Wilderness and Species Conservation

Federal Stimulus Claims Ottawa Victims

OTTAWA---The endangered Blanding’s turtle is to be sacrificed on the alter of political indifference just to grab some easy money. The Terry Fox Extension project which was not planned for at least another ten years is going ahead now because the relaxation of federal environmental regulations and the callousness of the City of Ottawa and Infrastructure Minister John Baird.

The City of Ottawa is fast-tracking construction of Terry Fox Drive in order to pave over the evidence of a pristine habitat and endangered species. The City began pressing ahead with construction this week while permits from the province have yet to be issued.

"Claiming a fence in the snow will protect endangered species is just silly," said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada.

Sierra Club is continuing to gather support from across Canada to oppose the issuing of provincial permits by the Ontario government.... Read more »

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Please help save the Blanding's Turtle in Ottawa!

Nestled on the western edge of suburban Ottawa lies a wetland under threat from urban expansion. This wetland has long been home to a population of threatened Blanding’s turtles as well as a number of other listed species.

Sierra Club Canada has just learned that the City of Ottawa is rushing the approval of a road extension that would cut right through this crucial habitat. To make matters worse, the extension is unneeded by the surrounding community – it is simply an attempt by the City to claim some of the federal government’s economic stimulus funds.

 

We can and must stop this from happening. Will you help us?

 

 

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Blanding's Support--From: Kanata Beaverbrook Community Association

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2010-02-26 12:36


Letter of Support for the Save Blanding's Turtle Campaign

Hello,

I am the president of the Kanata Beaverbrook Community Association and I agree with the Sierra Club on this issue.  Earlier in the decade, I chaired a group that tried to mitigate environmental damage to the natural lands west of Kanata.   

I am aware of Dan Brunton's work in the area and, I am certainly aware of Blandings Turtle.  In fact I gave testimony in front of the Ontario Municipal Board review of the KNL lands where I explicitly mentioned Blandings Turtle and its habitat in the Kizell Pond.  As designed the Kizell Pond will become a storm sewer in the new development thereby eliminating the turtle's habitat.

City staff and the OMB ignored our efforts.

Regards,

Gord Henderson

http://www.beaverbrook-kanata.ca/

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A Road to Ruin: Endangered Species Everywhere

OTTAWA--Sierra Club Canada has appealed to Ottawa City Council to reconsider the fate of the threatened Blanding’s Turtle as well as several other endangered and threatened species that reside in the area of the proposed Terry Fox Drive Extension. The City of Ottawa is forcing through a $47.7 million extension of Terry Fox Drive, the construction of which will sever and fragment this pristine and richly diverse area.

“Sierra Club Canada does not believe the citizens of Ottawa want to be responsible for any more extinctions and certainly not for something as trivial as another road,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “City Council must act responsibly at this important juncture to ensure Terry Fox Dr. extension does not go forth as planned.”... Read more »

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