Approximately 100 people joined the Global March to End Fossil Fuels in downtown Orillia on Friday afternoon.
The local protest, which began at the Orillia Public Library courtyard and marched to Orillia City Centre, was organized by more than 15 young people in the community including members of Green Orillia and the Sustainable Orillia Youth Council.
Participants carried signs, chanted slogans as they brought their message to downtown Orillia.
Kate Sontag, the president of the Sustainable Orillia Youth Council, hopes the rally raises more awareness in the community about climate justice.
"We have students here today from all three of our high schools," she said. "We hope this gets more people involved."
Sontag, 17, says it's important for younger people to lead the charge on climate change. She says the attendance at Friday's event was larger than she expected and it seems like more people are becoming allies for the environment.
"There are threats to the environment and the ecosystems that we need to sustain human life on earth," she said. "I think people are starting to wake up, they are listening to the science, becoming more educated, and spreading awareness."
The march was a part of the Fridays for Future event that is set to happen every Friday in downtown Orillia during the school calendar.
"If we are loud enough, strong enough, and enough people care, people will listen," Sontag said. "Each one of these people here today will be impacted by what they hear and feel today and will spread that to the people that they know. It does make a difference."
Shaelyn Wabegijig, who has joined with other students in suing the Ontario government for rolling back their climate targets, led the march on Friday afternoon.
"I'm one of seven young people who are suing the Ontario government for weakening their climate targets and not setting targets based on science," she explained. "We are saying they are violating our charter rights to life, liberty, and security of the person."
Wabegijig, 26, says it's of no risk to her to take the Ontario government to court, but rather her responsibility.
"We have a responsibility to future generations," she said. "In order for us to exist on this planet we need to change the way that we are living because it's not working."
Wabegijig hopes the impact of her stance will be felt worldwide.
"We will set a precedent for climate litigation in Canada," she said. "We are also impacting climate litigation around the world."
