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April 2009
Ottawa councillors see light rail at the end of tunnel plans
CBC News, April 30, 2009 Ottawa's councillors got a peek at potential plans for the city's light rail transit tunnel Wednesday. City staff presented their recommendations for the location of the tunnel, which it said could include four underground stations. Those future underground subway stations could be: * Downtown West - Albert Street, between Lyon and Bay streets.
* Downtown East - Queen Street near O'Connor Street.
* Rideau Station - near intersection of Wellington and Elgin streets.
* Campus Station - Nicholas Street, near the University of Ottawa. The light rail project is expected to have 13 stations in total and run between Tunney's Pasture and Blair Road. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/30/ottawa-090430-ottawa-tunnel-transit.html
Penser la ville en vert Agence Science Presse, le 30 avril 2009
Léa Méthé Myrand Pas « glamour » la gestion municipale? Le développement urbain gagne du panache lorsque les villes s'engagent dans le tournant vert. Le salon Americana, qui a eu lieu à récemment à Montréal, présentait une sélection des technologies et stratégies proposées pour relever les défis environnementaux du 21e siècle. Au rythme où s'empilent les déchets, le recyclage du papier, du plastique et du métal ne suffit plus à désengorger les dépotoirs des grands centres urbains. La ville de San Francisco a mis en place une audacieuse stratégie en vue d'éliminer complètement les déchets. Avec une collecte sélective qui inclut les matières compostables, San Francisco dirige déjà plus de 70 % des rebuts hors du dépotoir. D'ici 2020, toutes les matières résiduelles devront être revalorisées. La politique « Zero Waste » s'attaque à la source du problème en incitant les manufacturiers à produire des biens et des emballages aisément recyclables ou biodégradables. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/environnement/politique-verte/200904/30/01-851776-penser-la-ville-en-vert.php
Gatineau starts remake of urban core Ottawa Citizen, April 29, 2009, page C1
Laura Payton Gatineau council has taken the first steps toward bringing its downtown core back to life by allowing $250,000 to begin redeveloping Montcalm Street. It has also put in place a governance structure for the rest of the planned work over the next 15 to 20 years. The program, first presented in January, is expected to guide the city's downtown urban development through 2025 and possibly beyond. The idea is to draw people downtown to live and play. The plan is also meant to anchor the city's core with culture, sustainable transportation, commerce and green space. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/Gatineau+starts+remake+urban+core/1543875/story.html
Planning staff settles on route, stations for underground light-rail transit tunnel Ottawa Citizen, April 29, 2009
Jake Rupert Even without funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments, Ottawa's downtown subway project planning is moving ahead at full steam with the announcement today of the preferred route. According to a briefing note on the announcement, the tunnel will follow what staff call a "cross-country alignment." It will start on the downtown edge of Lebreton Flats, roughly at Albert Street, run under the road to roughly Kent Street, then angle northward and cross downtown under streets and buildings and under Confederation Square. It will then go under the canal to roughly Rideau Street and Sussex Drive, then loop south under more streets and buildings before lining up under Nicholas Street, passing the University of Ottawa campus before popping back to the surface on the existing transitway near Lees Station. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/Planning+staff+settles+route+stations+underground+light+rail+transit+tunnel/1543810/story.html
Ont. government backs down on plan to require energy audit on home sales CBC News, April 28, 2009 Ontario Energy Minister George Smitherman has backed down from a plan to require energy audits each time a house is sold. A new amendment to the province's Green Energy Act will allow home buyers to waive their right to the $300 audit, as long as they do so in writing. The change will provide more flexibility in cases where the buyer intends to knock down the property or do major renovations, Smitherman said. But he said he's not anticipating that many buyers will opt out of an audit. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/28/energy-audits.html
Rain delivers another sewage spill Ottawa Sun, April 27, 2009
Derek Puddicombe The heavy rain over the weekend was too much for Ottawa's combined sewer operation to handle. Councillors were notified this morning that on April 25, 8,700,000 litres of sewage spilled into the Ottawa River. That brings the the total since the end of February to almost 125 million litres of sewage that has flowed into the waterway. The Ontario environment ministry Spills Action Centre was notified of the overflow. The city is taking steps to reduce the problem. It has built a huge underground sewage holding tank underneath Sandy Hill Park that will hold 12.5 million litres of combined storm water and raw sewage. http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2009/04/27/9266346.html
Toxic soil fenced in Ottawa Sun, April 25, 2009
