The Resilience Acceleration Lab

The Resilience Acceleration Lab was established to advance Co-operators vision as a catalyst for a resilient and sustainable society.

About the Resilience Acceleration Lab

Extreme weather and climate change threaten Co-operators purpose of financial security for Canadians and our communities. Through the scale of our capital as a major investor, our risk expertise as a leading insurer, and our convening power as a purpose-driven co-operative, the Lab is working to accelerate and scale the shift to more climate resilient communities in Canada.

Download the Resilience Acceleration Lab transcript

Climate risk threatens the financial security of Canadians

Communities are on the frontlines of climate change

Increased frequency and severity of floods, wildfires and extreme heat across Canada are putting communities at greater risk. At the same time, aging or inadequate infrastructure and stretched budgets are making the impacts worse.

Solutions exist ...

Whether its flood-resilient water infrastructure, forest management for wildfire risk reduction, or retrofits and energy systems with cooling for safety from extreme heat, our communities have a good understanding of what needs to be done to build their climate resilience.

... but barriers prevent implementation

While many communities have climate resilience projects in mind, efforts often stall due to gaps in funding, competing priorities, and inconsistent understanding of the risks. The longer we delay, the costlier it will be for our communities to address the urgent need to adapt.

We’re building whole-of-society solutions

The Resilience Acceleration Lab is joining forces with all orders of government, Indigenous Communities, and others to create the conditions to attract private investment in resilience and adaption projects in communities and regions across Canada.

We invest

As an investor, we incubate and invest in infrastructure and real asset projects that are open to private capital to preserve and enhance their climate resilience features. Our priority sectors include:

Wastewater and stormwater systems
Community energy systems
Long-term care facilities
Agriculture, especially irrigation

If you have a project in our priority sectors and are seeking less than $100 million, get in touch by completing our form.

Climate Resilience Projects Seeking Finance form

We innovate

As an innovation catalyst, we explore how alternative finance options might advance high-resilience-impact infrastructure projects and wildfire programs that are stuck in development, seeking to accelerate their implementation timeline, or interested in expanding their funding approach.

If your project fits this description, we invite you to complete our form.

Potential Climate Resilience Projects form

Resources and publications

Download our 2023 scoping paper with the Canadian Climate Institute: Mobilizing private capital for climate adaptation infrastructure
Read about the Co-operators-sponsored ICLEI Financing Resilient Infrastructure Project
Read about the Co-operators-sponsored Climate Bonds Initiative Resilience Taxonomy
Watch our April 2026 FCM Collective webinar on What to do about the resilience infrastructure funding gap

The Resilience Acceleration Lab team

The Resilience Acceleration Lab is a dedicated, multi-disciplinary team within Co-operators that works in close collaboration with a range of partners.

Don Iveson, Advisor

Former Mayor of Edmonton, Don has 14 years of City Hall experience, including 5 as Chair of Canada’s Big City Mayors. He now Chairs the CMHC board.

Paul Manias, Advisor

Paul has over 20 years of experience in business and law, including 10 years at OMERS. He currently serves as the Co-Head of Diagram ClimateTech Fund.

Ana Gonzalez Guerrero, Principal

Ana has 15 years of experience spanning finance, innovation, and climate adaptation, and has worked with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Eleanore Ho, Principal

Eleanore has over 20 years of experience in strategy, project development and partnerships in financial services, including CIBC and fintechs.

Solina Teav, Principal

Solina has over 15 years of finance and investment experience across asset classes and sectors. from a variety of companies including Scotiabank and Conservation International.

Nate Stein, Senior Analyst

Nate is a CPA and CFA with 5 years at Co-operators focused on corporate strategy and investments.

Tom Ewart, Managing Director

Tom has over 20 years of experience in finance and social innovation, most recently serving as Co-operators AVP of Sustainability.

Help us catalyze climate resilience in Canada

If you have communities or projects where there is an identified climate resilience and adaptation need, and want to explore alternative financing, complete one of our forms: