Organized by Natural Resources Canada’s National Assessment Secretariat.
The National Assessment Secretariat invites students in Canada in grades 7-12 (Secondary 1-5, in Quebec) to display their creativity by producing a graphic artwork (drawing, painting, etc.) that tells a visual story about their perspectives on climate change. We invite you to reflect upon the following questions as inspiration for your artwork:
- How have you experienced climate change in the world around you - the places you love, the things you love doing, or the way that you live?
- How do you think these experiences will change in the future with additional climate warming?
- What makes you hopeful?
- What inspires you to take action against climate change?
The winning artworks may be featured in future Canada in a Changing Climate reports and on ChangingClimate.ca.
Artistic exploration of climate change-related themes can include the following:
Subtheme 1: The climate we live in, now and in the future
Our climate and landscapes make the places we live unique. This theme explores how climate change is affecting our physical world. This includes changes to things like temperature, rain and snowfall, snow and ice cover, sea level, droughts, floods and wildfires.
Subtheme 2: The way we live, now and in the future
This theme explores how climate change is impacting our communities, health, environment and economy; and how we are adapting to prepare for the future.
Subtheme 3: Our health, now and in the future
This theme explores how climate change affects the health and well-being of Canadians and our health systems, from extreme heat and wildfires to air and water quality. Consider impacts on mental health, infectious diseases, and food safety, with unique challenges for youth and Indigenous communities.
Subtheme 4: Pathways to a just and equitable future
The impacts of climate change are not felt evenly across Canada. This theme explores climate justice, placing equity and human rights at the heart of action on climate change.
Some of the art submissions may be showcased on changingclimate.ca or in the next Canada in a Changing Climate: National Assessment Process report series on how and why Canada’s climate is changing; the impacts of these changes on our communities, environment, health and economy; and how we are adapting.
Assessments serve many purposes, including raising awareness about climate change among Canadians of all ages. This art contest is intended to elevate student perspectives and art within Canada in a Changing Climate: National Assessment Process.
Student leaders play a critical role in climate change, and we have much to learn from student perspectives. Your unique point of view is important, and your artistic expression will help Canadians across the country connect to the messages about climate change in our reports.
For more information on the national assessment and to view previous reports, visit changingclimate.ca.
Contest Rules
HIS MAJESTY THE KING IN RIGHT OF CANADA as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources (“NRCan”) is offering this art contest. By submitting an entry into this contest, the Participant, or if the Participant is a minor, their parent, legal guardian or any other authorized person or organization with custody rights, access rights or parental authority in relation to the Participant (collectively referred to as “Parent”) is agreeing to these Contest Rules, as outlined here below.
Contest Dates
The contest begins on March 24, 2025 and closes at midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on May 20, 2025.
Any entry submitted past this date will not be accepted or considered.
Eligibility
Participants who are minors, can only be entered into this contest by their Parent.
To be eligible to enter this Contest:
- the Participant must attend a school in Canada or be homeschooled in Canada, and in grades 7 to 12 (Secondary 1-5 in Quebec);
- the Participant, or their Parent if the Participant is a minor, must be in Canada when submitting an entry to this contest;
- the Participant, or their Parent if the Participant is a minor, must submit a Registration Form with all required fields completed.
Incomplete Registration Forms will not be accepted or considered.
Employees of Natural Resources Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as their children, are not eligible to participate in this contest.
Only one entry per Participant is permitted.
NRCan may, at its sole discretion, disqualify an entry if:
- the artwork was not created by the Participant;
- it contains any personal information about a third party;
- it contains any trademarks, trade names, or any copyrighted material;
- it is submitted late, or is ineligible, incomplete, forged, or does not comply with these contest rules;
- it contains elements that are deemed abusive, crude, insulting, offensive or inappropriate, including but not limited to nudity, vulgarity or violence; or
- it portrays another person or a nation, country, ethnic group, race, religion, age group, sex, gender, sexual orientation or disability in a negative manner.
