Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Stay in your lane – young voters weigh in on bike lanes

By Liam Baker, Capital Current, October 22, 2022

For Adrian McCarthy, it is the stinging memory of being passed by public buses in the cold that drove him to choose cycling as his primary mode of transportation.

The 22-year-old is one of many young adults across Ottawa turning to bicycles as a green alternative to the city’s public transit.

...Ecology Ottawa has called upon the City of Ottawa to adopt “Vision Zero,” a global road safety strategy to eliminate cyclist and pedestrian casualties. 

“There’s no excuse for people getting killed and injured on streets,” William van Geest, Ecology Ottawa’s Living City program coordinator, said, adding the organization will work with elected councillors and mayors to realize the project.

Find the whole article here.

Mairie d'Ottawa: des candidats débattent d'environnement

Par Ani-Rose Deschatelets, Le Droit, le 29 septembre 2022

Cinq candidats à la mairie d’Ottawa ont croisé le fer mercredi soir lors d’un débat portant sur l’environnement.

...Les échanges entre les candidats ont été courtois tout au long du débat. Parmi les sujets abordés, les prétendants au poste de maire ont dû entre autres indiquer ce qu’ils feraient pour assurer un accès égal aux espaces verts, aux couverts forestiers, aux zones humides, et pour faire progresser l’accès aux aliments sains et locaux et protéger les terres agricoles. 

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/johanis-theres-no-need-to-expand-ottawas-urban-boundary

By Paul Johanis, Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed, October 4, 2022

The urban boundary is back in the news. Mayoral candidate Bob Chiarelli recently announced that he has written to the minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting a further delay in approving Ottawa’s new Official Plan until after the Oct. 24 municipal election.

...There is a solution to this unhealthy civic activity, however: Don’t expand the urban boundary at all.

In the context of the climate emergency, zero conversion of rural land to urban is the soundest policy. It has been demonstrated that the forecasted population growth can be accommodated within the existing urban boundary.

Find the whole article here.

Les villes canadiennes sont-elles prêtes pour les changements climatiques?

Par Mirna Djukic, ICI Radio Canada, le 2 octobre 2022

Deux ouragans majeurs en moins d’une semaine ont frappé le continent, coûté la vie à des résidents et causé des millions de dollars de dommage. Alors que ces événements extrêmes augmentent, les villes canadiennes multiplient les initiatives pour s’y préparer, mais en font-elles assez?

...Même en présumant que la planète serait capable de partiellement réduire ses émissions de carbone dans les prochaines années, les experts climatiques prévoient que, dans les grandes villes du pays, les jours de chaleur extrême seront deux fois plus fréquents au cours des trente prochaines années qu'ils ne l'étaient entre 1976 et 2005.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

Analysis: Climate on the campaign doesn't always mesh with city plans

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, October 1, 2022

It was just a few years ago that environmentally minded city hall watchers were trying to track down whether the City of Ottawa had even a single staffer dedicated to working on climate change.

During the last election, even as a destructive tornado tore through the region, climate change wasn't much of a campaign issue. 

But this council term, it became a priority — at least on paper.

Find the whole article here.

Community groups calling for free transit on election day

By Peruska Gopalkista, City News, September 28, 2022

Several community transit groups are calling on the City of Ottawa to implement fare-free transit on the day of the municipal election on Monday, Oct. 24.

Groups including Transit Riders, Horizon Ottawa and Free Transit Ottawa said in a release that transit should also be free of charge on advanced voting days on Oct. 7 and Oct. 14.

Find the whole article here.

Five-candidate mayoral debate on the environment sees lively clash of policy ideas

By Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen, September 29, 2022

At a spirited but civil debate Wednesday night, the last in a series of focused on the environment, five mayoral candidates touted the unique climate-related policies they’re each putting forward and sparred over topics that didn’t have any obvious “green” connection but made for interesting listening for voters who packed the church venue and watched via livestream at home.

...The series of four eco-focused mayoral debates was organized by the People’s Official Plan coalition, which includes Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability, Ecology Ottawa and other local organizations. Recordings of previous debates are available online.

Find the whole article here.

The fate of your food rests with Canada’s native bees

By Marc Fawcett-Atkinson, National Observer Opinion Piece

Jennifer Lipka stops mid-sentence to swing a bug net over a row of late-season flowers blooming at the University of British Columbia’s campus farm. Inside is a native bumblebee.

... While she has always been drawn to bees, Lipka has only recently begun catching them for her research into how native bees are impacted by changes in land use, climate change and pollution. Modern industrial farming practices like pesticides can harm native bees, contributing to their global decline. Lipka is looking at these impacts and how to make farms more friendly to native bees.

Find the whole article here. 

Une forêt reprend vie, quatre ans après une tornade

Par Kristy Nease, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa Gatineau, le 25 septembre 2022

Même après qu'une tornade ait ravagé le parc pour chiens sans laisse de Bruce Pit en 2018, la forêt est luxuriante. Elle offre donc un bon exemple de ce à quoi ressembleront probablement dans quelques années les forêts ravagées par le derecho sur d'autres terrains de la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN).

Cependant, les travaux effectués à la sablière Bruce au cours des quatre dernières années, ou dans la pinède et la forêt Pinhey appartenant à la CCN

après le derecho de mai, ne représentent pas nécessairement l'ensemble des pratiques écologiques exemplaires, remarque Andrew Almas, expert en foresterie urbaine à l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

Lanes, trains and automobiles: Mayoral candidates promise to improve how we get around town

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, September 22, 2022

Whether you get around on foot, bike or bus, whether you drive every day or just on weekends, the folks running for mayor are promising to make it easier for you to get around town.

...The city is conducting an "origin destination study" to figure out how people are travelling around town — whether by driving, using transit or on foot — and when and where they are going. The results aren't in yet, but they are likely to be quite different than in pre-pandemic times. 

Find the whole article here.

McKenney pledges to turn Greenbelt into national urban park

By Ted Raymond, CTV News Ottawa, September 21, 2022

Ottawa mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney says they would turn the Greenbelt into a national urban park if elected.

Most of the land is owned by the National Capital Commission and McKenney says they would work with the NCC, Parks Canada, and elected officials at all levels to preserve the undeveloped lands that encircle urban Ottawa.

Find the whole article here.

Réduction de la vitesse sur les promenades Reine-Elizabeth et Colonel-By, à Ottawa

Par ICI Radio Canada Ottawa Gatineau

Dès lundi, la limite de vitesse pour les automobilistes sera réduite sur la promenade Reine-Elizabeth et sur un tronçon de la promenade Colonel-By, à Ottawa.

La limite permise passera de 60 km/h à 40 km/h sur toute la longueur de la promenade Reine-Elizabeth, ainsi que sur un tronçon de la promenade Colonel-By, de l’avenue Bronson à l’avenue Daly.

... Ce changement assurera une limite de vitesse uniforme le long de ces corridors et augmentera la sécurité sur les promenades. Il permettra également aux piétons et aux cyclistes d’accéder plus facilement au canal Rideau et aux sentiers environnants, écrit la CCN par voie de communiqué.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.