Terri Saunders Fences have gone up and letters are being sent out to a widening group of residents who live near Stanley Park in New Edinburgh warning them of high levels of toxins in the park's soil. NCC officials yesterday erected a slatted wooden fence around 10% of the park, which sits between the St. Patrick Bridge and Sussex Dr., after receiving a report that indicates unacceptably high levels of lead and hydrocarbons in the surface soil. Lower levels were also found in other parts of the park. Officials said the area with the highest concentrations of the toxins close to the soil's surface poses health risks to children and pets and a detailed plan to deal with the problem is being prepared. http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/04/25/9240471-sun.html
Park partially closed after soil contamination discovered
No threat to river, groundwater near New Edinburgh, says NCC Ottawa Citizen, April 25, 2009, page D2
Cassandra Drudi The National Capital Commission fenced off an area of a New Edinburgh park Friday because of lead contamination that dates back to the land's former use as an industrial area. An NCC employee was in the neighbourhood Thursday, handing out copies of a letter explaining the situation to residents who live near Stanley Park, which runs along the Rideau River from the St. Patrick Street bridge to Sussex Drive. The park is on the site of a former industrial area that dates back to the turn of the 20th century, said Steve Blight, the NCC's director of environmental management and protection. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Park+partially+closed+after+soil+contamination+discovered/1532862/story.html
Cullen pushes for mandatory competitions
City should not accept sole-sourced, unsolicited deals, councillor says Ottawa Citizen, April 25, 2009, page D1
Jake Rupert In light of recent events, the city, like many other governments, should not accept unsolicited proposals or sole-sourced contracts and make competitive processes for all procurement activities mandatory, Bay Councillor Alex Cullen says. Cullen said he and a group of like-minded councillors will bring a motion to council in the coming weeks calling for the creation of such a policy. "There are several councillors that are as concerned about this as I am, and I'll be working with them to bring something forward," he said. Cullen has the backing of a public-sector procurement expert, too. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Cullen+pushes+mandatory+competitions/1532859/story.html
Toronto: TTC report recommends Bombardier for new streetcars CBC News, April 24, 2009 A Toronto Transit Commission staff report is recommending that Bombardier build its new fleet of streetcars - a contract worth about $1.5 billion. The recommendation to buy 204 new light-rail cars over the next 10 years will now go to the TTC board for approval. The sleek light-rail vehicles would be larger, quieter and lower to the ground than today's streetcars, making them wheelchair accessible. The new streetcars are to start running in 2012 with the entire fleet replaced by 2018. Right now, more than 260,000 people ride Toronto's streetcars each day. But the existing cars are approaching what TTC spokesman Brad Ross calls the end of their useful life. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/04/24/ttc-bombardier.html
Montréal: Mackay Street green space plan draws merchants' ire CBC News, April 24, 2009 Some merchants and residents in downtown Montreal are angry with plans to turn a section of Mackay Street into a pedestrian mall. The City of Montreal has approved a project pitched by Concordia University called the "Greening of Mackay," which would see the street transformed into a summer park with an outdoor music venue between De Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke streets from early May to early October. About 40 parking spots would be eliminated during that period. The plan - which Concordia officials said has been in the works for decades - injects much-needed green space in downtown Montreal. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/04/24/montreal-mackaystreet-0424.html
Building value in the net-zero home
Actually saving money has been considered the last hurdle for the green movement, which got sideswiped by the economic crisis Financial Post, April 24, 2009
Janet Whitman NEW YORK -- Move over granite countertops. Solar panels and tankless water heaters are catching on as the hot must-have items in new home construction. Going green has long been considered cost prohibitive to many Americans and Canadians wanting to build eco-friendly homes. But last year's record surge in energy prices is leading a lot of consumers, architects and homebuilders to rethink the math. The idea of opting for an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient home isn't only starting to be seen as an affordable option. It's being sold by some architects and homebuilders in United States as one that could end up saving homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars -- and even make money. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/fp/Building+value+zero+home/1531054/story.html
Le modèle ontarien Radio-Canada, le 24 avril 2009 Des spécialistes américains de l'énergie renouvelable croient que l'Ontario pourrait devenir un modèle en la matière pour les États-Unis. Le fondateur du Jour de la Terre, Denis Hayes, croit que si la province prospère grâce à ce plan, il parviendra enfin à convaincre les politiciens de son pays d'abandonner les centrales thermiques. Il espère que l'Ontario deviendra un leader mondial de l'énergie renouvelable aux côtés de l'Allemagne et de l'Espagne. M. Hayes a dirigé plusieurs recherches sur l'énergie verte et a installé des panneaux solaires sur la Maison Blanche, mais il n'est jamais parvenu à convaincre les élus américains d'adopter une réforme énergétique aussi importante que celle proposée par le gouvernement ontarien. http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Ontario/2009/04/24/005-energie-verte_n.shtml
