Most Ottawa residents believe the environment is taking a backseat to development at city hall, and say they’d stand behind more aggressive energy policies, according to a poll released Friday by Ecology Ottawa.
The non-profit organization surveyed 300 residents on green election issues during the last week of August, and found only 37 per cent of respondents believed the city was heading toward sustainability.
But residents were reluctant for the city to cutback spending on roads in favour of improving public transportation, cycling infrastructure and other ways of reducing traffic congestions, with only 36 per cent of respondents agreeing with the suggestion.
“I think a lot of people have trouble envisioning a public transportation system that would meet their needs when they’ve lived so many years with such limited options,” Stefan Reinecke of Ecology Ottawa said.
While Ottawa’s car-centric system may work for suburban commuters, it can leave Centretown residents, such as Reinecke, in a very literal jam.
“I sat in a bus traffic jam yesterday. I could walk faster, and certainly bike faster than it took me to bus home, but I have a kid now,” he said. “It would be fine if I lived in Kanata, because the routes are set up to serve commuters, but it’s frustrating for shorter trips and people who live in Centretown.”
According to the poll, almost 80 per cent of Ottawa residents said the city should implement a more aggressive energy efficiency program for its buildings and services, and should operate them with a higher percentage of green electricity or fuel.
More than two-thirds (69 per cent) said they would support the city charging lower fees for greener buildings and development projects, and higher fees for those that fall below industry standards.
And more than half said the city should invest its annual dividends from Hydro Ottawa in energy efficiency programs (63 per cent) and provide interest-free loans to residents and businesses for efficiency upgrades to be paid back through water bills (52 per cent).
“The results show people in Ottawa are ready to make the move to a cleaner, greener city,” Reinecke said. “I’d say council’s priority is elsewhere. If you look at how much the city plans to spend on new roads and road expansions in the foreseeable future, it’s one of their biggest budget items.”