October 2026 Highlights

Pepsi Park Encampment,

Off the Grass, Back on the Streets

The pollinator is the connector of ecosystems. EnviroCollective strives to be the connector of communities. Just as pollinators transfer the pollen that allows nature to flourish, ECN shares knowledge, resources, and relationships that help environmental ideas grow into community action.

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October Repair Cafe: 106 Items Get a Second Chance

On October 3, more than 70 people visited our Repair Café at the YWCA. Fifteen volunteers gave over 80 hours to 106 items, from clothing and jewelry to toasters and a 1970s TV. Seventy-two were fully fixed, and many others left with advice or a plan to return. Our Smash Lab: Gadget Guts Workshop also received a donated sound system for kids to take apart. One visitor said: “Thank you, I learned a lot!” Thanks to YWCA Regina for hosting and Affinity Credit Union and City of Regina for sponsoring the program.

University Clothing Swap

On October 9, in partnership with the University of Regina Office of Sustainability, we had a clothing swap hosted at the University of Regina campus. More than 40 people donated clothing in addition to a generous donation from The Log House Thrift Store that allowed us to give everyone 5+ articles of clothing for free. We had 159 attendees that included the University of Regina students, staff, and members of the public. We re-homed 690 articles of clothing, making this event a huge success! Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to reducing textile waste.

Talking Trash (Seriously) with the City of Regina

On October 21, EnviroCollective joined a City of Regina workshop for waste haulers, recyclers and others to shape its Solid Waste Management Plan for the next 25 years. Participants included the City, Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Environment, SK Recycles, Product Care Recycling, University of Regina and Dillon Consulting. We discussed what’s working, where gaps are, and how to keep more out of the landfill.

ECN’s quick-win idea: rescue usable items from the landfill and put them back to work. That means appliance parts for local appliance repair businesses, bikes for inner-city bike repair programs similair to Saskatoons Bridge City Bicycle Coop, and construction materials for Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.

Climate Action Starts with a Conversation

ECN joins the Saskatchewan Community Foundation’s Charity PD Day

On October 29, EnviroCollective Board Chair Rob Deglau co-hosted a “Climate Action Conversation” with Adam Hicks of the Saskatchewan Community Foundation. It was part of the Foundation’s second annual Charity Professional Development Day at the University of Regina’s College Avenue Campus.

Rob shared how ECN became Regina’s climate hub by bringing people together and building on volunteers’ passions. He described how the Repair Café, a recent clothing swap and the Sustainability Expo, a “friendraiser” for sustainability, all grew from the energy of volunteers.

In small groups, participants from charities across the province looked for simple, small-scale climate actions their own organizations could try, and for ways to make climate conversations part of their teams and events.

Heat or Eat? A New Bill Takes On Energy Poverty

Did you know nearly 2 million Canadian households live in energy poverty? Statistics Canada says one in seven has cut back on food or medicine to pay an energy bill. For some, an unpaid bill can be a step toward eviction and homelessness. On October 1, Senator Mary Coyle introduced Bill S-251 to create Canada’s first national framework on energy poverty. It would set national measures, targets and public reporting, require a strategy within two years, and create an advisory council that includes people with lived experience. Efficiency Canada is urging MPs and Senators of all parties to support it. Read more at Efficiency Canada

“…For some, an unpaid bill can be a step toward eviction and homelessness. For the people recently moved out of Pepsi Park, the challenge this winter is even more basic: finding somewhere warm…”

The Little Butterfly with the Big Journey

Did you know monarch butterflies travel 4,000 to 5,000 km each year, from summer homes in Canada to wintering forests in Mexico? Their winter home has been shrinking fast. Between 1996 and 2017, the forest area monarchs covered fell from about 18 hectares to just 2.5. Deforestation, climate change and the loss of native plants have left monarchs listed as endangered in Canada.

How you can help:

• Grow milkweed. It’s the only food monarch caterpillars eat.
• Plant native, pollinator-friendly flowers to fill habitat gaps along their migration route.
• Give a monarch gift. A $25 “Make Way for a Monarch Butterfly” virtual gift from WWF-Canada helps restore monarch habitat and comes with a tax receipt.

