SCAN! KINGSTON
Who We Are …
The Kingston SCAN! group held its first meeting in late November. A couple of dozen of us assembled at The Spire, a community centre cum United Church downtown. We soon got wind of the imminent arrival of Steve Clark in town. Doug Ford’s Municipal Affairs Minister is the hatchet man for Bill 23, the attack on wetlands, Conservation Authorities and so much else. He was scheduled to help cut the ribbon on a new bridge.
Together with other locals outraged by the Ford government’s ongoing efforts to fry the planet, we showed up on a lovely sunny day at the venue. Clark didn’t. Our rally is pictured on the SCAN! homepage.
We also helped organize a January 21 rally at Clark’s Brockville office. The Kingston & District Labour Council generously offered to subsidize a bus from Kingston.
Future plans include a sub-committee to plan protests against the Royal Bank. Several of our members have already joined Queen’s students in a sidewalk action (much chalking) in from of the RBC’s main Kingston branch. The headline ran CLIMATE ACTIVISTS CONFRONT FOSSIL FUEL FRIENDLY BANKER. For more details …
SCAN! Kingston Stands Up for the Planet
SCAN! Kingston turns up the heat on City Hall
Under a heat warning, the chapter hosted a press conference at Kingston City Hall. The City supported SCAN’s request to have July 15 proclaimed “Extreme Heat Awareness Day.”
To find out what the media reported, click the buttons below.
to read The Whig’s account of the event
to watch Global TV’s news segment
Renting in a Heatwave? What Landlords Owe Tenants
The heat is killing us. Christopher Logstrup tells us what we can do.
To view his powerful and informative video
Here's what June looked like for SCAN! Kingston
June was a busy month for SCAN! Kingston. Our members were also instrumental in bringing together a number of groups to support the 350 Canada National Day of Action.
Earth Fest
The People’s MOU Day of Action
Kingston Climate Summit
And The People’s MOU Day of Action made the news!
to read The Whig’s account of the event
to hit PLAY and hear frequencynews.ca’s interview with SCAN! Kingston’s Tara Kainer
to watch Global TV’s news segment
Here’s what’s we’ve been working on lately …
SCAN! Kingston developed a petition and a leaflet opposing the Liberal government’s planned expansion of LNG and gathered close to 100 signatures on the first day. We will keep the pressure on MP Gerretsen and the federal Liberals, adding large graphics to increase their visibility with petitioning and leafleting.
For Earthfest, we will have at our table a postcard we created, a map with municipal councillors, a list of 10 climate issues that people can prioritize, and a list of municipal councillors who have declared their candidacy. We will deliver those post cards to City Hall.
Here’s what happens when we take action …
A win to celebrate:
Kingston City Council passed a pilot program to provide free air-conditioner units to low-income Kingstonians after a SCAN! Kingston member spoke in favour of the program.
The ultimate goal: a bylaw that mandates a maximum temperature for every rental unit in Kingston.
One more to win:
SCAN! Kingston worked with Kingston Climate Justice Coalition and a number of local groups on the issue of the expansion of city boundaries to protect their natural heritage. To delay the decision, they presented a petition to Council with 550 signatures. They argued for the need to know the full environmental and financial implications.
To read Kingstonist‘s account
To read The Whig‘s account
Rallying and then Relaxing in Kingston /March 20, 2026
On March 20, Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!) and the Kingston Health Coalition (KHC) held a joint rally at MP Mark Gerretsen’s office as part of nationwide campaigns to demand climate justice and the enforcement of the Canada Health Act. About 30 people participated, chanting “money for healthcare, not for war; money for climate action, not for oil”. Ross Sutherland spoke on behalf of the KHC, and Nancy Nicol spoke on behalf of SCAN!.
Click HERE to read the account of the action in The Kingston Whig Standard..
To learn more about SCAN!'s Community Resilience and Resistance Campaign
Announcing Our Presence with Authority
As part of SCAN!’s Community Resilience and Resistance Campaign, SCAN! Kingston members and supporters held spirited rallies at MP Mark Gerretsen’s office on November 11 and December 12. There were great turnouts, and folks gathered afterwards to share refreshment and conversation.
