The Legacy Fund for the Environment is a Quebec environmental organization. We partner with citizens’ groups in pursuing legal actions to defend the environment. We fund legal actions (from demand letters to lawsuits) and the studies needed to succeed:
We can also fund other studies needed by citizens’ groups in their quest for environmental or biodiversity protection.
We are there to help you with our experience:
In addition to funding cases, the Legacy Fund is also involved in many projects aiming to promote awareness and create discussions surrounding innovative legal approaches to protect the environment. For example, the Legacy Fund has been working on a fiscal analysis project and is working with other actors on putting together a chair in environmental dispute resolution.
We have financially assisted many citizens groups and environmental organizations for a variety of cases.
Our team is composed of motivated individuals with expertise ranging from biodiversity conservation to environmental law.
Campbell Stuart, over 35 years with the law firm Colby Monet; former mayor of Montreal West; environmental and community activist with Les Amis du parc Meadowbrook, Green Coalition, CRE Montréal, Santropol Roulant, L’Abri en Ville, Little Red Playhouse and others; former ED of the Bukasa Island Community Development Project in Uganda, and Vice-President and Director of the Legacy Fund for the Environment.
Dida Berku, a retired lawyer, has represented many environmental groups over her 40 year career. A Côte Saint-Luc city councillor since 1990, she has a vast experience in municipal law and politics and has served on many boards and municipal council commissions across the island and as leader of the Majority for the Montreal mega-city from 2002-05. She is responsible in CSL for the Master Plan and the protection of the Meadowbrook golf course. She has six beautiful grandkids who love butterflies.
Sylvie Clermont, retired after a career in health, has been active on the environment her whole life. First, in workplace recycling projects, later in environmental advisory committees in towns where she lived. Since retirement, she is invested full-time in protecting the environment and biodiversity: in MARE, the Green Coalition, the Réseau Demain le Québec and now the Legacy Fund for the Environment. Through her work Sylvie builds strong links between groups, to build a strong citizen’s movement to face our many challenges. Sylvie is a mother of three and grandmother of three.
Rob Horwood is a retired lawyer with 26 years experience in the federal public service, 15 of which as a legislative drafter, six as a legal advisor for three federal Departments and five in the Competition Bureau. His legislative drafting work was concentrated on drafting complex environmental regulations. Before that, he worked as a public-interest lawyer in the private sector advocating for the interests of low-income consumers and for environmental and indigenous groups. He joined the Legacy Fund in 2023, as chair of the Case Intake and Management committee.
Sue Stacho has been an environmental activist for 24 years with the Green Coalition, Sauvons l’Anse-a-l’Orme, Save Fairview Forest. She also manages garden projects with students at nearby schools and is always looking for ways to get kids out of the classroom and into nature.
Shir Gruber is a Master’s of Science student at McGill University studying the efficacy of wetlands as Nature-based Solutions and co-director of Sustainable Youth Canada, a national non-profit leading youth climate action. Her passion for grassroots climate adaptation has driven her to contribute to the implementation of composting at Dawson College benefiting over 10,000 people, through organizing student-led research and to conduct research on agricultural adaptations in the Caribbean at the University of West Indies. As a member of the 2023-2024 Natural Resources Canada Youth Council, Shir advised Canada’s minister of natural resources on a just green transition. Recognized as one of the Top 25 under 25 environmentalists in Canada by the Starfish Foundation, she is committed to fostering community-driven climate solutions and is excited to serve on the Legacy Fund’s board.
Marc Nisbet is currently Senior Director of Consulting Services and Financing – Social Economy at PME MTL Centre-Est. He has an MBA in community economic development from the University of Cape Breton, and a graduate diploma from Concordia University in the same subject. He has over 20 years of experience in the social economy sector in the management of non-profits and as coach. In his day to day, Marc has the privilege of working with a large number of social economy enterprises who are at the forefront of the Socio-ecological Transition movement.
Lisa Mintz is an environmentalist and educator. Her greatest accomplishment was the creation of the Grand Parc de l’Écoterritoire de la Falaise St-Jacques out of an orphaned urban wilderness just below St-Jacques Street, ending at the Turcot Interchange. Currently, she is the Director of UrbaNature Education, an organization that teaches environmental and outdoor education to people of all ages, aiming to get people into nature so they can appreciate it and work to protect it in the future.
We always welcome donations to fund our cases, and encourage volunteers to join us, no matter the contribution and time commitment.
