Our Story

In 2020, during the pandemic, four young strangers passionate about sustainability (Ann, Helga, Shauna, and Hannah) at UNBC came together through the Fraser Basin Council’s Co-Creating a Sustainable BC program. Forming the Northern BC youth cohort, they launched a series of waste reduction workshops under the name “Eco Living Kitchen.” Their efforts led them to win the Nourishing Innovations competition, which enabled them to implement the Community Cooking on Campus (C3) initiative—later rebranded as the Climate Cook Ins. In October 2022, they officially incorporated as a non-profit, Eco Living Community, and expanded their focus to include new initiatives. In the summer of 2023, they piloted a Repair Cafe project, which continues to run today. Originally youth-led and community-based, the organization remains committed to amplifying youth voices, offering mentorship, and fostering collaborations with local and regional organizations to maximize impact and strengthen community.

Our Vision

Communities in Northern British Columbia are resilient and are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and motivated to live sustainably alongside the land, water, air, and our more than human kin.

Our Mission

We collaborate with, and within, communities throughout Northern British Columbia to implement climate solutions, build capacity for self-sufficiency, and create systems-level change to build more resilient and sustainable communities. 

Our Values

• Authentic
• Respect
• Equitable 
• Transformative
• Reciprocal

How We Operate

We operate on a hub and spokes organizational model, with an elected Board of Directors who handle the governance and funding of the organization. Volunteer committees led by either the board or our program leads, take on specific tasks such as fundraising, communications, and program planning and implementation.