To read the report on the December 12 our rally by The Kingston Whig Standard, click HERE.
To learn more about SCAN!’s Community Resilience and Resistance Campaign, click HERE.
SCAN! Kingston's New Column in The Kingston Crow
Click the links below to read our first three pieces in “Environment Watch.”
November 28/Environment Watch: Is Ford’s Bill 68 the end of local conservation authorities? by Maury Breslow.
December 12/Environment Watch: Kingston must act more urgently to prevent deaths from rising temperatures by Tara Kainer
January 2/Environment Watch: A litany of climate initiatives abandoned by Nancy Nicol (NOTE: this article will shortly also be on The SCAN! Blog.
Draw the Line National Day of Action
In Kingston, 300 people came together to Draw the Line for People, for Peace, for the Planet on September 20. An intergenerational crowd paraded through community streets from Victoria Park to McBurney Park, where there were speakers and an Indigenous drumming circle. Chris Gusen (350 Canada and Kingston Climate Justice Coalition) spoke about the Draw the Line goals: “We reject the Carney agenda and demand that the Canadian government prioritize our communities over billionaires…The government needs to pick a side: injustice, violence, and climate destruction — or a just and safe future for all of us.”
Participants chanted and carried banners and signs calling to end to the genocide in Gaza and supporting migrant and Indigenous rights, climate action, and economic justice, including striking OPSEU workers from St. Lawrence College. The event was organized by a small organizing team that included SCAN! members with climate, economic justice, and Palestinian leaders in the community. There was an atmosphere of enthusiasm and a lot of interest to continue the cross-movement organizing of the Draw the Line Coalition. 100 people signed up to stay involved with Draw the Line.
Draw the Line.
For People. For Peace. For the Planet.
Draw The Line is a world-wide movement to build a just and livable planet. Join SCAN! Kingston for the People-Powered Parade on Saturday, September 20. Groups across the country are uniting for Indigenous rights, migrant rights, economic justice, climate justice, and peace. This nation-wide mobilization coincides with the opening of Parliament.
Click HERE to get more details and download and share the ‘explainer.’
Click each image to view, download, and share the flyer/poster.
Celebrating Labour Day 2025
On Monday, September 1, we participated in Labour Day events in Kingston, which were held in a local park with a march to city hall. SCAN! had an information table and participated in the Labour Day parade with our SCAN! banner. We handed out leaflets for Draw the Line, and gathered a page of contacts.
National Seniors Day for Climate Action
On October 1, the Seniors for Climate event at Confederation Park started at 2:00 pm with a community fair, followed by a rally from 3:00-5:00pm. There was a packed program of 4 fabulous musicians (Abby Miolèe; Kathyrn Nemcsok; Spencer Evans and Charly Chiarelli), six speakers (Nancy Nicol, SCAN!); Abby Miolèe (youth climate activist); Sister Pauline Lally (Providence Centre for Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation); Dr. Henry Swoboda (Kingston General Hospital); Chris Gusen (350.org and Kingston Climate Justice Coalition); and Claire Genest, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Queen’s U); and a performance by the Furies. Nancy Bayly (SCAN!, 350 Kingston, and New Climate Stories) was the MC.
Read the Mayor’s Proclamation of Seniors for Climate Day
To find out more about this inspiring event
Interested in joining our movement? Become a SCAN! member today!
Taking It to the Streets
On July 24, SCAN! members set up a table on the Princess Street Promenade. The meter-tall fire hydrant emblazoned with the message “We’re on Fire” was made by Nancy Bayly of SCAN! Kingston. The photo was taken by Justine Scala, co-owner of Minotaur, a prominent downtown retailer. Kathleen O’Hara and Jamie Swift were among the dozen SCAN! volunteers who took our message to the streets
SCAN! Kingston Shows Up
Earth Day
A chilly and windy day didn’t dampen the spirit as SCAN! members gathered for Earth Day on April 20–21 with a number of local climate and Indigenous groups in a city park. We handed out windmills to children, gathered signatures on our petition for a temperature bylaw, and signed up people to stay in touch with SCAN! activities.
