Mike Mellross
Mike Mellross, Program Director
Alberta Ecotrust Foundation
The Program Team is responsible for managing foundation initiatives, providing grants to the community, and, in collaboration with the Investment Director, developing and maintaining the direct investment pipeline. Mike has taken a lead role at Alberta Ecotrust Foundation in establishing the Climate Innovation Fund. Working in partnership with the City of Calgary and the City of Edmonton, the Climate Innovation Fund initiates, supports and accelerates urban carbon-reduction solutions in the two largest urban centres in Alberta, helping those cities and Canada meet their climate change targets. Initiated through a $43.4 Million endowment from the federal government, The Climate Innovation Fund will work with partners in each city to catalyze emissions reductions across all sectors including buildings, transportation, industry and waste.
Prior to joining Alberta Ecotrust, Mike supervised the Energy Transition and Utility Supply unit at the City of Edmonton. His team was responsible for the implementation of Edmonton’s Community Energy Transition Strategy, a long-term plan designed to advance Edmonton on a low carbon path. Mike also managed the City’s utilities file which included the initiation of a power purchase agreement for the procurement of 100% green electricity for city operations. Mike has over 25 years experience in climate change policy and programming, sustainability, and environmental management working across the private, public and charitable sectors.
Mike is a published author with articles in popular science journals on the application of market transformation theory for the achievement of climate change goals. Mr. Mellross has degrees in Environmental Science, Water Pollution Studies, and Natural Sciences and is a registered Professional Agrologist with the Alberta Institute of Agrologists. Mike was a recipient of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Best for Canada Innovator award and a 2019 winner of the Charles Labatiuk award for environmental excellence.