Greenspiration News & Events: Ford is a dangerous authoritarian

Mon Apr 27 16:21:54 UTC 2026

INTERNATIONAL

Ember - Global Electricity Review

Solar surge halts fossil generation rise as clean power meets all demand growth, renewables overtake coal, and nuclear continued its steady decline, reaching another low of 8.9%

https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/global-electricity-review-2026/

An explosion still echoing: Chernobyl at 40

This 30 min podcast by the Economist addresses the issue of nuclear power stations being targets during war, as in Ukraine. If countries and people oppose nuclear proliferation, they should also oppose the building of more vulnerable nuclear plants.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/economist-podcasts/id151230264?i=1000763406725

On 40th Chernobyl disaster anniversary, Zelenskyy accuses Russia of committing 'nuclear terrorism'

https://www.euronews.com/2026/04/26/on-40th-chernobyl-disaster-anniversary-zelenskyy-accuses-russia-of-committing-nuclear-terr

Chernobyl - 40 years later

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/technology/science/article-the-invisible-enemy-40-years-on-from-nuclear-disaster-chornobyl/

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/forty-years-after-nuclear-disaster-ukraines-chornobyl-plant-is-haunted-by-war-2026-04-24/

AMOC Deep Dive: Is global warming tipping key Atlantic ocean currents towards ‘collapse’?https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/amoc-explainer/index.html

CANADA

The future of electricity is wind and solar, new report says. Canada is lagging behind

Solar and wind, now the cheapest forms of energy, account for just under 9% of electricity generation in Canada, well below the G7 average of 19%.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/solar-wind-ember-renewables-electricity-9.7170953

Canada’s east-west electricity grid could be the pipeline of the future

It could carry renewable energy coast-to-coast, helping meet climate goals while strengthening the economy with made-in-Canada materials, creating jobs and reducing reliance on the United States.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/04/21/opinion/canada-connected-grid-power-sharing-provinces

Global Energy Shock Highlights Canada’s Need for Long-Term Energy Planning - article and video

https://www.theenergymix.com/global-energy-shock-highlights-canadas-need-for-long-term-energy-planning/ 

Canada in 'tricky position' as global green power boom eclipses coal for first time

Canada is an outlier to the market trend. Renewable energy plant construction in Canada has dropped over the past two years, leaving wind and solar power accounting for just 9% of the country’s electricity mix, less than half the average among the G7.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/04/22/news/canada-tricky-position-global-green-power-boom-eclipses-coal-first-time

They Are Killing Our People

This past week, the Mikisew Cree First Nation of Alberta released a report on the massive cancer rates in their community. The study revealed staggering rates of cancer in the community. The community lives downstream from the massive tar sands operations in northern Alberta. The people are being poisoned. There are now over 1.4 trillion litres of toxic water in the tailings ponds. And now the oil industry is seeking federal permission to begin dumping these toxic waters into the badly stressed Athabasca River system. 

https://charlieangus.substack.com/p/they-are-killing-our-people

The anti-Indigenous agenda behind this viral documentary about residential schools - 9 min. video podcast

https://breachmedia.ca/the-anti-indigenous-agenda-behind-this-viral-documentary-about-residential-schools/

The corporate resource rush fueling B.C.’s backlash against Indigenous rights

Lawyer Pam Palmater discusses the surging attacks on Indigenous rights in British Columbia and across Canada https://breachmedia.ca/the-corporate-resource-rush-fueling-b-c-s-backlash-against-indigenous-rights/ 

A call to climate justice champions: run! (for office)

Find, recruit and support your local climate justice champion. Send them this article as a way of saying, “I believe in you.” And if you can’t find one, be one.

