreed to continue to work together through an

informal network that will share resources and seek opportunities

to support the ongoing transition to a sustainable energy

economy in the Maritimes.

As a network, we hold that the Maritimes’ energy transition must

satisfy the social, environmental and financial dimensions of

sustainability. As such, we consider it important that as we build

a 100% renewable energy system in the coming decades, we

do so in a way that strengthens our local communities and First

Nations by providing opportunities for local jobs and community

ownership, and by addressing energy poverty and impacts of

industrial transitions on workers.

HIGHLIGHTS


FoodOur mission is to increase individual and collective food access and

self-reliance in Nova Scotia. We aim to support our community

in developing more environmentally and economically sustainable

ways of growing, purchasing, processing and consuming locally

produced foods. We do so by fostering food action and activism,

re-valuing local food and farmers, food skills training and education,

and engaging in food policy.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Our Food Project: Aaron Shantz, Aimee Carson, Amanda MacInnis (June-

Sept. 2015), Jennifer Organ (from Sept. 2015), Laura Pugsley (June-Aug. 2015),

Marla MacLeod (on leave from Apr. 2015), Mikaela Henderson (summer

2015), Miranda Cobb, Will Hill (until Aug. 2015), Georgia McNeil, Heather

Tulloch (Oct. 2015-Jan. 2016), Satya Ramen (from June 2015), Su Morin,

Vanessa Glasby (Oct.-Dec. 2015)

Good Food First: Laura Mather (until Dec. 2015)

Community Conservation Research Network: Sadie Beaton (from Apr. 2015),

Tiffanie Rainville (until Apr. 2015)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Together with community partners, built 13 new

community gardens and expanded 13 existing

gardens.

• Ran 279 interactive workshops for 2,168 participants

about gardening, seasonal cooking, and preserving,

to further build food skills in the community, at 18

partner sites spanning Cape Breton, Cumberland

County, Halifax, and southeast New Brunswick.

• Supported 20 food distribution projects, including

the on-farm market stand at Common Roots

Urban Farm, the third annual Cost-Share CSA in

Cumberland County, the Pan Cape Breton Food

Hub, and multiple good food box programs in New

Brunswick.

• Raised awareness and created dialogue about

the need for strong, comprehensive national food

policy, to guide a coordinated and integrated

approach to managing Canadian food systems for

social, environmental and economic health.

• Provided leadership to a variety of coalitions and

alliances working on regionally based food systems.

We supported municipal food policy work and

cross-sectoral action with groups including the

Halifax Food Policy Alliance, Cumberland Food

Action network and the Cape Breton Food Security

Network.

• With the Community Conservation Research

Network (CCRN), created a toolkit on “Community-

Based Participatory and Developmental Evaluation

Approaches,” to help non-profit organizations

learn from the work of the Our Food Project about

how to use evaluation tools more effectively for

documentation and project improvement.

Community gardens have a significant positive impact on my life and in my community; they are an amazing place to meet friends and eat healthy.

of our partners say the

impact of their project or

organization has increased

because of Our Food Project.

THE OUR FOOD PROJECT

of partners say knowledge of food security in communities

has increased.

of workshop participants

say they eat more vegetables and fruit because of Our Food

Project.

Learning from OFP has helped me grow as a garden educator. Knowing that I have their support and access to their resources gives me confidence to take on bigger projects.


MarineWe work locally, nationally and internationally towards

protecting the marine ecosystem and maintaining sustainable

fisheries, which support vibrant coastal communities.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

GM Salmon Campaign Coordinator: Calinda Brown (from Mar. 2016)

Marine Campaign Coordinator: Katie Schleit

Marine Communications Campaigner: Heather Grant

Marine Conservation Coordinator: Susanna Fuller

Marine Conservation Officer: Chelsey Karbowski (from Aug. 2015)

Marine Policy Coordinator: Catharine Grant (until Dec. 2015),

Shannon Arnold (from Jan. 2016)

Sustainable Fisheries Campaigner: Justin Cantafio

Sustainable Seafood Coordinator: Colleen Turlo (from Jan. 2016),

David Adler (until Oct. 2015), Rob Johnson (until Jan. 2016)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Continued our work on local and sustainable seafood promotion:

nationally through SeaChoice retailer partnerships, and regionally

through institutional procurement and local promotion of

trap-caught shrimp, hook-and-line groundfish and dive-caught

scallops.