Hume comes to defence of OMB Ottawa Citizen, April 24, 2009
Patrick Dare Some Ottawa councillors think the provincial agency that keeps overturning their decisions is tilted towards developers, but the city councillor who heads the Association of Municipalities of Ontario says it isn't so. Councillors were harsh in their criticism of the Ontario Municipal Board on Wednesday night when they decided to try to fight the board's decision on the expansion of Manotick. Councillor Diane Deans called the board "one-sided" and "dysfunctional." Others said board officials adjudicating cases don't really take into account the views of communities and elected councils. But Councillor Peter Hume, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, says: "It's not a fair criticism." http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Hume%20comes%20defence/1527208/story.html
La Ville d'Ottawa contestera l'accord donné au projet Mahogany Le Droit, le 23 avril 2009
Dominique La Haye La contestation infructueuse d'un important projet immobilier dans le village de Manotick à Ottawa a déjà coûté plus d'un demi-million de dollars aux contribuables... qui peuvent maintenant s'attendre à payer une note encore plus salée. Le conseil municipal d'Ottawa vient de décider de contester une décision de la Commission des affaires municipales de l'Ontario (CAMO) qui a donné le feu vert récemment au projet Mahogany, du groupe Minto, qui fera doubler la population du village d'ici 2020. Quelque 1400 nouvelles maisons seront construites sur un site de 195 hectares près du village. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/ottawa-est-ontarien/200904/23/01-849741-la-ville-dottawa-contestera-laccord-donne-au-projet-mahogany.php
City council to appeal OMB decision Ottawa Citizen, April 22, 2009
Patrick Dare OTTAWA -- Ottawa Council, which was soundly defeated at the Ontario Municipal Board over its attempt to stop Minto Developments from expanding Manotick village, will try to fight the developer at Divisional Court. Ottawa Council voted Wednesday night to seek leave to appeal the decision by the municipal board to allow Minto's proposed expansion of Manotick by 1,400 homes. Council rejected the expansion, saying it was too much development too fast. But the city's own planners had supported the expansion and the board ruled that it was in accordance with the city's official plan. Councillors voted 13-5 to pursue an appeal, with councillors such as Diane Deans, Maria McRae and Peggy Feltmate arguing that it's important that municipal councils stand up to the municipal board. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/City+council+appeal+decision/1523892/story.html
Bugs, cornstarch replace pesticides today
Hardware and garden stores removing all chemical, cosmetic weed killers from shelves across province Toronto Star, April 22, 2009
Catherine Porter Microscopic bugs, cornstarch and fungus. That's your new arsenal for grooming the perfect lawn. The province's ban on all cosmetic pesticides locks into place today, banishing all the old chemical stalwarts such as Killex, Weedex and Grubout. Hardware and garden stores across the province are removing the last vestiges of 245 banned products, containing some 80 outlawed chemicals, and stocking their shelves with natural alternatives and "biopesticides," bugs that kill weeds and pests. Many lawncare companies are scrambling to respond to the legislation's fine print, which came out only recently. http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/622246
Ontario schools promised $550 million to go green Toronto Star, April 22, 2009
Robert Benzie The Ontario government is spending a lot of green to help more than 1,000 schools go green. On the eve of Earth Day, Premier Dalton McGuinty yesterday announced that $550 million would be spent over the next two years to enable schools across the province to be retrofitted with energy-efficient windows, roofs, and cooling and heating systems. "A vibrant school environment starts from the ground up," McGuinty told Grade 1 and 2 students at the downtown St. Paul Catholic School on Sackville St. "By retrofitting our schools, we're creating jobs while saving energy and money and teaching our kids about greener ways to live," he said, adding the measures should mean 5,500 new short-term jobs. http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/622233
City to enter into negotiations for a sole-source redevelopment of Lansdowne Ottawa Citizen, April 22, 2009
Jake Rupert The city will enter into 60 days of negotiations with a group of local developers for a sole-source redevelopment of Lansdowne Park, but any deal will be subject to some strict conditions on what the developers can and can't do at the site, and it must be a good financial deal for taxpayers. City council made this decision by a vote of 14 to nine today. The decision came after two attempts to scuttle this approach were voted down by city council, and it could spell the end for Eugene Melnyk's plan for a soccer-specific stadium near Scotiabank Place. Council put off any decision on the soccer stadium until after the city reaches a tentative deal with the developers or not for Lansdowne. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/story_print.html?id=1522709&sponsor=
McGuinty hints at funds for stadium
Premier wants 'sitdown' with city to discuss proposals; Melnyk 'confident' in his plan Ottawa Citizen, April 22, 2009