https://sethdklein.substack.com/p/a-call-to-climate-justice-champions

Civil Society Summit on AI Industry / Data Centres: Montreal May 22

https://aicivilsociety.ca/

‘Earth’s Largest’ AI Data Centre in Alberta Just Got Bigger

The Wonder Valley data centre site planned in the Municipality of Greenview has grown to almost 65 square km, increased its power requirement from 7.5 to nine gigawatts (the equivalent of 15 cities the size of Calgary), and is approved to use six million cubic metres of water per year—the amount that flows over Niagara Falls every 35 minutes.

https://www.theenergymix.com/earths-largest-ai-data-centre-in-alberta-just-got-bigger/

Zero Carbon newsletter - chock full of the best climate news of the week

https://mailchi.mp/nationalobserver/the-carbon-eras-last-port-of-call 

Danielle Smith’s Meddling in Electoral Boundaries Is Part of a Grim Pattern

The goal is power for the UCP, not democracy.

https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026/04/20/Smith-Meddling-Electoral-Boundaries-Grim-Pattern/

What will it take for the NDP to come back?

Could the road to redemption go through Beaches- East York?

https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/what-will-it-take-for-the-ndp-to-come-back/

ONTARIO

Will Mark Carney protect Ontario - Or Big Nuclear?

OPG is seeking permission from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) to build the world’s largest nuclear station in Port Hope, Ontario at a cost of $230B - without considering the alternatives.

https://www.cleanairalliance.org/will-mark-carney/

Despite Ever-cheaper Renewables, Ontario is Hell-bent on the Ever-costlier Nuclear Power Option: ‘There Is No Alternative’

https://seniorsforclimateactionnow.org/despite-ever-cheaper-renewables-ontario-is-hell-bent-on-the-ever-costlier-nuclear-power-option-there-is-no-alternative-by-jamie-swift/

Could this be the end of green building standards in Ontario?

The new changes would roll back municipal enhanced development standards that require developers to improve park access, add tree canopy, install electric vehicle-ready parking spots, apply bird-friendly window coating or implement other mandatory sustainable design features beyond what’s set out in Ontario’s building code.

https://building.ca/could-this-be-the-end-of-green-building-standards-in-ontario-again/

Ford is a dangerous authoritarian

https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/ford-is-a-dangerous-authoritarian/

https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/we-have-seen-these-privatization-movies-before/

TORONTO

Pickup truck drivers and large SUVs should pay more for curbside parking spots

https://www.torontotoday.ca/local/opinion/opinion-pickup-trucks-should-may-more-parking-12126342

If I Were Mayor 

What would you do if you were Mayor? Email <ifiweremayor at thestar.ca> with the following:

- Your idea in 200 words or less

- A short (45 seconds or less), selfie-style video clip with your elevator pitch.

- A headshot (see the requirements to the right)

https://www.thestar.com/if-i-were-mayor/ 

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EVENTS

Hot Docs - Celebrating the best in documentary

Apr. 23 - May 3

At Hot Docs Cinema (on bloor) and TIFF Bell lighthouse (on King)

The 2026 Hot Docs Festival will present outstanding documentaries from around the world to audiences in Toronto - 115 films from 51 countries. Free before 4 p.m. for students and 60+.

https://hotdocs.ca/festivals/hot-docs-festival

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Prospects for a Nuclear and Fossil Free Future

Mon. Apr. 27, 1:30 p.m. ET

Live link-up with activists at the Fossil Free Peoples Summit in Colombia and at the NPT in New York

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/E3Rn8LX2RqC0tODFdmG9zw#/registration  

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Future of Recycling 

Mon. April 27, 6:30 pm ET

Join MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) and MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto Danforth), Shadow Minister for Environment, and community members for this important discussion on the state of the recycling program in Ontario.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAaTz5U1wUy88Dc7TvS-fW1wIpFUvcvSRF15oiK7NPWmiuUw/viewform 

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Confronting the Far-Right: Lessons from Italy and Spain

Mon. Apr. 27, 7 p.m. ET

College Street United Church, Toronto

How did the rise of the contemporary far-right come about in Southern Europe? How are left and anti-fascist movements responding to this? What lessons can the socialist left in Canada take from the experiences of Italy and Spain?