Fossil Fools Day
On April 6, SCAN! Kingston organized our second annual Fossil Fools Day in front of RBC, in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders, to demand that RBC to stop funding the Coastal Gas Link pipeline. Other climate activist groups and Indigenous singer/drummers Leslie St. Pierre and Yessica Rivera Belsham (Ollin.ca) joined us. See the coverage by Global News Kingston HERE. View the SCAN! Kingston video HERE.
Kingston Takes Action!
We won! Motion to uphold the Ontario Energy Board ruling on Enbridge passed by Kingston City Council.
SCAN! Kingston has been busy!
To read the report prepared by Nancy Nicol
To read the letter to Kingston City Council
To hear some of the presentations, click the names below
Robert MacInnes (350-Kingston)
To read the article on the front page of The Kingston Whig Standard
Want to know what some SCAN! members in Kingston think about RBC’s involvement in the oil and gas industry?
Click on each image to see the video!
ALAN
JUDI
DAVE
GAVIN
VICKI
JAMIE
Power Up Kingston!
December 1, 2023
To read the media release
As world leaders gathered at COP28 in Dubai, members and supporters of Seniors for Climate Action Now! Kingston gathered at RBC on December 1. Taking part in the Power Up month of global actions, we drew attention to the outrageous profits of the fossil fuel companies and the banks that finance them, with the biggest being RBC. We focused on how that money could be much better spent if directed instead toward renewable energy.
Our Parade of Windmills to City Hall caught the attention of the local TV station. The colourful handmade toy windmills symbolized wind power, as well as the fight for a better future for the world’s children.
Speaker Aric McBay raised the municipal successes against gas plants in Kingston and Loyalist Township. Around 40 people took part.
The date in December was chosen at the suggestion of the Power Up organizers, 350.org, in order not to conflict with the Palestinian Solidarity demo on November 4. This decision led to a good discussion about the intersections between militarism, war and the climate crisis.
“Kingstonians of all ages gather for climate rallies”
Global News Reports on the Rally
A “Sidewalk Sale”!
On September 9, SCAN! Kingston ran a booth at a student-organized “sidewalk sale” attended by thousands. Our reception was overwhelmingly positive. Pictured are SCAN! volunteers Nancy Bayly (she did the artwork, including the giant fire extinguisher marked “There is no planet B” ), Jamie Swift (holding one of Nancy’s signs), Judi Wyatt (with the indispensable duct tape), and Dave Wyatt (watching Judy). Photos by Pamela Cornell.
Labour Day 2023!
SCAN! Kingston had an information table, handed out SCAN! flyers, took signatures for the CP postcards, distributed posters for the Sept. 15 Global Climate Strike, and got signatures on the petition calling for a ‘bold emissions cap’ from local MP Mark Gerretsen. It was a very positive experience and great outreach to local labour groups and representatives.
Canada is Burning/Day of Action, June 28
Here’s what happened in Kingston!
to read SCAN!’ Kingston’s invitation to the Mayor and City Council
to read a letter on environmental policy from Kyla Tienhaara, Queen’s University
to read a full account of the day’s activities
Three Photos by Martine Bresson
And see what the local press had to say …
WINE AND CHEESE–AND 13 NEW MEMBERS!
SCAN! Kingston’s Membership Action Group hosted an “Each One Bring One” Wine and Cheese on May 16. This was an opportunity for our members to bring potential allies to an informal event at which they could meet interesting people and learn about SCAN!. Despite cool, windy weather about 25 people attended and 13 people signed up as new SCAN! members. We also used this opportunity to announce several upcoming events and brainstorm creative actions to use during our RBC protests.
April 1 was “Fossil Fools Day,” and SCAN! Kingston members did themselves proud!
What did The Kingston Whig Standard have to say about our rally on March 21?
“Approximately 100 people gathered outside a downtown bank over the lunch hour to protest investment in the oil and gas sector.”
To read Jamie Swift’s account
To watch the video
SCAN! members in Kingston have written a letter to RBC employees as part of our ongoing mobilization in support of the Wet’suwet’en struggle against the Coastal Gas Link and RBC ties to Big Oil. To view the letter, click the button below.
If you live in or near Kingston and are interested in SCAN!’s organizing against climate breakdown, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: