Ontario Chapter

At Sierra Club Ontario, our work mainly focuses on protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem, growing and protecting the Greenbelt, and promoting Green Energy adoption in Ontario. Sierra Club Ontario also works on very local issues, in coordination with smaller communities in Ontario.

What's happening at the Ontario Chapter?

Part III: Persevering for our Pollinators

Yvonne Ho — August 11, 2017

This blog is Part III of a 5-part blog series, as part of our Biodiversity Video Campaign.

"Pollinators are responsible for an estimated one out of three bites of food that people eat, which is worth billions of dollars to the North American economy."

The decline of the monarch butterfly and bee population has been a focal point of many conservationists and environmental groups over the past two decades.

Part II: Let’s Get Motivated for Biodiversity by Protecting Canada’s Lands & Freshwater

Yvonne Ho — July 27, 2017


This article Part II of a 5-part blog series, as part of our Biodiversity Video Campaign.

"When ecosystem services are compromised, economic and health impacts such as lower agricultural productivity and lower quality drinking water can result, raising costs for Canadian, industry and governments."


Come run with Sierra Club Canada Foundation and fundraise for the Planet!

Yvonne Ho — July 18, 2017


Do you have a passion for the environment and want to do something to help stop Climate Change? Would you love to be part of something bigger and make an impact in your community? Are you looking to get back in shape and achieve your 2017 fitness goals? Or... do you just simply enjoy running for the fun of it?

Red Flags Waving for Rouge National Urban Park

Yvonne Ho — July 4, 2017

The following article was written by Stephanie Hulse, Sierra Club Ontario's Environmental Outreach Coordinator.

Did you know that in the heart of Ontario’s Greenbelt - a swath of federal protected conservation land that reaches from Niagara to Northumberland (also known as the Greater Golden Horseshoe) - is a national park under threat from a range of sprawl-related issues?

The case against urban sprawl in Midhurst, Simcoe County

Yvonne Ho — June 23, 2017

"The Minesing Wetlands is a haven for wildlife in a denuded and biologically sterile environment, at risk of being washed over by shock waves of urban sprawl unleashed by a storm of developers’ greed."

The following article was written by Elder Danny Beaton of the Mohawk Turtle Clan and an internationally recognized protector of Mother Earth, a

Significant changes needed to tackle Lake Erie’s algal bloom problem

Yvonne Ho — June 22, 2017

Lake Erie's algal blooms are hurting the lake's ecosystem, Ontario’s economy, and the health of communities that depend on it.


The following article was written by Dr. Lino Grima, former professor of Water Resources Policy and Environmental Management at the University of Toronto, Chair of Sierra Club Ontario's Great Lakes Campaign and Co-Chair of Sierra Club's Binational Great Lakes Committee.

Celebrating “National Indigenous Peoples Day”: A step in the right direction

Yvonne Ho — June 21, 2017


The following article was written by Stephanie Hulse, Sierra Club Ontario's Environmental Outreach Intern.

Before I begin this blog, I must preface that I will be referring to all non- Indigenous Peoples living in the “land that is now known as Canada” as immigrant settlers.

Dan McDermott's Legacy as Freshwater Hero

Yvonne Ho — June 16, 2017

The following blog was written by Kristina Jackson, Sierra Club Canada Foundation's National Operations Director, and long time friend and colleague of Dan McDermott.

The Freshwater Hero 2017 award is a canoe-shaped piece of wood, lovely, solid and smooth. The canoe shape indicates the close connection between humans and water. And in this case it symbolizes the respect of other enviros for Sierra Club's Dan McDermott.

Potential Revival of Mid-Peninsula Expressway Threatens Ontario's Greenbelt and Local Habitats

Yvonne Ho — May 9, 2017

“A Politician only thinks of the next election... A Leader thinks of the next generation.” 

Patrick Brown, Ontario PC Leader, has shown support for the shelved Mid-Peninsula Expressway - representing a threat to Ontario's Greenbelt, including some of the local communities, green space, and wildlife habitat that it has been supporting ever since its establishment in 2005.

The following article was written by Dr.

Niagara's Escarpment-Decew Falls Forest, Largest Remaining Woodland in St. Catharines, at Risk of Losing "Natural Area" Designation and Protection

Yvonne Ho — May 7, 2017
Decew Falls, St Catharines

The Escarpment-Decew Falls Forest - which has been identified as an Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Niagara Region, and is the largest remaining woodland in the City of St. Catharines - has been the subject of a 40-year battle between Brock University and the environmentalists who seek to protect it...

SCCF Ontario Hiring: Canada Summer Jobs Intern position

RuiLin Guo — May 5, 2017

Sierra Club Ontario is looking for an energetic, creative, and hardworking individual to help with Chapter outreach and campaign-specific initiatives. The Environmental Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for assisting with both online and offline outreach activities, include digital communications and community outreach. The intern will also be responsible for occasional research and writing tasks specific to Sierra Club Ontario’s campaigns, as required.

This is a Canada Summer Job Position, so you must meet these criteria to be eligible for this position:

UPDATE: OPG's Proposed Deep Geological Repository Project near Lake Huron rejected by CEAA

Yvonne Ho — April 19, 2017
In 2013, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) proposed to construct, operate, and ultimately decommission and abandon a deep geological repository (DGR) for low- and intermediatelevel radioactive waste. The repository would accommodate waste from commercial nuclear reactors that are owned or operated by OPG, and are located at the Bruce, Pickering, and Darlington sites. 

ACTION ALERT: Act Now to Protect our Greenbelt from Costly Urban Sprawl

Yvonne Ho — March 21, 2017


Going from Greenbelt to a ‘Swiss Cheese belt’...

On Monday March 20th, the development industry hosted a lobby day at Queen’s Park to drive home the message that land in and around the Greenbelt is essential to avert the growing housing crisis in Toronto and the GTA. However, we know this is not accurate.