How to enter
Entries must be submitted by email to art@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca with the subject line “Your Voice, Your Art, Our Climate”, by midnight (Eastern Daylight Time) on May 20, 2025, and must include:
- a completed registration form; and
- a electronic image or photograph of the artwork (all art mediums are welcomed). Accepted file types are JPEG, JPG and PNG. Files must be at least 300 dpi with a minimum of 3300 pixels on the long side and 2550 pixels on the short side.
Entries not accompanied by all of the above documents will not be considered.
This contest will have two contest streams, one for grades 7 and 8 (Secondary 1-2 in Quebec), and one for grades 9 to 12 (Secondary 3-5 in Quebec).
The artwork must be unpublished and not subject to any copyright restrictions.
Prize
There are no prizes to this contest.
Evaluation Criteria
All eligible artworks will be evaluated by employees of NRCan’s National Assessment Secretariat on the basis of adherence to one of the themes (identified here below), creativity, originality and aesthetic quality.
The themes for this contest are:
- theme 1: The climate we live in, now and in the future
- theme 2: The way we live, now and in the future
- theme 3: Our health, now and in the future
- theme 4: Pathways to a just and equitable future
Decisions are at the discretion of NRCan. NRCan reserve the right to award multiple winners, or no winners for each stream of this contest.
Winners
Winning Participants, or their Parent if the Participant is a minor, will be notified by an e-mail sent to them on or about June 18, 2025.
If your submission does not win, you will not be contacted.
General terms and conditions
By entering this contest, the Participant, or their Parent if the Participant is a minor, agree to be bound by the rules of the contest and release NRCan from any liability with respect to the contest. No liability is assumed by NRCan for lost, late, damaged, destroyed, or misdirected entries.
A Participant, or their Parent if the Participant is a minor, assume full responsibility for any damage or claim for damages caused by their participation in this contest and shall indemnify and save harmless NRCan from and against all claims, demands, losses, damages, costs; including solicitor and own-client costs, expenses, actions, suits or other proceedings in respect of their participation in this contest, including any claim that the artwork infringes any intellectual property right.
If for any reason, in the opinion of NRCan at its sole discretion, the contest is not capable of running as planned or if the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the contest is corrupted or adversely affected, including by reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or other causes beyond its control, NRCan reserve the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest including any method of entry.
NRCan’s decisions concerning all aspects of this contest, including but not limited to all decisions on the eligibility or disqualification of participants or artwork, are final and binding for all Participants, with no right of appeal.
Privacy Statement
The National Assessment Secretariat at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) works in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and leads the overall assessment process that includes reports led by these three government departments.
NRCan is subject to the federal Privacy Act and is committed to protecting the privacy rights of individuals and safeguarding the personal information under its control.
How your personal information will be used
The collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information by NRCan is authorized under the Department Natural Resources Act. NRCan will collect, use and retain your personal information for the purpose of administering the contest, collecting contest entries of artwork/photographs and selecting winners. NRCan will evaluate the participants’ artwork and select the winners. The winning Participant’s artwork, along with their first name, and grade may be published in the Canada in a Changing Climate: National Assessment Process Reports on NRCan’s website and on changingclimate.ca. The winning Participant’s artwork, along with their first name and grade may also be shared with Environment and Climate Change Canada for the purpose of showcasing the winning Participant’s artwork, along with their first name, and grade in their respective climate change reports.
For more information about the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information, refer to the following personal information banks: Outreach Communications (PSU 938) and Public Communications (PSU 914), which are detailed on Info Source.
Your Privacy rights
The collection, use and disclosure of personal information by NRCan is in accordance with the federal Privacy Act. The Act gives individuals the right to access their personal information held by NRCan and to request changes to incorrect personal information. To exercise these rights please contact NRCan’s ATIP office at ATIP-AIPRP@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca. The Act also gives individuals the right to place a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada regarding the institution’s handling of their personal information. For more information you can visit their website at www.priv.gc.ca.
Questions about Privacy?
For inquiries concerning the treatment of personal information in the custody of NRCan, individuals may contact NRCan’s Access to Information and Privacy Office, 580 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E8 or by email at privacy-protectiondelavieprivee@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.