THIS WEEK IS BUDGET WEEK!
This is the city’s first budget since declaring a climate emergency in October . The budget does include more staffing for TransformTO, the city’s climate action plan but it does not include new revenue measures that would help bring in funding that is sorely needed for the city’s underfunded transit system. It’s also not nearly as ambitious as we need to be in terms of a retrofit program for buildings, which are the source of 52% of the city’s emissions.
Can you take 5 minutes and let the Mayor know that you urgently want to see these measures in the budget?
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A Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT)
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A commercial parking levy
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Increased funding for transit
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Increased funding for retrofits.
Mayor Tory can be reached at: 416-397-2489 or by email mayor_tory@toronto.ca
Please cc your councillor (find your councillor here ) and bcc climatefast@climatefast.ca
Ask if you can count on their support for these measures.
For a longer sample letter please go to this link on our website.
Councillors are impressed by letters and phone calls from constituents – so please take 5 minutes and call or email – today or tomorrow, Tuesday). The budget vote is on Wednesday Feb 19 th , 9:30 am. If you have time on Wednesday please join us at City Hall to show our concern for climate in the budget.
Click here to sign up on Eventbrite. Or just come down and look for us. We’ll have green felt circles (the Fridays for Future ClimateStrike symbol).
A big thank you to everyone who deputed in person or by sending in a letter to the budget committee. Here’s just one of the deputations, watch Zoe Keary-Matzner, age 13 at this link . Y ou can find your deputation by searching this link .
There are more issues in the budget than climate – and ClimateFast signed an open letter to the budget committee put together by the Social Planning Council. Letter here .
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THIS WEEK THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SOLIDARITY FOR THE WET’SUWET’EN FRONT LINE LAND DEFENDERS. Read ClimateFast’s statement here.
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AND THIS COMING WEEK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES AN IMPORTANT DECISION ON THE TECK MINE! Take 5 minutes to take action now.
Send a letter via Greenpeace action page . Sign LeadNow petition here
TOMORROW ZOE KEARY-MATZNER AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE IN OTTAWA TO BRING THE REJECT TECK MESSAGE!
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COMING IN MARCH!
Sunday March 1
st
, 12:45 – Peter Kegode, impact of climate change on Africa, Friends House, 60 Lowther Ave.
African climate activist now based in New York City will visit and speak about urgent climate action initiatives needed, and will connect this with coffee and upcycled art! More info: lyn@climatefast.ca
MARCH 1
ST
12 NOON 255 FRONT ST.
The world's biggest mining convention is coming to Toronto, bringing with it the corporate villains making deals to sell off the rest of the planet and extract every last bit of oil, gold, uranium, and every other exploitable resource that they can find.
https://www.facebook.com/events/171661517456658/
Come out in solidarity with those on the front lines–from Wet'suwet'en to Brumadinho, from Aamjiwnaang to Amazonia–to stand up for the future we all deserve.
MARCH 12 TH 7 pm OPG & Enbridge vs. Our Climate and Our Pocketbooks
Friends House, 60 Lowther (St. George subway station)
Enbridge Gas wants to build a giant pipeline through Hamilton to allow Ontario to increase imports of fracked gas from the US. This will mean a 400% increase in greenhouse gases from OPG's gas-fired generating plants and blow our climate commitments out of the water. Fortunately, we have alternatives. Learn more here. Hosted by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance and ClimateFast
Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/173270727262687/
For more info: https://www.cleanairalliance.org/stop-the-polluting-hamilton-pipeline/
MARCH 28 TH SCARBOROUGH Seedy Saturday is Saturday, March 28 from 11-4 at St. John Newman High School, Kingston Rd. and Brimley. We need volunteers to table – can you help? rosemary@climatefast.ca
MARCH 28 TH IS EARTH HOUR – 8:30 pm Do you have plans or a suggestion? Let us know! lyn@climatefast.ca Get inspired here !
Monday March 30 – Impact of Climate Change on Africa: What Can we Do? 6 – 8 pm 60 Lowther Ave.
Did you know the average N. American’s carbon footprint is 50 x that of a person in Kenya? And did you know how at risk the food supply is from drought? Come and learn more about the challenges – and the opportunities.
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SAVE THESE DATES FOR APRIL!
FRIDAY APRIL 3 RD WILL BE THE NEXT GLOBAL STRIKE FOR CLIMATE IN TORONTO – 12 NOON.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 22 IS THE 50 TH ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY – shall we do something really special in Toronto, or around the province that day? If you’d like to be involved in planning – or you have something already in the works – please let us know. We’ll set up a planning team volunteer@climatefast.ca
Every Friday at 11 am Fridays for Future/ClimateStrike holds an event at Queen’s Park. Everyone is welcome. Updates on the theme or activity for the week can be found at this Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/fridaysforfutureto/
TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! WE NEED TO ACT ON CLIMATE – FAST.