Welcome to the Degrowth / Decroissance Canada web site.
We are a small not-for-profit organization recently set-up by a number of participants and organizers of the International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas (Montreal 13-20 May 2012) to act as a vehicle for communications across Canada on regional and local degrowth activities.
In our “mission statement” we said:
- The mission of Degrowth/Decroissance Canada is to actively engage and mobilize citizens in Canada in the global degrowth movement. Degrowth/Decroissance Canada is organized based on self-management and aims to use a transdisciplinary approach; grassroots, bottom-up participation; and the integration of civil society in its research and discussions. To articulate the needs and aspirations of the Americas for a post-growth, more equitable and better world, Degrowth/Decroissance Canada will work with others in the organization of the Montreal International Conference on Degrowth in the Americas, 2012. Post-conference, we will continue to engage and mobilize citizens in degrowth activities that challenge the growth–driven economic model on which existing policies are based. Our ultimate goal is to enable Canada to smoothly transition into a degrowth society ripe with social and environmental justice
In practice, we hope to facilitate communications between Canadians interested in degrowth, be it locally, regionally, nationally or internationally – i.e. we want to be a tool.
Bridges
Bridges will be a periodical publication that aims at collaborative research, that promotes interregional alliances to help engage citizens and mobilize them into actions related to the degrowth movement.
Subversion
We hope to Identify and promote collaborative experiences that challenge the dominant paradigm. (Experiences: workshops, public lectures, art and actions in public spaces, alternative communities)
Capacity development
We hope to provide tools and resources for social actors at all scales (starting from local communities to the international community) to critically reflect on current degrowth dialogues, in order to develop and articulate new degrowth pathways.
We’ll shortly be posting materials here. In the meanwhile, please have a look at the Montreal 2012 conference web site.
degrowthcanada.wordpress.com 
I’m really interested in the concept and was just listening to a CBC program on it today.
It really makes sense to me as far as being able to sustain life on planet earth and also build contentment within people.
I personally feel at odds with the current model of growth but also see the addictive tendencies it can create within us to always want more.
Thank you for all of your efforts to bring about healthy change to our world.
All the best,
Robert Kowatsch
I am very interested in learning more about this movement, and in learning how I can become involved. This is an issue which is close to my heart. I have experienced an internal struggle for the past 5 or so years with the way that I live my life, or at least the way that I feel that I have to live my life, and what I can clearly see needs changing, such as living with less, consuming less, and not falling prey to how various advertising media is portraying what is a happy, middle class life. I want to break free, but I also feel quite passionate about ‘waking up’ the many others around me who are so clearly in denial about what our lifestyle is doing to our environment, not to mention our mental and physical well- being.
Each individual has to practice letting go and trusting that there is more to our lives here outside of consumerism. Most of us can’t just all of a sudden give up most of what we own but we can practice letting go of something and then over a period of time it gets easier as you see you can survive without too much stuff.
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Hi. Where are the degrowth communities closest to Montreal?
Thank you.