Voting Green Voting Grey

EcologyOttawa2010CouncilWatchReport

www.ecologyottawa.ca

Written and edited by the volunteers of Ecology Ottawas Council Watch committee. September 2010 Committee chair: Ian Thomson Staff coordinators: Ben Liadsky and Lori Waller Design: Shawn Thompson, www.srtdesign.net

About Ecology Ottawa We are a not-for-profit organization working to make Ottawa the green capital of Canada. We believe that Ottawa residents are concerned about issues such as pollution, waste, and global warming, and that they want a sustainable community where public transit, renewable energy, recycling, and the protection of green spaces take priority. We are working with residents and local organizations across the city to ensure that their voices are heard at city hall. Together we can make a difference, but we need your active support to move our city in the right direction. Find out more and sign up for our e-mail updates at www.ecologyottawa.ca.

Table Of Contents
Executive Summary.......................................................................................2-3 Ward Maps.........................................................................................................4 How They Scored..............................................................................................5 Track Record of This Council: 2007 - 2010...................................................6-7

the votes that counted in 2010 Clean Energy......................................................................................................8 Green Buildings.................................................................................................9 Greenspace and Natural Areas.................................................................10-11 Transportation............................................................................................12-15 Urban Growth and Land Use..........................................................................16 Water...........................................................................................................16-17 Grading Calculations 2010........................................................................19-21

Executive Summary
Executive Summary Long on Indecision, Short on Vision The current Ottawa City Council will be remembered not for their its bold vision, but rather for their its repeated moments of indecision. Flip-flops, delays, and reversals have been the order of the day. It has been no different on environmental issues. For instance, the long-awaited organic waste diversion program was approved in 2008, then deferred by Council in 2009, and finally implemented this year. Light rail transit became a political football with indecision putting Ottawa several years behind where it should be. New protections for distinctive urban trees were adopted into bylaw last year but Council failed to hire the staff to implement it. The list could go on and on. Four years at a glance A new feature in this years Council Watch Report is a four-year retrospective of City Councils key environmental decisions (see pages 5 & 6). At a glance you can see where this Council has voted green or voted grey on issues like air quality, buildings, clean energy, greenspace, transportation, urban growth, waste diversion, and water. Looking back over the past four years, it becomes clear that some environmental issues have been more divisive than others. Judging from the voting patterns, transportation and urban growth revealed a split in Council, while clean energy and waste management were more generally acceptable issues, garnering unanimous or near unanimous support around the table. Where Council has clearly failed us over the past four years is around issues of urban growth and land use. A slim majority of councillors has consistently failed to contain urban sprawl, promote reasonable intensification, or stand up to developers proposing environmentally regressive projects. How they did in 2010 The most important environmental decision of 2010 was probably the approval of the Ottawa River Action Plan. Ottawa residents have long expressed anger and shame over how the Ottawa River has been forced to act as a dumping ground for our untreated sewage. The Citys new multi-year plan involves the construction of large underground holding tanks that will eliminate virtually all sewage overflows into the river. Although it took public outrage and pressure from both provincial and federal governments to get some action, Ottawa is on track to dealing with this problem in a cost-effective way.

