Ecology Ottawa calls on Mayor Jim Watson: Don’t cut out the core!
December 14, 2018
(OTTAWA) – Ecology Ottawa has launched a campaign to urge Jim Watson to fix Ottawa’s committee structure by adding more urban councillors to key committees such as the Transit Commission, Planning Committee and the Finance and Economic Development Committee (FEDCO). The letter-writing and social media campaign, called “Don’t Cut Out the Core,” seeks to make Ottawa a greener city through city-wide representation on key committees impacting the environment.
“At council last Wednesday, the mayor stacked committees with his friends on council, while pushing other voices to the sidelines,” said Robb Barnes, executive director of Ecology Ottawa. “Those voices are disproportionately urban. This means one fifth of the city’s population is cut out of major decisions impacting Ottawa’s environment.”
Three committees in particular – Transit, Planning and FEDCO – now have little or no urban representation. These committees will make critical decisions over the next four years in areas such as Ottawa’s urban boundary expansion, progress on light rail, and efforts to increase transit ridership and connectivity. Ecology Ottawa is calling on the mayor to add additional urban representatives in each case, without removing the inner-Greenbelt, suburban and rural councillors already in place.
“If we truly want a greener city, we need to hear from the diverse voices of every area of the city,” said Mr. Barnes. “Jim Watson is playing political games instead, with deep implications for the strength of local democracy.”
-30 -
For more information, contact :
Robb Barnes
Executive Director / Directeur exécutif
EcologyOttawa
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
613-860-5353 (office/(bureau)
613-276-5753 (cell/cellulaire)
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.