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/panitchschool/2154224 

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Earth's Greatest Enemy

Tues. Apr. 28, 6:15 - 9:45 p.m. ET

Innis College, U of T, Wellesley and St. George, Toronto

A documentary exposé of the world's biggest—and most unaccountable—polluter: the US military. Learn the environmental cost of having a military Empire with director Abby Martin. Exempt from international climate agreements and rarely scrutinized in mainstream reporting, the Pentagon is the world’s single largest institutional polluter—spewing carbon, contaminating water, and scarring landscapes across the globe. Combining investigative journalism, striking visuals, and stories from impacted communities, this film challenges audiences to rethink the hidden costs of a global military empire and its planetary consequences. Provocative, urgent, and eye-opening, this is a documentary that will change how you see both the military and environmentalism.

https://luma.com/2utm0gdn  

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The EV Shift in Emerging Economies

Tues. Apr. 28, noon - 1 p.m.

This webinar brings together experts from countries leading ambitious e-mobility transitions. Participants will examine proven strategies for accelerating electrification across shared transport and last-mile delivery ecosystems, analysing regulatory innovations, financing mechanisms, and market deployment models that are reshaping urban mobility landscapes.

https://shoonya.info/event/the-shoonya-webinar-series/the-ev-shift-in-emerging-economiies/ 

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Feminist Just Transition

Tues. Apr. 28, 10:30 a.m. ET

Taking place on the margins of the First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, this event will explore the links between fossil fuels and militarism and why demilitarisation is essential to a just transition. Bringing together experts, activists, and grassroots perspectives, the discussion will centre feminist and gender-just approaches to security, highlighting how militarism and fossil fuel extraction reinforce inequality and disproportionately impact women and marginalised communities. It will examine the urgent need to shift resources away from military spending toward a fair energy transition, and explore how the Fossil Fuel Treaty can serve not only as a climate framework but as a pathway to peace by addressing the root causes of conflict and enabling a global, just phase-out of fossil fuels.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wmfDYwVdSdOfdlERrPfMZg#/registration  

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Women in Conflict Zones

Wed. April 29, noon ET 

The Women in Conflict Zones webinar will focus on the widening war in the SWANA/Middle East region launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Featuring women’s voices from Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and the West Bank. Retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel Ann Wright will open the webinar with the latest update on U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) activities in the region. Dr. Jamila J. Ghaddar will talk about her work archiving conflicts across the region. WILPF member Shirine Jurdi of WILPF Lebanon will share her experiences. This webinar aims to create a space for examining the gendered impacts of war and violent conflict for all people who experience gender-based oppression.

https://worldbeyondwar.org/women-in-conflict/ 

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Nuclear Issues in Port Hope: Past, Present, Future

Wed. April 29, 6:30 p.m. ET

Port Hope Recreation Centre, Room 3, 62 McCaul Street, Port Hope

Guest Speaker Theresa McClenaghan, Counsel and Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Law Association for a presentation titled "Wesleyville Impact Assessment and Licensing Processes - What To Expect".

For more info:

http://www.porthopehealthconcerns.com  

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Innovative Power Solutions: Safe, Climate Friendly Answers to our Energy Needs

Wed Apr. 29, 7 p.m. ET

A panel of experts will discuss advances in solar energy, battery storage, and virtual power plants, and how they can help us reach our energy and climate goals.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kkhc6MQIQ9uvbo7aOqTrYA#/registration 

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>From DERs to CERs: What Australia’s Energy Transition Means for U.S. (and Cdn.) Regulators

Wed. Apr. 29, 4 p.m. ET

With 30% rooftop solar penetration nationally (50% in the state of South Australia) Australia is living, at scale, the distributed energy resource (DER) transformation that many U.S. states can expect. Listen to a panel as they discuss the differences between the U.S. and Australian energy grids, and how the U.S. can learn from Australia’s successes and challenges with the high penetration of Consumer Energy Resources (CERs).

