Protestors around the Capital Region held a rally in solidarity with the Act On Climate march being held in Quebec City.

Local organizers told CTV News they wanted to send a message to the premiers, who will be meeting in Quebec City to discuss the issue next week, that changes needed to be made.

“There are a lot of impacts to environment, eco-systems to the people living in Northern communities.  The impacts are to water, land and air. Our government is pro-industry, pro oil industry, it's reinvesting in non-renewable fossil fuels. What we're asking our government is to focus on renewable green energy,” Jacqueline Fayant explained.

“We understand that the oil industry is putting food on the tables of most people in those Northern communities.  We understand that.  We understand that certain First Nation communities are benefiting from  the oil industry. What we're asking is that there be a transition plan and whether that's retraining people in those communities toward the green energy sector, wonderful, great, that's one plan.”

A spokesperson for Greenpeace told CTV News it was time the government looked at new forms of energy.

“We have some countries already at 100 per cent renewable energy for their electricity production so it can be done and it's time that Canada got its act together to do it,” Mike Hudema said. 

One of the protestors at the Alberta Legislature rally said it was time to stop work in the oilsands.

“Just cut them off a hundred percent,” Melina Kuerschner said.

“I care for the environment and I want to do something more active to help the environment,” she explained.

Hudema agreed that Canada would need to stop investing in the tarsands.

“Tarsands are the fastest source of rising greenhouse gas emissions in this country and we need to keep them in the ground if Canada is going to do its part.”

“I think the more that we stand in solidarity and send a consistent message to our government I think that that's the only way that we're going to ensure that we put a stop to climate change,” Fayant said.

With files from Amanda Anderson