#Ontario
’s new climate plan is about 1/3 as ambitious as the
#climate
law that the
#government
repealed a month ago, though overwhelming evidence shows that we need more action to reduce climate pollution, not less
These wetlands are priceless and irreplaceable. Among many other things, they protect us from floods, droughts, and toxic algae that the climate crisis will worsen. When I reported this to the Ontario legislature,
@fordnation
eliminated my office.
How does allowing the construction of 4,000 sq ft homes on Provincially significant wetlands addressing our housing affordability challenge? (It will make developers who now own such land incredibly wealthy. Perhaps that’s the point)
It was always clear that Ontario will need (when power demand is high, e.g. hot afternoons, after Pickering closes) the 752 approved clean power projects that the Ford government canceled. See my detailed electricity report
Surprise! 🥳
Remember when the Ford government said ON didn't "need" the wind farms and clean energy? 🤔
Total lie. Ontario is projecting an energy shortfall by 2023. It'll be like Uber surge, but with your hydro bill (or tax money). 🤷♂️
#onpoli
#cdnpoli
#ClimateChange
Ontario would be making a lot more money if we were still in
#CapAndTrade
with the WCI. California carbon allowances sold for more than $18 US ($24 Can) last week. We would have had over $2 billion/ year to kickstart a cleaner, more efficient economy and slash fossil fuel imports
Today, we took a big step towards creating a more accessible and livable city. The Yonge Street bike lanes will become permanent.
Think of a young person you love. By prioritizing active transportation over fossil fuels, we're helping to shape a better future.
#TOPoli
#unirose
Since day one, my residents have told me that affordable, high-standard housing close to transit is the most urgent priority facing our city. 91 Barton is exactly the kind of development we need in exactly the right place. It's a gentle density infill project of family-sized
🚨Existing residents are opposing CoA applications like this.🚨
It has *39 letters of opposition*. Do not let them win!
E-mail a quick letter of support to the City ASAP: debbiy.wong
@toronto
.ca before April 17.
This is *exactly* the kind of density & change this City needs!
Big news yesterday
The TTC Board has approved my motion banning fossil fuel companies from using misleading information in advertising on Toronto transit.🚋
This is not only important in bringing our City closer in line with our
#TransformTO
goals, but in keeping these companies
Tragic that this tiny, rare Yellow Rail flew all the way from the far north taiga and was killed crashing into unprotected glass at
@cityoftoronto
City Hall. Shame on us.
#BirdTwitter
Thx to the other candidates who offered themselves for public office, at a time when so many people are giving up on public service and the public good. Thank you all for your public spirit and for sharing your ideas
Please remember to thank the public servants who keep our city liveable in difficult circumstances. Today I thanked the cleaner at my
@ttc
subway station and got a big smile despite her stress. Who can you thank today?
@cityoftoronto
I am glad that the govt has accepted my recommendation to assess Ontario’s vulnerability to the
#climatecrisis
. But we do not need another report to know that Ontario needs to reduce our fossil fuel use, and that the Ford govt is increasing emissions and future damage.
Could this moment to revisit the $1 billion expenditure on moving the elevated Gardiner Expressway and finally take it down in light of Covid-19, the city’s enormous budget challenge, the new emphasis on advancing active transportation and the demise of Sidewalk Labs at Quayside?
Exciting! I am running for Toronto Council Ward 11/ University Rosedale because we need practical, experienced leadership to build a clean, safe, green city while advancing the needs and aspirations of all. More at . Please join me!
The weather is getting colder and it's vital that everyone in need can find safe shelter.
With this in mind, I am pleased to announce that I have secured a fourth warming center for the city in my ward.
More details to come tomorrow!
#TOPoli
As the guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights, I told the Ford government at the time that it was breaking the law when it scrapped cap-and-trade
Security guards have suddenly appeared in front of the fenced off trees at Osgoode Hall.
Metrolinx may be preparing to destroy these historic trees imminently.