https://advancedenergyunited-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TsNhw7jWRHucv-wAwMYEGQ#/registration

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Oil is Costing Us Too Damn Much (+ what we can do about it)

Thur. Apr. 30, 7 p.m. ET

As a result of the illegal war on Iran, Canada’s oil giants are raking in billions they didn’t earn and don’t deserve. This year alone, Canadian Oil and Gas companies could make extra profits to the tune of $50-100 billion. Join 350 Canada to take stock of the political moment, hear from knowledgeable experts, including Jim Stanford and Serena Mendizabal, and take action together to win an excess profits tax on oil and gas. 

https://act.350.org/signup/april30call/

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Bread and Roses

Fri. May 1, 7 p.m.

502 Bathurst St, College St. United Church, Toronto

The Leo Panitch School, along with the Socialist Project, is pleased to be co-hosting a special May 1 screening of Bread and Roses with our friends in the Greater Toronto Area Industrial Workers of the World.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/panitchschool/2144625 

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Jane's Walk

May 1 - 3 

Jane’s Walk is an annual festival of free, community-led walking conversations inspired by Jane Jacobs, a journalist, author, theorist, activist, and proud Torontonian.

https://www.janeswalkfestivalto.com/

Traffic Delays - Walk, Cycle, and Transit (Yes, it's not just about motorists.)

Sat. May 2, 10 a.m. ET

Torontonians are always talking about "traffic", and traffic delays, but why does the conversation often ignore people on foot, bikes, wheelchairs, and transit? Presented by Community Bikeways.

https://www.janeswalkfestivalto.com/saturday-may-2-2026-1/reducing-travel-walk-cycle-transit-times-in-toronto

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May Day Celebration - No to Imperialism and War

Sat. May 2, 7 p.m. 

Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., Toronto.

Performances and speakers. $10/$5.

www.socialistaction.ca

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Pedestrian Summit TO

Sunday May 3, 5 - 8:30 pm ET (dinner provided)

Cecil Community Centre, 58 Cecil Street, Toronto

Are you interested in creating a more vibrant and walkable Toronto for everyone? Share your ideas, socialize, and enjoy a meal with us at Toronto's first community-organized Pedestrian Summit! As cities like Montreal, Paris, and New York make big investments in pedestrian priority projects, Toronto is lagging behind the global stage. Help us organize and shape an agenda for making the city a better and safer city for pedestrians of all ages. The summit is open to all walkable city enthusiasts, residents, community advocates, city builders, and organizational representatives interested in making Toronto a pedestrian-friendly city. Tickets: $5 - $45  (dinner included)

https://bit.ly/PedestrianSummitTO

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Covering the Struggle: Journalism in a Time of Crisis

Sun. May 3, 7 - 9 p.m. ET

A discussion and Q&A with the editorial director of The Grind and special guests, talking about the past and future of Toronto journalism. The Grind, launched in Toronto in 2022 to counter the rightward drift of media in the city, quickly became an important source of information and analysis on Palestine, but also many other issues like policing, transit, bike lanes, and of course the local arts scene. On May 3rd, The Grind’s publisher & editorial director David Gray-Donald and special guests involved in previous media projects will discuss the intersection between journalism and social movements.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/covering-the-struggle-journalism-in-a-time-of-crisis-tickets-1985960054985  

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More Toronto events 

https://showuptoronto.ca/ 

For the best Canadian climate and energy news, visit and subscribe to the Energy Mix newsletter

http://theenergymix.com/ 

Democracy Now Daily Show - global peace, justice and enviro news

https://www.democracynow.org/ 

Tooker Tapes Archive Project - Youtube Playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3IwhNn-WrINTQz2fBNayDoBWLW0y59le 

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Submissions, subscribes, unsubscribes, and comments: mailto:angela at cleanairalliance.org 

Share this newsletter on social media using this link: http://greenspiration.org/news-events/  

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