Carp River restoration project supports biodiversity, enriches neighbourhood
Kanata continues to grow with new neighbourhoods. The recently restored Carp River Conservation Area helps the developments to continue.
More migrating birds stuck to cities during lockdowns, study finds
A new study has found that lockdowns resulted in a greater number of bird sightings near urban dwellings in Canada and the U.S.
Monitoring monarchs: New technique may contribute to conserving key breeding grounds in southern Ontario
Megan Reich travelled nearly 20,000 km collecting milkweed samples across the U.S. and Canada. Now Megan and her research team could contribute to saving the longest insect migration in North America.
City of Ottawa’s new recycling regime will shift responsibility to producers to re-use, divert waste
Manufacturers and independent producers will soon be responsible for collecting and recycling blue bin items.
Ottawa Public Health warns residents about West Nile virus after mosquito tests positive
As the City of Ottawa announces the first case of the West Nile virus in mosquitoes, experts weigh in about potential links to COVID-19.
We Stand With Trees portrait project aims to protect 600 trees threatened by new Civic hospital campus
As plans for the new Civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital proceed, people are trying to protect the existing trees on the site from being cut down.
Climate protestors in Ottawa demand stricter action to curb emissions, carry message to Prime Minister’s Office
Fridays for Future organized a global strike demanding climate action. Hundreds in Ottawa gathered at Confederation Park to show their support
Climate change and biodiversity need to be tackled in tandem to effect real change, experts say
A recently released report brings together two of the most daunting environmental challenges — climate change and biodiversity loss.
Talking trash: Ottawa looking for feedback on curbside garbage collection in online survey
The survey asks for input on three curbside trash options: partial pay-as-you-throw, reduced item limits and clear garbage bags.
Pushing the boundaries: City planners need to consider how to make the suburbs sustainable, experts say
Responding to the demand in population growth, cities are expanding outwardly, often at the cost of higher carbon emissions and a loss of biodiversity.
B.C. fires continue to burn, putting local ranchers at risk of losing property, animals and livelihoods
Although many communities have adjusted to the reality of living with wildfires during the summer months, for those who own cattle, horses, ranches and property along the fire’s path, these times are incredibly stressful and threaten their livelihood.
Heatwave and severe storms to roil Ontario
Experts caution residents to stay inside during the province's hottest heatwave this summer.
City developing new climate strategy but some say it’s just a start
The city of Ottawa is preparing a new strategy to combat climate change at the community level.
Activists urging Canada to shut the door on trade in elephant ivory
Elephant activists call for ban on the elephant ivory trade in Canada
Key piece of land in Frontenac County now protected by Nature Conservancy of Canada
A stretch of wetland and forests along Devil Lake in Frontenac County is now under protection by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Second Backyard BioBlitz connects people with nature
This weekend the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is hosting a second straight Backyard BioBlitz which is a virtual event encouraging people to connect and take pictures of nature. People can now register for the BioBlitz to receive instructions on how and where to submit photos and to learn about the daily themes and activities. Photos can be uploaded on...
‘We need to learn to live with fire,’ say experts, as Ontario faces its busiest forest fire season yet
Wildfire smoke from northwest Ontario moved into the rest of the province this past week, experts say we must learn to live with wildfire and make adjustments to our existing infrastructure to mitigate the impact on communities.
Earth Overshoot Day drifts back to July 29
Earth Overshoot Day, which measures the calendar point in which Earth can not regenerate resources to meet humanity's demands, is July 29 in 2021.
Climate crisis costs: Ontario cities projected to spend at least $276 million against flooding in next five years
According to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities' Initiative, Ontario communities are set to spend at least $276 million to combat damage from flooding. Learn more here.
The battle over Hwy. 413: Transportation, environmental visions clash on GTA’s northwest frontier
The Doug Ford government has proposed the development of a new 400-series highway that would run through the Caledon. The community is split over the plan.
Capturing carbon: West Carleton high school grad hopes to use seawater to slow climate crisis
A recent graduate from West Carleton Secondary School has big plans for his project to remove carbon dioxide from the air and the oceans.
Rocket men: Unregulated space travel posing a threat to the fragile environment of the blue planet
Billionaires such as Richard Branson, are launching rockets into space without any form of governmental oversight. That's dangerous.
Ottawa Riverkeeper wants your help to map and track changes in watershed health
Ottawa Riverkeeper has launched a project to track changes in the health of the Ottawa River and is asking the community to submit photos of the watershed to help create a land use map.
Community battles boat wake and congestion on the Gatineau River
Boat traffic and wake are a hazard to people and the environment. Local group Friends of the Gatineau River are looking into potential solutions.
Very hungry caterpillars ravage the capital region’s trees
LDD caterpillars are stripping leaves from trees across the region.
It’s a real hoot: Live owls coming to Museum of Nature in new outdoor exhibit
Owls Rendez-vous, an exhibit featuring six live birds, will launch this summer, once the nature museum is permitted to reopen under Ontario’s pandemic plan.
Caterpillars cause threat to Ontario trees
We’ve all seen them crawling around. The fuzzy, black, spotted caterpillars that seem to be falling from the sky. The ubiquitous larvae that latch on to everything. The ravenous army that eats the leaves on our trees. And this year is poised to be the worst yet. This is the LDD moth caterpillar. Why the LDD moth The European gypsy...