Ken Gray and Patrick Dare The premier's office left the door open Tuesday to provincial government assistance on a stadium development project. "I look to the city to give me a good sense as to where they want to go," Jane Almeida, an aide to Dalton McGuinty, quoted the premier as saying. "Once they have set their priorities and chosen their preferred proposals, let's then sit down together. Obviously, we would also want to work with the federal government." Two proposals for professional sports stadiums are before Ottawa councillors, who are expected to vote on how to proceed at today's council meeting. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Entertainment/McGuinty+hints+funds+stadium/1520689/story.html
Councillor urges campaign contribution disclosure before stadium vote Metro Ottawa, April 22, 2009
Tim Wieclawski Before city council votes on entering into a sole-source partnership to reshape Lansdowne Park, one councillor is calling for his colleagues to disclose campaign contributions from the stadium proponents. "The public needs to know if there is any financial relationship between councillors who are voting and their electoral contributions," said Capital Ward Councillor Clive Doucet. "I know that many councillors take substantial contributions and, in this case, I think the public needs to know what the nature of them are." Doucet is planning to table a motion at the next council meeting asking those members of council who have received campaign contributions from the proponents of unsolicited stadium proposals to declare their status. http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa/local/article/216770--councillor-urges-campaign-contribution-disclosure-before-stadium-vote
Ontario to mark Earth Day with cosmetic pesticide ban CBC News, April 21, 2009 What some are calling the toughest cosmetic pesticide ban in North America comes into effect this week in Ontario. Beginning on Earth Day Wednesday, the province is banning the sale and use of about 250 pesticides and ingredients, including 2,4-D and malathion. Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen says the ban means getting toxic materials off lawns. "It's tough but workable, and it sends a strong signal to industry about the types of innovative low-risk products we want on Ontario's store shelves," Gerretsen said when introducing the legislation last November. Sandy Maroney, who was at a garden centre in Etobicoke on Monday, supports the ban. She said she's worried about what pesticides do to children when they play on a lawn. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/21/ont-pesticides.html
Stadium Debate Heads to Council CFRA, April 21, 2009
Josh Pringle and Stephanie Kinsella The "football" is being kicked to City Council to make a decision on a new sports stadium in Ottawa. After hearing from the two groups proposing to build a $100 million, 20-thousand seat stadium in Ottawa and the public, a joint meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee and the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee deferred motions to Council on Wednesday. Councillor Rick Chiarelli has introduced a motion that directs the city to "negotiate a partnership agreement" with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group for the Lansdowne Live proposal. The motion calls for redeveloping Lansdowne Park, including revitalizing the Civic Centre and Frank Clair Stadium, enhancing Trade and Consumer Show Space and protecting the Ottawa Farmers' Market, based on a revenue-and-value neutral basis. http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=64626
Clive Doucet met ses collègues au défi Le Droit, le 23 avril 2009
Dominique La Haye Comme dernière tentative de faire avorter un projet de stade au parc Lansdowne avancé par un groupe d'hommes d'affaires de la région, un conseiller de la Ville d'Ottawa met au défi ses collègues au conseil municipal de dévoiler leurs contributions électorales provenant de promoteurs immobiliers. Le conseiller Clive Doucet, représentant le quartier où est situé le parc Lansdowne, déposera aujourd'hui une résolution en ce sens, alors que le conseil municipal doit trancher sur deux propositions non sollicitées de stade. L'élu est fortement opposé au projet Lansdowne Live, mis de l'avant par un consortium de trois promoteurs immobiliers, Roger Greenberg, du groupe Minto, William Shenkman, de Shenkman Corporation et John Ruddy, de Trinity Development, appuyés par Jeff Hunt, le propriétaire des 67's d'Ottawa. Ce partenariat public-privé d'environ 100 millions avec la Ville vise à ramener une équipe de la Ligue canadienne de football (LCF) à Ottawa et propose d'implanter un stade refait de 25 000 sièges, en plus d'aires commerciales, d'un hôtel, et d'un aquarium. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/ottawa-est-ontarien/200904/21/01-848913-clive-doucet-met-ses-collegues-au-defi.php
Residents ill-prepared for looming provincial pesticide ban Orléans Online, April 20, 2009
Fred Sherwin J.A. Laporte's Flowers and Nursery owner Estelle Laporte has a heightened level of anxiety these days and it's not because she's nervous about a late start to the growing season or another unseasonably cold summer. She's worried about the looming provincial ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides and for good reason. Of the 50 or so customers she's seen in the past 10 days, not a soul knows anything about it. "No one knows anything about it and I'm not even sure what I can tell them," says Laporte who has mixed reservations about the new legislation which places a ban on the purchase and sale of hundreds of chemical-based pesticides and herbicides limits the sale of certain other herbicides to be used on poison ivy only. http://www.orleansonline.ca/pages/N2009041901.htm
Get the wheels rolling
Hard to understand how this city doesn't have a solid bike program Ottawa Sun, April 19, 2009