Executive Summary
This years budget process had its high points and low points. Council made good investments in improved cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, but dropped the ball on other pressing issues like expanding transit service and protecting and maintaining our urban forests. Council took a shine to Hydro Ottawas plan to convert one of the Citys former landfill sites into a solar energy park. (Though we did learn that at least one councillor can still vote against a bright idea like this one!) But Ottawa has only just scratched the surface when it comes to clean power generation. The City has done relatively little to capitalize on our clean energy potential, including the environmental and financial opportunities presented by Ontarios new Green Energy Act. At present, the clean power generated by municipally-owned Hydro Ottawa amounts to only 2 per cent of Ottawas total electricity demand. Council must become more ambitious if it hopes to ramp up our clean energy portfolio and attract more clean energy jobs to our region. Although the fate of Lansdowne Park dominated headlines this year, Council Watch decided not to add it to this years report card, as the environmental dimensions are too complex. The project has some green elements, including greenspace redevelopment, improved stormwater management systems, and a highly successful farmers market providing access to local foods; its greyer side includes lack of public transit access to the site, the environmental footprint of big box superstores, and more backroom dealings with big developers In the end, it seemed that there was no single Council vote that dealt adequately with Lansdowne Parks environmental issues. Of course, Ottawa residents (and voters) will be drawing their own conclusions. Decision time Indecision may have plagued City Council over the past four years, but 2010 is a time of decision for Ottawa voters. With a municipal election on October 25, we have an historic opportunity to set our city on a new course of environmental leadership by voting for the greenest candidates in every ward. Some councillors have consistently championed the environment and seen environmental initiatives as an important investment for our community. Councillors Bdard, Bellemare, Cullen, Doucet, Feltmate, Holmes, Hume, Leadman, Legendre and McRae have a good track record on the environment. The others either have been inconsistent when environmental matters came before Council or, worse, have shown a total disregard for environmentally sensitive policy development and decision-making. Our Mayor is unfortunately in the latter category. Although Mayor OBrien avoided a failing grade in this years report, he has shown no substantial leadership on environmental issues nor offered an inspiring green vision for our city. We hope that this Council Watch Report on the environmental track record of current councillors will help voters decide which incumbents are best suited to craft a greener vision for Ottawa and win support for environmentally responsible policies at City Hall.

Ward Maps

5 20 21

19

Rural Ottawa Ward Map

15
Ottawa West Map

16

4 6

7 8 23

8 9 3

16

1 13 11 2 12 14 17 18 16 22 10

Ottawa East Map

Dont know which ward you live in? Find out by checking the City of Ottawas map at www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/ward/new_structure/ final_map.jpg

How They Scored

Councillor
Clive Doucet Diane Holmes Georges Bdard Alex Cullen Jacques Legendre Christine Leadman Michel Bellemare Peggy Feltmate Peter Hume Maria McRae Diane Deans Rainer Bloess Marianne Wilkinson Rob Jellett Shad Qadri Glenn Brooks Rick Chiarelli Steve Desroches Eli El-Chantiry Jan Harder Gord Hunter Bob Monette Doug Thompson 17 - Capital 14 - Somerset 12 - Rideau-Vanier 7 - Bay 13 - Rideau-Rockcliffe 15 - Kitchissippi 11 - Beacon Hill-Cyrville 23 - Kanata South 18 - Alta Vista 16 - River 10 - Gloucester-Southgate 2 - Innes 4 - Kanata North 19 - Cumberland 6 - Stittsville 21 - Rideau-Goulbourn 8 - College 22 - Gloucester-South Nepean 5 - West Carleton-March 3 - Barrhaven 9 - Knoxdale-Merivale 1 - Orleans 20 - Osgoode

Ward

Average
A+ A+ A A A AB+ B+ B+ B+ B C+ C+ C C CCD D D D D D D

2010
A+ A+ AA+ AB+ B A+ A B CC B+ CCCCD CD C F CD

2009
A+ A+ A+ A+ A A B CB C C CC C D CF D F CD C F D

2008
A A AB A C B C+ B+ C+ B C+ D F C+ CC D D F F F C F

2007
A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A A+ A B A+ A+ A B B+ C D C+ D D D D C C D

Mayor Larry OBrien Mayor

Methodology
Council members were given one point for each environmentally positive motion they supported and one for each environmentally negative motion they voted against. To see the full record of votes and how these scores were translated into letter grades, see page 19-21 of this report.

