Green Spaces News
Every day Canadians are inundated with the impression that Canada is a vast pristine wilderness of endless and exploitable natural resources -- from the Hudson Bay Company history taught in public schools to the commercials shown on television; from postage stamps and coins to government ministries promoting industries, tourism and recreation.
Canadian culture has us believing that we are in tune with the natural environment; respecters of the planet; healthy, hardy and adaptable folk. We run, bike, ski, climb mountains, horseback ride, swim, fish, hunt, canoe, kayak, camp -- you get the idea. We are “outdoorsy”, which means most of our recreational pastimes take us outside.
In truth Canada has a poor environmental record:
- Terrible mining reputation both abroad and at home (Imperial Canada Inc.)
- Largest contributor to deforestation worldwide (Huffington Post 2014)(Deforestation in Canada)(Huffington Post 2019)
- Alberta oil sands are Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gases (Ottawa Citizen 2016)
- Victoria, B.C. continues to discharge raw untreated sewage into the ocean (National Post 2016)
- Quebec City, Quebec recently discharged raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River (CBC 2016)
- Careless attitude re: human health – the Japanese visit Grassy Narrows in Canada to study the effects of mercury poisoning on people (CBC 2014)
- Sarnia, Ontario’s “Chemical Valley” is recognized as being one of the most polluted places in Canada (Toronto Star 2017)
- Canadians do not have the legal right to a healthy environment. (Ecojustice)
It is encouraging to see that more and more Canadians are recognizing the inconsistency between how we see ourselves as nature lovers and how we are failing to protect our natural environment from over-exploitation.
In Ontario, the provincial government is being pressed to balance support for agriculture and economic development with managed growth and natural environment protection. To that end, the government is currently promoting these strategies and organizations:
Growth for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2017)
Greenbelt Plan (2017) / AO Info: Greenbelt
Niagara Escarpment Plan (2017)
Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (2017)
AO Info: Ontario’s Provincial Parks
Forests Ontario – non-profit charitable organization responsible for planting trees and creating/promoting educational materials on the benefits of the forestry industry.
PLT Canada – “Project Learning Tree (PLT) Canada fosters community interest in the benefits of environmental education and responsible management of Canada's natural resources.”
Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) – “to inspire confidence and pride in Canadian forestry – nationally and internationally” and “informing the public with balanced science-based outreach”.
Green Space News
|
Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
|
2020-10-30 |
CBC News |
Province greenlights controversial Pickering development on protected wetland using special order |
Kate McGillivray - Ministerial zoning order |
|
2020-06-24 |
CBC News |
Karin Larsen |
|
|
2020-04-23 |
TheNarwhal.ca (BC) |
B.C. giving millions to transform rainforest into wood pellets for export, new report documents |
Sarah Cox |
|
2019-10-07 |
TheNarwhal.ca (BC) |
Judy Lavoie {proof that the fox cannot guard the henhouse} |
|
|
2019-09-09 |
CBC News |
Doug Ford government held talks with PC donor on removing Greenbelt land |
Mike Crawley |
|
2019-08-31 |
Huffington Post |
As Amazon Burns, Canada's Boreal Forest Also Faces Serious Threats |
Samantha Beattie |
|
2019-07-03 |
Environmental Defence |
Anuja Kapoor - Carl Cosack |
|
|
2019-06-05 |
CBC News |
Ottawa throws lifeline to 50 Million Tree Program cut by Ontario government |
Peter Zimonjic |
|
2019-04-25 |
NationalPost.com |
Ford government cancels 'expendable' program that sought to plant 50 million trees in Ontario |
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press |
|
2019-03-21 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Canada clearcuts one million acres of boreal forest every year. A lot of it for toilet paper. |
Tzeporah Berman |
|
2019-02-26 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Why Canada’s boreal forest is gaining international attention |
Jimmy Thomson - Canada’s boreal forest |
|
2019-02-21 |
EcoWatch |
The Issue With Tissue and Toilet Paper: How the U.S. Is Flushing Forests Away |
Natural Resources Defense Council - Canada’s boreal forest |
|
2019-01-31 |
ThoughtCo.com |
Frederic Beaudry |
|
|
2019-01-05 |
Ring of Fire (USA) |
Trump Hands California Forests To Logging Industry, Increasing Risks Of Wildfires |
Farron Cousins {Utility companies cause fires} |
|
2018-06-27 |
TheGuardian.com |
One football pitch of forest lost every second in 2017, data reveals |
Damian Carrington, Niko Kommenda, Pablo Gutiérrez and Cath Levett |
|
2018-06-26 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Wood Buffalo: Canada’s largest national park and its people in peril |
Judith Lavoie - Alberta - UNESCO |
|
2018-06-13 |
CBC News |
Stu Mills |
|
|
2018-03-19 |
Save the North Gwillimbury Forest / www.SaveNGForest.org |
Jack Gibbons - Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) - DG Group/Metrus development |
|
|
2017-06-14 |
UNESCO |
23 new sites added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves |
- USA pulls 17 sites from UNESCO |
|
2017-05-18 |
Government of Ontario / Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing |
- includes links to the four plans |
|
|
2017-03-10 |
Brandon Sun |
Resolute loses bid to include ‘vexatious’ allegations in Greenpeace suit |
Colin Perkel |
|
2017-03-06 |
Nation Talk |
Statement – Greenpeace Stands by its Claims Against Resolute Forest Products |
|
|
2017-02-10 |
CBC News |
Ministry recognized for Polar Bear Provincial Park radar site cleanup |
Kris Ketonen |
|
2016-07-28 |
CBC |
Developers who cut down mature trees should receive 'very stiff fine,' Tory says |
- Toronto |
|
2016-06-08 |
EcoWatch / Katie Pohlman |
Katie Pohlman |
|
|
2016-02-26 |
TheObserver.ca |
Difficult to calculate a tree’s actual value, but there is a method |
John DeGroot |
|
2016-01-06 |
MillstoneNews.com |
Theresa Peluso - wild parsnips - ClearView |
|
|
2015-12-07 |
Niagara Escarpment Views |
[note comment by John Bacher] |
|
|
2015-09-08 |
Globe and Mail |
Conservationist Lyn MacMillan led effort to save Niagara Escarpment |
Susan Ferrier MacKay |
|
2015-03-30 |
EcoWatch / Earthjustice (USA) |
6,000 Acres of Old Growth Forests Slated for Logging, the Largest Sale in Decades |
Earthjustice - Tongass National Forest, Alaska |
|
2014-09-05 |
Huffington Post |
Canada Largest Contributor to Deforestation Worldwide: Study |
|
|
2014-05-20 |
Toronto Star |
John Spears |
Other Specific Issues:
Save Farabout Peninsula, Eagle Lake
Save the North Gwillimbury Forest, Lake Simcoe
Save Strawberry Island, Lake Simcoe
Thundering Waters Forest, Niagara Falls
Return to AWARE-Ontario.ca Home Page
List of Ontario’s Issues
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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