The city has tabled a tight new draft budget that contains several proactive investments in climate and just as many confounding steps backwards.
Listen Now: Why our yellow buses must go green!
This week we released a report into the many benefits of transitioning our school bus fleet away from diesel to electric. We are so excited to share this with you - read our electric school bus report here.
This week we joined Alan Neal's All in a Day program on CBC Radio to discuss why our school buses must go green. Hear the interview here.
Where is the Climate in the 2023 Ontario Budget?
Doug Ford’s initial budget considerations continue his administration’s chronic disregard for even the most basic of environmental issues.
Les premières considérations budgétaires de Doug Ford confirment le mépris chronique de son administration pour les questions environnementales, même les plus élémentaires.
Ottawa City Budget Priorities
As part of the Peoples Official Plan, we have submitted our Ottawa City Budget priorities to Councillors, the Mayor and City Staff. Our key funding priorities on the environment are set out, as well as areas that we do not want to see funded: fossil fuel infrastructure and road widenings, to name just two. The letter also sets out fundamental changes that need to be made to the budget process so to allow meaningful public participation in setting the City's funding priorities.
Ecology Ottawa Delegates to Transportation Committee to Keep Wellington Open to People
Ecology Ottawa was at City Council’s Transportation Committee on January 26 as the committee considered a motion seeking to fully reopen Wellington to vehicles. (For background on this issue, please see our earlier post.) We’ve provided our delegation below. You can also watch the recording and check out the accompanying slide deck (PDF).
Wellington: Open for Cars or for People?
Wellington St. could be an outstanding place open to all!
Recently, CBC reported that certain members of City Council have called for Wellington Street in front of Parliament to be reopened. (You may recall that it was closed to vehicles after the downtown occupation by protestors in February 2023.)
The truth is, Wellington hasn’t been closed at all for the last year: it has been open—but open to people.
Taking stock of our collective impact in 2022
Throughout 2022, we have continued to live in interesting and trying times, marked by climate emergency, health crisis, international upheaval, and ever-increasing inequality and affordability challenges. In this tumultuous context, our own individual lives play out, connected in concentric circles to the city, province, nation, and globe.
Ottawa's Movement to Repeal Bill 23 is Growing
Ottawans Know Why they Showed Up on a Cold Grey Day to Protest Bill 23
By Alice Irene Whittaker
Every single one of us could have chosen not to show up. Yet on a cold, gray December morning, many Ottawa citizens, organizations, and City Councillors showed up outside the Provincial Courthouse on Elgin, joining together from downtown, suburban and rural areas of the city to say no to the province’s Bill 23.
Give a Bang! Campaign Against Bills 23 and 39.. Protestons les projets de loi 23 et 39
Starting Thursday December 15th @ 6 pm - Give a Bang! Campaign Against Bills 23 and 39
Residents of Ottawa are being asked to bang pots and pans at home, the office and in the streets in a time-honoured tradition of protest, starting on Thursdays at 6:00 pm, beginning December 15. The campaign has been launched by Reimagine Ottawa, and supported by local advocacy groups including Ecology Ottawa, Horizon Ottawa, Greenspace Alliance, and others.
C3 2022 Climate Progress Account - Rapport de C3 sur le progrès en matière du climat en 2022
A member of the Peoples Official Plan, Citizen Climate Counsel (C3), has launched a 2022 Climate Progress Account report assessing the City of Ottawa’s progress on implementing its climate priorities and agenda. C3 tracked all of the City of Ottawa’s 159 milestones outlined in their various climate plans: Climate Change Master Plan, Energy Evolution and other city documents. C3 then reviewed city council and committee meeting minutes, staff reports and more to track the city’s progress on these milestones. This evaluation clearly demonstrated that the city of Ottawa is not on track to achieve its climate targets.
Rallying against Bill 23!
Across Ontario, organizations and individuals committed to affordable housing, environmental protection and democracy have been rallying against Bill 23, now enacted as the More Houses, Built Faster Act. This complex legislation fundamentally undermines our democratic principles. You can read more here.