AIR QUALITY

2007

Voting Green 13

Voting Grey 11

Track Record Of This Council: 2007-2010

Air Quality and Climate Change Plan CLEAN ENERGY Leasing land for solar energy park GREEN BUILDINGS LEED building incentives Deferral of LEED Green Pathway Green Building Promotion Program Street lighting pilot project Green building policy loophole

2010

23

2007 2008 2009 2010 2010

24 3 23 23 0

0 16 0 0 24

GREENSPACE AND NATURAL AREAS Protection of Tallwood Woods Continuation of Green Partnership Endorsing cosmetic pesticide ban Funding acquisition of natural features Funding for Carp River restoration Community Garden Action Plan Purchase natural areas #22 and 97 Urban natural area acquisition 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 23 24 17 24 9 24 21 20 0 0 7 0 14 0 1 4

Funding for forest maintenance 2010 Enforcement of distinctive tree bylaw 2010 Development of wildlife strategy 2010 TRANSPORTATION Anti-idling bylaw Cap transit fare hikes Funding for Citizens for Safe Cycling 7.5% transit fare hike Approval of Ottawa Cycling Plan Deferral of electric bus order Light rail transit plan Approval of Ottawa Pedestrian Plan Transit emissions reduction U-pass fee increase Expansion of urban transit area Approval of U-pass for students Funding for Ottawa Pedestrian Plan Increase transit budget Purchase of more fuel-efficient buses Costing for different transport modes Allowing hybrid taxis 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010

11 13 14 9 14 3

12 12 10 10 22 11 19 22 24 11 21 22 24 18 11 23

8 11 14 14 0 13 4 0 0 13 1 2 0 20 3 9 0

URBAN GROWTH AND LAND USE Reduction in spending on new roads 2008 Rejection of Manotick subdivision plan 2008 Removal of parking space maximums 2008 Denser housing type mix Freeze on urban boundary Approve Kanata West development Road expansions and widenings Ban corporate donations in elections 2009 2009 2009 2009 2010

Voting Green 4 15 7 6 10 7 4 10

Voting Grey 20 5 17 15 13 15 19 14

Track Record Of This Council: 2007-2010

WASTE REDUCTION AND DIVERSION Establishing curbside give-away day Establishing greenbin program 2007 2007 24 23 10 23 24 0 0 1 12 1 0 24

Bi-weekly garbage collection 2008 Implementation of organics collection 2008 IC&I waste diversion strategy Organics deferral WATER Accelerated lead pipe replacement Funding to prevent sewer overflows 2008 2008 2009 2009

11 22 24 21 8

10 0 0 1 12

Funding for Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program 2010 Approval of Ottawa River Action Plan 2010 Water mobiles to promote municipal drinking water 2010

The Votes that Counted in 2010

Clean Energy
LEASING LAND FOR SOLAR ENERGY PARK (PASSED)
May 26, 2010 - Planning and Environment Committee Report 70, Item 1 City Council agreed to lease 120 hectares of a former landfill site to Energy Ottawa, the green energy subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa, for the construction of the Trail Road Solar Energy Park. Consisting of two ground-mounted photovoltaic fields, the park will generate 12 megawatts of clean electricity, enough to power 1,500 homes. Over the 20 year term of the project, the City will collect $2.5 million in rent, in addition to enhanced dividends from Hydro Ottawa. In granting this land lease, the City of Ottawa has increased its investment in locally-generated renewable energy. The City will need many more such projects to capitalize fully on the Provinces Green Energy Act, and ramp up its generating capacity in order to power all municipal facilities with clean power.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (23): Councillors G. Bdard, M. Bellemare, R. Bloess, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, A. Cullen, D. Deans, S. Desroches, C. Doucet, E. El-Chantiry, P. Feltmate, J. Harder, D. Holmes, P. Hume, R. Jellett, C. Leadman, J. Legendre, M. McRae, B. Monette, S. Qadri, D. Thompson, M. Wilkinson, Mayor OBrien NO (1): Councillor G. Hunter