Second Life for Hot Tubs

Jonny’s Hot Tub Service has kept hot tubs running for 12 years. About a year and a half ago, the team spotted a bigger opportunity: old hot tubs. Instead of sending yours to the landfill, drop it off with their new division, Jonny’s Hot Tub Sales. They also buy used tubs from across the Prairies. A few become parts, but 95% are rebuilt and resold with a warranty and a brand-new cover in the customer’s choice of colour.

They also give filters a longer life. For $15 each, filters are soaked in a cleaner that loosens dirt and slime, then pressure-washed and dried, ready for reuse instead of the landfill. Read More

Mandla Mthembu: “It’s Not Their Fault. It’s Us.”

If you’ve followed housing issues in Regina this year, you’ve likely seen Mandla Mthembu’s name. A community organizer and spokesperson for the Regina Tenants Union, he calls housing injustice and houselessness “some of the most overt and demanding human rights crises in Regina.” He sees them as connected to poverty, the treatment of Indigenous peoples and climate collapse. When police cleared Pepsi Park, he warned: “Having a hotel tonight, or for a week, doesn’t mean you’re safe.” He doesn’t blame the people in the camp. “It’s not their fault… It’s us. We have to do better as a community.”

Words from the protestors -

• “People who are staying in the camp and people who are advocating on behalf of folks of the camp aren’t being part of those conversations.”
• “We don’t have downstream solutions.”

John Howard Society

Coffee, a Shower and Clean Clothes

Sometimes the biggest help is the simplest: a hot coffee, a shower and clean clothes. At its office at 1801 Toronto Street, the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan has a common area where people can drop in, grab a coffee, take a shower and do their laundry. For people living outdoors or between homes, like those recently moved out of Pepsi Park, these basics restore dignity and make job interviews and appointments easier. The John Howard Society offers prevention, support and advocacy for people at risk of, or involved in, the justice system, working toward fair and humane practices. Call (306) 757-6657 for hours. Learn More Here!

From Caribbean Sunsets to Painted Statement Pieces

Growing up in Grenada, Credell Simeon loved the vibrant sunsets and pristine beaches, but she also saw plastic and glass washing up on the shore. That early awareness sparked her passion for upcycling. Through her Regina brand, csCreatives, she has hosted more than 20 events and workshops since 2023, turning discarded bottles and fabric into art. On November 7, “The Art of Connection: Caribbean Sunsets” invites residents to paint canvas tote bags with repurposed lace and gems, enjoy Caribbean storytelling and reggae, and meet like-minded neighbours. On December 5, guests can create festive glow lights from recycled bottles.

Read Credell's full story here.

Credell Simeon is a Regina-based freelance writer and artist passionate about sustainability and creative expression. She specializes in projects like bottle painting that promote zero-waste living and inspire her community to find beauty in repurposed materials.

The Log House: Thrift with a Purpose

The Log House Thrift Store on Dewdney Avenue is a community non-profit that sells affordable, quality second-hand goods, and every purchase gives back. Proceeds and re-donated items support local groups like the North Central Family Centre, Community Fridges and Carmichael Outreach. The store also gives newcomers work experience through the Open Door Society.

Log House also helped make the October 9 Clothing Swap at the University of Regina a success. A generous donation from the store meant every guest could take home five or more items for free. In all, 159 people came and 690 pieces of clothing found new homes.

Want to help? Volunteer, donate clean and gently used items, buy a membership, join the Board of Directors, or simply shop and spread the word. Find out More

Who Decides When a Camp Comes Down?

When the Pepsi Park encampment was cleared, many asked: who decides, and by what rules? In November 2025, City Council’s Executive Committee created the Community Action Response to Encampments (CARE) Team. Led by the City’s Community Well-being branch, it brings City departments, provincial agencies, health services, outreach workers and an Indigenous community member together. Its job: assess risks and needs, help store belongings, coordinate intake, and close encampments only when a risk assessment calls for it. The report also requested $800,000 for outreach, with an evaluation due by mid-2027.

