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At Sierra Club Ontario, our work mainly focuses on protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem, increasing awareness about air pollution, and promoting Green Energy adoption in Ontario. Sierra Club Ontario also works on very local issues, in coordination with smaller communities in Ontario.

Earth Silent HEROES: Bats and Mushrooms (Part 1)

April is National Poetry Month and Ogochukwu wrote some fantastic poetry about how bats and mushrooms are truly silent heroes. Thanks Ogochukwu for your contribution to Ozone! If you’re interested in contributing to Ozone email us at ontario@sierraclub.ca to get in touch about getting published on our website!

 

Mushrooms

 

Mushrooms, the silent heroes of the Earth

Invisible to some, yet their value of immeasurable worth

Using Bill 69 to gut Environmental Assessment Act is destructive; not "reducing inefficiencies"

The following was presented to Ontario Provincial Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure, and Cultural Policy by Sierra Club Ontario Director Jessica Murray:
 
Class Environmental Assessments (EAs) are a fast-track for environmental assessments where projects are deemed to be somewhat routine and with minimal impact to the environment.

Attack on the Greenbelt is an Assault on Duffins Creek

The assault by the Ford government on the Ontario Greenbelt is primarily an attack on a cold-water trout stream, Duffins Creek. Despite this, the stream is still able to provide habitat for cold water salmonid species due to  the successful campaign against Pickering Airport, and what was supposed to be a complimentary new town. Over time approximately half of these once all publicly owned lands (some have been sold to developers) have become incorporated into the 20,000-acre Rouge National Park.

It’s time to update Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy and You Can Add Your Voice

Sierra Club Ontario (SCO) has been involved in promoting a renewal of the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy. Now we’re ready to help you participate. 
 
Between now and March 27, 2023, the Ontario Biodiversity Council (OBC) is seeking input on the Strategy. The Strategy is focused on five goals of empowering people, reducing threats, enhancing resilience, improving knowledge, and transforming investment. With 13 targets and 37 actions, OBC is looking for comments.

New Niagara Regional Official Plan – Eroding Protection

Quite bizarrely, the new Niagara Regional Official Plan, approved on November 4, 2022, was a significant step backwards compared to the previous Niagara Regional Official Plan, which governed land use planning since its approval by the Ontario cabinet in 1983. The development of that official plan was a difficult 13 year process and a cornerstone for good planning in Niagara. While it initially provided policies to protect agricultural land, its approach became more comprehensive in 2009, with new provisions for comprehensive environmental protection policies.

Parks Canada's Technical Response to the Proposed Development of Greenbelt Lands Adjacent to Rouge National Urban Park

Publication Date: 
November 29, 2022

This letter from Parks Canada is a submission to the Province of Ontario in response to the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act, Bill 39. Bill 39 removes Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve (DRAP) from the Ontario Greenbelt. (Copied below as well as attached as a PDF.)

Sitting Outside With Two Rabbits

Last night was dark but not so cold for a mid-February night in downtown Toronto’s Annex neighborhood. Me sitting with two brown rabbits running around me perhaps looking for something to have for supper. Thinking this is the Chinese Year of The Rabbit and here they are living somewhere close to the building I live in. There are skunks in our garbage cans and raccoons, possums, rats, even squirrels and lots of birds who live here too. We’re all living in Indian Country. 

The Morvan Road Landfill and its impacts on the African Nova Scotian Community

When speaking of environmental racism, Ingrid Waldon said that "for those who argue that environmental racism is an issue of class and not race, I maintain [...] Race makes class hurt more” (Tillerman, et al., 2003, p.68). In Canada, people of African descent have been disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards, such as toxic air pollution, due to industrialization and colonisation, forcing Black communities into hierarchal systems of abuse and into depreciated environments.

Protecting Mother Earth and Our Future Generations

In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.

As a Mohawk Environmentalist I want to thank CUPE and all of their supporters for protesting Doug Ford's Government and their negative idealism. I attended the protest on Monday November 7th and there were a good ten thousand or more CUPE Union members and citizens present to oppose Ford's Bill. 

Join us this Sunday at 14th annual EcoFair in Toronto!

Join us this Sunday November 6th at the 14th annual EcoFair! 

The EcoFair showcases environmental non-profits and environmentally-friendly businesses to celebrate their success and inspire everyone to join them in taking action. Enjoy fun interactive activities for kids and adults and good food. 

Sierra Club Canada will have a table at Ecofair Toronto, make sure you stop by to find out about our biodiversity initiatives!

Masks are required when indoors at the EcoFair. Free masks will be provided.

So you want to learn about plastics?

We all know we have a problem with plastics. But just how deep does the problem go? 

Plastics & waste can be a complicated issue. At every level, across the world, plastics pose a problem to people & the environment. But the good thing is, we are starting to become aware of this and there are a ton of resources to dive deeper into this multifaceted issue.

Canadian Environmental Protection is Getting Stronger, but is it Strong Enough?

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) is a cornerstone of Canada’s environmental legislation. The original CEPA has several shortcomings that fail to meaningfully protect Canada’s environment. A current bill aims to strengthen this legislation -- but does it do enough to protect our environment and our health?