Susan Sherring Tough budget times are threatening the city's bike safety courses, an embarrassment says one city councillor for a city that prides itself on its tremendous cycling trails. "It's awkward, embarrassing and unacceptable that we're in danger of dropping the ball for these important programs," said Bay Coun. Alex Cullen. Absolutely. Seems the funding envelope for the bike programs has been slashed to a pittance over the years and the money now left to run them isn't enough to interest any group to take it on. http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Columnists/Sherring_Susan/2009/04/18/9160966-sun.html
Pesticide ban 'protects young children'
Environment minister says there are lower-risk products available that can be used Hamilton Spectator, April 18, 2009
Eric McGuinness Environment Minister John Gerretsen says Ontario is banning cosmetic use of pesticides to protect children. "We're doing it to protect young children that play in lawns, gardens, ballparks and parks. We are taking a precautionary approach to make sure that kids are not put at unnecessary risk." Gerretsen, who also this month introduced a bill to reduce industrial use of toxic chemicals, said in an interview: "The argument that is always brought forward by people who do not like what we are doing is that the products are found to be acceptable to Health Canada, but Health Canada, when it looks at particular products, only adjudicates on it being an acceptable risk. Very little work has been done on cumulative effects of all these products on our lawns and gardens. http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/550538
Aux vélos, citoyens! La Presse, le 17 avril 2009
François Cardinal Montréal est de retour «sur la map». Après s'être vantée pendant 10 ans d'avoir été citée parmi les villes les plus accueillantes au vélo par le magazine Bicycling, la métropole renoue avec les honneurs, enfin. Enfin, parce qu'il était devenu quelque peu lamentable d'exhiber, encore aujourd'hui, un titre vieux d'une décennie, qui ne servait plus qu'à masquer le laxisme politique en matière cyclable à Montréal. Les amateurs du deux roues commençaient en effet à manquer de pignons sur leur roue libre pour compter le nombre d'années qui les séparaient du dernier investissement majeur fait dans le réseau. Puis soudainement, avec l'adoption d'un plan de transport fortement teinté de vert, la métropole est de retour dans les bonnes grâces cyclistes. http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/francois-cardinal/200904/17/01-847544-aux-velos-citoyens.php
Londres va subventionner l'achat de voitures électriques Agence France-Presse, le 16 avril 2009 Le gouvernement britannique a annoncé jeudi qu'il subventionnerait l'achat de véhicules électriques et hybrides à partir de 2011, de l'ordre de 2000 à 5000 livres (entre 2200 et 5600 euros environ), dans le cadre de la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique. L'initiative a été annoncée lors d'un conseil des ministres qui était délocalisé pour la première fois en Écosse, à Glasgow. Ce programme de soutien à l'achat de voitures électriques devrait durer cinq ans, ont précisé le ministre du Commerce Peter Mandelson et son homologue des Transports Geoff Hoon. L'année d'entrée en vigueur du plan, 2011, a été choisie pour coïncider avec l'arrivée en masse de nouveaux modèles hybrides (électrique et essence) sur le marché britannique, alors que les ventes de véhicules électriques y sont pour l'instant microscopiques (ils ne représentent que 0,1% des 26 millions de voitures en circulation au Royaume-Uni). L'idée est de réduire le prix d'achat de ces véhicules, pour l'instant très élevé, qui constitue un frein puissant à leur généralisation. http://monvolant.cyberpresse.ca/dossiers/la-folie-de-lhybride/200904/16/01-847191-londres-va-subventionner-lachat-de-voitures-electriques.php
Watson calls for further changes at OMB
Minister says plan for reform predates controversial Manotick decision Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2009
Mohammed Adam Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson says he has been talking to Attorney General Chris Bentley to further reform the Ontario Municipal Board to make it more responsive to Ontario communities. Watson said that even before the controversial OMB decision that overruled Ottawa city council and gave the green light to Minto's 1,400-home Mahogany subdivision in Manotick, he was discussing OMB changes with his cabinet colleague. Even though the board deals with planning issues, typically municipal matters, the attorney general's department is directly responsible for the quasi-judicial tribunal. "Has the OMB been perfect? No. Can it improve? Yes, I think it can and I am quite prepared to work with the attorney general to try and ensure that the OMB is more reflective of community values," said Watson after a speech to local business leaders at City Hall on Tuesday morning. "I've had a couple of discussions with the attorney general going back a month and we both agree we are going to take a thorough look at the OMB and see how we can further improve it based on changes we made a couple of years ago. We want to see if they've done what we hoped they'd do to bring greater balance to OMB decision-making." http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/fp/Watson+calls+further+changes/1497086/story.html
Don't fight the OMB on 'feelings': Hume
City voted down a deal with Minto, which later won case Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2009, page C1
