FEBRUARY 2025

This ClimateFast newsletter shares information about the Climate Crisis that may interest our readers, but does not necessarily reflect the views of ClimateFast as an organization, nor those of its members. If you have an event or resource you would like to share, please send it to newsletter@climatefast.ca.

PLEASE NOTE: this newsletter may be truncated when you receive it; click on 'view entire message' at bottom to see the full document.

The Climate Voting Records Toronto Website Launch Party takes place on Saturday, February 1 from 6 - 8:30 pm at Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue (just north of St. George subway station, Bedford exit). Please let us know via registration on Eventbrite, if you would like to attend. This is a free, in-person event  so sign up early!

​​The Climate Voting Records Toronto Website is a publicly accessible website that tracks climate-related voting records of Toronto city councillors. The website provides transparency to members of the public, enabling voters to track and hold the mayor and councillors accountable for their votes on policies supporting climate and the environment. This website is an initiative of ClimateFast - a volunteer-based, non-profit organization dedicated to building strong, informed public pressure to take urgent, substantial, and just action on our climate crisis in Toronto.

Right now, the City has a survey open - until Jan 31- to gather information on how residents are being impacted by climate change, and what they are doing to reduce climate emissions and to adapt to the climate changes we are already seeing. Everyone is encouraged to fill out the survey here.

However, the City's survey asks only one question about what the City should do to reach its climate target of 65% below 1990 emissions by 2030. The City is lagging behind its 2025 target of 45% below 1990 levels. We need new ideas to achieve a further 20% reduction by 2030. And the final target, set in 2021, is net zero by 2040!

Therefore, Toronto Climate Action Network (TCAN), of which ClimateFast is a member, has developed a second survey to  get your ideas of what the City should do to respond to the climate crisis, including how you see the benefits and barriers to the changes we need to make. Please also respond to the TCAN survey here  -  until Jan 31 - with your big bold ideas!

MUNICIPAL AUTONOMY FOR TORONTO!!

TCAN and ClimateFast hosted training on the budget and the climate surveys on January 15 and 18, and this contributed to ensuring that dozens of climate-concerned residents deputed on the climate crisis and the city's budget.  Our concerns have been noted in this recent Toronto Star article.

ClimateFast members Anne Keary and Val Endicott are quoted, and Lyn Adamson had a letter to the editor published .

Although deputations are closed, you can still let your councillor know that you support the city's proposed budget increase of 6.9% - that works out to about $5/week for most homeowners - and for renters, the increase is half that amount.

Councillors are hearing from residents who oppose the tax increase, and who may not realize how much the City needs revenue to meet the City's needs. Since Premier Ford doesn't seem to know what to put our tax dollars toward (healthcare and education come to mind!), and will be sending $200 direct to every taxpayer instead, we can be the conduits to the City (by applying this rebate to cover the property tax increase), where the money will be well-used for improving transit, supporting the homeless, and mitigating the climate crisis.

In his most recent newsletter (Jan 23, 2025), Councillor Perks wrote:

"One of the key points that we have heard loudly this budget season is that Torontonians expect our City to accelerate its climate actions towards meeting our goal of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Toronto by 2040. Now more than ever, municipal leadership is vital in safeguarding our environment.

I am pleased to share that the staff-prepared 2025 Budget is proposing significant investments in Toronto’s climate and environment. For the first time ever, every City division is now actively engaged in finding carbon reduction programs in a coordinated way through the Carbon Budget Prioritization process. Through this process, the 2025 Budget contains 31 new and enhanced GHG reduction actions with a quantified GHG reduction impact."

Finally, from a recent Toronto Star article:

"A group of developers is asking a court to strike down the city of Toronto’s sustainable building standards - a legal challenge that the builders say would make homes cheaper but that critics say will make them substandard and “gut” the city’s already flagging climate change strategy."

Join the fight to keep Toronto's Green Standard for new buildings - sign this petition! https://safecities.earth/TGS

On January 19, 2025 - moved by the wildfires in Los Angeles - ClimateFast and many other climate action organizations gathered at Bloor and Spadina to call attention to this latest in a string of global climate disasters. We’ve seen deadly heatwaves in Asia and Europe, droughts in Africa and Central America, flooding in North Carolina and here at home in Toronto – and all within the last year!

We were moved to ask “where is our climate leadership?” On the eve of the inauguration of the most anti-climate president ever, and as our federal and provincial governments ramp up for elections in the coming weeks, we laid out some of what we expect from each level of government, including our municipal government.

Our vigil received a lot of interest from the media. CBC, Global, CityTV and CP24 covered our candlelight vigil and our asks for climate leadership. We heard from seven excellent speakers. Thanks to our musicians Cassie Norton, Tania Gill, and Nigel Barriffe who added energy and harmony to our dark and snowy evening. They led us in a rousing version of the climate anthem "Do it Now" as we crossed all around the intersection.

The provincial election writ will drop this week - on Wednesday - with a provincial election expected on Thursday February 27.  We need to get into high gear to respond.  

Ask every candidate who wants your vote what they will do for the climate crisis!  

Email lyn@climatefast.ca if you'd like to get involved in the four-week election campaign.

From Not One Seat: "We believe the Opposition parties have far more in common than not, in their fundamental understanding that we must protect and improve Ontario's public health care, that we must protect the environment and reduce our carbon footprint, that we must effectively address the housing crisis, and most of all, that Ontario's public institutions are not to be underfunded and replaced by private interests." Check their website today!

Excerpted from When We Are by Alex Steffen, renowned climate futurist, posted on Substack January 23, 2025: "Why I Remain Optimistic"

ClimateFast is run solely by volunteers and is funded entirely by donations.

Your donation will be used for mailings, campaign materials,
room rentals, and transportation.

You may donate online or by cheque, made payable to:

ClimateFast

and mail c/o Lyn Adamson
Friends House
60 Lowther Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M5R 1C7

We are grateful for your support!