Youth Are Powering Climate Action Across BC

The YCCBC Squamish team is pictured planting native plants at the Squamish Estuary in partnership with the Squamish River Watershed Society.

British Columbia – June 12th, 2025 – Across British Columbia, young people are stepping into bold leadership as the 2025 season of Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) launches in seven communities: Squamish, Vernon, Courtenay, Alert Bay, Hazelton, West Kootenay, and East Kootenay. With climate impacts accelerating and youth unemployment rising, programs like YCCBC offer a hopeful pathway toward a greener, more resilient future.

YCCBC's active programs in 2025

Now in its fourth year, Youth Climate Corps is a made-in-BC solution to the climate crisis that connects young people with paid, hands-on climate work. In 2024, nearly 50 participants completed over 3,400 paid working days of hands-on climate action, including wildfire mitigation, food sovereignty, and clean energy retrofits. Crews helped reduce wildfire risk across 15.5 hectares in the Kootenays, retrofitted 24 homes in Squamish, restored 2 hectares of bogland in Vancouver, built awa’kwas, which are traditional structures used for cultural practices and cooling in Alert Bay, supported green trades apprenticeships, engaged hundreds through community education, and much more.

This year’s programs build on that impact with a new wave of youth tackling projects shaped by community priorities, from wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem restoration to energy efficiency, traditional ecological knowledge, food sovereignty, and community engagement.

“Our work is driven by local needs and partnerships. We’re deeply grateful to the cities of Courtenay and Vernon, and the District of Squamish; to Wildsight, the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, and ʼNa̱mǥis  First Nation; and to our many funders who make this season possible.” - Natalie Gerum, YCCBC Director of Programs

Interest in YCCBC continues to far exceed current capacity, and the organization is planning for expansion. In its most recent recruitment cycle, YCCBC received 121 applications for just 13 available roles—a 9:1 ratio. This growing demand is prompting plans for a fall 2025 season and a waitlist that now extends into 2026/27.

About Youth Climate Corps BC:

Youth Climate Corps BC is dedicated to supporting youth leadership in driving climate action. Through YCCBC’s programs, we offer paid work and training opportunities that enable young people to develop skills, build community resilience, and contribute to a sustainable future.

Join the movement: youthclimatecorps.com