The Ecology Ottawa climate change campaign achieved something with this mayor and council; the City of Ottawa adopted a new climate change management plan. It’s the city council that take their seats in November who will see that plan implemented.
Whether that implementation is undertaken with political will and concern for its effectiveness or it is allowed to languish due to political inattention depends on us.
Candidates running in this municipal election need to know that their voters are worried about this issue and that there is a strong role for the city to play in addressing it.
Most greenhouse gasses come from cities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities confirms that and that city governments have jurisdiction over approximately half of those greenhouse gasses.
In the months before election day, October 27, Ecology Ottawa is working with teams of citizens in wards across Ottawa to engage candidates for city council in conversations about climate change. Not all candidates will know the city has a new climate change management plan. The conversations that Ecology Ottawa supporters initiate can show these candidates that they have the power to make a difference on this critical issue.
We’ll be asking candidates the questions below and you can too when they come knocking at your door. Tell us what ward you live in and we’ll let you know the answers we get from YOUR candidates. If you haven’t already done so, sign the Ottawa climate pledge.
QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
- Do you agree that human-induced climate change is an urgent issue and all levels of government have a role to play in helping to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions?
- If elected, will you push for the full implementation of the City of Ottawa’s Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan, including items identified in the plan for the 2015 budget?
- The Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan establishes the modest goal of reducing Ottawa’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent per capita by 2024, but leaves open a lot of space for new initiatives to emerge in the coming years. If elected, will you push for actions aimed at surpassing the current goal?
Latest posts
Ottawa Eco Awards 2024 - Recipients Announced!
The 2024 Ottawa Eco Awards celebrate outstanding individuals in the Ottawa community who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to environmental stewardship, sustainability leadership, and climate action. We have been thrilled with the nominations that we have received from Ottawans for our second Ottawa Eco Awards, and we are heartened to learn about the local eco champions who inspire you.
Ecology Ottawa delegates to the Environment and Climate Change Committee on the Rain Ready Ottawa program.
Ecology Ottawa was at the City Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee on April 16, 2024, to talk about the Rain Ready Program. We’ve provided our delegations below and you can also watch the recording.
Members of ECCC invited to webinar on incineration
On April 8, we invited members of City Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) to attend a webinar on incineration. This webinar is timely: Council is considering incineration as an option for dealing with Ottawa’s waste, since staff has warned Council that the Trail Road Landfill—which currently receives the majority of Ottawans’ garbage—will fill up soon.