#TOPoli
Small but telling: The Ontario legislative building has zero EV chargers, zero solar panels, zero places to park a bicycle out of the rain. And I didn’t see a single government Minister attending today’s climate strike, thousands of people right in front of their building
I’m proud to announce that I've secured Ward 11’s Cecil Community Centre as the city’s fourth Warming Centre and that it will be opening tonight at 7pm.
Providing shelter from the cold is of vital importance as the temperature drops.
#UniRose
#TOPoli
My family watched
#DontLookUp
, and you should too. We can’t survive a comet & we can’t survive runaway global warming. The GPO is the only party in ON with a science-based climate plan and carbon budget. It’s time to build a better future. Jobs. People. Planet.
#ClimateAction
This is exactly why
@cityoftoronto
needs to bring in commercial parking levies, now. I would like to see 65% of the revenue go to improving TTC service, 25% to fare subsidies, especially for young people, and 10% for active transportation.
Proposed service cuts at the TTC & in other public transit systems are far from trivial, they're precisely how a transit system enters a death spiral: Spot on
@globeandmail
editorial, from transportation policy expert Nate Wallace.
#topoli
Why did
@cityoftoronto
’s contractor leave one Queens Park bike lane blocked with snow? Because, until I asked about it, the city forgot to put the second lane on the ploughing map. Time for
@CycleToronto
to check the maps!
#VisionZero
@CycleTOUniRose
In Ontario the Ford government cancelled 752 contracts for clean hydro, biomass, solar and wind power. Instead, every advantage is being given to burning fossil fuels especially gas. Gas looks cheap in the short run if you ignore the consequences.
#climateCrisis
Amazing.
@BikeShareTO
member rides were up 47% year over year for December, up 94% for the last two weeks. Staff are struggling to keep up with this success. Even HR staff are out wrangling bikes. Thank you.
@CycleToronto
I'm making a list of Canadian municipalities that have declared climate emergencies -can you help? Outside Quebec, I have Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonston, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton, West Nipissing, Richmond, Victoria. Who am I missing? Please send me the link
#ClimateEmergency
Dec.8 I received a Law Society Medal for
#environmentallaw
leadership. But climate /environmental destruction and inequality are accelerating. So I am running to become a Green MPP, still seeking to use the law for good. Why else did we go to law school?
By implementing a commercial parking levy, we can take a bold step towards creating a city designed for 2050, not 2000. A levy will raise much-needed revenue to fund a safer TTC, garbage collection, mental health crisis support and countless other critical services.
If Ontario were still in the WCI cap and trade system with California and Quebec, we would be sharing in today’s sold-out auction results at the excellent price of $22.46 Can and funding hundreds of green economy projects.
#climatesolutions
Three surprises at Toronto City Hall budget hearing today:
1. Even if the feds pay $250 M, Toronto's proposed budget can only shelter ~5000 refugee claimants. We have 5,800 now, on track for >10,000 this year. No one has a plan to pay for them.
2. We're so far behind on
Today I start again. Saxe Facts is my small business offering strategic advice and public speaking on the most critical issues facing Ontario and the world: Climate, Energy, Environment. Just coincidence that it's also Fossil Fools Day....
Expand Greenbelt? Ford government treats land as interchangeable like Lego blocks. This is nonsense. Of course they should expand protected areas. But that will not make up for the damage they cause by destroying irreplaceable public assets in critical locations through MZOs.
@cityoftoronto
bylaw enforcement by officers on bikes starts today. So proud of Toronto staff for rising to my challenge. This makes our enforcement team faster, healthier, cheaper, friendlier, and more fun. How long until Transportation Services catch up?
Earlier, I posted an Economist article citing Toronto as the least expensive city in North America. The article was written with international business travellers in mind and did not account for housing prices, which are of course top of mind for Torontonians and my constituents
Easy answer: tax pollution more, tax income less. Start with carbon pricing. Reinstate funding for Hamilton LRT, energy efficiency. Don’t build more fossil guzzlers like highways. Keep some chance of a liveable future.