• Successfully convened a video monitoring workshop to increase

data collection from fishing vessels, with 80 participants from the

fishing industry, government and non-government organizations.

• Engaged with Canadian government on multiple policy issues

including transparency, “fins attached” policy and species at

risk protection for sharks, Fisheries Act revisions, and Aquaculture

Activity Regulation, as examples.

• Together with other organizations, advocated for and

achieved a commitment from the federal government to

meet the Aichi Target of protecting 10% of Canada’s marine

environment by 2020.

• Represented Canadian civil society at international fisheries

meetings including ICCAT, NAFO and the United Nations on

protecting fish stocks and advocating for biodiversity on the

high seas.

• Continued active and substantive engagement in a variety of

coalitions including the Green Budget Coalition, SeaChoice,

Deep Sea Conservation Society and High Seas Alliance.

• Engaged stakeholders in Marine Stewardship Council

Certifications, where we worked towards ensuring that

certifications lead to conservation measures in Canadian fisheries.

• Raised public awareness about the threat of genetically modified

salmon to wild Atlantic Salmon. Joined 10 organizations in the US

in filing a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for

approving genetically modified salmon for human consumption,

and continued our Canadian legal challenge.

MISSING THE SAFETY NET

In partnership with the University of Victoria, our Marine Action

Team published Missing the Safety Net, a report on the failure of

the Canadian government to adequately protect at risk marine

fish species with concrete recommendations for improved

protection.

The average time

these species spend

under consideration

for listing is

during which time, there is no requirement for additional measures to be put into place

to ensure the species doesn’t

decline further.

Marine fish species that are more at risk of disappearing are

actually less likely to be listed under the Species at Risk Act.

ENDANGERED THREATENED SPECIAL CONCERN

DENIED

LISTED

DENIED

LISTEDLISTED

DENIED

More at risk Less at risk

Most marine fish species that are

at risk of extinction are under consideration for protection with

no decision yet made.DENIED

LISTED

AWAITINGDECISION


TransportationWe believe in a future in which making sustainable transportation

decisions is easy. We work to encourage more province-wide

options and increased investment in sustainable transportation such

as walking, cycling, public transit, and car- or ride-sharing, so that

people of all ages and physical capacities will have real, sustainable,

and healthy options to get to everywhere they need to go in Nova Scotia.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Bike Again: Volunteer-run

Making Tracks and Welcoming Wheels: Adam Berry and Julian West

Municipal Active Transportation: Janet Barlow (until Oct. 2015)

School Travel Planning: Natalia Diaz-Insense (until June 2015),

Stephanie Johnstone-Laurette (until June 2015)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Successfully supported the implementation of an Active

Transportation Charter in Halifax Regional School Board, to be

released later in 2016.

• Distributed 2,500 1-Metre Rule car magnets across Nova Scotia

which allow motorists to display their commitment to sharing

the road with cyclists.

• Delivered Making Tracks active transportation training

programs to more than 3,000 youth and children across NS

– a 40% increase over the previous year – developing skills,

confidence, and safety among participants.

• Delivered a study of Making Tracks participants across 4

schools, which found an increase in student bike trips by 25%

after taking part in the program. The study was conducted in

support of the Province’s THRIVE strategy to reduce obesity

and sedentary behaviour in children and youth.

• Helped support the implementation of the HALIFAX

Try-A-Ride mobile bike, skate and scooter unit.

WELCOMING WHEELS

Many refugee families and other newcomers to Canada have

limited access to transportation due to economic challenges.

These challenges can inhibit basic travel to/from work, school,

appointments and other places. The simple act of riding a

bicycle increases transportation independence and is the most

economical, efficient, desired and easiest way for people to get

around – not to mention the health benefits.

