GREENSPACE ALLIANCE OF CANADA’S CAPITAL
Greenspace Watch
Monthly General Meeting
MINUTES
February 26, 2024
Online meeting
Members present: Paul Johanis (chair), Iola Price, Erwin Dreessen, Tony Keith, Arto Keklikian, Janice Seline, Terry McIntyre (guest), William Van Geest (guest)
- Adoption of the agenda
The proposed agenda was agreed upon, with the addition of a report from the Treasurer, item 2f. Moved by Erwin, seconded by Iola.
- Administrative items
a. Minutes of January 15 2024 meeting (for approval)
Moved by Erwin, seconded by Iola. Carried.
b. Review of 2023 priorities and discussion for 2024
Paul provided an update on the achievement of the priorities the GA had set for 2023. Work on some major priorities was initiated and good progress made (see item 2c, Website report), while others were partially achieved or saw little to no progress.
c. Website report
Paul reported on the work completed to date on the GA project to improve the comprehensiveness and timeliness of the content of its website. He reported that a second volunteer has been recruited via Volunteer Ottawa for the tech team. The update formed the basis of the <Interim report> that was submitted to the funder (Canada Social Services Recovery Fund) ahead of the March 1 deadline.
d. Association reports
Paul reported on a presentation given to the Blackburn Hamlet Community Association on February 15 2024 giving the results of a sustainability audit conducted by members of the Réseau francophone des organisations environnementales de la capitale nationale, which the GA has been supporting. It was enthusiastically received by the CA members and accepted as a basis for a neighbourhood level sustainability plan, including measures for improving the energy efficiency of the neighbourhood housing stock.
Paul also reported on the current activities of the External Relations Committee of the FCA, in particular its work with City staff on the pre-application consultation guidelines and the review of the City’s Public Engagement Strategy (see items 3b and 3c below).
Action: Paul to distribute the Sustainability Audit report and also the background information on the Pre-application consultation guidelines being developed by the FCA in collaboration with the City public engagement staff.
e. Plant Sale
Janice confirmed that she will once again look after setting up a GA table at the Friends of the Farm plant sale, which will be held this year on Sunday May 12, from early morning to noon. This has been a very good fundraising activity for us over the years and we are grateful for Janice’s leadership in getting it organized.
f. Treasurer’s report
Paul submitted a request to reimburse Jason Kania for the cost of the annual rental of the server which hosts the GA website, listserve and email services, in the amount of $146.90. (A motion to do so was carried by email afterwards as the item, though added to the agenda, was not addressed during the meeting.)
- Policy instruments
a. Tree Protection Bylaw
The change to the Tree Protection Bylaw that establishes the threshold for Distinctive Trees as those having a diameter of 30 cm at breast height across the entire urban area of the City came into effect on February 1, 2024. This is an important milestone that will protect many more trees in the suburban areas, where the threshold was previously 50 cm.
b. Community pre-application consultation guidelines
With the adoption of Bill 109, a strict 90-day deadline is applied to municipalities for reviewing and adjudicating development applications, enforced by financial penalties if this deadline is exceeded. In recognition that in many cases a 90-day period is insufficient to fully review, adjust and consult on development application, the City is asking builders to submit applications formally only after it has reached a more advanced stage than is currently the case. This will likely push more of the interaction between builders and the City and, also with the community, into the pre-application period. Some pre-application consultation has occurred under City guidelines since 2013, including the requirement that all involved agree to a non-disclosure agreement. These guidelines are now being refreshed, with the FCA recognized as a key interlocutor on the issue. The interlocking memberships of the GA with the FCA gives us a front seat at the table for this consultation to ensure that greenspace matters are included in these pre-application consultations.
c. Review of City of Ottawa Public Engagement Strategy
The City is reviewing its Public Engagement Strategy, first adopted in 2013. This exercise is being led by the Communications and Public Affairs department. The FCA External Relations Committee was able to get a commitment from the City that the FCA would be fully engaged in this exercise as well.
d. Planned POP workshop on IMP/Nature based solutions/Wildlife strategy
At the time of the meeting, this workshop had been tentatively put forward as an activity of the Peoples Official Plan. However, since then news that Committee consideration of the Infrastructure Master Plan would be pushed back to the fall has altered this plan. Only the Wildlife Strategy will be going to the Environment and Climate Change Committee in April. GA member Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre will be taking the lead on messaging and mobilizing ahead of that meeting.
- Threats and opportunities
a. Rural greenspace
i. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has approved the construction of the Near Surface Disposal Facility at Chalk River. The action on this file will now move from the regulatory sphere to the legal scene, with several legal challenges already launched. In this respect, the GA was asked by the local sponsors of the opposition to this facility to endorse a letter to the Prime Minister and also to local Cabinet Ministers. Subject to a number of proposed revisions, members agreed to endorse the letter.
Action: Paul to communicate our endorsement to the sponsors, subject to the proposed revisions.
b. Major urban greenspace
i. Follow up on CEF shading
Paul reported on efforts to re-engage the Coalition to Protect the Farm to seek civil society participation on the working group being set up by the City with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada to develop a protocol on building heights on the perimeter of the Farm. Heritage Ottawa in on board and letters to the Mayor and to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food have been drafted. Potential additional signatories are being canvassed and the letters should be sent by early March.
ii. Update on Conservancy development in Jock River flood plain
As agreed at the January meeting, we wrote to the Auditor General of Ontario requesting that an investigation be launched regarding the decision and the process leading to it permitting a large site alteration in the flood plain of the Jock River. A timely and comprehensive response was received, in which we were encouraged to report this issue and request a review by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and also the Ombudsman of Ontario. Members agreed that we should follow up on this suggestion and write to both.
Action: Paul to circulate the letter to and response from the AG and draft letters to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and to Ombudsman of Ontario to request that they review this situation.
c. Other greenspace
Nothing to report.
The Meeting adjourned at 8:26.