@NotSafe4BikesTO
Due to a city emergency and TPS operations who are anticipating a convoy, it appears it will be there for approximately 1 more week. TTC is following the directive of the TPS. ^FR
It takes hard work, investment and attention to keep air, water, food, climate safe. It doesn't happen by itself and it's exactly those ... that have been undercut, undermined, damaged, destroyed and abandoned by
@fordnation
.
Something to be grateful for - a too small, overdue, much needed carbon tax survives a time- and money-wasting court challenge. When are we going to take on the hard issues?
#ClimateEmergency
No one should ever be unsafe on the TTC.
We need better service for people with mental health issues & we more support from the Province to get it done.
My heart goes out to the woman attacked on the Spadina Streetcar and all victims of senseless violence.
We must do better.
Do Torontonians ride bikes? Absolutely. Look at the explosive growth of our popular bike rental service,
@BikeShareTO
. Unlimited rides for $105/year=the best bargain in the city, esp where
#bikelanes
make it safe. $5/year for low income folks.
#affordable
I was pleased to help
@CBC
shine a light on how Ford has to backpeddle on his failed emissions reduction plan.
@fordnation
Conservatives are failing on climate action, and the other parties are just managing decline.
Do you support making Avenue Road safer for pedestrians? Read about the long awaited proposal and let me know what you think. Councillor_saxe
@toronto
.ca
Knocking on doors in
#Summerhill
today. Glad that so many people are willing to write the
@cityoftoronto
budget committee to support a commercial
#parkinglevy
, instead of cuts to TTC, libraries, and other city services.
No, Ontario hasn't already done enough to reduce our climate pollution. We did one big thing right, but we're still huge polluters. For example, Canadians drive the world's worst cars.
#climateEmergency
Great momentum from
@MikeSchreiner
's "impressive" performance in the
#onpoli
#elxn43
debate. "People want somebody they can trust to behave like an adult while doing some of the most important work of our society"
@OntarioGreens
Happy new year everyone. After two back to back election campaigns, and a Bill 23/39 crazy start to this council term, we squeezed in a snow day before the rain came.
If you don’t like the city in such disrepair, then send in a submission to the budget committee and ask the city to raise enough revenue to pay for a good quality of services and infrastructure. It won’t happen unless people speak up for it
This was such a moving show of remembrance for the young woman who was tragically killed while cycling on Bloor last week.
We must make safety for vulnerable road users a top priority in our city.
I wish to extend my gratitude to all the activists involved, and my deepest
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario reports and presentations are still available, just much harder to find. For individual carbon footprints:
For presentations:
For reports:
Cllr
@DianneSaxe
, ex-Ont. enviro commissioner, argues for permanent bike lanes on Yonge St. in midtown. She has replaced ex-Cllr Layton as the leading environmental advocate on Toronto city council
Hats off to Kingston, Hamilton and West Nipissing for adopting municipal
#ClimateEmergency
declarations. (My deep thanks to everyone who made this possible.) They join Vancouver, Halifax, Edmonston and hundreds of Quebec municipalities.
#ClimateChangesEverything
Happy to collaborate jointly with
@BravoDavenport
on this motion. The extension of bike lanes is essential in building a city with sustainable transportation options for all Torontonians.
Alongside my colleague
@DianneSaxe
, I’ve moved a motion to extend bikeways on College Street from Manning Ave. to Lansdowne Ave.
If passed, study and consultation for the proposal will be added to the Cycling Network Plan. Learn more:
Good news: Supreme Court of Ireland has ordered the Irish government to comply with Ireland's
#climatelaw
.
The government had pretended to comply by studying options while allowing emissions to rise. Sound familiar?
#climatelitigation
#climateaction
Cap and trade worked amazingly well in the short time that Ontario allowed it to operate, as I documented in my reports as Environmental Commissioner, still available at .
