Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

The kids are not all right: How young people are dealing with increasing climate anxiety

By Brishti Basu, CBC News, August 23, 2023

With catastrophic weather events rapidly becoming the norm each year in Canada and around the world, young people are increasingly worried about their futures. But experts say resources to support their mental health are unlikely to keep up with demand.

Speaking to CBC News in Victoria, with a haze of wildfire smoke hanging in the backdrop, Hannah Fessler, 16, expressed worry about people her age left to deal with problems created by previous generations. Her own feelings about the wildfires in B.C., the Northwest Territories and around the world are a jumble. 

Find the whole article here.

 

NCC interested in national urban park in Ottawa

By Kristy Nease, CBC News Ottawa, September 15, 2023

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is formally interested in establishing a national urban park in Ottawa, CBC News has learned.

Exactly where is not yet clear. In documents obtained by CBC this week under access to information legislation, all references to a specific possible location have been redacted.

In a statement Thursday, the NCC would say only that it's in Ottawa.

Land currently owned or controlled and managed by the NCC in Ottawa includes the Greenbelt encircling the inner urban area, much of the Ottawa River shoreline from Britannia to Orléans, lands along the Rideau Canal, and smaller green spaces like McCarthy Woods, Hampton Woods, Vincent Massey Park and Confederation Park downtown.

Find the whole article here.

New pollinator hotspots and edible landscapes on campus

By Nicholas Socholotiuk, The Fulcrum, September 5, 2023

Green initiatives on campus are blooming into fruition with recent additions to the pollinator gardens and edible landscapes on campus over the summer.

All across campus, students are able to find a wide variety of new and exciting plants placed over the summer as part of the Nature Positive Pledge undertaken by the University of Ottawa.

...“We’ve started looking at different places on campus where we can take like monoculture grasses and so forth, and replace those with more pollinator species to increase the biodiversity on campus,” (Jonathan Rausseo) said.

... “The edible landscapes are a somewhat sister initiative to [the pollinator gardens]…[it is about] adding more edible fruits, vegetables, bushes, and trees into the landscape on campus.” she said. Traditionally, what we’ve seen in the past is a lot of grassy areas, some nice mix trees, and we’ve seen lots of annual flowers for the summertime,” Gordon added. “Now, all those things are really nice, but it’s nice to be able to add a bit more diversity and mixture in there.”

Find the whole article here.

Grève climatique mondiale

A Sur le Vif, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa, le 15 septembre 2023 à 16h38

Entrevue avec William Van Geest, Coordonnateur de programmes, Écologie Ottawa, sur le rassemblement pour le climat.. Fridays for the Future (15 minutes)

Écouter l'entrevue ici.

Rassemblement pour le climat devant le Parlement à Ottawa

By ICI Radio Canada Ottawa, le 15 septembre 2023

Des centaines de personnes se sont rassemblées, vendredi après-midi, à Ottawa, dans le cadre du mouvement « Vendredis pour l'avenir ». Les manifestants demandent au gouvernement fédéral de mettre fin à l’exploitation des énergies fossiles. Le reportage de Nelly Albérola.

Écouter le reportage ici.

Councillor wants Ontario auditor general to probe Ottawa urban boundary extension

By Blair Crawford, September 14, 2023

Coun. Shawn Menard wants Ontario’s auditor general to investigate how the province’s Conservative government decided to open up new land for development in Ottawa.

In a notice of motion filed at the end of Wednesday’s city council meeting, the Capital Ward councillor wants council to call on the auditor general “to consider reviewing the provincial government’s decision to add urban boundary expansion lands (in) Ottawa and for the province to reverse this costly decision.”

...Menard also cited a CBC report that said some of the land opened up by the province had recently been bought by five people with ties to the provincial Conservatives.

Find the whole article here.

Dire climate report signals need for urgent action in Ottawa Valley

By Nicole Williams, CBC News Ottawa, September 14, 2023

... Now, a new 530-page provincial report is warning the impacts of climate change will only get worse.

The report finds that eastern Ontario could face an average of up to 60 days of extreme heat (over 30 C) per year by 2080 under what's commonly known as the "worst-case" scenario where emissions rise until 2100.

Locally, that would mean last week's record heat would be a lot more common, as those types of temperatures would happen three times as often as they do now on average — placing vulnerable people, businesses, infrastructure and agriculture at further risk.

.... Coun. Shawn Menard, who also chairs the city's environment and climate change committee, said "the city is doing what it can right now" to adapt. Those efforts, he said, include pushing for building retrofits, working to reduce the risk of flooding and enhancing Ottawa's resiliency to powerful windstorms like last year's derecho.

... Coun. Steve Desroches said there needs to be a stronger partnership between the city and the province to make change. He called for an investment strategy to help cities such as Ottawa make infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather events.

Find the whole article here.

A grim report about climate change in Ontario was kept quiet for 8 months

By Mike Crawley, CBC News, September 13, 2023

A new report commissioned by Premier Doug Ford's government warns that climate change poses high risks to Ontario, with impacts on everything from food production to infrastructure to businesses. 

The report – called the Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment – projects a soaring number of days with extreme heat across Ontario, as well as increases in flooding and more frequent wildfires. 

Find the whole article here.

Development could leave generations of Little Italy kids without green space, residents say

By Ben Andrews, CBC News Ottawa, September 11, 2023

Catherine Boucher felt a rush of shock and dismay when she saw the city's plan for a long-awaited development in Little Italy.

In the draft plan released in May, a new elementary school is situated on top of Plouffe Park, a sliver of public green space in a central neighbourhood where parks are scarce.

Although the plan for the property between Preston Street and the Trillium Line includes a new park next to Plouffe's current footprint, community groups are concerned the construction could leave the neighbourhood without any green space for years.

"Every inch of green space is very important to us and this play park has served a purpose for generations," said Boucher, president of the Dalhousie Community Association.

Find the whole article here.

Kavanagh: NCC, City of Ottawa can work together on climate change strategies

By Theresa Kavanagh, Ottawa Citizen, August 31, 2023 

When you represent a city ward in the nation’s capital, it is inevitable that you will be having conversations with our largest land-owning federal partner, the National Capital Commission (NCC). As Bay Ward city councillor, I have had many opportunities to speak with the NCC on the best use of the public land that belongs to all residents.

Find the whole article here.

City won't say how much it spends on the LRT during disruptions

By Elyse Skura, CBC News, August 31, 2023

The City of Ottawa is refusing to tell taxpayers exactly how much they're paying each month to the maintainers of the Confederation Line, citing contract confidentiality.

Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) is in charge of ensuring the light rail system runs smoothly through a 30-year contract worth $1 billion. That contract includes maintaining the tracks, stations and fleet of Alstom Citadis Spirit cars — a job it subcontracts to the trainmaker.

Find the whole article here.

City's 2-tiered insurance system forces community group to close up shop

By Elyse Skura, CBC News, August 19, 2023

It started with park meetups, but quickly grew into a lifeline for families during emergencies.

But one unexpected hurdle proved too much for the Kenson Park Community Association: a five-fold increase in its liability insurance, from $260 to $1,250.  

"Unfortunately, it was the the only reason why we we folded," said Matthew McBain, the group's former president.

"We just, as an executive, felt that we could not go back to our community and ask our members to pay more for insurance."

If the group had been around before amalgamation, however, it never would have had to make that choice.

Find the whole article here.