Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Reevely: Cutting today’s hydro bills, for today’s votes, with tomorrow’s money

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 2017

“Smoothing out” the costs of Ontario’s energy system by taking longer to pay off generating contracts, as the Ontario Liberals are reportedly planning to do, means borrowing from the future to make ourselves more comfortable now.

The Toronto Star reported the government’s plan Wednesday morning, citing unnamed sources speaking before Premier Kathleen Wynne had made sure her cabinet was on board. “We will make sure that we have immediate relief for Ontarians in the very near future, but no decisions have been made at this time,” Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault told the legislature.

Hooray for year-round patios in Ottawa

Ottawa Citizen

By The Editor, Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2017

It’s a little tough to think about lounging on a patio at the moment, cold beer in hand, but your city councillors are doing that musing for you. New rules approved by the transportation committee will mean year-round patios, more walking space for pedestrians and lower fees for restaurant or bar proprietors.

Patios add life and vibrancy to this city, and while in winter they might be used mostly for storage, there will always be a hardy few – willing to sit outside and make them worthwhile.

New bike lanes coming to Vanier’s McArthur Avenue

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2017

Vanier’s McArthur Avenue is poised to get new bike lanes this year intended to make it easier for cyclists to travel between downtown and points east.

At an open house next week, the city will unveil plans for a functional redesign of McArthur between North River Road and St. Laurent Boulevard.

The city plans to use paint, signs and large concrete planter boxes to reconfigure the road and travel lanes, in part as a response to concerns about excessive speeding on a street with two elementary schools.

Water users help 2016 city budget exceed targets

By CFRA News, March 1, 2017

The city is reporting a surplus of almost $5.5-million from last year's tax-supported budget programs, mainly due to higher income from water users across Ottawa.

In a report for next Tuesday's Finance committee, city staff say the transit budget ended up short by $1.8-million, mainly due to additional tax rebates and remissions over which it has no control.

OC Transpo new ticket machines on O-Train Trillum Line

CTV Ottawa News

By CTV News Ottawa, March 1, 2017

OC Transpo says new ticket machines and fare gates will be installed on the Trillium line this summer.

The new machines will allow passengers to use a variety of trade options including debit, credit cards and Presto.

The ticket machines will be placed outside the fare gates at Greenboro, Confederation, Carleton, and Carling stations.

Resurrecting extinct species won't do biodiversity any favours, says researcher

By Joanne E. Laucius, Ottawa Sun, March 1, 2017

Everyone familiar with Jurassic Park knows resurrecting extinct species does not end well for humans.

But Carleton University biologist Joseph Bennett argues that “de-extinction” is not a good idea for reasons other then the possibility of ending up as a T-rex snack. Scarce conservation funding is much better spent preserving threatened species that are still with us, he says.

In a paper to be published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, Bennett and his co-authors argue that spending scarce funds on de-extinction might cause “perverse outcomes” that will actually lead to a loss in biodiversity.

‘A complete overhaul’: New rules coming to a sidewalk patio near you

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 2017

Lower fees, generous space for pedestrians and permission to stay open year-round are among the sweeping changes approved Wednesday by the transportation committee to rules governing Ottawa’s sidewalk patios.

The committee also voted to make streetside spots a permanent fixture to the city’s urban fabric, paving the way for the possibility of more micro-patios replacing on-street parking spaces.

Transpo committee chair defends $10-million for LRT art: "money well spent"

By Chris Holski, CFRA News, February 28, 2017

The chair of the city's transportation committee says committing $10-million for public art as part of stage 2 of LRT is "money well spent."

Councillor Keith Egli cited the scope of the project while on CFRA's News and Views with Rob Snow on Tuesday.

"We're talking about a project in excess of $3-billion," said Egli. "We're talking about buildings people are going to be in on a regular basis."

NAC's new glass facade a potential bird killer, Safe Wings says - Ottawa - CBC News

By Sandra Abma, CBC News Ottawa, February 28, 2017

Look closely at the construction of the National Arts Centre's towering new glass facade, and you'll notice small markings running up and down the giant panes of glass.

The designers behind the major renovation are hoping birds will notice the markings, too — and be deterred from flying into the Elgin Street building's windows.

Barrhaven, Riverside South councillors make peace with new LRT plan - Ottawa - CBC News

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, February 28, 2017

The city councillors for Ottawa's fast-growing southern suburbs support the design for the big second stage of light rail, even if they admit their communities would have been best served by a LRT plan killed over a decade ago.

If full council gives its approval next week, city staff plan to ask contractors this spring to bid for billions of dollars worth of construction.

Stay off Rideau Canal ice, NCC warns - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, February 28, 2017

Officials are reminding people not to venture onto the Rideau Canal Skateway because the ice is melting and water levels below can be as deep as 4.3 metres.

The thin layer of ice on the canal is shrinking and may hide hazards that aren't visible, the NCC said in a news release Tuesday.

Here’s why the LRT may not quite be all it’s cracked up to be

Ottawa Citizen

By Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, February 28, 2017

City staff and most councillors seem supremely confident of the ultimate success of their ever-expanding light rail plan, but in reality it’s a gamble based on a series of assumptions. It’s an expensive gamble, too. If all the proposed pieces are included, the first two phases of light rail and some associated road improvements will have cost taxpayers $5.7 billion and that’s without rail reaching either Kanata or Barrhaven.

The key assumption is that far more people will ride transit trains than have chosen to ride transit buses. City staff say with their new Stage 2 plan in place, transit ridership will increase by 10 per cent by 2031. Two per cent of that would have happened without the service improvements.