Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

UPDATE: ByWard Market bear released back into the wilderness

By Vito Pilieci and Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen, September 6, 2018

When it comes to many questions about the young bear that rumbled his way into the ByWard Market on Thursday morning, one can really only pawstulate.

(...)The episode began shortly before 3 a.m., when witnesses reported seeing a black bear wandering about the Market. After a 45-minute search, police located the 70-kilogram animal in a tree behind The Koven restaurant. Koven owner Mehdi Galehdar said there had been no sign of the bear when he locked up around 2 a.m. Thursday.

(...)According to National Capital Commission conservation officer Richard Moore, who has captured numerous bears in his 33 years with the organization, the bear was exhausted when it was discovered.

Storm tears through Ottawa knocking out power for over 9,000 customers

By Christopher Whan, Global News, September 5, 2018

Ottawa Hydro says a thunderstorm that made its way through the city Wednesday afternoon knocked power out for over 9,000 people across Ottawa.

According to tweets from Hydro Ottawa, the bulk of the outages occurred in Orléans with some also occurring in the Lincoln Heights and Bay Ward areas. According to Ottawa Hydro, the estimated time that power will be restored is 10:30 p.m.

(...)Environment Canada released a thunderstorm warning earlier this morning saying that conditions were appropriate for the formation of a heavy storm as a cold front pushes out the humidity in the region.

Building the cycling city

By the Editor, Kitchissippi Times, September 6, 2018

On Wednesday August 29, on the very outskirts of Kitchissippi at Vimy Brewing, a couple of Vancouverites were in town signing copies of a new book. The book, Building the Cycling City, is a result of Chris and Melissa Bruntlett’s long experience with cycling activism, running the cycling blog ModacityLife.com, as well as a recent journey to The Netherlands to learn what that region of the world got right when it comes to cycling.

“It’s not just about cycling,” says Melissa. “The whole way they’re designing cities is putting people first.”

The tone struck by Building the Cycling City is one of optimism. According to Chris and Melissa, there’s no reason we can’t do it here, and reap the same benefits.

Speed limit reduction on Portage Bridge

By Alex Black, 1310 News, September 6, 2018

A heads up if you use the Portage Bridge.

In an effort to improve safety, the National Capital Commission is dropping the speed limit on the bridge from 60 km to 50 km.

The NCC says the speed limit will then match the posted speed on the roads at both ends of the bridge.

Conservation officers remove bear from ByWard Market backyard

By Alex Black, 1310 News, September 6, 2018

A bear has been tranquilized and removed from a backyard in the ByWard Market.

Police responded to the market in the early morning hours Thursday for reports of a bear on the loose.

Ottawa Insectarium brings bugs to Sparks Street

By Drew May, 1310 News, September 5, 2018

Midweek Mugging: Ottawa Insectarium owner Felisc McIvor hopes the tarantulas, scorpions and geckos he has on display will help people connect with the animals and see how valuable they are to the environment.

Steps away from Parliament Hill might be the last place you would expect to find tarantulas, scorpions and stick insects, but that’s exactly what the Ottawa Insectarium’s collection has to offer.

(...)One of his goals for the business is to help people connect with the animals and be more comfortable with them. Through education, McIvor said he hopes people see the value in the insects and become more conscientious about the environment. Being able to actually hold the insects gives people a real tactile experience that makes it unique from watching videos or seeing them in a zoo.

OC Transpo fall service changes raise transit users' ire

By Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen, September 4, 2018

Transit can inspire frustration at the best of times, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that OC Transpo’s LRT-oriented fall service changes have provoked the ire of transit riders in affected areas of the city. But for some bus passengers, the adjustments they have to make as a result of the changes are more than a minor inconvenience.

“I have heard a lot of nightmare stories already,” said Sam Boswell of the newly formed Ottawa Transit Riders’ Group.

Since creating a Twitter account for the fledgling grassroots organization, she’s heard from Route 11 and Route 12 bus users, as well as those in Orléans — among the routes most affected by the services changes instituted by OC Transpo on Sept. 2.

“People are suddenly finding out that the route does not go to the Rideau Centre anymore. It doesn’t go to Bayshore at the other end of the route anymore, either,” she said of the changes to Route 11.

Find debates near you ahead of Ottawa's election

By CBC News Ottawa, September 3, 2018 Want to know where you can see local candidates debating ahead of Ottawa's 2018 municipal election? Well, CBC News has compiled this handy list of debates being held for the mayoral candidates and within wards for council candidates.

(...)Mayoral debates

• Sept. 22: 11:30 a.m. at Lansdowne's Horticulture Building. Hosted by Green Energy Doors Open.
• Sept. 26: 6:30 p.m. at the Shaw Centre. Hosted by Ecology Ottawa.

(...)Ward debates

Sept. 19: 8 p.m. at Blackburn Community Hall. Hosted by Ecology Ottawa.

Holland Avenue bike lanes will be ready for Tuesday, city says

By Beatrice Britneff, Global News Ottawa, August 31, 2018

The city of Ottawa says the cycling lanes on Holland Avenue that it promised back in July will be ready for back-to-school commutes on Tuesday morning.

A manager in the city’s infrastructure department said crews are making “final modifications” to the new segregated lanes late on Monday night and will implement “sporadic lane reductions” on the road west of downtown to get the work done.

Those lane reductions are expected to have “minimal impacts on traffic at that time of night,” Carina Duclos, manager of municipal design and construction, said in a statement emailed on Friday.

Ontario expands incentive program wind-down to Tesla owners, dealers after court decision

By Nick Westoll, Global News, August 31, 2018

Tesla owners in Ontario are now eligible for electric vehicle wind-down program incentives days after a court ruled in favour of Tesla Motors Canada in an application filed against the provincial government.

“The court has rendered its decision. The ministry will abide by the court’s decision and I have directed the ministry to expand the wind-down process for the electric and hydrogen vehicle incentive program,” Transportation Minister John Yakabuski said in a written statement Friday afternoon.

The Ontario government said incentives will be offered to owners of eligible vehicles that were delivered, registered and plated on or before July 11. Vehicles on dealer lots, or ordered by dealers or customers, in Ontario on or before July 11, and delivered to customers, and registered and plated on or before Sept. 10, will also be eligible. The province said applications need to be submitted within 90 days of vehicles being registered, plated and delivered.

Take that, Farmers' Almanac: Environment Canada's Dave Phillips predicts milder winter

By CTV News, August 31, 2018

Before you book a one-way ticket to the southern hemisphere or prepare for a months-long hibernation in reaction to the Farmers' Almanac’s bleak winter forecast this week, you might want to wait for Environment Canada to weigh in.

Days after the Farmers' Almanac released its winter forecast calling for “teeth-chattering cold,” Environment Canada’s senior climatologist has teased a more moderate outlook that is sure to be welcome news to many Canadians.

Senior Climatologist Dave Phillips said Environment Canada is expecting a “milder than normal” winter this year, thanks to El Nino. The routine climate pattern related to warm water in the Pacific Ocean is projected to be weak to moderate this year, Phillips said.

Ontario to stiffen penalties for dangerous driving and endangering pedestrians

By CBC News Ottawa, August 31, 2018

The Ontario government is introducing a new charge for careless driving and will stiffen penalties for existing dangerous driving charges starting next month.

Drivers convicted under the new charge — careless driving causing bodily harm or death — will face a list of consequences, including a fine ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, six demerit points on their driver's licence, an automatic license suspension of up to five years and up to two years in jail.