Ecology Ottawa is disappointed the city is not putting its money where its mouth is in its proposed budget, which contained $500,000 in new money for the city's flagship green energy policy.
The non-profit organization was calling for at least $1.5 million in new money. Mayor Jim Watson, in his tabling of the draft budget, said that the city "will be investing more than $2 million in various sustainability initiatives."
While that number appeared, at first glance, to go above and beyond Ecology Ottawa's ask it turned out to be a bit misleading, since $1.5 million of that money was already committed for the environment and climate protection committee under phase one of the Energy Evolution plan.
"$500,000 just isn't enough," said Robb Barnes of Ecology Ottawa. "Phase one won't get us to our emission reduction targets." He did add, however, that he was happy to see the city is concerned about climate change, calling any funding "a meaningful step forward."