How it works:

"Council approves the big picture, then City Administration writes the day-to-day rules. Report (EX25-103) gave the CARE Team its direction and left the terms of reference for staff to develop internally.” The team then builds its plan from the tools each partner brings:

• City bylaws on parks and public spaces (Parks, Bylaw Enforcement)
• Fire and life-safety codes (Regina Fire)
• Public health rules (Saskatchewan Health Authority)
• Income and housing programs (Ministry of Social Services)
• Police and outreach policies (Regina Police, Regina Street Team, Co-ordinated Access Regina)
• Provincial law, such as The Cities Act, and the Charter of Rights

The Problem

As a society, we set up rules to live by. Each rule book was written for a specific job. Parks bylaws keep public spaces open to everyone. Fire codes prevent fires. Health rules prevent disease. Income programs cover basic needs. Each one makes sense on its own.

But homelessness doesn’t fit inside any one of them. A person living in a tent is at once a parks issue, a fire risk, a health concern, a social services client, and a neighbour. Each partner can only act within its own rules, so each one deals with part of the person and no one deals with the whole.

That’s how a camp can be cleared “by the book” and people still have nowhere to go. A hotel voucher meets a rule. It isn’t a home. The problem has grown bigger than all the rule books combined, and no single bylaw, program or department was ever designed to solve it.

Until we write rules for the whole problem, and not just its pieces, the same story will repeat in the next park. We have become our own worst enemy, even yours truly. We have a lot more to learn, so stay tuned....

Rob Deglau is Chair of EnviroCollective Network and retired Executive Director of the North Central Community Association, with a background in asset based community development. The views expressed here are his own, shared to encourage community conversation.

Erin Brockovich Takes on Data Centres

Famed environmental advocate Erin Brockovich, whose fight against water contamination inspired the hit movie, has turned her attention to AI data centres. Her new Brockovich Data Center Reporting site maps major U.S. AI and hyperscale data centres, from proposed to operating, and invites residents to report local impacts. Data centres use huge amounts of electricity and water, generate e-waste, strain local infrastructure and create constant noise from cooling systems and generators. The site also offers news, facts and myths, and a noise simulator. As data centre proposals grow across the Prairies, it’s a useful guide to what communities should ask. Visit her website

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Can a Community Make Big Oil Pay for Climate Damage?

Boulder, Colorado, is trying. In 2018, the city and county sued Calgary-based Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil, claiming the companies knew their products fuelled climate change but misled the public for years. Boulder wants the companies to help cover the costs of wildfires, drought and heat. The U.S. Supreme Court heard the companies’ bid to block the case on October 5. Its ruling could decide whether similar lawsuits ever reach trial. Read More

A Very Strong El Niño Is on the Way

A very strong El Niño is on the way. The World Meteorological Organization says there’s a nearly 100% chance it will last through February 2027, peaking near the end of 2026, with effects continuing into next year. Forecasts show above-normal temperatures across almost all land areas and more extreme weather. On the Prairies, El Niño often means a milder, drier winter. “We have no time to lose,” says WMO’s Celeste Saulo.

Read More Here

The “Doomsday Glacier” Is Running Out of Time

Antarctica’s Thwaites “Doomsday Glacier,” the size of Florida, is losing ice faster than expected. New research suggests it could come loose from the seafloor as early as 2038, and will keep losing ice for at least 150 years. Its ice could raise sea levels by about 60 cm. Scientists say every fraction of a degree matters: cutting emissions buys time. Read More Here

Building Canada, Without the Pipeline

Is nation-building only about pipelines? Climate Action Network Canada says no. Its Yes Agenda maps 110 clean energy and transmission projects across Canada, from wind and hydro to geothermal and battery storage. Saskatchewan’s entry is a first-ever link between its northern and southern grids. “A different approach to nation-building is not hypothetical but is already under way,” the report says.Explore the map:yesagenda.ca · Read More Here

“I Was Very, Very Scared”: Youth Climate Trial Begins

“I was very, very scared,” Kira Young, 20, told the Federal Court in Vancouver, recalling her family fleeing Yellowknife’s 2023 wildfires. She was the first to testify as Canada’s first youth-led climate trial, La Rose v. His Majesty the King, opened October 26. Fifteen young Canadians argue Ottawa’s failure to curb emissions violates their Charter rights to life, liberty and security. Government lawyers counter that the Charter was never meant to solve existential crises. Closing arguments are expected in February.

Read more at The Energy Mix.

