HuffStrategy.com (ECO) - Press Releases

News Article - Climate change and our gardens

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:24:43 EST

To the Editor: This is an article form a series of monthly columns by Environmental Law Specialist Dianne Saxe, one of the top 25 environmental lawyers in the world, and Ms. Jackie Campbell. These articles are available for publishing at no charge, provided Dr. Saxe and Ms. Campbell are cited as the authors. Dr. Saxe can be contacted at (416) 962-5882 or admin@envirolaw.com. For more information, visit http://envirolaw.com News Article As passionate gardeners, we keep wondering how the changing climate is affecting our gardens. (We last wrote about climate change in this space during the heat of summer in 2010.) We therefore noticed when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated its plant hardiness zone map on January 25, 2012. Throughout much of the U.S., the map is a half-zone (5 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than its 1990 predecessor. Gardeners rely on plant hardiness zone maps (“PHM”), which set out the different climate zones where specific trees, shrubs and ... ...

Op Ed - Where is the conserve in Harper’s Conservatives?

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 09:57:02 EST

Op Ed Prime Minister Harper’s 1960s piano tunes may be timeless, but his single-minded approach to developing new energy supply is long out of fashion. Attitudes have changed, and Canadian leaders need to keep up. Before proposing new megaprojects to produce more energy, decision makers should follow this simple checklist: • Save Energy First - Canadians want to get serious about energy efficiency. If governments fail to embrace energy efficiency, efforts to develop new energy supply will face an increasingly uphill battle. • Home retrofits first - A good litmus test of a government’s commitment to energy efficiency is a consistent, long-term strategy to upgrade our existing housing stock. On-again, off-again home retrofit programs don’t cut it anymore. • Embrace it, don’t fake it - The Harper government closed the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program on January 29, two months early and with less than half the promised $400 million invested in home e...

MNP staff from Thunder Bay and Vancouver to deliver CANDO First Nations business workshop

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:34:25 EST

Workshop: ESTABLISHING THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS FOR BUSINESS & POLITICS IN YOUR FIRST NATION COMMUNITY What: Attention all Chiefs, Councillors, Senior Management of Development Corporations, Economic Development Officers and Representatives of Business Development Agencies seeking to deliver positive change in your community. Business success, pride and sustainable long-term profit for your First Nation are the goals of this two day workshop, designed to provide the skills to achieve: • liability and income tax minimization; • greater transparency for, and accountability to, members; • greater member involvement in business; • distancing or even separation of political involvement in business decisions; • clarity of business management processes, roles and responsibilities; • improved business efficiencies and enhanced focus on success; • defined business governance objectives for your First Nation; • the best legal and management structures fo...

Ontario Wetlands Conference highlights southern Ontario eco-treasures

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 08:39:15 EST

Celebrate World Wetlands Day 2012 Media Release (Toronto, ON) - Ontario Nature, along with partner conservation organizations, is celebrating World Wetlands Day on February 2, 2012, by bringing together 11 leading experts on wetland conservation and wildlife. Nearly 200 people are expected to attend the sold-out Ontario Wetlands Conference, devoted to the natural history and preservation of these increasingly rare ecosystems, held at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The conference will feature keynote presentations from Ron Reid, founding president of the Couchiching Conservancy and recipient of numerous, prestigious conservation awards, and Dr. Paul Keddy, professor of ecology and recipient of the Merit Award from the Society of Wetland Scientists and the National Wetland Award for Science Research from the Environmental Law Institute. Panel sessions will focus on the latest ideas in wetland science, policy and stewardship and encourage active participation from the diverse r...

Drummond Commission receives recommendations on guaranteed performance based solutions to upgrade Ontario’s aging infrastructure and save money

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:52:07 EST

The Energy Services Association of Canada provides input to The Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services (TORONTO, ON Jan. 31,2012) -The Energy Services Association of Canada (ESAC) has submitted a report called The Role and Benefits of Performance Based Solutions in the Rehabilitation of Ontario’s Public Sector Infrastructure to the Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services. ESAC illustrated to the Drummond Commission how this type of solution allows broader public service organizations to make needed upgrades and improvements with little risk. With the upgrades and improvements funded through guaranteed energy and operational savings. Energy efficiency upgrades and overall infrastructure renewal initiatives can all be achieved through performance based solutions delivered and guaranteed by energy services companies. “The result is upgraded facilities, lower energy consumption/cost and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. This allows building ow...