Patrick Dare The head of Ottawa's planning committee says the lesson from losing a major case over a Manotick expansion plan is: Don't go to a fight at the Ontario Municipal Board without real evidence. Alta Vista Councillor Peter Hume said Tuesday that the city's latest defeat before the municipal board shows the city must not make planning decisions based on "feelings." Hume had tried to forge a compromise in February 2008 that would have kept a large new Minto subdivision out of the hands of the municipal board. Hume's motion called for a staged construction of as many as 1,000 homes over 10 years. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/fight+feelings+Hume/1497138/story.html
A confused, squabbling city Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2009
Ken Gray Our city has lost its way. That became apparent during a lecture a week ago by James Parakh, an architect and urban designer with the City of Toronto. Parakh was speaking to the Urban Forum lecture series at Ottawa City Hall about Toronto's PATH system, a series of underground tunnels that connect that city's subway system and building concourses. The designer was showing slides of magnificent new buildings and majestic entrances to the underground city when up came an aerial shot of downtown Toronto. Prominent in the photo were the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre, large sports venues. What quickly became apparent was that Toronto has got its downtown figured out for the most part. Leading to those enormous sports edifices is the entire Greater Toronto Area (and beyond) transportation system. The subway, Via and GO commuter train systems converge at Union Station, just steps away from both sports venues. In fact, the Hockey Hall of Fame is not far away. So too, the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway just down the road a bit. These stadiums, which draw enormous crowds, have superb transportation systems to help spectators get there. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/confused+squabbling+city/1497132/story.html
Adviser urges quicker diversion of landfill commercial waste Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2009, page C6
Patrick Dare A member of the city's environmental advisory committee on Tuesday urged city councillors to hurry up with the plan to divert commercial waste from landfills. Mike Lascelles urged members of the planning and environment committee to push for earlier goals in the strategy of diverting commercial garbage out of landfills. He said the city should be diverting business compost next year and 60 per cent of business waste should be diverted away from landfills by 2012, not 2015. Talking to reporters, Lascelles said the city must protect precious landfill space, because to create a new landfill would cost the city $100 million and would take 10 years to establish. He said organic materials, from businesses such as supermarkets and restaurants, create greenhouse gases and generate leachate wastewater that must be treated. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Adviser+urges+quicker+diversion+landfill+commercial+waste/1497148/story.html
Slow-downs along King Edward?
Transportation committee wants speed limits on bridge, busy road reduced Ottawa Sun, April 15, 2009
Derek Puddicombe Vehicles entering Ottawa from the Macdonald Cartier Bridge might soon be forced to slow down. The city's transportation committee is recommending several speed limit reductions in the area. The committee is asking council to lower the posted speed limit from 60 km/h to 50 km/h on the bridge as vehicles approach King Edward Ave. It also wants council to request the province use photo radar to control speeders. The motion, introduced by Rideau-Vanier Coun. Georges Bedard, requests the speed limit at the entry curve to King Edward be reduced to 30 km/hr from 40 km/h, and that drivers along King Edward be restricted to 40 km/hr - down from 50 km/h. http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/04/15/9122001.html
Move faster on diverting commercial waste from filling landfills, city advisory committee member urges Ottawa Citizen, April 14, 2009
Patrick Dare OTTAWA - A member of the city's environmental advisory committee urged city councillors Tuesday to hurry up with the plan to divert commercial waste from landfills. Mike Lascelles urged members of city council's planning and environment committee to push for earlier landmarks in the strategy of diverting commercial garbage from landfills. He said the city should be diverting business compost next year and 60 per cent of business waste should be diverted from landfills by 2012, not 2015. Talking to reporters, Lascelles said the city must protect precious landfill space because to create a new landfill would cost the city $100 million and take 10 years. He said organic materials, from businesses like supermarkets and restaurants, create greenhouse gases and generate leachate wastewater that must be treated. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Move+faster+diverting+commercial+waste+from+filling+landfills+city+advisory+committee+member+urges/1496301/story.html
Expert sounds alarm over OMB
Says province, minister have some explaining to do after board vetoes council on Manotick plan Ottawa Citizen, April 14, 2009
