Manitoba youth that are ideally 16 to 28 years of age as of the time of their appointment are eligible to apply. Employees of the Manitoba government are not eligible.

The Youth Advisory Council will provide advice and recommendations to the Expert Advisory Council and Manitoba Environment and Climate Change regarding climate change, green economy and other environmental initiatives.

All Manitoba youth can apply to be part of the Youth Advisory Council. The selection questions are included on the application form. The criteria are as follows:

• Be Manitoba residents;
• Ideally be between 16 and 28 years of age as of the time of their appointment;
• Be knowledgeable of issues related to climate change and the environment;
• Demonstrate a proven engagement and interest in environmental issues and/or civil society issues;
• Engage in respectful, open discussion, and be accepting of differing viewpoints;
• Not be employed by the Manitoba government;
• Be willing to serve for a one-year term.

The Youth Advisory Council is expected to meet approximately 6-8 times per year. These meetings are hybrid to accommodate the geographical spread of members while also providing opportunity for in-person connection. There may be additional reading and preparation outside of regular meetings.

The Youth Advisory Council will report to Expert Advisory Council. The Expert Advisory Council advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on related matters.

Yes, the Council will have at least one meeting with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Members of the Council will have a chance to develop and demonstrate leadership skills, experience sitting on a council, meeting and working with other likeminded youth, and contributing to a bright future for Manitoba.

Yes. Members shall be paid reasonable travelling and other out-of-pocket expenses, not to exceed guidelines set out in the General Manual of Administration, which are incurred in discharging duties in connection with the Council.

Annie Martel (she/her) is a Red River Michif woman from St-Pierre, located on Treaty 1 territory. She is currently a master's student at the University of Winnipeg, completing a Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change, with a focus on Indigenous Knowledges and climate change adaptation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Allison, where she majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Geography and Indigenous Environmental Science. Annie has been involved in numerous student organizations and societies that are committed to tackling issues of climate change and sustainable development.

Caitlin Stewart (Swan River) is a third-year university student at Lakehead University working towards her Honours Bachelor of Science in Forest Health and Protection. Caitlin has been a member of the Youth Advisory Council since 2020 making this her third Youth Advisory Council cohort. She has taken part in the 2020 Project Learning Tree, Green Mentorship program and is the Vice President of the Lakehead Natural Resources Student Society. She has also worked as a Research Assistant for The Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis at Lakehead University. Caitlin is also a Team Co-Captain of the Lakehead University Timberwolves Loggersports team.

Bijan Salimi (Morden) is a grade 12 student who is the Student Body President of his school. He has served the last two years as the Co-Chair of the Provincial Student Advisory Council, working with various stakeholders in the department of education. Additionally, he has served as the Youth Council Member for the City of Morden.

Emily is a Métis citizen who grew up in rural Southwestern Manitoba. She is currently a second-year Agro-ecology student at the University of Manitoba who holds holistic ideologies in agricultural education delivery, improving food system resiliency, and promoting ecological stewardship. Passionate about community engagement, Emily is a volunteer note taker, teaching assistant, University of Manitoba Future Leaders 4-H Club President, and Faculty of Agricultural Students' Organization Vice-Stick External on campus. Outside of her studies, Emily is a Youth Director on the Manitoba 4-H Council Board of Directors, the Manitoban representative and Vice-Chair of 4-H Canada's Youth Advisory Committee, and a seasonal crop pathology research student for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.

Justin Langan is a 24-year-old Metis, LGBTQ2+ national activist from Swan River, MB. He is studying Political Studies at the University of Manitoba, intending to study human rights law thereafter. He has been recognized as an Indspire Laureate, Terry Fox Humanitarian, Top 25 Environmentalists under 25, and more.

Marissa is a high school student at St. Mary's Academy, where she has been a part of various groups including the SMA Green Team, the SMA Leadership Team and the SMA Senior Debate Team. She has travelled to various national and international competitions within North America to take part in events such as the International BioGENEius Challenge, the Weston Innovation Award Science Competition and many Youth Science Canada STEM Fairs.

Mohamed Crossman-Serb (he/him) is a Libyan-Metis born and raised in Winnipeg. He is in the Masters in Development Practice at the University of Winnipeg. Mohamed co-founded Waterways, a non-profit that runs canoe programming for Indigenous youth across the province. He is currently working at the First Nations Waste Minimization team at the Green Action Centre as the community engagement coordinator.

Olivia Kehler (Winnipeg) is a Masters student at the University of Winnipeg, pursuing a Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change with a thesis project focusing on Indigenous research methods. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies with a minor in Economics, she has particular interest in sustainable development and in degrowth. She has experience with land-based living including small-scale agriculture and canoe tripping.

Ryan Kum is working towards a Bachelor's of Science in Biosystems Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He has worked as an arctic and freshwater science researcher, and an environmental engineering consultant. He has also held various positions in the public service each with a climate lens in prairie agricultural research and development, building energy efficiency, alternative energy systems, and natural and municipal infrastructure.

Driven by her passion for climate, solutions-design, and bringing young people together, Soomin is an advocate for climate justice and equitable decision-making processes. Currently as the Programs Lead at Youth Climate Lab, she supports youth across the world to build capacity and lead climate solutions through climate policy, finance, and skills-development. A recent graduate from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, she has worked with various environmental and justice-centered non-profits, UN Climate Change, Parliament Hill as a GreenPAC Parliamentary Intern, and currently serves on the board of directors at The Starfish Canada. With all aspects of her work rooted in intersectionality, youth engagement, community care, and equity, she was also named Top 25 Environmentalists under 25.

Sydney Van Aert is a Sustainability Analyst at CanSustain, where she supports clients with sustainability projects. Prior to this, she gained diverse work experience in the environmental field through various summer positions related to agriculture, forestry, and water remediation. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2020 with a Bachelor of Environmental Science.