Facebook app designed to help Organ donation Awareness

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:34:05 EST

Pop Star Justin Bieber and NFL Star Tom Brady inspiration for organ donation Facebook app. (Sudbury, CDN. January 30/12) Over 100,000 North Americans are currently waiting for a lifesaving call about organ donations. Sadly many never get the call and pass away before a suitable organ donation is found. Thanks to the efforts of the innovative website mysendoff.com, there is now a free Facebook app called “Giving Means Living” that will raise awareness of the importance of organ donations. The “Giving Means Living” app allows Facebook members to document and share their organ donation wishes with family and friends. According to donatelife.net, nearly 90% of North Americans support organ donation, but only 30% actually take the necessary steps to agree to it and document their wishes. With the new “Giving Means Living” app people now have an easy way to express their organ donation wishes to Facebook friends and the app also offers links to organ donor registration ...

Feds terminate popular ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program early

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:18:50 EST

Harper Government invests less than half of $400 million promised in Budget 2011 - industry braces for job losses VANCOUVER, BC - (January 30, 2012) - Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver closed the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program to any new registrants on Sunday, January 29. The sudden closing of the program comes two months before its official end date on March 31, 2012. The government has limited participation to 250,000 registered homeowners. Industry estimates show that by capping registration the federal government will invest at most $192 million in total ecoENERGY home retrofit grants. This investment is less than half of the $400 million the federal government committed in Budget 2011. “With the Harper government focused on creating jobs and securing Canada’s energy future, we are surprised that Minister Oliver closed such a successful program early,” says Jeff Murdock, vice-president of Building Insight Technologies, a Vancouver-based energy audit c...

Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO Nomination Off to Paris, France

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:51:48 EST

Media Release (January 18, 2012) Representatives from the Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site project partnership gathered in Winnipeg today to celebrate the send-off of their nomination package to the Paris, France headquarters of UNESCO. “This is the completion of many years of effort by our partnership,” noted Alex Peters, who is a co-chair of the Pimachiowin Aki partnership and a representative for Pikangikum First Nation. Peters went on to add that: “Back in 1999 when our Elders were considering planning issues related to Dedicated Protected Areas in the Whitefeather Forest they wanted to create opportunities for future generations of our youth. It was at that time that they decided to pursue a World Heritage Site opportunity.” Peters noted how the late Elder Oliver Hill, who as Coordinator of the Whitefeather Forest Initiative Steering Group until he passed away in December 2011, played a key role linking to other First Nations at the beginning of the ...

Ministry of Transportation earns Environmental Commissioner of Ontario's Recognition Award

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:11:58 EST

Media Release (Toronto, January 16, 2012) Today, staff at the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) received the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s (ECO) 2011 Recognition Award for using two environmentally beneficial innovations: bioretention cells and rubber modified asphalt (RMA). The innovations are used at the carpool lot in Beamsville, Ontario, located at the Queen Elizabeth Way and Ontario Street Interchange. This project earned MTO the ECO Recognition Award for its benefits on stormwater management, waste diversion and the promotion of carpooling. "This is the second year in a row that MTO received this award," said Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. "The ministry provided a good example for municipalities, agencies and the public sector for use in future road planning and construction. I look forward to seeing more such innovative efforts to conserve our environment from other ministries." The bioretention cells mimic the natu...

Biodiversity Decline on the Oak Ridges Moraine

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:04:02 EST

Media Release (King City, January 15, 2012) More than 23 municipalities located on the Oak Ridges Moraine are calling on the Government of Ontario to continue funding the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation, a non-profit agency that serves as the eyes and ears of the moraine, often described as the rain barrel for southern Ontario. Financial support for the Foundation runs out at the end of this fiscal year and its renewal is far from certain. According to the Environmental Commissioner's special report on biodiversity, "A Nation’s Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario," as well as other studies, biodiversity on the moraine - the collection of plants, animals and ecosystems - appears to be in severe decline. In a series of reports that evaluated the ecological and hydrological health of the Oak Ridges Moraine over the past 10 years, the Foundation revealed a landscape under stress: - Grassland birds are in decline. - Rare prairie and savannah habitats are threate...