Mohammed Adam OTTAWA - The City of Ottawa should demand an explanation from the provincial government on how the Ontario Municipal Board can overrule city council on a massive expansion of Manotick despite promises three years ago that Ontario cities would control how they grow, one of Ottawa's leading urban planners says. Barry Wellar, professor emeritus of urban planning at the University of Ottawa, says if the OMB, a provincial agency whose members can override city planning decisions, can ride into town and repudiate elected representatives on growth that could cost taxpayers millions of dollars, there's no point in doing long-term planning in Ontario. Wellar says Ottawa council should demand answers from the government, particularly Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson, a former Ottawa mayor who represents Ottawa West-Nepean. "What Dalton McGuinty said a few years ago, what other ministers said, was that the government was going to reform the OMB and give cities the power to control their own futures. Then council makes a decision on how it wants to grow and the OMB comes to town and repudiates it," Wellar said. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/fp/Expert+sounds+alarm+over/1492944/story.html
Fight against Minto's Manotick plans cost city $638,000 Ottawa Citizen, April 13, 2009 OTTAWA - The city spent $638,000 in its vain attempt to keep a subdivision from being built near Manotick village, the city's legal department says. A note to city council on the costs of its fight with Minto Developments says $357,000 was spent defending council's decision to reject the development, which could see 1,400 houses built on 480 acres south of the village in the next decade or so. The note says $281,000 was spent developing a secondary plan for the village, which was eviscerated by the Ontario Municipal Board ruling allowing the development to go ahead. City council rejected the proposed development last year, stating that the pace and size of growth did not comply with the city's official plan or the village's secondary plan, and that the project did not fit with the rural character of the village. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Fight+against+Minto+Manotick+plans+cost+city/1492077/story.html
Cool use for Ottawa's snow
Technology would turn winter 'liability' into an asset during heat of summer Ottawa Citizen, April 13, 2009
Stephanie Smith Ottawa winters are never short of snow so, when Gloucester-Southgate Councillor Diane Deans heard it could be used to cool buildings in the summer, she was delighted. Instead of being trucked off to outlying areas, snow could be stored near the buildings that would use the cooling technology. "It has certainly cost the taxpayers to clear snow during the cold winter months, so I thought, take a liability and turn it into an asset," Deans said. Frederick Michel, director of the Institute of Environmental Science at Carleton University, first presented the idea to Deans. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Cool+Ottawa+snow/1490594/story.html
City plan to boost industrial recycling unveiled
Non-residential sectors 'keen to get going' on goal to divert 60% of waste from landfill Ottawa Citizen, April 12, 2009
Jake Rupert The city's plan to encourage waste recycling in the institutional, industrial and commercial sectors is ready to go, and city officials expect good uptake of the program. Kevin Wily, the city's waste manager, said officials from the targeted sectors responded positively to more recycling at their facilities during extensive consultation. "They seem very keen to get going and to see what we can offer to them to help them divert more waste from landfills," he said. The goal of the plan is to get 60 per cent of the waste produced by these sectors diverted from landfills by 2015, an increase from the current estimated rate of 20 per cent, and to provide firm measurements of the march towards the target. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/City+plan+boost+industrial+recycling+unveiled/1489179/story.html
Toronto: City eyes rebates to cut lead in water
Low-income residents would install filters on their faucets under plan Toronto Star, April 11, 2009
Donovan Vincent Toronto's works committee has approved a plan to help low-income residents limit the lead in their drinking water and is considering options to help all homeowners pay for lead pipe replacement. While the city is in the midst of an ambitious, nine-year program to replace the city-owned portion of lead water service lines, city staff are concerned some 70 per cent of homeowners aren't simultaneously upgrading their sections of those pipes, the privately owned lines that run directly to their faucets. The typical cost of such replacements - about $1,500 - may be a prime reason the plumbing upgrades aren't happening, the committee heard this week. http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/616988
Manotick development approved
Board grants Minto's bid for 1,400 housing project Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 2009
Brendan Kennedy A residential development that could double the population of Manotick by 2020 was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board Thursday after Ottawa city council rejected it last year. Minto Communities Inc. appealed council's decision to the board, made up of provincial appointees, which has the power to overrule municipal governments on various planning matters. The development in question is Minto's Mahogany community: 1,400 mixed-residential homes slated for a 480-acre area south of Manotick's village core. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Manotick+development+approved/1483789/story.html
Sides on track to settle light-rail lawsuit? Ottawa Sun, April 9, 2009
Derek Puddicombe An offer could be in the works to settle the $217-million light-rail lawsuit. The Sun has learned that Siemens Canada and St. Lawrence Cement, who are suing the City of Ottawa after council cancelled the proposed $1-billion north-south LRT line two years ago, might be willing to settle out of court if the city agrees to allow them to build the north-south portion of the city's new transit plan. When contacted by the Sun, a Siemens spokesman didn't deny a settlement offer is being drafted, but said the company can't comment because the lawsuit is still before the courts. http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/04/09/9062606-sun.html
