Media Releases

Glashan Public School Greening Project Update

Glashan Public School Greening Project Update

Ecology Ottawa is a partner with the Glashan Public School Green Team.

Angela Keller-Herzog gives us an update on the work so far....

We now have an enthusiastic Green Team composed of school, parent and community volunteers supporting this initiative. We’re looking for more help and talent – join us to make this happen!

Ash trees on Catherine - yard will lose shadeIn connection with a funding application the Green Team submitted to the City of Ottawa Better Neighbourhoods Program (cross your fingers please!), the project has also received endorsement from City Councillors David Chernushenko, Diane Holmes and Mathieu Fleury (whose wards cover the Glashan catchment), as well as our schoolboard trustee and chair of the OCDSB Jennifer McKenzie.

New Video: Nobel Prize Winner Visits the Proposed Energy East Pipeline

Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams spent a few days visiting Ottawa in October of 2013, during which time she made a special effort to reach out to local residents who would be impacted by the proposed Energy East pipeline that TransCanada wants to build through the city to ship tar sands crude from Alberta to New Brunswick.

The following video was put together by Ecology Ottawa volunteer Kathleen Black to document her visit.

Museum’s tar sands funding pollutes Snow exhibit, says snowperson

Museum’s tar sands funding pollutes Snow exhibit, says snowperson

Museum’s tar sands funding pollutes Snow exhibit, says snowperson

 Ba0EYpBIYAAaLND.jpg large

Snowpeople are now distancing themselves from controversial tar sands funding of the Museum of Civilisation from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). This morning a Snowperson protested the funding arrangement with a sign saying ‘CAPP pollutes snow’.

The Council of Canadians, Ecology Ottawa, and the Polaris Institute organized the action to raise concerns about the $1 million contribution to the museum from CAPP, and were on site sharing leaflets with museum visitors. The organizations argue that while CAPP includes tar sands producers that literally pollute snow, air and waterways in Alberta, increased corporate sponsorship threatens to pollute precious cultural institutions like the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Complete Streets petition handover 2013-11-25

Complete Streets petition handover 2013-11-25

[caption id="attachment_1770" align="alignleft" width="212"]Complete Streets - Keith Egli, Trevor Haché Keith Egli, Chair of the Transportation Committee, Ottawa City Council, receiving the Complete Streets petition from Trevor Haché, Policy Coordinator, Ecology Ottawa[/caption]

Ecology Ottawa Policy Coordinator Trevor Haché went to City Hall on Monday to hand over the Complete Streets petition to the Chair of city council's transportation committee, Keith Egli. There were over 3200 signatures on the petition calling for City Council to adopt a Complete Streets policy into the Transportation Master Plan.

A lesson Ottawa can take from Toronto
Ottawa Citizen

Tobi Nussbaum's op-ed published in the Ottawa Citizen's online edition on Sunday argues that Ottawa should follow Toronto's lead in using local improvement charges (LICs) to fund energy retrofits on private property within the city of Ottawa.

Thanks to recent changes in provincial law that now permit municipalities to do so, Toronto plans to provide $20 million in loans to 1,000 home and business owners to finance energy and water efficiency upgrades. The pilot is expected to reduce 5,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually while generating 300 new jobs and saving participating owners as much as $1 million. The upgrades could include anything from higher efficiency windows to better insulation to hot-water solar panels.

Not Just Trees to be Cut in the New Year

Not Just Trees to be Cut in the New Year

With the 2014 budget pending approval at next week's City Council meeting, the Environment Committee's focus during their November 19th meeting was the draft operating and capital budget for the upcoming year.  Councillor Maria McRae, alongside of Staff, began with a presentation highlighting some of the key investments that will be going towards the environment. Most notably, the investments into forestry services, McRae says, will aim to replenish Ottawa’s trees at a 2:1 ratio to combat the emerald ash borers, leaving the city in better shape than it was before the invasion. She assured that the money will go towards tangible projects with real benefits for residents, and will contribute to a safe and cleaner city. Staff presentation later also highlighted the investments into the city's sewer system ($12.6 million), the Ottawa River Action Plan ($65 million), and other clear initiatives designed to minimize our city's carbon footprint, such as a gas collection system expansion, tree renewal program and Smart Energy ($8.7 million).

