Employees at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority install a beaver dam bypass to protect dam safety.Supplied
When Max Smith graduated with a PhD in history five years ago, he saw a posting for a funding and grants position at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) that he thought could make use of his experience with grant applications. Smith applied, conducted a research project as part of the hiring process, and got the job.
“Immediately, I was struck by how vast and impressive the work of TRCA is and how much of it I had experienced in my life already,” says Smith, now supervisor, strategic business planning and performance.
TRCA owns and manages over 16,000 hectares of green space in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Its mission is to protect, conserve and restore natural resources, and develop resilient communities through education, the application of science, community engagement, service excellence and collaboration with its partners.
“TRCA employees are motivated to make positive environmental changes,” says CEO John MacKenzie. “Often we take the work we’ve developed for our own offices, fleet or projects and scale it up to export it, working with our partners in the GTA and beyond.”
One example of this is TRCA’s electric vehicle charging (EVC) infrastructure, installed at TRCA facilities over 10 years ago. The conservation authority has since worked with Toronto Pearson airport, all levels of government and private sector employers to extend its expertise with EVC through Partners in Project Green, a community of businesses, government, institutions and utilities leaders advancing best practices for environmental action and economic prosperity across the GTA.
Many TRCA employees have strong technical and scientific backgrounds and are recognized as leaders in their field. Employee innovation and more has been brought to bear on a new administrative office building. The building, which just recently opened, is LEED Platinum 4.1 certified for new construction.
Sustainable aspects of the building include an open loop geo-exchange system that meets 100 per cent of cooling and 89 per cent of heating needs with geothermal energy. And half of the roof surface is a green roof where plants grow, with the rest made up of solar thermal panels, a terrace and a white roof that aids cooling.
TRCA also leads community projects. The conservation authority partners with Hydro One, the City of Toronto and Parks Canada on The Meadoway Project, transforming a hydro corridor in Scarborough into a 16-kilometre stretch of urban green space and meadowland connecting downtown Toronto to Rouge National Urban Park.
When a new project like this begins, or when a major donor, in this case the Weston Family Foundation, commits to a project, Smith and his team look for government or other funding programs to which they might apply to support the work. The funding they bring – sometimes doubling the initial budget – is used to expand and amplify the reach of the project.
This fundraising success, as well as Smith’s willingness to take on new roles, led to his promotion to supervisor of a team of two. “I can see a long-term future for myself here,” says Smith. “I have learning and volunteer opportunities to help fight climate change and a supportive and collegial environment.”
Smith has also been a driver for funding to introduce the next generation to TRCA through the Canada Summer Jobs program. He simplified the application process for his colleagues, who hire just over 500 seasonal employees each year. This work helps TRCA develop a pipeline of future long-term employees from some of the people who start in seasonal positions.
“Our employees are passionate about the environment, and we’ve been able to harness their energy to advance sustainability measures at TRCA and beyond,” says MacKenzie.
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