City sends list of infrastructure projects to Queen's Park Metro News, April 8, 2009
Tim Wieclawski Aside from a lot more funds for social housing infrastructure for Ottawa Community Housing and a few more recreation projects, the city's priority list of ready-to-go infrastructure projects will pass to Queen's Park unchanged from the list presented last month. On Wednesday, city council unanimously approved the prioritized list of nearly $500 million in infrastructure projects, $137 million in social housing improvements, $58 million in recreation infrastructure, and around $30 million in cultural initiatives. Topping the infrastructure list are projects from the first phase of the rapid transit plan - extending the southwest Transitway from Fallowfield to Barrhaven, a tunnel at Baseline Station and pedestrian walkway over Woodroffe Avenue. http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa/local/article/210612
Ontario institutions will buy locally produced food, Premier says Globe and Mail, April 7, 2009
Romina Maurino, Canadian Press TORONTO -- Premier Dalton McGuinty is hoping that an Ontario apple a day will keep the recession away, or at least provide a boost to the province's beleaguered economy. The province is committing $24-million over three years in an attempt to make Ontario-farmed foods available in more jails, schools and hospitals. "Just as we moved Ontario wines to the front of the line in the LCBO, we want to move Ontario foods to the front of the line wherever we're buying food in the province of Ontario," Mr. McGuinty said yesterday. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090407.FOOD07ART2250/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/
Change our buildings, change the world: Ecology Ottawa Real Estate News Exchange, April 2009
Daniel Reid With a few relatively simple steps, Ottawa has the potential to improve air and water quality while becoming a green model for Canada's building industry says a grassroots environmental group. Since buildings are responsible for most of the city's greenhouse gas emissions (58 per cent) - more than transportation (36 per cent) and waste (six per cent) - developers should be given more incentives to incorporate green features into new buildings, according to a new report by Ecology Ottawa called Building Ottawa's Energy Revolution. "This seems to be a really key issue that isn't on the city's agenda," says Lori Waller, environmental research associate with Ecology Ottawa. "We tend to focus a fair bit on climate change because it's a very pressing issue. We only have a number of years to really change course." http://www.renx.ca/Detailed/1710.html
Will Dow challenge Quebec pesticide law? Globe and Mail, April 3, 2009
Martin Mittelstaedt TORONTO - Dow AgroSciences is mulling over a NAFTA challenge to Quebec's law banning the cosmetic use of pesticides, setting a spotlight on one of the most controversial clauses of the trade agreement among Canada, the United States and Mexico. Under the trade pact, companies can claim that new laws or regulations are indirect expropriation of property without fair compensation, and Dow says it is out $2-million over the pesticide ban. Although the company signalled in August that it was considering taking on Ottawa by filing a NAFTA notice of intent over the issue, it hasn't formally decided to go ahead with the legal action. But Brenda Harris, the company's manager of regulatory and government affairs, says a decision is pending and will be made this month. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090403.wnafta0403/BNStory/National/home
Is Ottawa public transit funding next?
Province announces $9-billion package for Toronto, local councillors hopeful for year's end Metro News, April 2, 2009, page 3
Tim Wieclawski The provincial government has come through with funding for light rail in Toronto, and local politicians are interpreting the announcement as a positive sign for things to come for Ottawa. Yesterday, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Toronto Mayor David Miller announced $9 billion worth of public transit projects, including a $4.6-billion, 31-kilometre rail line out of the Pearson International Airport. The announcement should now free up provincial politicians to turn their attention to the premier's hometown, said Mayor Larry O'Brien. http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa
City's proposed land-use plan pleases no one
Builders want more suburban land, others demand higher density in core Ottawa Citizen, April 1, 2009
Jake Rupert Ottawa's proposed new land-use plan, which calls for more density and less sprawl in the coming decades, took a beating from all sides Tuesday as members of the public, community groups and business interests made submissions to elected officials on a city committee. The official land-use plan was developed in conjunction with the city's new rapid-transit network. The idea is to build a more compact city built around public transit that will see more use of existing infrastructure, which would save the municipal government money and cut the city's environmental impact. Still, the plan calls for 800 hectares of vacant land connected to existing suburbs to be designated for new single-family homes, along with higher population and employment densities everywhere, especially inside the Greenbelt, to limit sprawl. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/fp/City+proposed+land+plan+pleases/1449606/story.html
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