Join us in recognition of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 – December 10). In recognition of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we are hosting a panel discussion titled “Together Against Gender-Based Violence: A Community Conversation” at YWCA Regina at 9:00 AM on November 26. Register here to reserve your spot: https://GE_16Days.eventbrite.ca 

Come for the Conversation, Stay for the Connections

EnviroCollective Board Chair Rob Deglau is the featured speaker at Global Connections on Wednesday, November 4, 6-8 PM at House Party YQR. Join him to talk about how community partnerships can build a more sustainable Regina. Reserve Your Spot

Repair Café, spots still open!

• ✅ Garment Repair: spots available
• ✅ General Repair: spots available
• ✅ Jewelry Repair: spots available
• ✅ Knitting Repair: spots available
• ❌ Appliance Repair: fully booked
• ❌ Electronics Repair: fully booked

Beyond Coal: The Case Against Extending Coal-Fired Power in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has decided to keep its coal-fired power plants running longer. Is that the right call? Join the Saskatchewan Environmental Society for its Sustainability Speakers Series, co-hosted with the Saskatoon Public Library. SES board members Margret Asmuss, Bob Halliday, Peter Prebble and Elaine Wheaton will discuss the legal challenge to the decision: rising costs, climate impacts and the role of federal law.

Tuesday, November 17, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Cliff Wright Library, Saskatoon

Learn more and register Here!

How Canada Funds Global Good Work:

Have Your Say

Free online forum · Wednesday, November 25 · 12:30–2:00 p.m. (Sask time) Global Affairs Canada, the federal department that funds international aid and development projects, is changing how it hands out grants. The changes aim to make the process simpler and fairer for the community groups that apply.

Join this free Zoom forum to hear what has changed so far, what’s coming next, and how groups like yours helped shape it. The forum is co-hosted by the Inter-Council Network (ICN), a national network of provincial and regional councils for international cooperation. In Saskatchewan, that council is the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC).

Anyone interested in international cooperation is welcome. Organizers especially want to hear from partner groups in the Global South.

Register here

Working with the Media to Advance Community Change

November 4, 2026, from 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. on Zoom

Learn practical strategies for developing media relationships, pitching stories, preparing for interviews, and using media to advance advocacy and community change.

Coercive Control Framework in the Context of Non-Profit Safety

November 25, 2026, from 12:00–1:15 p.m. on Zoom

Explore how a coercive-control framework can help nonprofit organizations better understand safety, risk, and organizational responsibilities.

All Growing Nonprofits sessions are complimentary, but registration is required. Link Here

Register Here to Attend.

Micro-Grants for Student Climate Action

Regina teachers, have students with a big green idea? Built from donations left by Fridays for Future Regina, the Fridays for Future Youth Empowerment Fund offers micro-grants of $100 to $200 to K–12 educators for student-led environmental projects. Think classroom composting, energy audits, upcycling projects or Earth Day events. Funds can cover supplies, guest presenters, transportation, entrance fees and more. Applications are accepted year-round, with decisions within six weeks. Afterwards, recipients send a short report with photos. Download the application Online , or email info@envirocollective.ca if you'd like help getting started.

Thank You

A big thank you to Automobility Medical, Regina’s mobility and home healthcare specialists, for donating small gloves for the young fixers at our Smash Lab. Now our kids can safely take apart old appliances and gadgets and discover what’s inside, with hands protected and curiosity fully switched on. Support like this helps us grow the next generation of repairers. Thank you for helping keep our Smash Lab safe and fun!

Camp Life: Part Two

In our September issue, our “Camp Life” photo story showed the good we saw at Pepsi Park. The community poured out its support, and organizations stepped up to help. Neighbours dropped by with clothes, food and supplies for the 160 to 200 people who made Pepsi Park their home.

This month’s photos tell the rest of the story. They show the good, but also the hard side of the camp’s dispersal. With short notice, agencies scrambled to find their most vulnerable clients, many of them shaken and traumatized. Tents, belongings and the community that had formed there were gone in a matter of hours.

These pictures are a record of both: what people built together, and what was lost when it ended.

Do you have a story? Let us know, we need to pass on the good news!

GET INVOLVED WITH ENVIROCOLLECTIVE

Email us at info@envirocollective.ca to learn how you can contribute today!

EnviroCollective is a non-partisan, judgement free group that is open to everyone.

Email us at info@envirocollective.ca or DM us through our socials Facebook/Instagram @envirocollectiveyqr or Twitter @envirocollect1.

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