

This is a time when Canada must harness its community-driven resilience. We’re asking you to share examples of how Canadian communities are responding to the crisis with creativity and imagination. Collective problem-solving and collaboration will be instrumental in how Canada mitigates the local impacts of COVID-19 and creates on-the-ground solutions.
Highlighted Initiatives
WIFF — the Windsor International Film Festival — is Canada’s largest volunteer-run film festival, selling over 43,000 paid tickets in 2019.
In 2020, due to the pandemic, WIFF cancelled its traditional festival and organized a drive-in event called WIFF Under The Stars. Selling out, the event attracted 7,000+ guests to safely enjoy films for adults and families alike.
Calgary to reduce lanes on some roads to help walkers, cyclists keep their distance during COVID-19 pandemic
Calgary’s roads department, in coordination with CEMA, have identified roads where lanes will be reduced with the hope this can give walkers, bikers and other modes more space to be outside, while maintaining social distance. Sections of Elbow Drive and Crowchild Trail will be part of this measure, among other popular walking spots in Calgary
Podcast: Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced that a safe drug supply is coming to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to help with harm reduction during COVID19
Host Alex de Boer gets comment from Trey Helton, Manager of Vancouver’s Overdose Prevention Society and Jonathan Orr, Program Manager for Raincity Housing’s Peer Services. Trey and Jonathan comment on changing conditions in the City’s overdose prevention sites and share their questions about Vancouver’s new safe supply. Podcast: UBC’s CiTR 101.9 FM focused on alternative and locally-based programming
COVID-19: Safe-drug supplies part of package as Vancouver addresses Downtown Eastside
The City’s Community Action Team to help the roughly 20–30% of drug users not connected to the health care system make sure they can access a safe supply. For everyone else, the City is planning for safe supply to be enabled through existing physician relationships, with more details to be announced by the Province.
Artscape collates financial resources and supports to help creatives and creative entrepreneurs in 2020 through COVID19
Artscape knows that COVID-19 is already having a pronounced financial impact on the creative sector. From cancelled performances and festivals to the shuttering and slowdown of storefronts, creatives of all disciplines are facing economic hardships. To help creatives navigate this unprecedented situation, we have compiled a list of financial resources and supports to help creatives and creative entrepreneurs in 2020.
Sprawl Calgary is asking kids to share their own stories of what they’re experiencing right now during COVID-19
Sprawl Kids is posting specific assignments each week in the form of questions. And kids are the journalists! Here’s Sprawl Kids assignment #1: How are you feeling? You can see more on Twitter using hashtag #sprawlkidsyyc.
Sprawl Calgary’s Sam Hester produced a poignant graphic story that reflects on a week of strangeness and rediscovery.
The Sprawl is Calgary pop-up journalism. It’s crowdfunded, ad-free, and made in Calgary— a reinvention of local journalism in tough times
Google doc showing those cities considering or implementing temporary bikeways/Open Streets/Livable Streets as a COVID19 response
Developed by Mike Lydon, to collectively crowdsource details.
Buy gift certificates now…for use later to support local business
Buy Gift Certificates to Support Local Businesses for Greater Victoria’s local, independent businesses for future use
Psychological First Aid
UK-based Psychological First Aid is building a network of psychologists, therapists and counsellors to provide psychological first aid for those impacted by COVID-19
Wemunity Project is an open source system where those who have recovered from COVID-19 can be approved to provide assistance in keeping up critical societal functions.
They are looking for technical skills, domain knowledge and funding. 200+ techies, designers, legal experts and MDs have been mobilized to date – originated in Norway but going global – fast.
Funding to support coronvirus coverage in Canada for freelancers and local newsrooms
The Independent News Challenge is partnering with the Facebook Journalism Project to ensure $1 million fund reaches independent news outlets in Canada.
COVID-19 IMPACT SURVEY
The Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance (GVPTA) is collecting data in order to better understand the impact COVID-19 has had on arts and culture organizations across the province. Aggregate data will be shared with funders, and arts service organizations for regional, provincial, and national reporting.
COVID Disability-Related Resources for Families
Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) will be sharing disability-related resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic on this page, pulled together in one spot for families. New resources will be added as they are developed.
Vancouver Emergency Food Services & Community Supports Map. Updated Daily During COVID-19 Pandemic.
