Ecology Ottawa

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Editorial: Uber is here — deal with it

Ottawa Citizen

By the Editor, Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 2015

On Monday, the leader of the union at Capital Taxi exited a meeting with city officials sounding a dire warning. “They’re not listening to us anymore, the drivers,” Georges Chamoun said. “They don’t believe that we are doing enough and we are not fast enough to get out of this crisis, because the past nine months they’ve been suffering. They’ve been losing money. They can’t any more keep up with their bills, with their mortgages. They all have families and I can see it, that in the near future, is there is not any more control. We cannot control them any more. They’re going to go on the street. They’re going to, I don’t know. I don’t know. We heard it a lot from many drivers, they’re going to go out on the street and it’s going to be out of control.” via Editorial: Uber is here — deal with it | Ottawa Citizen.

Exxon knew of climate change in 1981, email says – but it funded deniers for 27 more years

By Susan Goldenberg,  US correspondent A newly unearthed missive from Lenny Bernstein, a climate expert with the oil firm for 30 years, shows concerns over high presence of carbon dioxide in enormous gas field in south-east Asia factored into decision not to tap it. ExxonMobil, the world’s biggest oil company, knew as early as 1981 of climate change – seven years before it became a public issue, according to a newly discovered email from one of the firm’s own scientists. Despite this the firm spent millions over the next 27 years to promote climate denial. The email from Exxon’s in-house climate expert provides evidence the company was aware of the connection between fossil fuels and climate change, and the potential for carbon-cutting regulations that could hurt its bottom line, over a generation ago – factoring that knowledge into its decision about an enormous gas field in south-east Asia. The field, off the coast of Indonesia, would have been the single largest source of global warming pollution at the time. Via http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/08/exxon-climate-change-1981-climate-denier-funding        

City of Ottawa to ‘level playing field’ for Uber, cab drivers: Mayor

Metro

By Lucy Scholey, Ottawa Metro News, July 6, 2015

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says a taxi bylaw review will be a top priority for the city, following an Ontario court ruling on a legal dispute between Uber and Toronto. Such a review will ensure ride-hailing services like Uber are “operating legally and on a level playing field” with the cab industry, said Watson. However, the taxi bylaw review is subject to a council vote on Wednesday, under the city’s “strategic initiatives.” via City of Ottawa to ‘level playing field’ for Uber, cab drivers: Mayor | Metro.

Canada Day downpours push sewage into Ottawa River

Ottawa & Region

News

Ot

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun, July 6, 2015

How about this for a Canada Day gift from the City of Ottawa to the historic Ottawa River: almost 45 million litres of untreated, diluted sewage. The city recorded the combined sewer overflow July 1 on a particularly gloomy day for celebrations in Ottawa. Several heavy rainfalls soaked the capital. And, as Ottawa residents know, when rain falls the sewers sometimes fill beyond capacity. via Canada Day downpours push sewage into Ottawa River | Ottawa & Region | News | Ot.

Kanata residents have to pay for Kizell Pond mosquito fix, says Marianne Wilkinson - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, July 6, 2015

More than 300 Kanata residents have signed a petition asking the city to deal with a severe mosquito infestation, but the area's councillor says any solution will have to come out of the petitioners' pockets. People living near Kizell Pond say they've tried using bug sprays, zappers, and draining pools of still water in their fight against hordes of mosquitoes that have made going outside nearly unbearable — but so far, nothing has worked. via Kanata residents have to pay for Kizell Pond mosquito fix, says Marianne Wilkinson - Ottawa - CBC News.

Liz Bernstein: Redevelop the ByWard Market for 2017

Ottawa Citizen

By Liz Bernstein, Ottawa Citizen, July 6, 2015

Canada will be celebrating its 150th birthday in 2017. Ottawa, as the nation’s capital, will play a role in hosting the celebrations and the city’s many expected tourists. The Byward Market, arguably the city’s heart, will be thrust on a national platform. But what will the visitors see? A Byward Market of cars and parking lots, or a vibrant, people-centred historic market? On July 8, Ottawa’s City Council will be taking an important step in deciding what the ByWard Market will look like in 2017. via Liz Bernstein: Redevelop the ByWard Market for 2017 | Ottawa Citizen.

McLeod: Ottawa park plan must avoid serious flaw

Ottawa Citizen

By Jonathan McLeod, Ottawa Citizen, July 6, 2015

Who doesn’t love the park life? Girls and boys, men and women, it’s universal; we all enjoy a day of leisure. Parks are so important to the health of our city, we demand them from developers. With each new development, a portion of the land is to be dedicated to parkland. But this doesn’t always work. In some areas, land is scarce and it would be quite a hindrance on developers to have them provide parkland, hence the city’s Cash-in-lieu of Parklands Fund Policy. If developers are unwilling or unable to provide the necessary park space, they can provide the city with money so that we may develop those spaces ourselves. These funds are split 60-40 between the ward in which the development occurs and a general fund for the entire city, with the spending of funds in the ward’s account being directed by the local councillor. via McLeod: Ottawa park plan must avoid serious flaw | Ottawa Citizen.

Council to tackle big agenda on Wednesday

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, July 6, 2015

The only thing standing between Ottawa city councillors and a few weeks off is a big — and potentially long — council meeting on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know about five key agenda items. Get your priorities straight Council’s standing committees have been debating — and ultimately approving — the 63 so-called strategic initiatives for weeks. via Council to tackle big agenda on Wednesday | Ottawa Citizen.

Reevely: If you want big transit projects, elect a pro-transit government

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, July 3, 2015

Transit types are desolate over the failure of this attempt in British Columbia to raise sales taxes to pay for new rail and bus lines throughout greater Vancouver. Here’s the lesson: If you want a big public project, elect a government with the nerve to see it through. The Vancouver plebiscite was a months-long mail-in affair asking people in and around Vancouver whether they’d pay an extra half-point in sales tax to fund $7.5-billion worth of transit projects. The idea was backed by nearly all the local mayors, who are maddened that the provincial government won’t help pay for things they think are critical. via Reevely: If you want big transit projects, elect a pro-transit government | Ottawa Citizen.

Ottawa cycling group pedals in low-income neighbourhoods

Metro

By Lucy Scholey, Ottawa Metro News, July 5, 2015

Like many neighbourhoods in Ottawa, rush hour traffic poses a problem for cyclists in the Ledbury-Heron Gate community. But apart from the lack of designated cycling lanes along the bustling Bank Street, some residents of the community housing area have bigger biking barriers – they can’t afford the two-wheeled rides or helmets. via Ottawa cycling group pedals in low-income neighbourhoods | Metro.

580 CFRA News Talk Radio :: Kanata residents want city to help deal with mosquitoes :: News - Article

By Jenn Pritchard, CFRA News, July 5, 2015

They buzz, they bite and they drive us all nuts - mosquitoes.

But whose responsibility is it when they get out of control? A group of Kanata residents are hoping that the city along with Ottawa Public Health will help get rid of the pests.

People who live in the newly development subdivisions around the Kizell Pond area say that the mosquitoes are so bad that many of them are forced to stay indoor to avoid them and they have started a petition to ask that the city intervene.

580 CFRA News Talk Radio :: Pathway behind Supreme Court reopens :: News - Article

By Jenn Pritchard, CFRA News, July 4, 2015

After being closed for repairs for over two weeks, a popular portion of the Ottawa River Pathway reopened on Saturday.

The section behind the Supreme Court of Canada was closed on June 16th so that maintenance work could be done on the path.

The work included removing loose rocks and installing bolts along the cliff wall