Who We Are
Why “Solstice”
The solstices - marking the start of summer and winter - occur when for the briefest moment the sun appears to stand still in the sky before changing course and ushering in a new season. It is an experience shared across the world simultaneously. And it is one of the few rhythms of the natural world we have not lost touch with. Each solstice is an invitation to recognize how our lives are irrevocably tied to the vaster systems that sustain us and mark our lived experience on Earth.
To work with Solstice is likewise an invitation to get back into deeper harmony with the Earth. To briefly step back and look at the bigger picture, situate your organization in it, and usher in meaningful changes that make sense for the reality we live in and the future humanity hopes to build.
We do this through research, education, strategy and legal support that goes beyond the status quo.
At Solstice, we go deeper than only treating the nature “out there”. In every service and offering, we examine the ideas and concepts that your organization holds, and collaboratively define new ones that lead to a more regenerative future.
The term Solstice combines the Latin words “sol” (sun) and “sistere” (to stand still).
But the sun doesn’t stand still for long.
Meet the Founder, Anna Côté
Anna is a strategic thinker who asks deeper questions—and helps clients turn them into meaningful, bold environmental solutions.
For more than two decades, her work has been guided by a fundamental inquiry: how can we live well on this Earth, in relationship with one another and the natural world? She began in philosophy, studying environmental ethics, and has since built a multidisciplinary foundation spanning sustainability consulting, a Master of Environmental Studies in land use planning, and law degrees from McGill University. She practiced law on Bay Street with one of Canada’s leading environmental law teams before founding Solstice.
Anna created Solstice from a desire to do environmental work differently. She saw that complex environmental challenges cannot be solved through legal or technical tools alone. They require broader perspective, deeper understanding, and more integrated approaches. Solstice brings these elements together—blending strategy, research, education, and law—to help clients navigate complexity and create more meaningful impact.
Her work engages some of today’s most pressing and nuanced challenges: climate strategy and the limits of carbon accounting, land use conflicts tied to major infrastructure development, environmental philanthropy, project impact assessment, regenerative food systems transformation, and the protection and application of Traditional Environmental Knowledge. Across these areas, Anna brings clarity and direction—helping clients see what matters most, uncover what’s been overlooked, and move forward with purpose.
She has worked with corporations, nonprofits, governments, Indigenous communities, and cross-sector collaborations. Known for her ability to build trust and connect perspectives, Anna creates the conditions for thoughtful collaboration and decisive action. Clients value her for her insight, clarity, and the care and level of excellence she brings to both process and outcomes.
Her approach is continually shaped by learning—drawing on systems theory, behaviour change, mindfulness, and emerging fields such as the rights of nature and ecocentric law. The result is a practice that is both rigorous and reflective, grounded in expertise and open to new ways of seeing and working.
Education and Credentials
Bachelor of Arts Honours, Queens University
Masters of Environmental Studies, Certificate in Land Use Planning, York University
Common Law and Civl Law Degrees, McGill University
Called to the Ontario Bar
For a more detailed bio, please see Anna’s LinkedIn profile.