Ottawa-based project “Ajashki” finalist for first Future Ground Prize
The David Suzuki Future Ground prize will be awarded for the first time in Ontario June 16. Throughout the month of April, the foundation received over 130 applicants and narrowed it down to 15 finalists. One of those finalists is a project titled "Ajashki" which means soil in Algonquin language.
Concern over conservation rising as number of visitors to Ontario parks soars
There is greater concern over the protection of wildlife habitats within Ontario provincial parks as the government makes parks more accessible to a greater number of visitors.
The 25th Hour: I, Naturalist
Reporter Kayla Holmes shows off the perfect way for people who love nature and phones to combine those passions together. Holmes also speaks with biology professor Marc Johnson about a YouTube series he started with his family.
The 25th Hour: Lost in a Plastic Tidal Wave
Two women scientists have been researching how the use of micro-plastics have impacted the ocean's health.
Severe sandstorm creates crisis for residents in northern China
BEIJING — A severe sandstorm hit 12 provinces in northern China in March blanketing Beijing and creating health risks and other concerns for millions of Chinese residents. The wind raged for two days and for many hours the sun was hidden by a gloomy, yellow-brown sky. As tall willow trees swayed in the strong wind, the pungent dust permeated the...
Hudson Bay lowlands a climate change ‘conservation hotspot,’ study finds
A new study found the Hudson Bay lowlands may be one of Canada's most important climate change-fighting ecosystems.
A 15-minute neighbourhood initiative no walk in the park for Alta Vista community because of intensification concerns
Talks about how to transform Alta Vista into a “15-minute neighbourhood” have begun among local residents, but efforts to make the community more walkable have been overshadowed by concerns about looming intensification plans that are also part of the vision.
Teenaged Indigenous climate activist part of unique month-long celebration of Indigenous voices at Carleton
Autumn Peltier, the “Water Warrior,” was one of the speakers at a month long celebration of Indigenous culture and communities at Carleton University called Minwàdjiyà-n.
Chloride levels in Ottawa River rising because of overuse of road salt, Riverkeeper says
As winter comes to an end, the environmental group Ottawa Riverkeeper finds high chloride levels due to road salt in Ottawa waterways leading to the Ottawa River.
Locals fight to preserve rare natural forest on Montreal’s West Island
“We can’t keep losing these important natural spaces,” says Geneviève Lussier, a Pointe-Claire resident and organizer of the Save Fairview Forest group
City’s environment committee pushes for more details, reassurance about Chalk River nuclear waste projects
The City of Ottawa’s environmental protection committee wants Canadian Nuclear Laboratories to do more to ensure the safety of the Ottawa River before it begins two planned nuclear waste projects near the main source of drinking water for the national capital and many other communities downstream of CNL’s Chalk River operations. After an eight-hour meeting on March 30, the committee...
Socially distanced or virtual, youth activists deliver their message on Global Day of Climate Action
Activists put the annual Global Day of Climate Action online this year because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Pandemic pressures: “Thrifting” on the rise saving money and the environment
Thrift shopping has increased in popularity since the pandemic began, especially with young people.
COVID consequences: Pandemic puts pressure on plans to cut plastic waste
Canada has a goal of zero waste plastic, but the pandemic has put this goal in jeopardy.
Pandemic is opening door to consider a greener future for Ottawa’s downtown
What will downtown office space in Ottawa look like in a post-pandemic world? This question, and the debate over the future of offices in general, are in the spotlight now, as the vaccine rollout raises the possibility of a return to normal life by fall. When the pandemic hit, workers fled the downtown core and emptied high-rise office buildings and...
Decades of arsenic poisoning produced by Giant Mine has caused irreversible damage to Dene First Nation land
The federal government moves forward with discussions of compensation for Yellowknife Dene First Nation, for the decades of arsenic poisoning caused by Giant Mine.
Supreme Court declares federal carbon pricing constitutional and climate change a national concern
The Trudeau government is moving ahead with a national regime to ensure every province and territory has legislation in place to impose minimum carbon pricing standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a federal law is constitutional. In its decision, the 6-3 majority concluded climate change “poses an existential threat to human life...
City to double fleet of rentable e-scooters after successful 2020 pilot project
The City of Ottawa approved 1,500 scooters for this upcoming summer after last summer's pilot project proved to be successful.
Group pushes for overhaul of Parks Canada’s draft management plan for Rideau Canal
In the midst of public consultations for the Rideau Canal’s new management plan, the Friends of the Rideau group is expressing disappointment in Parks Canada’s blueprint of its plans for the nearly 200-year-old, 200-kilometre-long transportation route between Kingston and Ottawa.
Ottawa environmental advocates take aim at single-use plastics as they mark World Water Day
One Ottawa environmental advocacy group hosted an online event to celebrate world water day and encouraged community members to reduce their use of single-use plastics in the city.
David Suzuki Foundation enlisting communities to create ‘Butterflyways’ for pollinators to feed, breed, migrate
The David Suzuki Foundation has created the Butterflyway Project to help preserve pollinators across the country.
Picton developing a plan to protect residents and preserve tourism after crush of summer visitors in 2020
A tourism management plan developed after Prince Edward County experienced a sharp increase in the number of Lake Ontario beachgoers last summer has drawn criticism from Picton-area residents who want more done to control the impact of visitors. After the huge influx of summer tourists to the county — especially at Sandbanks Provincial Park near Picton – county councillors asked...
Canada’s updated zero-emission vehicle plan fails to go the extra mile, experts say
Although experts say that Canada's new clean transportation plan is a good step forward, it doesn't go far enough.