Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

The next big fight around a new Civic hospital, it involves parking

Ottawa Citizen

By Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen, October 5, 2016

When Ottawa’s new Civic hospital is complete, it will be encircled by more parking spots than almost any new hospital in the province. And the majority of those 3,400 proposed spots could be surface parking, stretching over 15-20 acres, along with access roads. An average Costco parking lot, by comparison, contains about 600 spots. The vast parking lots at the Canadian Tire Centre have more than 6,500 spots.

There are early signs that parking will be the next battle on the road to a new $2 billion super hospital in Ottawa. It is a controversial issue, partly driven by provincial funding policy. And Ottawa is not alone.

MOFFATT: No perfect way to collect stormwater fees

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Scott Moffatt, StittsvilleCentral, October 4, 2016

“There simply is no perfect way to collect fees on the basis of fairness. Each and every property contributes differently. Short of any perfect solution, we have the proposal before us.

”In March and April of this year, residents were informed of the City of Ottawa’s Water, Sewer and Stormwater Rate Structure Review. Over the course of those two months, we shared much information on the matter and you were very involved in these discussions. Once again, I would like to thank everyone who contacted me, submitted comments to the City and attended the public consultation sessions. The April 7th meeting held in North Gower was attended by approximately 250 residents. Your participation and input led to the eventual delay of the report so that your comments could be properly reviewed and taken into account. Since then, staff have been compiling those comments and working with members of Council on finalizing the report and its recommendations. This report, released on Monday of this week, will be presented to the Environment Committee on Tuesday, October 18th at City Hall.

Pipeline spill would impact Ottawa drinking water, says report

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By StittsvilleCentral, October 5, 2016

A spill from the proposed Energy East pipeline could have catastrophic impacts on the Rideau, Mississippi and Ottawa rivers, and put the region’s drinking water at risk. These are the findings of a new report by the independent Montreal-based technical firm Savaria Experts-Conseils Inc.

“The proposed Energy East pipeline would cross 68 watercourses in the Rideau and Mississippi watersheds, including the Rideau and Mississippi rivers,” says Abdelkader Aiachi, a Savaria Experts-Conseils geoscientist with expertise in geochemical and hydrogeochemical modeling, water quality monitoring and environmental impact assessment, and a Ph.D. in Isotope Hydrogeology. “A spill in one of those rivers would impact water quality, aquatic ecosystems and recreational activities.”

New data shows cycling, pedestrian collisions down in 2015

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, October 4, 2016

The city will release its 2015 collision analysis this month, but Metro Ottawa has obtained the Ottawa police data in advance – and it’s got some good news.

The raw numbers show a big drop in reported cycling and pedestrian collisions – 21 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, over 2014 police stats.

City and police staff have refused to comment on the numbers – or even what’s behind the decline – until the numbers have been crunched and released publicly.

Pipeline spill would affect drinking water within 48 hours: report

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, October 5, 2016

It would take 48 hours for a major oil spill from the proposed Energy East pipeline to affect Ottawa’s drinking water, a new report says.

Montreal-based Savaria Experts-Conseils Inc., an environmental consulting firm, has released a detailed analysis of how a major oil spill would work its way through watersheds in Ottawa and Gatineau if the 4,500-kilometre TransCanada project was to spring a leak nearby.

(...)

“It in many ways confirms our worst fears,” said Graham Saul, director of Ecology Ottawa, which commissioned the report with the Council of Canadians. “It’s a wake-up call for Ottawa-area politicians, because it puts our water in immediate danger.”

Teen experiences one of environment minister’s ‘craziest, busiest’ days

Metro News

By Adam Kveton, Ottawa Metro News, October 5, 2016

One of the first things Raisa Masud will tell you about being a federal cabinet minister is that it’s hectic.

The second thing she’ll tell you, and it might sound funny considering we are talking about politics, is that co-operation is what makes getting through the day possible. That means fostering co-operation with other parties as well as having a team that can get you from one meeting to the next, she said.

