Just now, the mayor and a majority on Ottawa City Council voted to dramatically worsen urban sprawl. This was the most important environmental vote this term of council, and will define the environmental legacy of most councillors’ entire careers. Council’s vote marks a major setback for every one of Ecology Ottawa’s priority areas – from climate action, to biodiversity and greenspace protection, to the viability of transit and active transportation in our city.
Ottawa Council just failed its most important environmental test. What happens now?
Just now, the mayor and a majority on Ottawa City Council voted to dramatically worsen urban sprawl. This was the most important environmental vote this term of council, and will define the environmental legacy of most councillors’ entire careers. Council’s vote marks a major setback for every one of Ecology Ottawa’s priority areas – from climate action, to biodiversity and greenspace protection, to the viability of transit and active transportation in our city.
Join us! "What Sprawl Costs Ottawa" webinar - Tuesday, May 26 at 12pm
Ottawa city councillors are about to make the biggest decision - and probably the biggest mistake - of their political careers.
An expanded urban boundary will trigger more sprawl, destroy precious farmland and wild spaces, make it harder to deliver essential services like affordable housing and transit, and make the city more vulnerable in a climate emergency (or the next pandemic).
Join us! "Housing, Homelessness, and Climate Emergencies: How the Official Plan can Help Create a City for All" - Monday, May 25 at 7pm
On Monday, May 25, community groups and their supporters are hosting an important conversation about inequities, under-appreciated emergencies, and how the Official Plan can meaningfully address these urgent issues to help create a city for all.
Representatives of the Alliance to End Homelessness, City for All Women Initiative, Ecology Ottawa, Healthy Transportation Coalition, and Housing Managers Collective will host a panel discussion followed by a community conversation about what we should do when elected officials let us down.
For Immediate Release: Former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario to join Ecology Ottawa's online Hold the Line rally
May 5, 2020
OTTAWA - Former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Dr. Dianne Saxe will join an upcoming 'Hold the Line' rally hosted by Ecology Ottawa. The rally, scheduled to take place on Friday, May 8 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., is a call to action in advance of critical votes by council on the issue of whether to expand Ottawa's urban boundary.
Council Watch February Report
In February, we attended two meetings: the Planning Committee and City Council. The highlights of these meetings were motions regarding a new subdivision, traffic control, and public transportation, as well as an inquiry by Councillor McKenney.
Earth Day Trivia Night 2020
We are thrilled to be launching our first ever online trivia night this coming Earth Day and you’re invited!
Come join us online to celebrate Earth Day’s 50th anniversary with some fun-filled trivia on Ottawa’s native plant species.
Did you know?! The first Earth Day took place on April 22nd, 1970 and is credited with the emergence of environmentalism as a mass movement. Over the years, collective action taken on Earth Day has resulted in some significant political achievements around the world. But our work is not done!
Need a green break? We’ve got a webinar for that!
How are you doing? These are strange and difficult times, and as much as we all know that physical distancing is what’s needed to combat this global pandemic, it doesn’t make the process easier. Here at Ecology Ottawa, we’ve been thinking about how we can continue to engage Ottawans and give you the tools to green-up your communities.
Book recommendation: The Future We Choose
During these strange times of self-isolation and physical distancing, there's no better chance to catch up on reading. Even better, to read something inspiring and relevant to a world that seems to change with each passing hour.
Our Board Member Charles Hodgson recently came across The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac. We wanted to share his note with you below.
Safe Streets, Healthy Streets
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to do profound damage around the world, cities are working to find to safeguard public health while providing residents with access to fresh air and exercise. Meanwhile, struggling businesses are seeking outdoor access so that they can operate in a safe way.
A Different Meeting
by Linzi Redekop
One of our supporters, Linzi, is "very passionate about protecting the land zones currently in place and discouraging urban sprawl". As part of one of her assignments for her environmental justice class at Carleton, she was tasked to write a story linking to environmental justice theory. She chose to write hers based on the Hold the Line campaign. Enjoy!
