8. The Great Summer Postering Contest of 2023
Postering is a perfect summer activity. You can get some exercise and take action on climate change at the same time. The Climate Pledge Collective has designed these three as a series that will hopefully work together to push people from ignoring the problem to taking meaningful action.

You can download each of the three posters here:
IGNORE, KNOW, DO.

1. Government of Canada:  Clean Energy Regulations 
On August 10 the Federal Government finally released their proposed Clean Energy Regulations. The key objectives are a net-zero electricity grid in Canada by 2035, affordability and reliability. The regulations will be finalized in 2024 after a 75 day public comment period ending November 2, 2023. 

2. Oppose supercharged sprawl in Ontario
The provincial government has released a shocking plan to gut what remains of Ontario’s planning rules. Environmental Defence has provided a letter template for you to tell your MPP to oppose the changes to provincial planning rules..

3. Demand that the Ford government reverse its Greenbelt decisions!

4. Call for O.P.P. to investigate Greenbelt land removals

The Auditor General found that the provincial government removed 7,400 acres of protected land from the Greenbelt for developers to gain windfall profits.

5. Support the parking levy
Over the next few weeks Toronto City Council will be reviewing next steps on a series of new funding tools, including a commercial parking lot levy that TEA and TTCriders have been campaigning for. .

6. No New Gas Plants!
We need to phase out polluting gas to save our climate! Urge the Government of Ontario to direct the IESO to plan for a full phase out of gas-fired generation by 2030.

7. Hold big polluters accountable
We need to make big oil accept the principle of polluters pay and contribute to the UN Loss and Damage fund for those suffering its worst consequences

8. Release the Ontario Climate Reports!

Join the Open Letter: Help get the Ford government to release two climate change reports they have been sitting on. They analyze the impacts climate change is likely to have on Ontario and include some strategies for reducing those impacts. Please sign and share this letter:

• Click the link below to read the Open Letter.
• Send an email to JPreleasethereports@gmail.com with “Add my name” in the subject line. Put your name, town or city, and postal code in the body of the email. Your name will be added to the Open Letter when it is published.
• Send messages to others you think will be sympathetic, asking them to add their names as well.

1. Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt
Auditor General of Ontario. August 9, 2023

The Office of the Auditor General of Ontario released a Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt that revealed that developers in Ontario had direct influence over the province’s decision to extract lands from the Greenbelt and received preferential treatment, The report shows that the Ford government began working to remove protected land as soon as it won re-election. You may want to read the News Release, the Report at a Glance, or the news release from Environmental Defence.

2. Funding for roof retrofits
Reduce your heating and cooling costs by adding a green roof. The City of Toronto’s Eco-Roof Incentive Program provides rebates of up to $100,000 for green roofs and up to $50,000 for cool roofs. Take your green roof to the next level by growing food, hosting events or turning it into a relaxing rooftop space. All existing buildings are eligible including some new buildings. 

3. Funding for electric vehicle charging stations 
To reach global climate targets, we need to electrify how we get around. Quickly. The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) has reopened its EV Station Fund. Rebates are available for up to 50 per cent of the cost of installing the charging stations in multi-unit residential buildings and public places . 

4. Five system-changing ways to fight rising energy bills in heat waves
Corporate Knights, August 4, 2023

Authors Steve Winkelman and Mitchell Beer say it’s time for decision-makers to get visionary and rethink our top-down grid from the bottom up

5. Birds and Transmission: Building the Grid Birds Need
The National Audubon Society, 2023
America’s leading bird conservation organization issued a landmark report urging widespread building of power transmission lines to help protect birds from climate change,  even though bird conservationists have historically tended to oppose power line projects due to the relatively small but real risk they pose to birds. This could help unite people who care about the environment behind the need to rapidly build-out transmission and clean energy infrastructure

6. Shifting Power:: Zero Emissions Electricity Across Canada by 2035
David Suzuki Foundation

This is an excellent resource for commenting on the Green Energy Regulations.  It shows how Canada can achieve its goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 without using either natural gas or nuclear energy. 

7. What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Want You To Know - Al Gore TED Talk
Nobel Laureate Al Gore looks at the two main obstacles to climate solutions and gives his view of how we might actually solve the environmental crisis in time. He calls for a global rethink of the roles of polluting industries in politics and finance.