Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Multiplying trees and shrubs to diversify forests

By Irene Sensyzcyzn, The Review, June 4, 2018

Boisés Est is organizing a workshop on multiplying trees and shrubs to diversity forests on Saturday, June 16, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., rain or shine at the home of François and Lucie Gour, 700 Concession 9, Curran (300 m east of County Road 9, on Concession 9).

The objective of the workshop is to illustrate the main propagation techniques for trees and shrubs for woodlot owners wishing to diversify the species present in their woodlot.  The speaker will be François Gour, a great promoter of biodiversity, and expert in the propagation of trees and shrubs. He is also a wood carver and a member of Boisés Est.

New Edinburgh News - June 2018

Read the following articles concerning environmental issues: Updates on diverse developments that impact our quality of life (Page 2); Pedestrian safety improvements coming to the Burgh (Page 4); Two Light Rail Transit milestones (Page 5); Green Screen films bring global climate issues home (Page 14); After success indoors, market goes outside for summer Page 17); Local student honoured at 2018 Biodiversity Gala (Page 18): Stories from the frontlines of climate change reporting (Page 24); Odyssey Theatre premieres new comedy with environmental message (Page 25)

Horticultural sculptures set to return to Jacques-Cartier Park

By CBC News Ottawa, June 7, 2018

Final touches are being made on another exhibit of large horticultural sculptures in Gatineau's Jacques-Cartier Park.

Mosaïculture is scheduled to open on June 24 and will feature 45 pieces.

(...)One of the new exhibits is a 100-tonne bird tree which will include representations of endangered birds.

Boyd: Why the G7 must take bold action on plastic pollution

By David R. Boyd, Ottawa Citizen, June 6, 2018

Canada, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, deserves credit for prioritizing plastic pollution in the lead-up to the G7 summit.

It is likely that the leaders’ declaration will embrace a long-term vision for zero plastic waste.

However, a leaders’ statement is only a first step. The G7 meeting offers Canada a platform to demonstrate genuine leadership by boldly advocating for a new global plastics treaty. Without a comprehensive and enforceable international law, air, water, wildlife and people will continue to be polluted by plastic.

Repairs to broken Centretown watermain will continue into Thursday

By Kieran Delamont, Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 2018

Efforts to repair a major watermain break in Centretown will keep two sections of road closed until at least midday Thursday.

The City of Ottawa had hoped to have the work completed by late Wednesday afternoon, but said the repairs are taking longer than expected.

“Repairs are expected to be complete by Thursday midday,” said Carol Hall, manager of water distribution. “Crews are working closely with partners to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”

The break occurred near the intersection of O’Connor and Nepean streets early Tuesday morning, causing minor flooding in the area. Routine repairs were underway when the 16-inch water main broke. The resulting amount of water washed away the underlying soil and road bed, causing a small sinkhole (to which Ottawan residents need no introduction).

City earmarks $300K of leftover project cash for autonomous vehicle test track

By Beatrice Britneff, Global News Ottawa, June 4, 2018

The city of Ottawa wants to use $300,000 of unused funds from other municipal projects towards getting the city’s autonomous vehicle (AV) test site up and running.

The private test track at the National Capital Commission’s Greenbelt Research Farm — bordered by West Hunt Club Road, Woodroffe Avenue, Fallowfield Road and Greenbank Road — still needs three signalized intersections, according to a report submitted to the city’s finance and economic development committee.

Dual-stream recycling coming to North Glengarry in 2019

By Allyson Queen, The Review, June 4, 2018

North Glengarry Council voted unanimously last week to switch to a dual-stream recycling system as of 2019, with residents placing fibre recyclables in their bins one week and containers the next.

Residents will receive a new bin to separate the two materials. Garbage collection will not be affected by the change.

“The resolution was handily passed [by council] and there was some minor discussion,” said Linda Andrushkoff, general manager of Recyclage Alexandria Recycling Équipe (RARE) in North Glengarry. “We expect to go with a dual stream system as of January 7, 2019.”

City spending extra $1 million to fill potholes

By Josh Pringle, CTV News, June 4, 2018

The City of Ottawa has found some extra cash to fill potholes.

A report for the Finance and Economic Development Committee recommends spending an additional $1 million to repair potholes after a tough winter.

The funding comes from leftover cash from completed projects across the city.

Staff say the number of freeze/thaw events in the winter of 2017/18 has resulted in an increase in pothole and asphalt repair needs.

Council increased spending to repair potholes by $400,000 this year. Councillors also approved an extra $10 million to fix crumbling roads and buildings this year.

From vegans to social reformers, fringe parties fight for attention in Ontario election

By Allyson Jones, CBC News Ottawa, June 3, 2018

Ontario's election is all but down to two parties, if the polls are correct, but more than two dozen are actually competing — including those targeting the vegan vote, the anti-sex-ed vote and the no-vote vote.

Beyond the usual Progressive Conservative, NDP and Liberal suspects exists a grab bag of minor and fringe parties, some of which can only hope to garner a few handfuls of votes but still gamely vie for voters' attention as an alternative to the big three.

Here's where your donated clothing really ends up

By Paul Jay, CBC News Ottawa, May 29, 2018

Reduce, Reuse and Rethink is a CBC News series about recycling. We're exploring why our communities are at a turning point and exploring ways to recycle better. You can be part of the conversation by joining our Facebook group.

For anyone who doesn't want their old shirts, pants or dresses to end up in a landfill, clothing donation bins sound like a win-win-win solution: the donor gets to declutter, the charity operating the bin gets to resell the clothing to fund good deeds, and a shopper on a budget gets to buy affordable clothes.

But in reality, the path your worn-out jeans take isn't so straight, and doesn't always benefit the people you may think.

Where do three big Ontario political parties stand on these five issues?

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2018

Transit

Liberals: The provincial Liberal government made a monetary commitment to Stage 2 LRT in Ottawa.

NDP: Transit agencies would receive half of their net costs for operating public transit(...) The party has also voiced support for Ottawa’s Stage 2 LRT project.

Progressive Conservatives: The PCs support Ottawa’s Stage 2 LRT project.

Hydro

Liberals: (...)Now the party wants to design a system that reduces greenhouse gases and the burden placed on hydro ratepayers.

NDP: (...)The party says it would stop time-of-day pricing and make sure rural residents paid the same hydro delivery charges as urban residents.

Progressive Conservatives:(...)Conservation programs would be shifted to the tax base, rather than hydro bills.

Pipeline protests planned in Centretown, across Canada

By Jason White, 1310 News, June 4, 2018

The federal government's decision to buy Kinder Morgan Canada's Trans Mountain pipeline is the focus of 100 protests planned today across the country.

Demonstrations will target the local constituency offices of the prime minister, Ottawa Centre MP and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, as well as more than 90 other MPs.

"Folks are going to be wearing red to symbolize our outrage on the topic of this pipeline and the buyout of it," said Jaqueline Lee-Tam, the organizer of one of the protests planned in Vancouver.