Newly released project management guidance promises to help local governments and community-based proponents deploy their community energy and climate action plans. Two Canadian environmental advocacy groups, Pollution Probe and QUEST Canada, have developed a six-step framework for setting priorities, identifying stakeholders and needed resources and building partnerships.

The developers of the framework suggest it could help local groups overcome some of the challenges of translating visionary documents, which may be contingent on policies and measures that are outside their control, into a workable program for change. They recommend focusing resources on the initiatives that have strong support and will provide substantial benefits to the community.

“Communities are at the forefront of the net-zero energy transition, and they are stepping up through their community energy plans and climate action plans. This new framework will help them bring all stakeholders together to more effectively realize their plans,” says Richard Carlson, director of energy with Pollution Probe.

The City of Burlington, Ontario, has signed on as a pilot community to give it a try. The framework and accompanying worksheets was developed with funding from Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).