Interview Opportunity - Response to Toronto Hydro planned layoffs and the impact on its services

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:14:00 EST

Interview Opportunity Giselle Matin, representing Keep The Lights On (a consortium of labour and private contractors who work with Toronto Hydro to keep the lights on in the City), is available to speak to the consequences of the recent Ontario Energy Board decision that slashed Toronto Hydro capital spending. Ms. Matin can speak to: - Size of layoffs and the types of jobs impacted - The impact on the reliability of the Toronto Hydro system - What this means to Torontonians living in areas where planned upgrades were scheduled but will now be cancelled For more information or to arrange interviews contact: Don Huff, Environmental Communication Options, 416-972-7404 or C 416-805-7720 Keep The Lights On is a consortium of labour and private contractors dedicated to raising the awareness of the importance of capital investment in electricity distribution structure to ensure and enhance reliability. ...

Ontario Government Missing in Action to Halt the Loss of Biodiversity

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:10:30 EST

Media Release Toronto, January 10, 2012 - The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario says the Government of Ontario must come up with a new strategy to stem the continuing decline in Ontario’s species and natural spaces. In a special report released today, “Biodiversity: A Nation’s Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario,” Gord Miller says unless Ontario and all other provinces take action, the international commitments made by the federal government will be meaningless. “The Ontario government did adopt a Biodiversity Strategy in 2005,” says Gord Miller. “Unfortunately, it expired in 2010, and the government has so far chosen not to adopt an updated plan. Our government cannot avoid its obligation,” says Miller, “to guide Ontario’s response to this urgent crisis.” In 2010, Canada met with almost 200 nations in Nagoya, Japan and agreed on 20 biodiversity conservation targets that should be achieved by 2020. But the Commissioner says most of the con...

REMARKS - Special Report - Biodiversity: A Nation’s Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:04:59 EST

REMARKS Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Special Report - “Biodiversity: A Nation’s Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario” Legislative Media Studio, Queen’s Park 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Check Against Delivery Do we mean it when we as a nation make a promise to the rest of the world? Are Canadians sincere or is it our new practice to make pledges and then deliberately renege like we did in recent years with our Kyoto commitments? That is the question other nations are asking themselves about Canada’s role in global environmental issue resolution. On biodiversity we have another opportunity to reply to the arched eyebrows of the international community and there is an important role for Ontario in that process. In 1993 the Government of Canada became the first industrialized country to sign the Convention on Biological Diversity, an international agreement to conserve biodiversity and commit to its sustainable use. In 1995, the...

Le gouvernement de l’Ontario n’agit pas pour mettre un terme à la perte de la biodiversité

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:02:06 EST

Communiqué de presse Toronto, le 10 janvier 2012 - Le commissaire à l’environnement de l’Ontario dit que le gouvernement de l’Ontario doit trouver une nouvelle stratégie pour mettre fin au déclin continuel des espèces et des espaces naturels de l’Ontario. Dans son rapport spécial publié aujourd’hui, La biodiversité : l’engagement d’une nation, une obligation pour l’Ontario, M. Gord Miller dit qu’à moins que l’Ontario et toutes les autres provinces ne fassent quelque chose, les engagements internationaux du gouvernement fédéral sont vains. « Le gouvernement de l’Ontario a bel et bien adopté la Stratégie de la biodiversité en 2005 », dit M. Gord Miller. « Malheureusement, celle-ci a pris fin en 2010, et le gouvernement a jusqu’à présent choisi de ne pas adopter un plan mis à jour. Notre gouvernement ne peut pas ignorer son obligation de guider la réponse de l’Ontario dans cette crise pressante, dit M. Miller. » En 2010, le Canada...

DISCOURS - Rapport spécial - La biodiversité : l’engagement d’une nation, une obligation pour l’Ontario

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:10 EST

DISCOURS Gord Miller, commissaire à l'environnement de l'Ontario Rapport spécial - La biodiversité : l’engagement d’une nation, une obligation pour l’Ontario Studio des médias de Queen’s Park, édifice de l’Assemblée législative Le mardi 10 janvier 2012 à 10 h Priorité au discours anglais prononcé Le pensons-nous vraiment lorsque nous faisons, à titre de pays, une promesse au reste du monde? Les Canadiens sont-ils sincères ou est-ce là notre nouvelle façon d’agir, c’est-à-dire prendre des engagements pour ensuite manquer de façon délibérée à nos obligations comme nous l’avons fait au cours des dernières années avec le protocole de Kyoto? Voilà la question que se posent les autres pays sur le rôle du Canada dans la résolution des enjeux environnementaux mondiaux. En ce qui a trait à la biodiversité, nous avons une seconde chance d’apaiser les doutes de la collectivité internationale. De plus, l’Ontario peut jouer un rôle im...

