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Ecovillages defined

An ecovillage is an intentional community that is consciously designed through participatory processes in the four dimensions of sustainability —social, cultural, ecological, and economic—to regenerate social and natural environments

Ecovillages Canada

Formed in 2019 by Canadian participants at the UN Sustainable Goals workshop at O.U.R. Ecovillage in British Columbia, our purpose is to share knowledge, best practices, tools and technologies for living more lightly on the planet. Existing or forming ecovillages are welcome to join us.

Mission:

To create a Canadian network of thriving and mutually supportive ecovillages towards the development of a sustainable environment and a collaborative culture.

Objectives:

  1. Share outreach and understanding of the tools and resources for building a cooperative culture and environmentally appropriate lifestyle. Link to our specific bioregion especially for legal and research purposes:
    1. Zoning documents to have “ecovillage zoning,” accessible in all provinces
    2. Legal form adapted to ecovillage goals and needs.
    3. Building codes with a sustainability focus.
    4. Documents available to present to governments.
    5. Linking the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and what Canadian ecovillages can offer as solutions.
  2. Cross-pollinate educational opportunities and Gaia Education programming.
    1. Certify our learning programs with Gaia and GEN
    2. Offer French and English documents
    3. Offer a traveling Canadian Ecovillage Development Education (EDE) course.
    4. Develop an Ecovillage practicum for Canada and international ecovillages (offered by GEN and Gaia Education).
  3. Serve as a hub for exchange of resource people and processes related to the four Dimensions of Sustainability; economic, environmental, social and worldview work.
    1. Create a work exchange program among existing ecovillage for community
      members.

Intentional Community

Ecovillages are a type of intentional community—a group of people who have chosen to live together or share resources on the basis of common values. In addition to ecovillages, examples of intentional communities in North America include cohousing communities, and housing cooperatives. What they all have in common is that they model more cooperative, sustainable and just ways of life.