[greenon-l] Eroding Commitments: Ontario Conservation News April 2012

Thu Apr 5 13:06:14 EDT 2012

To view this newsletter online go to
www.weconserve.ca/newsletter/2012/April2012.html

  The  <http://www.weconserve.ca> Conservation Council of Ontario

 Editor:  <mailto:chris at weconserve.ca> Chris Winter, Executive Director 

April 2, 2012    

Eroding Commitments

The word of the year is "austerity" - one which the conservation movement
knows well.  Conservers know how to make the most of what we have.

But to conventional thinkers - especially conventional economic thinkers -
it's a different story. Austerity means cutting back.  And all too often,
the wrong things get cut.

In a conserver economy, we promote efficient and sustainable use of
resources, the transition from non-renewable to renewable resources, and the
protection of nature and natural resources from short-sighted development.
Let's see how we fared in the two recent budgets...

The Ontario 2012 Budget

2012 Deficit: $16 billion

Provincial Debt: $242 billion

Ontario actions:

*	Environment and Natural Resources budgets are two of only three
ministries to be cut (p.195).
*	the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, a $1 billion electricity
consumption incentive, is being phased out for major consumers over 3,000
kWh per  month for a savings of around $100 million per year (p. 48)
*	transportation and environmental fees may be increased (p.103 ff)
*	many environmentally significant laws that are administered by the
Ministry of Natural Resources are proposed to be amended, including the
Endangered Species Act, the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act,
the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Public Lands Act, the Crown
Forest Sustainability Act, and the Niagara Escarpment Planning and
Development Act. 

It is what is not in the budget that is most important:

*	no detail on investments in refurbishing or new builds for nuclear
power plants and their impact on stranded debt
*	little detail on conservation programs within the electricity sector
*	little detail on green infrastructure, including urban renewal
*	little detail on incentives for local and green economic
development. 

With files from the Environmental
<http://www.eco.on.ca/blog/2012/04/02/the-omni-budget-surprise/?utm_source=r
ss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-omni-budget-surprise>  Commissioner of
Ontario and the Ontario Clean Air Alliance
<http://www.cleanairalliance.org/> .

The Federal 2012 Budget

2012 Deficit:   $25 billion

National Debt: $580 billion

Federal actions:

*	further cuts to core Canadian environmental programs, including
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada
*	Changes to the Fisheries Act that will dramatically weaken
protections for fish and fish habitat across the country, presumably to
facilitate industrial development.
*	environmental assessments are to be streamlined to two years max,
including for the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline.
*	the National Round Table on Environment and Economy is axed. The
NRTEE was recently asked to review all provincial climate change strategies.

*	$8 million in new funding to audit charities to ensure they are not
"politically active," i.e. that they do not speak out against the
government's mismanagement of the environment.
*	failed to renew the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program,
which provided much-needed incentives for home energy conservation.

With files from the David
<http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/panther-lounge/2012/03/reckless-budget-thr
eatens-health-of-the-environment-and-us/>  Suzuki Foundation, Lake
<http://www.waterkeeper.ca/2012/03/28/does-your-canada-include-fish/>
Ontario Waterkeeper,and the Save <http://saveecoenergy.ca/save-energy-first>
Energy First Coalition.

Needed: a Green Drummond
Austerity is fine -- but unless we begin to look at the root problems of
over-consumption we risk cutting the cure rather than the disease. Time we
set up a green economic review that would look at supporting the voluntary
transition to a conserver economy.  In particular, we need to look at ways
to maintain a high standard of living while reducing consumption of
non-renewable resources.  It's a simple mandate, but a conserver ethic would
have an immense impact on policy, fiscal instruments, and programs for
energy, urban development, farming, forestry, minerals and aggregates,
education, health, and economic development.

The immediate impact of a conserver ethic would be increased support for
energy and electricity conservation, transportation alternatives, local
food, complete communities, and local green jobs.  And with this support,
Ontario would begin to shift to a more efficient and resilient economy.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on shifting to a conserver
economy -- please e-mail <mailto:chris at weconserve.ca>  me.
Chris. 

  _____  

Member News

The Silent Partners: Sustainable Architecture and Energy Conservation
Council President, Loghman Azar, will be hosting the first of a ten-part
workshop series on sustainable architecture starting Thursday April 12 at
5:30.  With the growing interest in sustainable architecture, energy
conservation, renovation, and new construction, people ask what is the right
thing to do?  With a team of seasoned professionals, these presentations
will be helpful in finding the right answers for your next project.  For the
event flyer, go here <http://www.weconserve.ca/pdf/silentpartners.pdf> , and
you can register for the free event here
<http://www.cco.wildapricot.org/events?eventId=478024&EventViewMode=EventDet
ails> .  

OFL Days of Action 
The Ontario Federation of Labour is organizing a Days
<http://www.ofl.ca/index.php/news/index_in/ontario_day_of_action_demand_pros
perity_not_austerity/>  of Action protest on April 21st at Queen's Park and
is asking groups to support and participate in the event.  For more info,
contact Duncan Macdonald  <mailto:DMacDonald at ofl.ca> 

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) Applauds New Feed In Tariff
Plan
The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program update is a positive and natural
progression of the FIT program and a victory for communities, First Nations
and progressive renewable energy developers, says
<http://www.ontario-sea.org/Page.asp?PageID=122&ContentID=3686>  OSEA.
We all knew the guaranteed price for solar and wind would drop -- that was
the intention from the beginning. The new rates amount to a reduction of
more than 20 per cent for solar and approximately 15 per cent for wind.
Additionally, there are new rules to prioritize projects that have community
support and to reserve a minimum of 10 per cent of the remaining FIT
contract capacity for projects with significant community and Aboriginal
participation. Details on the new FIT program are on the Ministry
<http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/fit-and-microfit-program/2-year-fit-review/>
of Energy website. 

Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA) 
Congratulations to the  (FOCA) Executive Director, Terry Rees who was
recognized as by Water Canada magazine a person representing Canadian water
excellence and who is making a difference, in the 2nd-annual installment of
Water <http://watersnext.com/2012/terry-rees/> 's Next.

Ontario Institute of Agrologists (OIA) seeks review
The OIA is circulating a discussion paper in support of a review of the
Ontario Professional Agrologists Act (OIPA). The goal would be to update and
strengthen the role of professional agrologists in land use and
decision-making processes. At the heart of the review is the realization
that we live in a very different time than when the Act was passed in 1962
-- with new issues relating to best practices, environmental impacts,
resource allocation and food safety.  For a copy of the paper, please
contact Leonard <mailto:lendomino at leonarddomino.com>  Domino. 

CCO News

*Here's an article from the Wilfred Laurier student newspaper, The Cord, on
World Water Day  <http://www.thecord.ca/articles/52453> 

*CCO Executive Director, Chris Winter, is a finalist in the Leadership
category for the Green
<http://www.toronto.ca/greentorontoawards/2012/finalists.htm>  Toronto
Awards

*Chris Winter and OCAA <http://www.cleanairalliance.org/>  chair Jack
Gibbons were guest speakers at a March 30th panel on Sustainable Energy,
hosted by the Thames Region Ecological Association.  Videos will be posted
on the TREA website.

*The CCO will be holding a members meeting (tba) to review strategic
directions. Stay tuned for details.

*The next Annual Meeting for the CCO is set for November 21,  2012  5:30 to
7:00pm.  Mark it in your calendar.

. 

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