Climate experts say city must make changes
January 24, 2008
Climate change experts spoke at a Toronto parks and environment committee meeting on Tuesday to discuss how the city can adapt to fight global warming in the coming decades. Speakers didn’t weigh in on moves the city already is considering, such as a potential ban on two-stroke engines in lawn mowers and snow blowers, but they did talk about how the city must improve its planning - including potential road tolls for GTA highways.
New report pushes for electronic waste diversion
January 24, 2008
The Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP) released Waste Bytes! Diverting Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment this week. While commending the Ontario government for launching the Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) process to divert electronic waste from landfill, the CIELAP report calls on the province to ensure that the industry-funded program has clear and aggressive diversion targets for reuse and recycling.
Province may hang clothesline ban
January 21, 2008
The McGuinty government is moving to hang the bans that prevent some Ontarians from using outdoor clotheslines to dry their laundry. In some areas of Ontario, builders’ covenants or other restrictions don’t allow outdoor clotheslines. The government is asking the public for input on how to best end these restrictions through a 60-day posting on Ontario’s Environmental Registry at www.ebr.gov.on.ca.
New bike storage facility proposed
January 18, 2008
The city is hoping to encourage a few commuters to take two wheels instead of four with a proposal for a new bike storage facility near Union Station. The facility would house up to 200 bikes in the York St. rail underpass.
Made-in-Canada fuel standards
January 18, 2008
The federal government announced plans this week to create “made-in-Canada” fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks that would, at a minimum, meet regulations recently introduced in the US. Speaking at the Montreal International Auto Show, Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said consultations with industry, environmental groups and the provinces and territories would soon begin to ensure that Canada reaches the target of improving fuel economy by 40% by 2020 with a unique Canadian approach.
Green space victory
January 17, 2008
An area twice the size of High Park has been preserved from development in the Town of Oakville. In a precedent-setting decision by the Ontario Municipal Board, an extensive network of linked natural heritage corridors will be preserved as green space around a massive residential development project.
Group calls for ban on pesticides
January 16, 2008
A coalition of environmental activists and health professionals has called on the Ontario government to pass province-wide legislation banning the use of lawn pesticides. Representatives from the Canadian Cancer Society, the David Suzuki Foundation, Environmental Defence and the Ontario Medical Association urged Premier Dalton McGuinty on Tuesday to follow through with his election promise to prohibit the cosmetic use of pesticides.
One step closer to renewable energy
January 15, 2008
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has plans to lift a controversial ban on the development of offshore wind energy projects in the Great Lakes. The moratorium was instituted late in 2006 to allow the government time to study the potential impact of water-based wind farms on bats, butterflies, aquatic animals and migrating birds. A ministry official confirmed that the department is “getting ready” to make an announcement.
Pass the salt
January 11, 2008
Laurie Varga doesn’t like road salt. Toronto uses 201 salt trucks to distribute between 130,000 and 150,000 tonnes of the stuff annually over 5100 km of roads and 8200 kim of sidewalks. We have to do something to make our winter roads safe, right? But a five-year assessment by Environment Canada determined that in sufficient concentrations, road salts pose a risk to plants, animals, birds, lakes, ecosystems and groundwater and should be considered toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (EPA).
Site selected for controversial incinerator
January 9, 2008
The selection of a site for a proposed garbage incinerator by York and Durham region councillors has angered opponents, who argue that burning garbage is not an environmentally or economically viable solution to the regions’ waste issues. With the end of their contract to ship garbage to Michigan looming, members of the Joint Waste Management Group, comprised of councillors from both regions, rejected the idea of new landfill sites in favour of building an energy-from-waste incinerator. The $250-million incinerator has been controversial since its proposal.
