News Releases

Ontario nuclear waste shipments meeting increased resistance
Saturday, March 23, 2013 - 17:07

By Ian MacLeod

OTTAWA — Activists are mobilizing on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to block a proposed plan to secretly transport truckloads of intensely radioactive liquid waste through Eastern Ontario to South Carolina.

“Security is important, but we need to have a good discussion about whether or not this is a good idea,” said John Bennett, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada.

“Over the years, the nuclear industry has not always been correct or totally honest about what the options are. There needs to be some outside scrutiny of this.”

Pending final federal approvals, about 23,000 litres of nitric acid solution containing highly enriched uranium (HEU)...

March 22nd is World Water Day!
Thursday, March 21, 2013 - 19:05   |   Right to Water, Water, Water Quality, Water Conservation, Industrial Water Consumption, Great Lakes, National Water Strategy, Health & Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2013

The International Year of Water Cooperation:
Restore Our Water International aims to make a global issue local

World Water Day is held annually on March 22rd as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. 2013 has been declared as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation.

Restore Our Water International (ROWI) is a non-profit organization concerned with the unfolding crisis of rapidly declining water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basin. Mary Muter, Sierra Club’s Great Lakes Section Chair and ROWI...

Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Report
Friday, March 1, 2013 - 19:11   |   Atmosphere & Energy

OTTAWA -- Sierra Club Canada is very encouraged the U.S. State Department’s conclusion that the United States does not require the Keystone XL Pipeline to meet its energy demands.

“This clears the way for President Obama to reject the Keystone pipeline. If Keystone isn't needed, why would President Obama approve it," said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “This is clearly the most significant conclusion in the 2000 page report.”

Sierra Club Canada has concerns with some sections of the report, namely that the authors took a narrow view in their analysis of overall greenhouse gas implications associated with Tar Sands development.

Sierra Club Canada will continue its review of the State Department's draft...

Environment Commissioner issues "scary report"
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 - 13:15   |   none

OTTAWA - Sierra Club Canada congratulates outgoing Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan on an honest, hard hitting report on the lack of environmental stewardship by the federal government. Unfortunately it confirms the worst fears of Canadians: that the federal government is not providing environmental stewardship.

"I want to thank Mr. Vaughan for his honest and forthright report on environmental protection in Canada. Unfortunately it is very scary news," said John Bennett, Executive...

Great Lakes organizations alarmed with IJC's 'advice'
Monday, February 4, 2013 - 13:54   |   Great Lakes, National Water Strategy

Great Lakes organizations alarmed with the International Joint Commission’s “Adaptive Management” advice instead of dealing with a significant cause of the record-setting low water levels on Lakes Michigan/Huron/Georgian Bay

TORONTO, ON – February 4, 2013 - As water levels in Lakes Michigan, Huron and Georgian Bay set new monthly record lows, the International Joint Commission (IJC) has recently sent signals that it will ignore the public’s concern and request for a viable solution, announcing instead a ‘Great Lakes Regional Adaptive Management Plan’.

...

Sierra Club Canada statement on civil disobedience
Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 22:38   |   General - No issue selected, Government

The follow statement originated from the January 31, 2013 meeting of the Board of Directors of Sierra Club Canada:

"Sierra Club Canada is an independent body that sets its own priorities and policies.

Sierra Club Canada recognizes that the climate is rapidly approaching a tipping point that demands immediate and significant action if we are to avoid a global catastrophe.

The Sierra Club has advocated for action on climate change for more than 25 years, yet the governments in Canada and United States have failed to take serious action. This refusal to apply the same scientific principles to climate change policy that have been applied to numerous other health and environmental issues, despite unprecedented scientific...

Sierra Club Ontario and New York Say No to Darlington Refurbishment and New Build
Monday, December 3, 2012 - 06:41   |   Nuclear Phaseout, Nuclear Subsidies, Government, Radioactive Waste, Nuclear-Free Canada, Atmosphere & Energy

December 3, 2012
For Immediate Release

(Courtice, Ontario and Cheektowaga, New York) - A proposal to refurbish Ontario’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS) may be in violation of Canada’s transboundary treaty obligations. The Sierra Club has told the Environmental Assessment Panel considering Ontario Power Generation’s proposed New Build and Refurbishment and Continued Operation of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS) that the proposals may violate the 1991 Canada–U.S. Air Quality Agreement.  

“Consequently, we petition the Canadian government to conduct an independent assessment of the proposed projects that would consider the likely adverse transboundary impacts within 100 km of the site...

Expanding Nuclear Trade is Reckless
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 - 18:38   |   none

OTTAWA - Canada has signed a reckless new agreement to increase trade in radioactive nuclear material with India - only one month after returning a radioactive shipment of contaminated consumer goods from India.

"It's clear India has failed to control radioactive materials in the past,” said John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada. “Therefore we question the wisdom...

Grey seal slaughter not based on science
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - 15:36   |   Challenging Unsustainable Aquaculture, Ecosystems, General - No issue selected, International Program, Sustainable Fisheries, Wilderness and Species Conservation, Oceans, Government, Protecting Biodiversity, Transition to Sustainable Economy

OTTAWA -- Sierra Club Canada is appalled the Senate is recommending a massive grey seal slaughter on Canada’s east coast despite testimony from independent scientists that a slaughter could damage ocean ecosystems.

Bowing to the east coast fishing and sealing lobby, the Senate’s fisheries committee wants tens of thousands of grey seals killed, supposedly to enable a come back for the cod fishery, virtually extinguished after decades of government mismanagement and industry greed. But even the federal Department of Fisheries admitted, in a 2011 study, that there is no scientific evidence showing slaughters are effective in bringing back depleted fish stocks.

“This is nothing more than a subsidy for a dead industry,” said John Bennett, Executive...

Major environmental groups oppose damaging federal omnibus Bill C-45
Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 16:46   |   none

MEDIA RELEASE

October 18, 2012

TORONTO, ON -- Once again, the federal government is proposing to make significant changes to environmental legislation without proper democratic debate, according to many of Canada’s leading environmental organizations.

Instead, these changes are contained in a sweeping omnibus budget bill.

Canadians concerned about protecting the air, water, soil and natural ecosystems that support all of us  -- and our economy -- are doubly troubled, both by the end-run around democratic process and the potential for even more pollution and destruction of critical habitat.

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