Ecology Ottawa opposes council plan to axe tree protection by-law, transit service

January 12, 2010

Proposed cuts to the city's budget would kill the recently adopted tree protection by-law, designed to provide added protection to Ottawa's urban trees. This, along with deep cuts to tree maintenance, transit service, and other environmentally beneficial programs, has Ecology Ottawa concerned that environmental issues will, once again, take the back seat in the city budget.

"We know that councillors are under pressure to save money," said Lori Waller, Ecology Ottawa's policy coordinator. "But it seems that environmental spending is often targeted for the deepest cuts, and they've targeted a few key areas, like tree maintenance and transit service, for aggressive slashing."

After years of work and several failed attempts, Ottawa finally adopted a tree protection by-law last spring. It requires urban residents to get permits before cutting down large, mature tress. Ottawa had been one of the few large Ontario cities without such a by-law. But councillors on the budget committee now want to cut all the funds needed to implement it. Ottawa's urban forest will also suffer due to proposed cuts to tree trimming, to be switched from once every 5 to 7 years to once every 32.

Transit service is also being targeted, with cuts to over 40 OC Transpo routes and the deferral of planned service enhancements. Also slashed in the budget is funding for a U-pass for Ottawa's many university students. This is topped off with a proposed 7.5% fare hike, which means that in 2010, transit riders will be paying more but getting a lot less.

Ecology Ottawa is urging residents to get involved and let council know that budget cuts shouldn't come at the expense of clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment. It has released and posted on its website a briefing paper summarizing the key environmental issues in the city's draft budget (found at http://www.ecologyottawa.ca/take-action/index.php).

The paper notes that council has proposed considerable improvement over previous years' budgets in certain areas, such as cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and energy efficiency improvements to city-owned buildings.

"We're pleased to see that a reasonable budget is proposed this year for cycling infrastructure and programs," said Waller. "It seems councillors are starting to realize how much needs to be done to improve the safety and convenience of cycling in this city."

About Ecology Ottawa:
Ecology Ottawa is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization working to make Ottawa the green capital of Canada. We believe that Ottawa residents are concerned about issues such as pollution, waste, and global warming, and that they want the city to show environmental leadership. We are working with residents and organizations across the city to ensure that these concerns are heard at city hall. Find out more and sign up for our e-mail updates at www.ecologyottawa.ca.

Media Contact: Sabrina Bowman, Ecology Ottawa Coordinator, 613-860-5353, info@ecologyottawa.ca

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Ecology Ottawa's summary of the key environmental aspects of the budget can be downloaded below:

2010_budget_Ecology_Ottawa_comments.pdf