Toronto/Tkaronto, ON | April 2025 – In the face of an uncertain political climate and an upcoming federal election, now more than ever as Canadian citizens we have the responsibility to hold the government accountable for progressive climate policy. Youth across Canada are mobilizing for climate justice, yet systemic barriers continue to hinder their ability to create lasting policy change. Civic engagement is a critical pillar of democracy and we can’t uphold that without strengthening the grassroots network. 

Youth climate organizers face critical challenges: underrepresentation in policy spaces, limited funding, rapid burnout and increasing eco-grief from inheriting an uncertain future. Many youth-led groups operate in silos, lacking the resources and networks to scale their impact which restrains the full potential of youth leaders. Existing funding models rarely prioritize youth-led advocacy and major decisions affecting young people’s futures continue to be made without them in the room. A recent report from the Lawson Foundation, highlights the urgent need to invest in youth-led climate initiatives to build a resilient intergenerational movement capable of addressing Canada’s environmental challenges for an equitable future. Without systemic change, the movement remains fragmented, under-resourced and unsustainable. The need for an empowered, connected and well-resourced network has never been more urgent. 

In response to these challenges, national youth-led climate justice organization Shake Up The Establishment (SUTE) has officially launched a groundbreaking network designed to fill these gaps by fostering radical collaboration, support resource-sharing, and amplifying youth-led climate advocacy efforts across the country. Infiltrate the System (ITS) Network aims to be a pan-Canadian network creating in-person and online spaces for youth-led climate justice activists to strategize effectively and collaborate on actions to increase public participation in democratic and policy processes to drive transformative change. ITS Network is created in partnership with The Youth Harbour, a project of Finance Engage Sustain (FES) and The Starfish Canada with initial multi-year funding given to SUTE from McConnell Foundation. More than a network, ITS Network is a movement–a space where youth can take bold action while prioritizing joy, rest and sustainability while inviting new youth to sustain an intergenerational movement. By breaking down systemic barriers to participation and creating a culture of support, ITS Network will help ensure youth-led climate organizing is impactful, inclusive and enduring. With the launch of ITS Network, we invite youth organizers, allies, funders and policy-makers to join us in reshaping the landscape of youth-led climate action in Canada. We continue to seek funding support to super charge this network and sustain the momentum through partnerships from key allies in the climate justice space. By working together, we can shift power structures, increase civic engagement and ensure an equitable movement that centers the voices of those most impacted by climate injustice. 

Contact Information

Elaine Li, Chief Communications Officer, Shake Up The Establishment

Email: [email protected] (please CC [email protected])