News Release by The City of Toronto The City of Toronto has selected 12 mentees to participate in the first cohort of the Women4Climate Toronto (W4CTO) Mentorship Programme. The program, created in partnership with C40 Cities, will contribute to the development of the next generation of female climate leaders in Toronto.W4CTO combines mentoring, training and networking opportunities with the goal of empowering mentees to bring their climate-related project, ideas, or business start-up to life. The program will run until April 2021, with assistance from the City’s local sponsors: presenting partner RBC, and supporting partners EY, EllisDon, Toronto Life, and Flare Magazine.The mentees were selected through a competitive three-step jury selection process, with jurors from the City and the private, research and not-for-profit sectors. The mentees’ projects support the goals of City’s TransformTO climate action strategy and other key strategies including; the Resilience Strategy, Long-Term Waste Management Strategy, and Ravine Strategy.The Women4Climate Toronto mentees and projects are:

• Anelia Victor: ANEW – Textile Waste Reduction Sculpture
• Ann Chen: Fill Up! – Unpackaged Personal Care Products to Universities
• Anum Khan: Hydro Intelligence
• Corals Zheng: Shift from Turf Grass to Native Plants – Guideline Development
• Erika Reyes-Bolanos: Inwit App – Identifying Waste-free Restaurants and Facilitating Container Borrowing
• Hillary Scanlon: Sustainability Through an Inclusive Lens: The Wastefinder App
• Jane Ji: League for a Green Future – Educational Game Development
• Jessica Hui: Westra Project – Revitalizing Unused Park Space into Dry Stormwater Ponds
• Kristine Lorzano: The Zero Waste Refillable Market on Wheels
• Marie Sophie Angoh: Improving Waste Diversion Rates at Toronto’s Events
• Melanie Williams: Youth Climate Action and Leadership Incubator
• Rachel Wang: The Bike Brigade – Volunteer Bike Deliveries for Community Organization

Each mentee will be paired with a local mentor in a related field to support the end-to-end development of the mentee’s climate project. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will begin virtually and progress to in-person activities when permitted.Following the program, the City and its partners will host a pitch competition to further assist one climate project in contributing to a healthier, more sustainable and resilient Toronto. The winner will receive additional support to advance her project, along with a $20,000 cash prize for professional and idea development.Toronto is one of three Canadian cities, and 17 cities globally, participating in C40 Cities’ Women4Climate Opens in new window mentorship programme, which aims to support 500 women across the globe to accelerate their climate projects.More information about the W4CTO program is available at toronto.ca/livegreen.Quotes:“I want to congratulate all of the women who have stepped forward to develop their ideas and projects to address the climate crisis as part of our Climate4Women programme. A special thanks to the mentors who I know will bring much skill and experience to the process and for taking time to help build this program and provide opportunities to eager, and motivated mentees. By supporting emerging climate leaders, we can work towards tangible solutions and ensure that Toronto is at the forefront of the fight against climate change.”– Toronto Mayor John Tory“I am excited to welcome the 12 mentees to Toronto’s inaugural Women4Climate programme. This programme is an investment in ideas, people and a more sustainable future. The commitment of these exceptional women shows us that Toronto’s future climate change work is in good hands. We also welcome and thank the strong female mentors whose success paved the way for future generations.”– Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and the Mayor’s Environment and Resilience Champion“I am pleased with the City’s Inaugural Women4ClimateTO mentees and mentors and I am optimistic about the impact these future leaders will have locally and globally. While we received many wonderful ideas from excellent candidates, the applications and projects of these 12 women stood out. I am confident that these women have the potential to make an impactful contribution to the City of Toronto’s ongoing commitment to fight climate change and address resiliency.”– Heather Taylor, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, City of TorontoToronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.Media Relations
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