The Welcoming Wheels program provided free bicycles,

safety equipment and cycling education for Syrian refugee

families. Throughout the winter of 2015, a group of dedicated

EAC volunteers spent their Friday nights repairing 175 donated

bikes, and the first batch were given out in the springtime. The

project was a collaboration between the EAC, Immigrant Services

Association of Nova Scotia, Halifax Cycling Coalition, Cyclesmith,

and Halifax Recreation.

I feel like maybe we’re helping some people who’ve come from a difficult situation, find a little bit more freedom and happiness in their life.

-Adam Berry


Our Wilderness Team celebrated a huge advancement in Nova

Scotia’s Protected Areas Network this year with the designation of

over 100 new protected Wilderness Areas and Nature Reserves as

a direct result of our ongoing Public Lands Campaign.

WildernessWe work for better forestry, less clearcutting, and a network

of legally protected wilderness areas to help protect Nova

Scotia’s wildlife and our naturally diverse Acadian Forest.

PROJECTS AND STAFF

Bird Conservation Committee: Meredith Flannery (from June 2015),

Patti Green (from Nov. 2015)

Forestry Program Coordinator: Matt Miller

Wilderness Coordinator: Raymond Plourde

HIGHLIGHTS

• Advocated strongly for the closure of Nova Scotia Power’s

biomass electricity plant in Port Hawkesbury and celebrated

the end of the must-run legislation for the facility, which

will result in the plant running approximately 50% less, and

therefore burning less of our forest as a costly, carbon-intensive

source of electricity.

• Celebrated the designation of over 100 new protected

Wilderness Areas and Nature Reserves in Nova Scotia.

• Successfully counteracted a large lobbying effort by ATV users

for increased Off-Highway Vehicle access in new and existing

protected Wilderness Areas.

• Co-hosted forest education programs at Otter Ponds

Demonstration Forest near Mooseland, including a field visit

from the Halifax Young Naturalists Club, a biota survey, and a

boundary line workshop for woodlot owners.

• Helped organize and participated in the Forestry Lab, a social

lab platform that aims to foster collaboration and innovation

in Nova Scotia’s forestry sector.

• Took leadership in helping to reduce the impact that free-

roaming cats have on birds in the Maritimes. We gained the

support of 49 new vets or vet clinics and 13 animal rescue

groups, and expanded our network with 150 new cat-owning

members. We increased understanding of the impact of free-

roaming cats on birds via a Halifax-wide survey and 3 local

focus groups, 12 cats wearing critter-cam or GPS units, and a

variety of educational events.

PROTECTED AREAS

The new Rogues Roost Wilderness Area near Halifax – one of 100 new protected areas established in Nova Scotia this year.

In total over 350,000 acres of

high conservation value lands were

protected in 2015, representing

2.6% of the provincial landmass.

Nova Scotia is now #3 in the

country after BC and Alberta with

a current total of 12.26% of the

province in legal protection.

Moving forward, we will continue

to advocate for the legal

protection of the remaining areas

identified in the provincial Parks

and Protected Areas Plan.

90 sites in all, totaling

over 237,000 hectares.

STILL LEFT TO PROTECT

Built Environment $53K

$484KFood

$425KMarine

$143KTransportation

$163K

Coastal & Water

$180K Wilderness

$102K Energy

$68K Core Projects

Project expenses by action area

24.7%

NGOs

6.9%Donations

1.6%OtherExpense Recoveries 0.4%

38.4%

Government

28%

Foundations and Private Organizations

Project funding sources

Financing for Renovations

43.5%

Mortgage& Loans

35.6%

Capital Campaign

9%

Bequests

8.8%

EAC Contributions

3.1%Grants

* Total project costs as of May 31, 2016, including applicable HST

RENOVATION COSTS*

Design & Planning

Construction

Logistics & Temp Space

TOTAL

$66K

$683K

$93K

$842K


Financial Report The 2015-16 year was a dynamic one from a financial

perspective, partially shaped by the renovations of the EAC

office building. Strong growth in membership revenues and

our own form of austerity for operations spending helped

the organization finish the fiscal year in a solid financial

position, ending with a surplus of $12,271.