Nov. 2013 newsletter from the Community Energy Network of Eastern Ontario

Read the full version of this newsletter on-line here.

November 2013
NEWS & NOTES from the Community Energy Network of Eastern Ontario

CEN Retreat at Wintergreen Studios, May 2013

Greetings Community Energy Network members!

The Community Energy Network of Eastern Ontario (CEN) has had a busy summer and fall, and we wanted to share some of the important work we've been engaged in!

 
In this newsletter:
  • OPA microFIT Program
  • OREC share offering
  • Local Improvement Charges for energy retrofits, and more!

Thanks for all you are doing to help make Eastern Ontario a leader in renewable energy and energy conservation. We love to hear from you, so please feel free to contact us about your events and other great things you're working on!

Sincerely,

Trevor (Ecology Ottawa), Kristina and Brenda (Sustainable Eastern Ontario), Laura and Kara (Tucker House Renewal Centre)

Read the full version of this newsletter on-line here.

Ecology Ottawa logo

Toll tunnel answer to downtown truck problem: Watson
Ottawa & Region
News
Ottawa Sun

The Ottawa Sun is reporting today that Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson likes the idea of a toll tunnel designed for trucks to get them out of the downtown core, where they have been extremely disruptive and dangerous to the people of Lowertown and Sandy Hill for decades.

Mayor Jim Watson is touting the idea of a truck-only toll tunnel connecting Hwy. 417 with the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge as a solution to keeping big rigs out of Ottawa’s core.

Prime Minister’s Office ‘sandbagged’ to stop Harper’s tar sands flood

Prime Minister’s Office ‘sandbagged’ to stop Harper’s tar sands flood

Ottawa residents participate in ‘defend our climate’ national day of action

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] 150 people show up to sandbag Stephen Harper's office.[/caption]

 

November 16, 2013

A flood of tar sands oil from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was stopped today in Ottawa. Participating in a national #DefendOurClimate day of action, Ottawa residents helped to build a wall of sand bags to stop a symbolic oil spill outside the PMO. The event emphasized Prime Minister Harper’s role in reckless tar sands expansion and his failure to take action in the face of the climate crisis.

Forecast of Renewable Energy Sources with Some Wind Resistance

Forecast of Renewable Energy Sources with Some Wind Resistance

Even though it was a brief meeting on November 13th, it was nice to see that City Council had a few renewable-energy related items brought forward in their meeting. Most notably, it included the support for feed-in-tariff program applications for mounted solar projects (item 3) and a motion that was later put forward regarding municipal government having a voice regarding the implementation of wind farms established by the Province.

Ecology Ottawa's feedback to City of Ottawa on Transportation Master Plan

Ecology Ottawa's feedback to City of Ottawa on Transportation Master Plan

Ecology Ottawa–verbal remarks to the Transportation Committee, feedback on Transportation Master Plan

Friday, Nov. 15, 2013

ID-100185985

[Please check against delivery]

Good morning, Chair Egli and members of the Committee,

My name is Trevor Haché and I’m speaking today on behalf of Ecology Ottawa, a volunteer-led grassroots organization working to make our city the green capital of Canada.

Press Release: Weakness of Federal Pipeline Review Process Forces Ontario to Act

Press Release: Weakness of Federal Pipeline Review Process Forces Ontario to Act

Ecology OttawaNovember 13, 2013 - For Immediate Release

BobChiarelliAndJohnFraser

Weakness of Federal Pipeline Review Process Forces Ontario to Act

Ottawa, ON - Ecology Ottawa welcomes the recent decision by the Ontario government to conduct a public consultation on the proposed Energy East pipeline. The decision, announced this morning in Ottawa at a press conference by Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli and Ottawa MPP John Fraser, confirms that Ontario will subject the pipeline to a public review process.

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