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Author: Erwin Dreessen

Policies & Threats Related to Greenspaces

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New threat to the Central Experimental Farm

The City of Ottawa’s Planning and Housing Committee approved an application to build two high-rise towers adjacent to the Central Experimental Farm, despite the clear message from Agriculture Canada that it will cause irreparable harm to the CEF. But it is not over yet. The issue will go to full Council for final approval on Wednesday September 27. We are organizing a letter writing campaign ahead of the meeting. See

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Erwin Dreessen September 25, 2023 June 24, 2024

Tewin Tree Massacre

We are horrified to learn of the clear cut of 70 hectares (175 acres!!) of trees in an area of wetlands on Tewin lands, on Ottawa’s southeastern urban boundary. Not again! The GA has reacted by writing to the Mayor and Council to urge the City to enforce the Tree Protection Bylaw and the Site Alteration Bylaw to their fullest extent. These were put in place to prevent occurrences such

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Erwin Dreessen March 3, 2023 June 24, 2024

A plethora of unsavory bills

With their new majority, the Conservatives unleashed a barrage of new legislation chipping away at representative municipal government and laying siege to the province’s natural heritage, under the subterfuge of more housing, quicker. Bill 109, the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 was introduced on March 30, 2022 and received Royal Assent on April 14, 2022. It mostly imposed fixed deadlines for city approvals of planning applications, with fines for

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Erwin Dreessen January 14, 2023 June 24, 2024

Ottawa Municipal Election 2022

For this election cycle, the Greenspace Alliance decided to endorse candidates for Mayor and City Council seats. This is the list of candidates that, in our opinion, would be most likely to advance and take action on climate, environmental and greenspace issues in the next term of Council. The upcoming municipal election is the first one to be held after the City’s declaration of a Climate Emergency. This gives us

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Erwin Dreessen October 13, 2022 September 3, 2024

In Memoriam: Amy Steele (Kempster)

In Memoriam Amy Kempster September 7th, 1929 – January 17th, 2022 It is with sorrow that we learned of the passing of our long time friend and colleague, Amy Steele (Kempster). Past co-chair and long serving board member of the Greenspace Alliance, she remained active as a member into her 90s. Her time with the Greenspace Alliance was just part of her nearly four decades of volunteer service, which saw her

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Erwin Dreessen May 13, 2022 June 24, 2024

Ontario Provincial Elections 2022

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

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Erwin Dreessen April 23, 2022 June 24, 2024

Tree loss continues unabated in Ottawa

March 2022 Westwind Public School – Stittsville The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has removed a sizable number of trees from the backside of Westwind Public School in Stittsville. Adjacent to the bike/walking path on the northwest side of the school’s campus, the trees have been removed with the stated intention of providing more open space for students to play. While we are of course in favor of providing Westwind Public

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Erwin Dreessen April 1, 2022 June 24, 2024

The Campus Engagement Group

Following the decision on the location of the new hospital, the Ottawa Hospital adopted a new approach and established a new body for public engagement, the Campus Engagement Group. The Greenspace Alliance was invited to be part of this group, along with other members of the Protect the Farm Coalition, as well as local community associations and patient and family advocacy groups.  The Chair of the Alliance was selected to

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Erwin Dreessen November 20, 2021 June 24, 2024

Hunt Club Pine Plantation

New updated content: 2021-06-21 15:25:07 Red Pine Plantation, Hunt Club Rd. In early June, community members reached out to the GA for help in opposing a development that would cut down 1.57 ha of a red pine plantation to make way for a parking and car storage lot for a BMW dealership. Members agreed to support the request and made many useful suggestions for how to respond, which were included

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Erwin Dreessen July 19, 2021 August 30, 2024

Greenspace Alliance submission on draft Official Plan

The City of Ottawa released the first draft of its new Official Plan on November 20, 2020. After years of high level discussion papers, strategic policy directions, deferred growth management decisions, we would finally see what the City concretely intended to put in the new Official Plan. It wasn’t easy to discern however as the draft OP is a massive 264 page document, plus schedules and annexes. A deadline of

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Erwin Dreessen March 16, 2021 June 24, 2024