The EAC made a significant investment in its Fern Lane

property, which will benefit staff, volunteers and the

community for many years to come. The total cost of

the renovation was $842,620, with 99.5% of the spending

complete by March 31, 2016. Debt financed 43.5% of the

project, with the balance of the funding coming from

donations, grants and EAC contributions.

This summary of financial information has been extracted

from the Ecology Action Centre’s audited financial

statements for the year ended March 31, 2016. These

statements have been prepared in accordance with

Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit

organizations (ASNPO). The audit was completed by Grant

Thornton LLP. Audited financial statements are available to

view online at www.ecologyaction.ca/annual-report

Andrew J. Murphy, CPA, CA, Board Treasurer

Carla Vandenberg, Financial Director

Fern Lane Renovation

http://www.ecologyaction.ca/annual-report


Statement of Operations Statement of Financial Position

REVENUE 2016 2015 Project revenue 1,618,172 1,496,792

Admin (contribution fr projects) 170,334 174,957

Capital contribution 23,858 9,194

Donations 116,594 101,842

Fundraising events 35,266 38,103

Interest on savings & misc 10,453 11,202

Magazine (Ecology & Action) 2,660 2,575

Memberships 429,334 347,502

Operating expense recoveries 44,313 47,430

Space rental 5,873 -

TOTAL REVENUE 2,456,857 2,229,597

Year Ended March 31 Year Ended March 31

EXPENSES 2016 2015 Project expenses 1,618,172 1,496,792

Bad debt - 180

Bank, credit card & payroll fees 17,389 15,753

Communications 8,134 5,796

Database and computer support 16,630 21,384

Depreciation 26,391 12,588

Equipment lease 3,873 4,863

Fundraising events 23,751 19,392

Insurance 15,650 12,831

Magazine (Ecology & Action) 20,514 22,085

Membership materials 2,582 4,302

Miscellaneous 10,186 9,629

Office 26,323 14,330

Power, water, telephone 7,655 10,900

Professional fees & consulting 11,411 16,215

Project contributions 6,450 14,600

Property financing 10,764 2,814

Property taxes & maintenance 13,111 15,643

Staff wages & benefits 554,127 521,737

Space rental 21,934 -

Subscriptions & memberships 7,203 2,762

Travel 6,364 4,934

Write-down of property 15,972 -

Write-down of surplus land - 20,000

TOTAL EXPENSES 2,444,586 2,249,530

EXCESS OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES

12,271 (19,933)

ASSETS 2016 2015Current

Cash & cash equivalents 576,554 750,650

Receivables 87,564 78,236

Prepaids 72,157 6,260

736,275 835,146

Property & equipment 998,675 335,804

TOTAL ASSETS 1,734,950 1,170,950

LIABILITIES 2016 2015Current

Payables & accruals 124,812 96,152

Deferred project revenue 668,254 697,578

Deferred admin revenue 4,800 -

Current portion of

mortgage payable15,001 44,869

812,867 838,599

Long-term

Deferred capital contributions 348,930 184,165

Mortgage payable 412,696 -

761,626 184,165

Surplus

Operating deficit (142,536) (27,258)

Investment in capital assets 222,047 106,769

Reserve fund 80,946 68,675

160,457 148,186

TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,734,950 1,170,950


Our FundersGenerous monetary and in-kind contributions from foundations,

organizations, business and individuals like you have helped the

Ecology Action Centre immensely over the past year.

You enable us to do the valuable work that we do. Thank you!

