Election 2010: Environmental policy priorities

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Read our Reports:

-Click here to read Ecology Ottawa's 2009, "Building Ottawa's Energy Revolution" report on how the City of Ottawa can encourage greener building practices.

 -Click here to read Ecology Ottawa's 2010, "Towards Sustainable Transport in Ottawa: An End to Road Construction" report on the need for a moratorium on new road construction in the City of Ottawa.

Part 1: Green Energy Agenda                                                                

We call on candidates to commit to the following energy goals for the City of Ottawa:

• A public sector commitment to buy renewable energy. The City of Ottawa should power all of its municipal buildings with electricity from low-impact renewable sources. Several other Ontario municipalities are powering their city halls and other buildings with certified low-impact renewable energy. The City of Calgary is set to have all of its buildings and operations running on green power by 2012.

• Investing Hydro Ottawa profits in energy savings for low-income residents and renewable energy production. Hydro Ottawa earns the city a dividend of over $10 million every year. The city should re-invest this dividend in initiatives to support energy conservation and renewable energy production, including:

o Programs to help low-income households increase the energy efficiency of their homes
o Increased local generation of renewable, EcoLogo-certified green electricity

Part 2: Green Building Agenda

We call on candidates to commit to the following goals for Ottawa's buildings:

• Loans to building and home owners for investments in green energy and energy efficiency. The City of Ottawa has studied the possibility of helping finance energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy by allowing property owners to pay for these through a loan that is incorporated into an individual property tax bill and paid off over the long-term. That way, if the home is sold, the next owner continues to benefit from the investment and to pay it off through their individual property taxes. This model has been piloted successfully by Berkeley, CA and is being adapted for the whole state of California. Ottawa should move forward promptly on introducing this powerful incentive.

• Incentives for building developers to build to higher environmental standards. The city should offer incentives including reduced permit fees and development charges and a fast-track approvals process for building projects that meet objective environmental criteria. These criteria could include a high energy efficiency rating, green building certification, and sustainable features such as green roofs or on-site renewable energy generation.

Part 3: Green Transport Agenda

We call on candidates to commit to the following goals for transportation in Ottawa:

• A halt to the steady growth of the city's road network, which serves to accommodate and encourage ever-increasing car traffic. Actions to achieve this goal should include:

o Suspending all planned road projects that involve adding extra lanes for car traffic. For any that cannot be cancelled, the design should be reworked so that any new lanes added are for cyclists, public transit, or high-occupancy vehicles only.
o Developing a fair user fee for roads, such that the maintenance of roads, air quality initiatives, and other externalized costs created by car use is partly covered by the people who use roads most intensively. Toronto, for instance, has adopted a vehicle tax. Other options include a tax on parking lots or road tolls.