Green Buildings
LOOPHOLE IN GREEN BUILDINGS POLICY (PASSED)
June 9, 2010 Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee Report 55, Item 9 This vote weakened the Citys Green Buildings Policy by allowing Council to exempt newly constructed municipal buildings from meeting the minimum LEED certification when all reasonable efforts have been exhausted. This condition is vague and could be open to various interpretations. The existing policy already set the bar fairly low by requiring new municipal buildings to meet only the certified level within the LEED system. Other levels of government, such as Public Works Canada, have committed to the higher gold standards for new federal buildings. The City will have an even harder time convincing Ottawas property developers and building owners to embrace green building standards if it is not willing to do so itself.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (23): All Councillors, Mayor OBrien Absent: Councillor J. Harder

PILOT PROJECT FOR SMART STREET LIGHTING (PASSED)

April 28, 2010 -- Transportation Committee Report 38A, Item 2 This vote approved a pilot project, in partnership with Hydro Ottawa, to install an advanced control system to help reduce the electricity required for street lighting. Conventional street lights have two modes: on or off. With the more advanced control system, the City will gain the ability to dim street lights during periods of low pedestrian activity, thereby reducing electricity consumption. It will also become possible to control and monitor the lights remotely, enabling the City to plan the lighting of streets more efficiently. A similar pilot project in central British Columbia reported energy savings of 30% with no negative public reaction from the test site. The test site for the city of Ottawa as not yet been decided, but once the system is installed the results will be reported within a year. Outdoor lighting in Ottawa consumes approximately 300 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, at a cost of around $5 million. Reducing electricity demand for street lighting will not only reduce the Citys costs but also its environmental impacts, as much of Ontarios electricity comes from nuclear power stations or coal-fired power plants.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (23): All Councillors, Mayor OBrien Absent: Councillor J. Harder

Greenspace and Natural Areas

HIRING FOREST MAINTENANCE STAFF TO DEAL WITHTHE EMERALD ASH BORER BEETLE (LOST)
January 25-28, 2010 (Budget Meeting) Motion 82/15 The intent of this motion was to implement the recommendations of the Citys Auditor General concerning timely maintenance of forests within the city. In particular, the motion sought to ensure adequate staffing to deal with the immediate problem of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer beetle. This insect, responsible for killing off millions of ash trees in Ontario and in the United States, was first discovered in Ottawa in 2008. Despite a declaration by the Mayor of an Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week in mid-May 2010, the Mayor and a majority of councillors decided against taking the recommended action on the issue. As a result, the budget to hire seven full time employees to manage this problem was not approved. This means that the city will have to manage the issue with existing employees or avoid taking responsibility for the problem.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (11): Councillors C. Doucet, P. Hume, M. Wilkinson, D. Holmes, M. Bellemare, C. Leadman, M. McRae, A. Cullen, P. Feltmate, J. Legendre and G. Bdard. NO (13): Councillors G. Hunter, R. Jellett, R. Bloess, S. Desroches, E. El-Chantiry, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, S. Qadri, D. Thompson, B. Monette, J. Harder, D. Deans, and Mayor OBrien.

ENFORCEMENT OF DISTINCTIVE TREE BYLAW (LOST)

January 25-28, 2010 (Budget Meeting) Motion 82/16 This motion was intended to ensure adequate staffing in order to implement the Urban Tree Conservation Strategy, approved by Council in May 2009. The strategy had been adopted after numerous incidents in which trees were cut down without approval due to insufficient regulation of tree cutting. These incidents involved clearing of lands prior to application for permits, as well as cutting of trees in Natural Environment Areas. The staffing required to implement the conservation strategy requires two inspectors, but Council voted against the necessary budget funding. The result is that the city still does not have an active tree conservation program to prevent inappropriate cutting of city forests. It also means that city is not able to play a proactive role in evaluating opportunities for conservation of forest areas within the city.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (9): Councillors C. Doucet, P. Hume, M. Wilkinson, D. Holmes, S. Desroches, A. Cullen, P. Feltmate, J. Legendre and G. Bdard. NO (14): Councillors G. Hunter, R. Jellett, R. Bloess, M. Bellemare, E. El-Chantiry, M. McRae, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, S. Qadri, D. Thompson, B. Monette, J. Harder, D. Deans, and Mayor OBrien.