Ontario Energy Board decision creates regulatory uncertainty and will make it difficult to keep the lights on in Toronto

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 17:05:48 EST

Media Release (Toronto, January 5, 2012) Released earlier today, the Ontario Energy Board's (OEB) decision rejected Toronto Hydro's application to use a "Cost of Service" formula to set rates. This is a source of great concern for a group of private sector companies and unions known as Keep The Lights On (KTLO). KTLO members work with utility companies to improve the capacity and reliability of the underground, overhead, network and station grid systems across Ontario. Toronto Hydro had requested a capital budget of $600 million, which the OEB has rejected. Instead, the OEB advised Toronto Hydro to make a new application compliant with the Incentive Regulation Mechanism (IRM) formula. The OEB rejected Toronto Hydro's argument that the current IRM formula was a less appropriate funding formula than a "Cost of Service" model. A key factor in the IRM calculation is that the "depreciated" value of the assets (i.e. power lines, transformers, etc...

Le commissaire à l’environnement de l’Ontario publiera un rapport spécial

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 09:49:23 EST

Avis aux médias Le commissaire à l’environnement de l’Ontario publiera un rapport spécial le 10 janvier 2012 à 10 h au cours d’une conférence de presse. La conférence sera diffusée sur le Net. Si vous souhaitez écouter la webémission en direct, veuillez visiter le site http://www.eco.on.ca/. Veuillez prendre note que le commissaire à l'environnement de l'Ontario ne répondra pas aux questions pendant la webémission, mais il accordera des entrevues en personne après la conférence de presse. QUAND : Le mardi 10 janvier 2012 à 10 h. OÙ : Salle 149, Studio des médias de Queen's Park, Assemblée législative de l'Ontario, édifice de l'Assemblée législative, Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario. Si vous souhaitez obtenir de plus amples renseignements ou planifier une entrevue, veuillez communiquer avec la personne suivante : Maria Leung, Coordonnatrice, Communications et Relations externes, 416-325-3371 ou maria.leung@eco.on.ca. Si vous souhaitez profi...

Environmental Commissioner of Ontario to release special biodiversity report

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 09:43:05 EST

Media Advisory The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario will release a special report at a media conference on January 10, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. The conference will also be available via webcast. To watch the live broadcast of the media conference, please visit http://www.eco.on.ca. Please note the Commissioner will not be taking questions via webcast, but will be available for individual interviews after the news conference. WHEN: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. WHERE: Room 149, Queen’s Park Media Studio, Legislative Assembly of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario For more information or to schedule interviews, contact: Maria Leung, Communications & Outreach Coordinator, 416-325-3371 or maria.leung@eco.on.ca. For French language release and bilingual support, contact: Jean-Marc Filion, 705-476-9665. • Media not currently accredited by the Legislative Assembly (Queen’s Park) Media Gallery must register with the Press...

12 energy-related predictions for 2012 in Canada - Stephen Koch, Executive Director, NAIMA Canada

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:28:36 EST

Does Canada need more energy supply or more insulation? Clearly, this is a gross simplification but it is estimated that almost a third of Canada's current energy consumption is used for heating and cooling buildings and homes. This number could be cut in half with proper conservation initiatives. This is the context for my 2012 Canadian energy conservation predictions - within an insulation context. 1. Rising energy costs will make the payback period for installing insulation even quicker. Despite a slower new home construction market and a slowing of insulation for these applications - it will be a record year for insulation used for home and industrial retrofits to deal not only with new homes but to upgrade the vast amount of under insulated existing homes. 2. More Canadian communities will adopt "solar ready" new home construction regulations like Campbell River B.C. This will make the future installation of solar hot water appliances, for instance, ea...

More Words than Action on the Environment

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:20:55 EST

Op Ed By: Gord Miller, The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Most people would agree the Ontario government has a pretty good track record in dealing with the environment. But as we enter 2012, I am concerned that a creeping paralysis is infecting environmental policy in this province, as it is in other jurisdictions. A couple of examples come to mind. Solid waste management has probably had more analysis, consultation, and policy development than any other environmental issue in Ontario. The government ended up adopting a target of diverting 60% of our waste from landfill by 2008. But we missed that target, and by a wide margin. Our current diversion rate limps along at a paltry 23%. This might be excused, if we lacked ways of dealing with the problem. But we don't. Since 2004, the Ministry of the Environment has released almost 20 separate proposals for improving solid waste management in Ontario. But there's been little action. This is why, in my annual report t...

