Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Election 22: Investing in a Net-zero Future

By Robert Hiltz, Ottawa Magazine, September 14, 2022

Destructive storms that take out power for days. Floods that force rivers over their banks. Heatwaves in early spring. The climate is changing, and we’re feeling it. The question is no longer whether the effects of climate change are here, or what we should do, the question is now: Are we doing enough?

...Sana Badruddin of Ecology Ottawa, a grassroots non-profit focused on climate change, says “Cities generate enormous amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, because there are more people there. But that also makes cities a place where there’s the highest potential to fight climate change.”

Find the whole article here.

La voiture partagée, un nouveau moyen de se déplacer pour des locataires d’Ottawa

Par Alistair Steele, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa Gatineau

Les résidents d’un complexe de la Société de logement communautaire d'Ottawa (SLCO) disposent maintenant d’un nouveau moyen pour se déplacer en ville : un véhicule électrique à partager qu’ils peuvent emprunter pour se rendre à l’épicerie, à leurs rendez-vous médicaux et à d’autres sorties essentielles.

Cette initiative, qui a vu le jour mardi, est le fruit d’une collaboration entre la SLCO,

Hydro Ottawa, le Fonds d’action climat d’Ottawa et l’entreprise d’autopartage Communauto. Elle a été présentée comme étant le premier programme d'autopartage entièrement électrique à être offert dans un complexe de logements abordables en Ontario.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

Food recycler gets unanimous nod for Rideau Lakes pilot project

By Laurie Weir, InsideOttawaValley,

It’s smaller than a bread maker and can whip a mound of table scraps into a handful of dirt in no time.

All for the price of $150 — $350 less than retail.

A presentation to the municipal services committee of the Township of Rideau Lakes on Sept. 12 was presented by Christina Zardo, director of municipal solutions for Ottawa’s Food Cycle Science.

Find the whole article here.

Achat d’autobus électriques : la Ville d’Ottawa modifie son approche

Par Frédéric Pépin, ICI Radio-Canada Ottawa Gatineau, le 12 septembre 2022

Un rapport de la vérificatrice générale d’Ottawa présenté lundi a poussé la Ville à modifier ses plans pour sa transition vers les autobus électriques.

Ottawa ne fera pas son propre appel d’offres pour acquérir 450 nouveaux autobus, comme elle pensait le faire initialement.

Elle passera par un partenariat avec la Ville de Toronto, et plus précisément avec la Commission de Transport de Toronto (CTT), l’agence chargée des transports en commun de la Ville.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

Housing, OC Transpo and council accountability top of mind for Ottawa voters: poll

By Anil Jhalli, City News

The cost of housing, the state of OC Transpo, and accountability at city hall are the top three concerns for voters as Ottawa enters a municipal election, according to a recent poll by the Broadbent Institute and conducted by Viewpoints Research....

• Fifty four per cent think Ottawa should invest to improve services, even if it means a small tax increase.
• Fifty four per cent think Ottawa should invest now to fight climate change and adapt infrastructure.

Find the whole article here.

 

 

'I question the logic': City tells longtime homeowner to replace part of front garden with grass

By Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen, August 4, 2022

Georgina King rebuilt her front garden as a retirement project, replacing grass with artfully arranged plants, bushes and stone walkways. That was 17 years ago and King, now 78, says she loves it.

...Earlier this year, King received a notice of bylaw violation from the city telling her to “reinstate the city boulevard to its original state.” That means replacing the chunk of her front garden that the city owns as a right of way with grass..

Find the whole article here.

Free tree giveaway will help to grow Stittsville’s tree canopy

By Lesley McKay, StittvilleCentral, Sept 2, 2022

The Stittsville Rotary Club members and Ecology Ottawa are partners again this fall in an important Tree Giveaway project on September 14 to continue planting Ottawa’s future tree canopy. For several years now, Ecology Ottawa has been handing out native tree seedlings to Ottawa-area residents, and 2022 will be their biggest year of giveaways yet! With 10,000 seedlings gone to good homes this past spring, they have 10,000 more to give away this fall, and you’re not going to want to miss out on getting these native seedlings. 

Find the whole article here.

'Climate action equals smaller energy bills' is the message every Canadian needs to hear

By Trever Melanson and David Coletti, National Observer

There are perhaps no two forces more anxiety-inducing than the existential threat of climate change and the very personal threat of rising living costs.

But how do climate action and affordability overlap with each other?

Find the whole article here.

 

Bogus information online, climate change top Canadian fears in latest Pew survey

By Canadian Press, City News

In the poll by the Pew Research Center, 68 per cent of Canadian respondents described bogus online information as a major threat, followed by climate change at 65 per cent.

Climate change emerged as the leading international worry, ranking as a major threat among 75 per cent of respondents in 19 advanced economies across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

The Canadian portion of the survey was conducted by telephone between Feb. 14 and April 24 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

Find the whole article here.

 

"We have to be ambitious": Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe releases climate platform

By Alex Black, City News

Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe has released his climate platform.

The former CityNews Ottawa talk show host, entrepreneur and author is pledging to protect the biodiversity of the region, as he said our quality of life is directly linked to air quality, clean water and access to green space.

"We are blessed to have beautiful green space and fertile farmland, while the Ottawa River and Rideau River Watershed makes it easy to get outside and enjoy nature," Sutcliffe said.

He goes on to say the impact of climate change in Ottawa is real and immediate.

Find the whole article here.

Trees, electric vehicles, no more single-use plastics: Mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe unveils environment plan

By Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen

If he’s elected to the mayor’s office, Mark Sutcliffe says Ottawa can expect to see more places to charge electric vehicles and e-bikes, a million trees planted by the end of his term and technology-based waste-to-energy solutions instead of a new dump or expansion of the existing landfill.

...Catherine McKenney and Bob Chiarelli, the other highest-profile contenders in a 13-candidate mayoral race, say they will be staking out their own climate-related stances.

Find the whole article here.

'It breaks my heart:' Hazeldean Woods loses tract of trees following cleanup from May wind storm

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, Aug 11 2022

John Podgorski can’t bear to walk through Hazeldean Woods after the City of Ottawa removed a tract of trees from the Kanata forest.

... The forestry branch provided three reasons for removing the trees: public safety, access and regenerating the forest.

... According to Huras (NCC), trees not impacted by storm damage are only removed when they are in close proximity to damaged trees, allowing contractors to safely access the area. “Leaving hazardous trees within a busy recreational area is not an option,” Huras said.

Find the whole article here.