We need your help getting our all-candidates' survey into the hands of each and every Ottawa municipal candidate.
The citizens of Ottawa will vote for mayor and council on Monday, October 22. Here at Ecology Ottawa, one of our top priorities between now and election day is to ensure that environmental concerns are a priority election issue.
To do this, we've developed a sixteen-question survey for candidates to complete, touching on a wide array of Ottawa-specific environmental concerns. These questions encompass four different areas: climate change action (Renewable City), building safe and healthy streets (Active City), protecting Ottawa’s greenspace and watersheds (Living City) and waste management. These questions focus candidates’ attention on the most pressing environmental issues affecting Ottawa. The answers let environmentally-minded voters know where politicians stand, and allow us to hold elected representatives to account on campaign promises.
Where do you come in? Although we’ve sent out this survey to all nominees, and have made efforts to speak with everyone, the call to action means so much more when it comes from you - the constituents.
We’re asking you to reach out to candidates by phone, email, and social media, urging them to complete our survey by the end of the day on August 10th if they have not already done so. You can see which candidates have already completed our survey by clicking here. We have prepared an email template and sample tweets below, and you can find your candidate contact information here.
Remember to CC us on all emails to your candidates ([email protected]) and tag us in tweets (@ecologyottawa) so we can keep track of all of the amazing work you're doing.
With your help and dedication, we’ll be able to make environmental issues a top priority this election cycle.
Robb, Dana, Vi, Velta, and the Ecology Ottawa team
Sample Email:
Hello [YOUR CANDIDATE'S NAME]
I am writing to you today as a citizen of Ottawa, voting member of Ottawa, and someone who cares about the well-being of our natural environment. As part of a community effort to ensure environmental issues are addressed in the 2018 municipal election, local non-profit Ecology Ottawa has developed a survey to better understand candidates’ positions on environmental issues.
If you have yet to complete the survey (https://goo.gl/forms/6P1KRAnmzv3WN9Vv2), I implore you to do so by August 10th. Whether it is addressing the local effects of climate change and climate adaptation, ensuring our streets are outfitted with adequate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, or supporting the health of our urban forests, municipal level action on environmental issues is of the utmost importance.
Take the time today to fill out this quick survey to let us, your constituents, know where you stand on environmental issues.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME HERE]
Sample Tweet:
Hi [@YOURCANDIDATE] have you filled out the survey on environmental issues in Ottawa from @EcologyOttawa? Tell us where you stand on active transportation, green infrastructure, and climate change. #ottvote #ottvoteeco #ecoott