A google doc put together by Limage Media Group that maps emergency food services, supervised consumption sites, handwashing stations, parks and facilities and Downtown East Side facilities
Sprawl Calgary is asking kids to share their own stories of what they’re experiencing right now during COVID-19
Sprawl Kids is posting specific assignments each week in the form of questions. And kids are the journalists! Here’s Sprawl Kids assignment #2: What is something on your street that makes you feel happy right now? Draw a picture of it. You can see more on Twitter using hashtag #sprawlkidsyyc.
Co-working space is holding online versions of their Learning Series and looking for ways to connect virtually.
Roundhouse, an Edmonton-based social enterprise and co-working space is offering “virtual coworking” during COVID-19. As a community hub for entrepreneurs and changemakers, they are rolling out a new suite of online programming “Roundhouse From Home”. They will be offering online versions of our Roundhouse Learning Series, Waffle Wednesday and even daily coworking chats. Check out the full schedule for more information.
Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University holds a webinar on inclusive online engagement through an equity lens.
Creating safe and equitable spaces needs to happen online, just as much as it happens in-person (if not more so). How can we take an equity lens to our online convening? Cicely Belle Blain and Alia Ali, to discuss equity, safety and inclusion in online engagement. This webinar will explore the experience of minority communities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and explore innovations and tips from different communities to create meaningful and respectful online engagement spaces. This interactive session will allow our guests and participants to share their good practices for building equity in online engagement. SFU’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
Links to some of the amazing online communities and resources to offer support and inspire connection during COVID19.
This fulsome list is a living document collected by Vancouver’s SFU’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University
Participedia is a global community sharing knowledge and stories about public participation and democratic innovations
Currently entries are focused on COVID19 responses
Digital inclusion in times of crisis — UK mobile operators give free access to National Health Service websites during COVID19
Digital exclusion goes hand in hand with social, economic and political exclusion. It is also complex: people need the appropriate device, connection, skills, confidence, and motivation as well as the ability to maintain those through changing circumstances.
Virtual care company Maple will provide online COVID-19 (coronavirus) screenings with a live physician to Ontario residents.
The company’s online COVID-19 screening program will be covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). The screening will allow people in Ontario with a valid OHIP card to talk to a physician through audio or video chat about their symptoms and receive advice on whether they need testing or emergency care. The service is aimed to relieve the pressure on overloaded emergency rooms and allow patients to receive screening safely. Maple is also currently offering its virtual clinic software to all Ontario and British Columbia (BC) physicians free of charge amid the outbreak.
Gender and COVID-19 Working Group has developed a google doc of COVID-19 and Gender Resources and Articles
Compiled by Rosemary Morgan, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Alberta Innovation Corridor creates questionnaire to source input from startup and scaleup companies
Survey results will inform decision makers on how to support the innovation ecosystem.
University of Calgary biomedical engineers and scientists join international effort to design modern-day iron lung
Multidisciplinary team works toward creating an emergency pandemic ventilator.
University of Calgary researchers inform City’s COVID-19 pandemic response
Data scientists are tracking the spread of COVID-19 in Alberta and advising on best interventions to flatten the curve.
Startup Calgary: COVID-19 Guidance & Resources
Startup Calgary has created a resource for the start-up community to navigate the impacts of COVID-19.
Toronto, Vancouver look into closing roads to traffic to create space for social distancing
Two of Canada’s most densely populated cities are looking at barring auto traffic from parts of their streets so pedestrians can spread out and maintain the proper distance from each other. Toronto and Vancouver are following the lead of other jurisdictions as officials grapple with how to allow for safe movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to facilitate outdoor respite for people confined to small urban dwellings.
Coordinated effort launched to prevent spread of COVID-19 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
The DTES Response aims to activate community networks to create a stop-gap plan for the urgent needs of the most vulnerable. Right now, the group is mobilizing resources and coordinating operations.
Coalition of small business owners calling on the Canadian government to consider a series of recommendations
SaveSmallBusiness.ca is a grassroots coalition of small businesses across Canada united in their opposition to a debt-forward solution to the COVID-19 economic crisis. Suggestions include bailout plans, wage subsidies, grants, and other non-debt solutions.
Small Business BC (SBBC) provides COVID-19 resources for small business
Resources include digital meetups, business continuity checklists, resources to create a crisis plan and help navigating provincial and federal support
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