"Protecting Water for Future Generations" warns that increased storm water discharges created by urbanization "adds sediment to streams that can negatively impact fish and other aquatic species" and also "increase water temperature, affecting the survival of fish species such as brook trout that need cold water". It stresses that Brook Trout will not survive in warmer water created through the ecological degradation associated with urbanization.

Sometimes around this time of year, sleep is hard to come by.

As you know, this is when we start looking toward next year and reflecting on how we are going to be prepared to fight for the things we care about.

The official announcement came on December 7th.  The province is proposing to grow the Greenbelt by up to another 345,000 hectares (see Figure 1), adding on to the 810,000 hectares already in permanent existence plus the extra 10,000 hectares of urban river valley lands and wetlands that were announced this spring. This is a truly impressive proposal.

The following article was written by Dr. John Bacher, Greenbelt Campaign leader at Sierra Club Ontario, and a member of the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (PALS).

"The Peacemaker's World can only be protected by the direct action of the Ontario government putting rural lands in Simcoe into Ontario's Greenbelt, which would protect such natural wonders as the Minesing Wetlands...Rather than being seen as a controversial hot potato to be tossed around and evaded, the province needs to make a bold move that would win it plaudits from a public prone to cynicism."

With news that TransCanada pulled its applications for Energy East and Eastern Mainline pipelines(link is external), the Harper era, pre Paris Climate Accord and oil at $100 a barrel, is over.

Planet in Focus 18th Annual Environmental Film Festival: October 19th to 22nd, 2017

Sierra Club Ontario is proud to co-present - together with Planet in Focus - their Wildlife Shorts Program, taking place:

• Date: Saturday October 21st, from 2.30-4pm.
• Venue: The Al Green Theatre at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre.