the reeves report
awreeves
National Energy Board commenting rules ‘undemocratic’
Federal opposition MPs and environmental groups are crying foul over what they see as the government’s attempt to curtail public comment on Enbridge’s proposed 639-km Line 9 reversal pipeline route through southern Ontario and into Quebec. Tucked away in last spring’s Bill C-38 omnibus budget bill from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government is a requirement that … Continue reading
Great Lakes offshore wind moratorium to remain ‘for some time’
Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli confirmed early last week that anyone anxious for offshore wind development in Ontario’s portion of the Great Lakes to resume will have a long wait ahead of them. Indefinitely, it would seem. “All I can say at this point is that offshore is still in a moratorium and it’s likely to … Continue reading
Local Knowledge Key in Land Restoration Program
Building off the idea that few comprehend the environmental challenges occurring in their backyards better than those who witness them daily, the Ontario government has re-launched yet another program to solicit local engagement in improving the province’s natural spaces. The Land Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Program– operating under the awkward acronym LSHRP – will award small … Continue reading
Mississauga mayor urges government to move on from gas-plant hearings
Outspoken Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion lit up the Standing Committee on Justice Policy at Queen’s Park Thursday morning with testimony on the government’s 2011 decision to cancel a proposed gas plant in a residential neighbourhood. Though a witness called by the Liberal government, McCallion was blunt in her appraisal of the proceedings that have ground … Continue reading
Next Steps in Protecting the Great Lakes
In the face of decades of environmental, pollution and development stresses on the shorelines, wetlands, river basins, flora and fauna of the Great Lakes, the government of Ontario realized making a difference in the health of these critical water bodies would require all hands on deck. Provincial dollars would be needed to help improve the … Continue reading
Finding work a struggle for new teachers in Toronto
*** Note: this piece was originally published with OpenFile Toronto on Feb. 10, 2012, but is no longer available online since their website shut down. *** When Deirdre Dimitroff started teachers college at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in September 2011, she knew the odds of finding work in the Toronto District School … Continue reading
Yes, In My Back Yard!
The flow of information and ideas between community residents and policy makers is often a one-way street. When someone tries to flip that idea on its head, it seems almost utopian – until you realize that the flipside is how things ought to be. Enter the Yes In My Back Yard! Festival, now entering its eighth … Continue reading
Algonquin Park: A Waste Diversion Success Story
The crown jewel of Ontario’s provincial park system is being recognized for hitting a crucial milestone not often associated with our parks system: removing garbage. With approximately one million visitors flocking to Ontario’s largest and most popular park destination, Algonquin Park in Central Ontario is earning praise from the province’s Environmental Commissioner for improving their … Continue reading
Ontario Forests Will Be Net Carbon Source Until 2040
Ontario’s Crown forests are expected to remain a net source of carbon emissions for the next three decades, according to the latest forestry report from the Ministry of Natural Resources. The latest State of Ontario’s Forests report released January 3 – the third issued by the government, this one covering the fiscal years 2004 to 2008 – found that … Continue reading
Urban River Valleys Mean More Growth for Ontario Greenbelt
It’s a new beginning for Ontario’s 1.8 million acre Greenbelt. On January 10, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was in Newmarket to announce a significant new designation to Greenbelt legislation, which will make it easier for municipalities to add public land to what is already the largest greenbelt in the world. The new Urban River Valley designation will … Continue reading