Loud vocal critics of Ontario joining the WCI asserted that Ontario would be a massive importer of allowances from an over allocated California. It turns out that in 2017, ON sold $200 million to California and Quebec. Few say that coming.
An
@IMFNews
report highlights how carbon pricing "and similar arrangements to increase the price of carbon, are the single most powerful and efficient tool to reduce domestic fossil fuel CO2 emissions.”
#cdnpoli
I am absolutely disgusted at the vile antisemitic attack that took place earlier today at a girl’s school in North York. Even in Toronto, the spectre of violence, intimidation and harassment is sadly ever-present for the Jewish community.
City Council must act in solidarity,
DISCHARGE FIREARM:
Dufferin St + Finch Av West
4:52 a.m.
- 2 suspects in a vehicle discharged a firearm at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School
- Police are on scene
- No reports of injuries
- Evidence of gunfire located
- Anyone w/info contact police
#GO1128451
^lb
Congratulations to
@JessicaBellTO
and all the other winners of the
#OntarioElection
. You have a heavy responsibility in a difficult time.
#ClimateCrisis
will keep gaining speed. May you serve the public with wisdom and distinction.
#onpoli
Thank you to so many for such strong support. I have posted the new links to my environmental commissioner reports, carbon footprint fact sheet, and presentations at . More info to follow.
Our choices matter. Take action: reduce your footprint, get ready to adapt, and speak up!
@envirolaw1
shares key takeaways from her time as Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner
@Ont_ECO
before receiving a standing ovation from the crowd
@UofTenvironment
#postcarbon
Thank you to the people of
#UniRose
, especially those who voted for me and kept putting up signs. I am grateful for your trust. It was an honour to meet you all and to hear your hopes and fears for our city, including climate, housing and how we get around.
Our February blog post comes from Dr. Dianne Saxe (
@envirolaw1
). Read how Dr. Saxe compares urban sprawl to oil sands production. More of Ontario's climate pollution (greenhouse gases) comes from individuals than from heavy industry:
Looking for some hope? This week I will be launching my new podcast on Green Economy Heroes.
I want you to meet some amazing Canadians who are making a living building the green economy.
Watch for the link on Thursday!
Remember 2019, when Rod Phillips said my office wasn't necessary because
@fordnation
government would guard the Environmental Bill of Rights itself? I didn't trust that promise, did you?
Next week,
@earthroots
is taking
@fordnation
to court over his repeated trampling on the public’s right to be heard, contrary to the Environmental Bill of Rights.
#onpoli
1/4
As Environmental Commissioner I reported on Ford’s devastating land use. Now I stand with the best housing policy for people and planet. The other parties aren't serious. Vote
@OntarioGreens
in
#UniversityRosedale
; elections matter.
#ONPoli
#elxn43
Another reason for
#Toronto
to get on with a commercial parking levy. It should not be cheaper to drive and park than to take the TTC. And think of the great things we could do with all that land!
There are up to 4.4 parking spots for every car in Canada, and a parking spot in Toronto is 160 square feet.
Real estate costs about $1000 per sqft in Toronto.
Which means for every car on the road, we’ve dedicated $704,000 in real estate for just parking.
My last report as Environmental Commissioner shows how Ontario could save money, reduce climate damage and improve wellbeing through energy conservation. Sign up for Friday's webinar:
In case you were wondering why construction takes longer than planned, and encounters unexpected expenses. Multiple big signs show that this intersection is closed and it is obviously under construction
My friend saw this at Bloor and Bedford today 😭😭
Apparently the street was closed, the lady just drove into it and when the front wheel hit the cement it made a loud noise and ALL the construction worked yelled… and for some reason she kept going 😭😭
Fantastic news, and a strong precedent for Canada: Dutch supreme court upholds landmark ruling requiring government to take strong climate action to meet its international commitments