And 17-year-old Masud knows what she’s talking about. She spent a day this week shadowing Ottawa Centre MP and Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna during what McKenna called one of her “craziest, busiest” days yet.

Gas shortage hitting Ottawa, says analyst

By Chris Holski, CFRA News, October 4, 2016

A petroleum analyst is warning a crimp in supply is creating a gas shortage in parts of Ontario, including Ottawa.Gasbuddy.com's Dan McTeague tells CFRA's News and Views with Rob Snow a decision by the National Energy Board to cut the pressure of a pipeline out of Montreal by 10 percent is going to lead to a few gas stations temporarily running dry.

"Valero, Shell, Esso and Suncor are now on allocation," says McTeague. "There will be supply restrictions and you will see yellow tape at certain gas stations on a rotational basis."

City holding final open house on Baseline Rapid Bus Corridor plan Wednesday

By Ted Raymond, CFRA News, October 5, 2016

You'll have a final chance Wednesday to take a look at a plan to transform Baseline Road into a bus rapid transit corridor.The last of four open houses about the proposed project takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Nepean Sportsplex.

The plan would see dedicated bus lanes on Baseline Road between Bayshore and Heron stations, as well general traffic lanes and walking and cycling infrastructure.

It would encompass a 14.5 km stretch primarily along Baseline Road and Heron Road. A study of this plan was first initiated in October, 2011, and three open houses have been held since then.

City releases draft report on new water billing system

By Jennifer McIntosh, Ottawa Community News, October 4, 2016

Changes to the way the city bills residents for drinking water, taking away sewage and stormwater won’t be a big drain on the average homeowner's finances, says the city's deputy treasurer Isabelle Jasmin.

The city released its draft report on a new water rate structure on Oct. 3. For 85 per cent of residents, the new billing system will mean a $2 difference on their monthly bill, according to the city.

Growing debate over what to do with abandoned Western Quebec mine

CTV Ottawa News

By CTV News Ottawa, October 4, 2016

There is a growing debate in Western Quebec over what to do with an abandoned mine that is rapidly increasing in popularity.The Wallingford-Back-Mine is the newest tourist attraction, but the locals in the Municipality of Mulgrave-et-Derry say the attention is unwanted.

CTV Ottawa showcased the mine last winter , after being invited to a hockey game organized inside the picturesque cavern. Since, residents say hundreds of people have been coming by to see one of Mother Nature’s treasures.

Editorial: Carbon tax not evil, but it may not be that virtuous either

Ottawa Citizen

By the Editorial Board, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

First, let’s dispel one notion: This is NOT the 1980 National Energy Program, widely loathed by western Canadians who felt – with justification – that eastern élites weren’t sensitive to their economic needs.J

ustin Trudeau’s announcement of a carbon price for all of Canada, starting at a modest $10 a tonne in 2018 and rising over five years to $50, isn’t an attempt to take from one part of the country and give to another. The federal Liberals will impose the plan only on provinces that don’t have their own equivalent means of pricing carbon. Also, revenues will stay with the provinces. Whatever its weaknesses (and we’ll get to that), the carbon price announced by the prime minister Monday isn’t a regional pile-on.

Cleland, McLeod, Gattinger: Are Canadians that enthused about clean energy?

Ottawa Citizen

By Michael Cleland, Trevor McLeod and Monica Gattinger, Ottawa Citizen, October 5, 2016

You can’t look anywhere these days without seeing evidence that politicians are either ignoring or misreading the will of the people. They do so at their own peril.

Consider the U.S. Republican Party, which has come close to self-destructing because its leadership misread the grassroots. Think of Brexit, which many in elite circles thought unimaginable.

Those in energy circles can be just as tone deaf. Some believe the public overwhelmingly supports a shift to low or zero emissions energy. After all, that is what the opinion polls seem to suggest.