Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Michael Den Tandt: Could there be a more ill-conceived boondoggle than NDP-proposed National Cycling Strategy?

By Michael Den Tandt, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

The New Democratic Party’s dreams of seizing power have given way to an aisle-by-aisle slog to hang onto what’s left of the old furniture. It’s threadbare and lumpy but dang it, it’s what they’ve got to work with.

So it’s unsurprising that, a day after the Trudeau government set a national price on carbon emissions that, because of its incrementalism, is likely to stick (provincial griping notwithstanding), New Democrats would emerge from the reeds, bedecked in green camouflage leafage, with a proposed National Cycling Strategy.

Today’s letters: City leadership, inconsistency on vices and the Civic campus

Ottawa Citizen

By Dr. Bert Blevis, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, October 5, 2016

Weighing the future of the Civic campus

Re: The fate of the farm, Sept. 30.

Many thanks for publishing the opposing views relating to the future of the Farm. Thanks especially to Mohammed Adam for his strong views in support of the relocation of the hospital to the Farm to meet the crucial needs of the expanding Ottawa community, as previously agreed by the National Capital Commission.

NCC survey doesn’t ask public to name favoured site for new Civic

Ottawa Citizen

By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

The National Capital Commission‘s survey soliciting public views on the location of The Ottawa Hospital’s new Civic campus doesn’t directly ask participants which of the 12 potential sites they favour.

The online survey, which will remain active on the NCC’s website until Thursday, asks numerous questions about the criteria the NCC should use to decide which site would be the best choice.

Why the NCC may choose the Sir John Carling site for new Civic

Ottawa Citizen

By Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

Thursday is the deadline to complete the online survey on where the Civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital should relocate. We’ll hear the results on Nov. 23.

Try not to die from suspense.

To go out on a limb — and what else is a heaven and column for? — I’m guessing the National Capital Commission will settle on site 11, the so-called Sir John Carling or Carling Avenue East location.

Uber is finally street legal in Ottawa

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

Uber has received the first “private transportation company” licence from the City of Ottawa.

The international ride-ordering company obtained the licence Tuesday.

The city launched a new vehicle-for-hire bylaw Friday with separate licence categories for conventional taxis and private transportation companies. There are different regulations for each category.

Rural area still wouldn’t pay full cost of stormwater services

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

Rural landowners still wouldn’t be paying the full cost of stormwater mitigation in their communities under a proposed fee structure, but Mayor Jim Watson doesn’t mind.

Landowners who don’t receive a water and sewer bill don’t pay into the stormwater program. The city wants to start billing them on their property tax invoices to collect $2 million for stormwater services.

Watson says low-income OC Transpo pass coming in 2017

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2016

Ottawa residents who live at or below the poverty line may soon qualify for cheaper rides on OC Transpo.

A proposed new low-income pass would offer eligible riders a deep discount on the monthly adult general pass if they live at or below Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-off of approximately $20,000 or less a year for individuals, or an annual income of $38,000 for a family of four.

How will the city's new water and sewer structure affect you?

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, October 3, 2016

Changes are coming down the pipe as the city updates its rate structure to reflect the costs of running the city’s water, sewer and stormwater systems.

Right now, that pipe’s completely plugged: as conservation efforts have risen, revenues have plummeted – but maintenance and operational costs have stayed the same, causing a $15-million deficit last year.

And the current system’s not very fair: those on private services don’t pay for their storm water infrastructure, while the biggest water guzzlers pay the same rates as the most committed conservers. But, if council approves, that’s all about to change. So how will you be affected?

Poll suggests majority support for national carbon price

CTV News

By Bruce Cheadle, CTV News Ottawa, October 3, 2016

MONTREAL -- Canada's federal, provincial and territorial environment ministers will take a first crack today at hashing out a national plan for meeting the country's international climate commitments.

The long-awaited meeting in Montreal comes almost a year after Justin Trudeau's Liberals won a majority mandate on a green election platform that included pricing carbon.And it comes as a debate in the House of Commons gets underway today leading to a vote by MPs on Wednesday as to whether Canada should formally ratify last year's Paris climate accord at the United Nations.

A new public opinion survey suggests there's a reservoir of good will for federal leadership, including majority backing for a minimum national price on CO2 emissions.

20 new red light cameras coming to Ottawa by end of 2017 - Ottawa - CBC News

By Andrew Foote, CBC News Ottawa, October 3, 2016

The City of Ottawa is setting up 20 new red light cameras at high-collision intersections between now and the end of 2017, hoping to make roads safer and let police focus on other issues.

Monday's announcement was made near the intersection of Old Tenth Line Road and St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans, where a new red light camera will be up and running in the next few days, said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Four more cameras that snap pictures of vehicles that run red lights so they can be fined are going up by the end of this year at the following intersections:

If you conserve water, you could soon be paying more under Ottawa's new flat rate - Ottawa - CBC News

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, October 3, 2016

A long-awaited report from City of Ottawa staff recommends changes to how the city charges for drinking water, takes away sewage, and deals with water from big storms.

While the city promises that most households will see hardly any change on their bills, those who use very little water will see their bills go up while those that consume a lot of water could pay less.

That's because the amount charged on water bills will no longer be based solely on how much water a home or business consumes.

Here’s a simple way to bring in that carbon tax, Mr. Trudeau

Ottawa Citizen

By Jason Scott, Ottawa Citizen, October 2, 2016

In one easy step, the federal government can introduce a carbon tax on vehicle fuels across Canada, bringing all provinces and territories in line with British Columbia. In fact, it could do worse than to simply apply B.C.’s carbon tax rates by fuel across the country, then commit to annual increases of one penny a litre. Will it solve climate change? No, but it would be a good start: it would be equitable among provinces, be politically palatable and demonstrate leadership to match the talk in Paris and over the last year. Let me explain.

The federal government charges an excise tax on gasoline at a flat rate of 10 cents a litre. This has been in effect since 1995. Accounting for inflation, it should be almost 14.7 cents per litre (c/L). The Ontario provincial government has been similarly reticent to raise gasoline taxes, which have been fixed at 14.7 c/L since 1992. Had this tax kept pace with inflation, it would be almost 22.5 c/L by now.