From the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital, April 24 2022

The Ontario provincial election is only 40 days away (June 2, 2022).

In Ottawa, it is hardly being talked about, flying under the radar as it were. This likely benefits the incumbent government, a prospect that should deeply concern anyone committed to climate and other environmental action in Ontario.

The Ford government has gutted greenspace, weakened environmental oversight and failed to act decisively on the climate emergency, the most consequential threat facing all of us.

• Ripped up 758 renewable energy projects within its first month in office.
• Fired, and not replaced the Chief Scientist of Ontario;
• Fired the Commissioner of the Environment of Ontario, and downgraded the position;
• Cancelled the cap-and-trade regime Ontario shared with Quebec and California;
• Revived Highway 413, pushing it through the Southern Ontario Greenbelt on lands owned by PCPO donors and Ford-friendly developers;
• Made the planning appeal process less fair to communities than ever before;
• Weakened the Environmental Assessment Act;
• Expanded the use of Ministerial Zoning Orders, over-ruling municipal decisions;
• Stripped the Conservation Authorities of their powers to protect wetlands and forests;
• Axed plans to plant 50 million trees;
• Gutted endangered species protections;
• Cancelled agreements about environmental mitigation of the Ring of Fire initiative;
• Adopted Bill 109 at lightning speed and without consultation, further concentrating ministerial power and gutting municipal planning authority.

This bad situation will likely get worse if Ford and the Conservative Party form another government.

On June 2, get out and vote for the candidate in your riding you think has the best chance of defeating the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. In our view, Ottawa residents can do their part by re-electing Liberal or NDP incumbents and by supporting the most promising non-conservative candidates in the four area ridings currently held by Conservatives. Vote them out!