10

Greenspace and Natural Areas

DEVELOPING A WILDLIFE STRATEGY (PASSED)

February 24, 2010 Community and Protective Services Committee Report 50, Item 3 This vote to develop a Wildlife Strategy for the City of Ottawa was a product of the growing debate over how to address coyote issues, as well as other wildlife found to be wandering into urban areas. While several Canadian cities have implemented Living with Wildlife programs over the past decade, Ottawa still has yet to do so. The strategy is expected to focus on educating the public and creating more awareness about human safety issues. As urban sprawl consumes more greenspace and pushes development deeper into natural areas, human-wildlife interactions have become a bigger problem. It is promising to see Council taking a more integrated approach to this complex issue and avoiding simple, knee-jerk reactions.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (14): Councillors P. Hume, M. Bellemare, R. Chiarelli, J. Legendre, D. Deans, C. Doucet, M. Wilkinson, S. Qadri, P. Feltmate, G. Bdard, G. Hunter, A. Cullen, R. Bloess, and Mayor L. OBrien Absent: Councillors S. Desroches, D. Holmes and M. Mcrae NO (3): Councillors B. Monette, J. Harder and D. Thompson.

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Transportation
FUNDING FOR OTTAWA PEDESTRIAN PLAN (PASSED)
January 25-28, 2010 (Budget Meeting) Motions 82/21 and 82/22 A motion to defer the Bank Street Reconstruction Project in the Glebe by one year allowed Council to reallocate $3.35 million of the capital budget to start implementation of the Ottawa Pedestrian Plan. The Plan is designed to facilitate walking as a year-round, comfortable, viable and well-integrated component of the transportation plan in Ottawa. The long-term goal of the Pedestrian Plan is to increase the number of walking trips residents take by 33 percent over the next 20 years. Walkable cities are desirable places to live, work, and play, and therefore a key component of smart urban growth and development. Communities that are designed to support walking promote healthy living, contribute to a cleaner environment, ease road congestion, reduce future vehicle infrastructure costs, and even increase a sense of local pride and belonging. Ottawa needs to re-establish a culture of walking, and sustained funding for the Pedestrian Plan is an important step in the right direction.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES: (24) All Councillors, Mayor OBrien. NO: none

INCREASE OF $2 MILLION TO 2010 TRANSIT SERVICES BUDGET (LOST)

January 25-28, 2010 (Budget Meeting) Motions 82/39 and 82/40 This vote to add $2 million to the 2010 Transit Services budget would have increased the level of transit service in the city. The vote was lost so there is no room for substantial service increases by OC Transpo in 2010. This is a disappointing setback for the improvement of Ottawas public transit, especially since the Transit Committees list of 2010 budgetary pressures included expanding the overall transit system and meeting increased demand for service on existing routes. It also appears to run contrary to Councils earlier decision on November 25 (see above) to expand the Urban Transit Area into newly developing neighbourhoods in the south and east. A better transit system is essential for Ottawa to attract new employers to the region, get its road maintenance budget under control, and keep its commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (4) : Councillors C. Doucet, D. Holmes, A. Cullen and P. Feltmate. NO (20) : Councillors G. Hunter, P. Hume, R. Jellett, M. Wilkinson, R. Bloess, M. Bellemare, S. Desroches, C. Leadman, E. El-Chantiry, M. McRae, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, S. Qadri, D. Thompson, B. Monette, J. Harder, J. Legendre, D. Deans, G. Bdard and Mayor OBrien.

