CAFES had a strong presence at the September 16th 2025 City Environment and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) meeting across a variety of issues on a heavy Agenda. Here's what we presented:
We gathered the feedback from our September 3 Community Dialogue on invasive plants management to present recommendations to the City. Erica Shardlow presented a list of priority species to target (including phragmites, dog-strangling vine, and buckthorn), and recommended simplifying procedures for a future community program for combatting invasive species removal by having a clear contact person, quick response to community volunteer groups, having a waiver form instead of requiring community groups to provide insurance, and leveraging community knowledge to increase education for the public and City employees.
We were glad to see that the City of Ottawa Solid Waste team recognizes the adverse consequences to be expected from the provincial government's recent amendments to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) recycling targets. By pushing back deadlines and coverage for implementing EPR, more divertible waste will end up in landfills.
In our delegation, delivered by Emma Bainbridge, we brought up the lack of recycling services at Ottawa schools this year. All four school boards have stopped blue box recycling this year, and will not be covered by EPR until 2031. We asked that the City include schools in the existing Yellow Bag Program for small businesses, meaning the City would offer to collect recycling from schools. Staff have committed to consider the issue based on direction from Chair of the ECCC Shawn Menard.
Trees are important for climate change mitigation, public health, and provide habitats for birds across Ottawa. The City of Ottawa's goal is currently 40% tree canopy cover in each neighbourhood. Staff presented findings from 2022 data analysis of Ottawa's forest cover and urban tree canopy.
Pamela O'Donnell, member of the board of Directors of CAFES, advocated for more timely reporting of tree canopy data, clear metrics on tree planting and survival rate, a clear plan of how to reach the 40% goal (with resource breakdown), increased tree planting in areas of heat vulnerability, and a robust public engagement approach.
In the discussion with staff following public delegations on this item, staff agreed to the direction by Councillor Menard that tree canopy measurement and reporting should be undertaken at least once per term of council i.e. at least every 4 years.
For the first time in 4 years, the City released greenhouse gas inventories, showing how the City's emissions changed from 2012 to 2024. Emma Bainbridge, presenting for CAFES, stated that we are pleased to see these documents finally released, but wanted more information from City staff about what is driving the emissions data and their plans to meet our net-zero targets. We are currently working to coordinate a meeting where community members can speak to City staff and learn more about the evidence and possible mitigations.
Read our full response to the GHG inventories here.
After a very short lunch break, CAFES ED Angela Keller-Herzog, welcomed new progress on implementing the Climate Change Master Plan, and future prioritization focussing on impact, addressing community emissions, and a public-facing GHG data dashboard. She also raised questions about how impact would be measured and prioritized, clarity on deliverables that the City is proposing, the need for 'relatable' climate actions that are accessible to youth, tenants and lower income residents, green building incentives, and how cross-departmental accountability for climate issues actually works in the new city structure.
Renewable energy projects are currently being planned for tender as part of the Ontario government's second Long-Term procurement (LT2) process to increase the province's energy capacity. In this context staff recommended for ECCC to provide Portage Power (a subsidiary of Ottawa Hydro) with a Municipal Support Resolution for their proposed Kanata Solar project.
Although CAFES supports the development of renewable energy in Ottawa, we believe that these projects should benefit local communities, in particular the directly affected neighbourhoods. In her delegation on this agenda item, Angela Keller-Herzog encouraged the City to involve community and neighbourhood consultation when designing the Municipal Host Agreement (MHA) framework. We also emphasized the importance of meaningful consultation for energy projects: town halls should be offered in-person in the affected community and be well-publicized so that community members can express their concerns.
Thank you to everyone who delegated on these important issues!
