Spring Activities in Ajax

Last year with funding from RBC's Blue Water Grants, Sierra Club Ontario joined Town of Ajax, and Toronto Regional Conservation Authority to remove stormwater outflow pipes along Ajax’s beaches and replace them with bioswales to help improve water quality. Bioswales are human-created wetland features which slow the flow of stormwater, allowing nutrients and contaminants to be absorbed and filtered by the plants and soil, before the water reaches the beaches.

Last spring we had a successful tree planting at the Paradise Beach bioswale, and will be hosting another Tree planting and additional workshops and events this spring. List of events and volunteer opportunities below:

March 4thAnnual Waterfront Open House

Film Screening & Discussion: “Project Wild Thing”

In Nova Scotia & PEI Film Screening & Discussion: “Project Wild Thing”

 

 

 

 

 

In Halifax March 4th Wednesday, March 11 snow date at the Museum of Natural History, 7-8:30 with partners the Young Naturalists Club of Nova Scotia & the Ecology Action Centre, for additional information feel free to contact Sally Trower at WildChildForestSchool@gmail.com, and check out the  facebook event 

 

We were hoping for something more youthful and robust

Media Release, February 6, 2015

OTTAWA – The new climate proposal from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is a mixed blessing. It is great to finally hear a plan--unfortunately, it's not new at all. The federal government set targets and sat down with the provinces in 1998. It resulted in six years of meetings and little else. It too tried to both reduce emissions and increase oil exports. It failed.

“Climate change is the greatest threat to our national security. It requires a national effort to deal with it,” said John Bennett, National Program Director. “This timid plan to talk about it with the provinces and do what’s affordable while exporting oil won’t cut it. Only transformative policy can deal with the climate crisis.”

Pulling a fast one on pesticides…

Media Release, February 5, 2015

Government members of the Federal Standing Committee on Health are using their majority to force a very quick review of the Pest Control Products Act (the law that governs the licensing of pesticides in Canada).

The 'review' will only consist of three brief sessions (about 6 hours) and will likely be over by the end of the week. Sierra Club only learned of the review last Wednesday and received an invitation to testify Thursday--very short notice indeed.

Why the big rush? To get it over with quickly before the public knows what’s happening. One acute observer described government members on the committee as 'railroading' the Act.

"This a clear attempt to protect the interests of international pesticide manufacturers while avoiding public scrutiny," said John Bennett, Sierra Club Canada Foundation.

Pest Control Products Act 'act'

Government members of the Federal Standing Committee on Health are using their majority to force a very quick review of the Pest Control Products Act (the law that governs the licensing of pesticides in Canada). The Act--like many laws--contains a mandatory review clause, which means the Standing Committee on Health must undertake an examination at set intervals and recommend changes to Parliament...

If you think about it, that’s how we got a country...

If you have heard anything about the Canada’s Premiers meeting in Ottawa on January 30, you probably know the Prime Minister is not attending. So--like the media--you are not paying much attention to it.

That’s unfortunate because it just might be the biggest climate change meeting ever in Canada. Or maybe it’s a good thing that the Prime Denier stays home. We’ll see...

#SaveTheWolves

In the name of protecting Woodland Caribou, the Alberta Government has killed more than 1000 wolves using poison, traps, and guns from helicopters. Hundreds of other animals have also been killed, including moose and elk to bait wolf traps. Others have died by eating poison intended for the wolves. It’s barbaric and senseless.

This is all happening in the name of protecting Woodland Caribou. They call it a “cull”. The problem is it doesn’t work...

Family Earth Expo - Charlottetown - Sat. April 25, 2015

2015 Charlottetown Family Earth Expo, Saturday, April 25th from 12:30 - 4 PM at The PEI Farm Centre
... all-ages event with information booths, music, food, activities, and workshops on environmental action and awareness. (Earth Day itself is Apr 22)
Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/479519982150449/

Big thank you to the performers, auction donors, volunteers and all who came out to support PEI Wild Child on Feb 27th. Wild Child is our nature immersion program designed by the Sierra Club Canada Foundation to get children in daycares and afterschool programs experiencing, exploring, and playing in nature.