Downspout disconnection - What’s the point?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:35:18 EST

To the Editor: This is an article form a series of monthly columns by Environmental Law Specialist Dianne Saxe, one of the top 25 environmental lawyers in the world, and Ms. Jackie Campbell. These articles are available for publishing at no charge, provided Dr. Saxe and Ms. Campbell are cited as the authors. Dr. Saxe can be contacted at (416) 962-5882 or admin@envirolaw.com. For more information, visit http://envirolaw.com News Article A dinner guest recently grumbled about municipal requirements that he disconnect his downspouts. Why are they making us do such a stupid thing, he complained. What's the point? Do we really have to do it? Yes, we told him, and it's about time! But why? Most downspouts move stormwater from roofs and other hard surfaces directly into municipal sewer systems (storm, combined, or sanitary sewers). This puts huge volumes of water into sewer systems that, generally, were not designed to handle them. Those old pipes simply don’t have the capaci... ...

Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act celebrates ten year milestone but tough road still ahead

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:18:27 EST

Media Release (KING CITY, ON, Dec.15, 2011) The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act (the Act), passed December 14, 2001, was enacted to control the aggressive urban sprawl of the mid-to-late eighties that threatened the fragile hydrogeology, geomorphology and ecology of the Oak Ridges Moraine - a source of drinking water for millions of people. The Act was passed after more than a decade of advocacy and support by grassroots organizations and key politicians. It became a multi-stakeholder conservation movement crossing political boundaries and ultimately received unanimous all party support - a monumental achievement which today can still be celebrated by stakeholders and citizens. The Act represented one of the earliest “environment-first” policy frameworks for Ontario and provided a strong precedent for Ontario’s Greenbelt Plan (the Plan). Earlier this year, the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation (the Foundation) set out to determine whether the Act and Plan were ...

First Nation students picket John Duncan Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in Thunder Bay

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:35:10 EST

Media Release (Thunder Bay, December 15, 2011) The elected Grand Chief, Marsha Kennedy of the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School and the school leadership group are showing their support for Chief Theresa Spence and the Attawapiskat First Nation. This support is evidenced by the demonstration of the student pickets at the Thunder Bay regional office of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. As the future leadership of First Nations from the remote communities the Grand Chief and leadership group express their following concerns; 1. Why don't the Governments of Canada and Ontario live up to the treaty promises contained in the treaty #9? 2. The spirit and intent of the treaty to have two peoples co-exist and benefit from resource development of First Nation lands has not occurred. 3. Benefits from resource development have not flowed to the First Nations-this is evident by the lack of real benefits to the Attawapiskat First Nation as a result of the diamond mine-Victo...

Scientists available to assist with understanding the evidence presented at the Cohen Commission’s evidentiary hearings on Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:09:39 EST

Interview Opportunity On December 15, 16 and 19, evidence related to Infectious Salmon Anemia virus (ISAv) will be presented to the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon. Watershed Watch Salmon Society’s Executive Director Dr. Craig Orr and Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz are participants in the inquiry and will be present throughout these evidentiary hearings and are available to assist with understanding the large volume of evidence related to: • Past monitoring programs of ISAv in wild and farm fish in BC • Previous and new evidence related to ISAv To arrange an interview please contact Dr. Craig Orr at 604-809-2799 and/or Stan Proboszcz at 604-314-2713. For a daily summary of the testimony presented see the “Cohen Aquaculture Daily” at www.watershed-watch.org/cohen-aquaculture-daily (made available through the Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the SOS Marine Conservation Foundation). B-roll available. Schedule of ev...

Counting for Conservation! The 112th Christmas Bird Count

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:38:48 EST

For immediate release (Toronto, Dec. 14, 2011 - Nearly 60 Ontario Nature member groups are leading bird counts this year in communities across Ontario, significantly bettering last year’s mark of 40. The most southerly count will be at Point Pelee, the most northerly will be coordinated by the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists in 13 communities (such as Red Lake, Ignace and Fort Frances). All bird counts are open to the public and, for many, the counts have become a holiday tradition as predictable as bad Christmas sweaters. This year, nearly 400 Christmas Bird Counts will be held in Canada - 125 in Ontario alone - attended by some 12,000 volunteer, citizen scientists. Last year, counts were held in every Canadian province and the almost 12,000 participants identified a whopping 3.3 million birds. In Ontario, on Christmas day in 1900, 27 observers went out in 25 towns to count birds for a census. More than a century later, the now annual event is the single longest running and...