SUSTAINABILITY ALLIES:

Bonnymans’ Wild BlueberriesGarrison Brewery Co.Helping Nature Heal Inc.Innovative Real EstateJust Us! Coffee Roasters Co-opLaughing Whale Coffee RoastersMother’s PizzaMountain Equipment Co-opP’Lovers Environmental StoreTEAL Architects

BUILT ENVIRONMENTArmview Grill Co Ltd.Downtown Halifax Business CommissionFergusons Cove Neighbourhood

AssociationFive Bridges Wilderness Heritage TrustHalifax Field NaturalistsMountain Equipment Co-opNova Scotia Department of Labour

and Advanced Education – Student Summer Skills Incentive

Sage Environmental ProgramSt Margaret’s Bay Stewardship

AssociationThe Backlands CoalitionThe J W McConnell Family FoundationWilliams Lake Conservation CompanyWoodens River Watershed Environmental

OrganizationIndividual donors

COASTAL & WATER Canoe Kayak Nova ScotiaÉcole acadienne de TruroMountain Equipment Co-opNova Scotia Environment – Climate

Adaptation FundNova Scotia Health AuthoritySage Environmental ProgramSitka FoundationThe Pitu’paq PartnershipUniversity of Waterloo – Intact InsuranceIndividual donors

ENERGY Climate Action Network – Reseau Action

Climate CanadaEcho FoundationEfficiencyOne New Venture Fund Individual donors

FOODFreeman’s Little New YorkNova Scotia Department of Labour

and Advanced Education – Student Summer Skills Incentive

Nova Scotia Department of SeniorsPublic Health Agency of CanadaRural Communities Foundation of Nova

ScotiaService Canada – Canada Summer JobsYMCA of Greater TorontoIndividual donors

MARINE Atlantic Salmon FederationBend Beauty Canadian Environmental Assessment

AgencyCenter for Food SafetyDeep Sea Conservation CoalitionDonner Canadian FoundationEcho FoundationEnvironment Canada – Habitat

Stewardship Program for Species at RiskEnvironment Canada – Science HorizonsFood & Water WatchGreenpeace CanadaLushNova Scotia Co-op CouncilPackard FoundationPew Charitable TrustsSage Environmental ProgramThe J W McConnell Family FoundationToronto Foundation – The Griggs Family

FoundationWWF CanadaIndividual donors

TRANSPORTATION Halifax Regional MunicipalityMountain Equipment Co-op Nova Scotia Department of Transportation

and Infrastructure RenewalNova Scotia Ramblers Bicycle ClubRegional Municipality of YorkIndividual donors

WILDERNESS Echo FoundationEnvironment Canada – EcoActionEnvironment Canada – Habitat

Stewardship Program for Species at RiskFederation of Nova Scotia NaturalistsNova Scotia Bird SocietyPatagoniaSage Environmental ProgramThe Schad FoundationIndividual donors

FERN LANE EXPANSIONEfficiency Nova ScotiaHalifax Regional Municipality

Communities GrantNova Scotia Department of Community

Services – Community ACCESS-AbilityIndividual donors

GENERAL PROJECTSBullfrog PowerFraser & Hoyt InsuranceIvey FoundationSaint Mary’s University Environmental SocietyScotiabankSocial Sciences and Humanities Research

Council through the Saint Mary’s University Community Conservation Research Network

Trubador FoundationIndividual donors


Our Board

Many thanks to our Annual Report photographers: Irwin Barrett, Raymond

Plourde, Ian Smith, Miranda Cobb, Maggy

Burns, Jennifer West, Katie Nakaska,

Phoebe Owen, Emma Boardman, Shuo

Wang, Tristan Glen and many more!

Grant MacDonald – Co-Chair

Candace Stevenson – Co-Chair

Luke Pelot – Secretary

Mitchell Rhodes – Treasurer

Patrick Meslin – Built Environment Representative

Karen Traversy – Coastal & Water Representative

Jacob Thompson – Energy Representative

Louise Hanavan – Food Representative

Meinhard Doelle – Marine Representative

Sean Gillis – Transportation Representative

Kris MacLellan – Wilderness Representative

Michael Karanicolas – Member at Large

Ingrid Waldron – Member at Large

Aaron Ward – Member at Large

2705 Fern Lane | Halifax, NS | B3K 4L3

www.ecologyaction.ca

P. 902-429-2202F. 902-405-3716

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled

paper, processed chlorine-free.

Documents

Annual Report 2015/16 - Ecology Action 2016 Annual R… · | 2015/16 Annual Report 7 Energy Climate change inevitably impacts all of us. The Energy Action Team inspires Nova Scotians