Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Dog poop (and plastic bags) coming to Ottawa green bins by Canada Day

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, April 18, 2019

The company that runs the organics-processing plant on Hawthorne Road says it’s on track to have its new equipment ready to accept plastic bags by Canada Day.

Michael Leopold, general manager of Renewi Canada (formerly Orgaworld), said the company has told the city it will be ready to roll for the new program on July 1.

“We’re well on pace for that,” Leopold said Wednesday.

The city hasn’t announced the exact date when people can start tossing plastic bags and dog feces into their green bins. While the processing plant might be ready, it’s up to the city to say when people can begin tying up their kitchen slop and dog feces in plastic bags and toss them in their green bins.

The environment committee voted Tuesday to move ahead with a summer implementation of the tweaked green bin program, even though councillors heard from public delegates who are concerned about allowing plastics in the organic waste stream.

City of Ottawa should declare a 'climate emergency,' committee says

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, April 17, 2019

The City of Ottawa should recognize the world is in the throes of a “climate emergency” requiring a renewed focus on city hall’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to most councillors on the environment committee.

The committee voted 6-2 on Tuesday to recommend council declare a climate emergency as proposed by Coun. Shawn Menard, who is the vice-chair of the committee. Voting with Menard were committee chair Scott Moffatt and members Keith Egli, Catherine McKenney, Riley Brockington and Jean Cloutier. George Darouze and Allan Hubley voted against the motion.

If ratified by council later this month, a council sponsors group will be assembled to provide guidance on climate-change issues, staff will review air quality and greenhouse-gas reduction targets and council will recognize climate change as a strategic priority for the term.

Judges put Ottawa on hot seat at carbon pricing hearing

By Fatima Syed and Alastair Sharp, National Observer, April 16, 2019

It was the Trudeau government's turn to be on the hot seat on Tuesday as justices from the Ontario Court of Appeal grilled a Crown attorney about whether it was making the country's most populous province pay more than their counterparts to fight climate change.

In some heated exchanges, the justices pressed Sharlene Telles-Langdon to "fill in the blanks."

Seven minutes into the proceedings, Chief Justice George Strathy asked Telles-Langdon to identify the sources of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and whether they make up 90 per cent of all air pollution.

"I don't know," she responded, clearly taken aback by the information request.

"Fill in the blanks" continued to be the staple of the tough inquiries posed by the five-justice panel to the counsel for the attorney general of Canada, as they sought clarity on what kind of constitutional limit Ottawa was proposing to put on the powers it is seeking to exert by imposing a national carbon price to meet its international greenhouse gas reduction targets.

On the federal carbon tax, here’s why we can’t all just get along

By John Michael McGrath, TVO Climate Watch, April 16, 2019

The chief justice of Ontario's highest court got to the point early on Monday morning, one hour into arguments in the provincial government's case against the federal carbon tax.

Translating from legalese: Chief Justice George Strathy asked the lawyer for Ontario whether the courts couldn’t find some way for the province and the federal government to live and let live, as far as climate policy is concerned.

“There is a principle of interpretation that says courts should strive to find a harmonious interpretation of statute so they can live together, so you can have overlapping jurisdiction between provincial and federal legislation,” Strathy said to Josh Hunter, lawyer for Ontario’s attorney general. Shouldn’t it be possible to find a “harmonious interpretation” on carbon taxes?

The answer from Ontario, in short, is no: the province says the power the federal government is claiming is so far-reaching, so intrusive, that the usual rules of judicial peacemaking don’t apply. The core of Ottawa's carbon-tax legislation needs to rejected by the court, Ontario says, or the federal government will be able to trample all over the areas of provincial jurisdiction that are spelled out in the constitution.

Could a solar panel roof be in the North Grenville Municipal Centre's future?

By Paulina Hrebacka, InsideOttawaValley, April 16, 2019 At the April 9 committee of the whole meeting, North Grenville council heard a proposal from Janice Ashworth, general manager of the Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative (OREC). Her presentation focused on the prospect of what a solar-paneled roof would look like for the municipal centre, as well as other potential environmentally-friendly projects like electric vehicle charging, heat recovery, and water conservation.

The CoEnergy Ontario Co-operative program uses a community-ownership model to keep energy dollars in the local economy.

Lets Talk About Trees – planting and maintenance essential to a healthier community

By Lesley McKay, StittsvilleCentral, April 16, 2019

Last week, Councillor Glen Gower held his ‘Let’s Talk About Trees’ to a gathering of over 50 people at Hazeldean Gardens. He invited city staff —members from the Forestry Branch and the Parks Planning and Development Branch to inform the crowd about the inner moving parts of how city trees are planned, planted and maintained. The group also learned more about the various city forestry and parks programs and how our green spaces can be saved in our community. These programs are available to the public, schools and community organizations to participate in planting new trees.

Did you know that the City of Ottawa plants approximately 2,200 trees per season? Another 10,000 are on the watering list across the city. The city plans to plant 500,000 trees over the next four years across the municipality. The trees planted are native to Canada with the majority coming from Southern Ontario.

Tracy Schwets, is the Program Manager for the Ottawa’s Tree Planting Program. She informed everyone of the Urban Forest Management Plan. Tracy told the group that her program starts planning one year ahead for the decisions made of where and what type of trees to plant. There are many programs available to assist with the planting of our trees and she outlined each one in detail. If you want to be included on the ‘tree’ list for next year, you better get your request in this year.

King begins first day as Rideau-Rockcliffe city councillor

By Jason White, 1310 News, April 16, 2019

(...)King began his day by attending a rally in support of a motion for the city to declare a climate emergency. He describes his place on council as left-of-centre, and says his priorities as a new councillor include the city's environmental effects.

"One of the items is climate change, so that's why I'm here at this rally supporting Ecology Ottawa and other groups," said King.

King added he wants to see renewed city investments in transit and social services because, he thinks, there's been a decline in the quality of services the city provides.

A new survey shows 93 per cent of Ottawa residents want a ban on single use plastics

By Victoria Williston, 1310 News, April 16, 2019

A newly released survey shows most Ottawa shoppers want a ban on single-use plastics.

93 per cent of respondents said they were in favour of the ban to reduce waste.

The survey is in response to the Ford governments call for feedback on how to tackle Ontario's waste problem.

The company behind the survey, terra20, plans to present its findings to the Minister of Environment on Friday.

terra20 President and Co-founder, Bill Stewart said in a release that, "It was evident in their responses that Ottawa residents are frustrated by the amount of garbage going to landfill and specifically, how much of the Blue Bin is ending up in a landfill."

Climate crisis rally calling for more action from Ottawa City Hall

By Victoria Williston, 1310 News, April 16, 2019

A crowd of Ottawa residents are calling on the city to declare a climate emergency.

About 200 people attended a rally, Tuesday morning, organized by the group Ecology Ottawa. It's calling on the City of Ottawa to respond to what they're calling a "climate crisis."

The newly elected city councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe, Rawlson King was in attendance, along with city councillors Matthieu Fleury, Catherine McKenney, and Laura Dudas.

A number of demonstrators were also heard chanting, "where's our mayor" as Jim Watson was not among the city officials who attended the rally.

(...)In a release, Ecology Ottawa said, "The United Nations has made it clear we now have 11 years to avoid catastrophic impacts to the world's species and ecosystems."

Canada jay hides food for winter, but sometimes nature's freezer lets it spoil

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2019

The Canada jay, a fierce little bird that ranges from Algonquin Park northward, is having trouble with climate. Warm spells keep spoiling its food.

Also known as the grey jay, and whiskyjack, the bird is about robin-sized and weighs 70 grams, less than three ounces.

The Canada jay does not migrate. Instead it copes with winter by storing food in spruce trees, which give it enough energy to withstand the cold.

For 40 years, a naturalist named Dan Strickland has been studying the Canada jays of Algonquin. And his years of data now come together in a paper published in a science journal, the Canadian Field-Naturalist.

Main conclusion: a warming climate spells trouble for the jay, especially at the southern end of its range — the Algonquin area.

Councillor attempts enviro double-play, looks to declare climate 'emergency' and delay plastics in green bin

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, April 16, 2019

A councillor looking for support Tuesday to declare a climate “emergency” in the City of Ottawa will also try to convince colleagues that they should hold off on a plan to allow plastic bags in the green bin.

Coun. Shawn Menard could have a hard time convincing councillors on the environment committee to recommend a delay to a reworked organics program, but he’s watching more scrutiny placed on single-use plastics and wonders if Ottawa is behind the times.

“What we are seeing is jurisdictions, which directly affect City of Ottawa planning, looking at this question more holistically,” Menard said. “If single-use plastics begin to be phased out in Ontario and Canada, why would we move in the opposite direction by encouraging more non-biodegradable plastic bag use in our organics stream?”

In March 2018, city council voted 19-3 to allow residents to put plastic bags in their green bins starting in mid-2019. That means plastic grocery bags — and all other plastic bags — can be reused to collect kitchen slop for the green bin.

Feds could tell you when to drive if carbon price law stands, court told

By Colin Perkel, the Canadian Press, CTV News, April 15, 2019

TORONTO -- The federal government will end up with the power to regulate almost every facet of life -- such as when you can drive or where you can live -- if its law aimed at curbing harmful greenhouse gas emissions is allowed to stand, Ontario's top court heard Monday.

Ottawa's climate-change law is so broad, a lawyer for the province told the start of a four-day Appeal Court hearing, that it would give the federal government powers that would be destabilizing to Canada in the name of curbing the cumulative effects of global-warming emissions.

"They could regulate where you live. How often you drive your car," Josh Hunter told the five-justice panel. "It would unbalance the federation."