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Transportation
COSTING FOR DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION MODES (PASSED)
April 28, 2010 - Transportation Committee Report 38A, Item 1 By adopting this motion, Council will have more information on the capital and operating costs of various modes of transportation (i.e. single occupancy vehicle, express bus, rural/suburban route, inner greenbelt transit services, walking and cycling) when considering municipal budget proposals in 2011. This information can be used to calculate the differential impact on the tax rate of the provision of these services. At present, it is difficult to calculate the hierarchy of costs or the level of subsidy provided by the City to various forms of transportation. We hope that the availability of such information will allow for more effective budget planning. Regrettably the motion did not ask, as city staff had recommended, for estimates to include the broader societal costs, such as health impacts, pollution (i.e. air, noise and water), enforcement, land value, and accidents.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES(11): Councillors M. McRae, A. Cullen, M. Bellemare, G. Bedard, J. Legendre, C. Doucet, C. Leadman, P. Feltmate, G. Hunter, D. Deans and D. Holmes Absent: Councillor J. Harder NO(9): Councillors R. Bloess, R. Jellett, S. Desroches, E. El-Chantiry, G. Brooks, B. Monette, S. Qadri, M. Wilkinson and Mayor L. OBrien

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Transportation
PURCHASE OF MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT BUSES (PASSED)
April 28, 2010 Transit Committee Report 38, Item 1 This vote approved the purchase of 226 New Flyer buses to replace 226 buses bought from New Flyer between 2001 and 2004. This purchase should increase the reliability of the OC Transpo service and, since the new models are more fuel efficient, result in significant fuel savings and reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOX) gases and carbon dioxide. The first buses are to be delivered in August 2010 and the agreement should be completed by the first quarter of 2011. While public transportation is a vital service and provides a more environmentally friendly transportation alternative to private automobile use, OC Transpo operates diesel buses that contribute to the problem of city smog and release of greenhouse gases. Fortunately the new model of New Flyer buses are 26 per cent more fuel efficient than the older 2001-2004 buses. The newer buses are also expected to be more reliable and experience less mechanical breakdown than the older models resulting in an increase in bus availability.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (4) : (18): Councillors M. McRae, R. Bloess, R. Jellett, S. Desroches, E. El-Chantiry, A. Cullen, S. Qadri, M. Bellemare, G. Bdard, J. Legendre, C. Doucet, C. Leadman, P. NO (3): Councillors R. Chiarelli, B. Monette and D. Deans.

EXPANSION OF URBAN TRANSIT AREA INTO NEWER SUBURBS (PASSED)

November 25, 2009 Transit Committee Report 33, Item 2 With this vote, Council brought recently developed land east of Trim Road and in Riverside South into the Urban Transit Area (UTA). Within the UTA, transit service is guaranteed to be available within a 5-minute walk for 95 percent of the population during peak periods. In non-peak periods, transit service is available within a 10-minute walk. Bringing the UTA and its associated transit levy into suburban areas is an important part of building a city-wide transit network and providing equitable service to all Ottawa residents. Interestingly, the two councillors who voted against this measure represent suburban wards.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (21): Councillors G. Bdard, M. Bellemare, R. Bloess, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, A. Cullen, D. Deans, S. Desroches, C. Doucet, E. El-Chantiry, P. Feltmate, J. Harder, D. Holmes, P. Hume, G. Hunter, J. Legendre, M. MacRae, S. Qadri, D. Thompson, M. Wilkinson, Mayor Larry OBrien Absent: Councillor C. Leadman NO (2): Councillors R. Jellett, B. Monette

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Transportation
APPROVAL OF A UNIVERSAL STUDENT TRANSIT PASS, OR U-PASS (PASSED)
January 25-28, 2010 (Budget Meeting) Motion No. 82/12 This vote approved a two-year pilot project to establish a Universal Student Transit Pass (U-Pass) for all students at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. Students in Ottawa had been lobbying the City for over 10 years for such a program. Starting in September 2010, students will be charged $145 per semester for the pass, which represents a substantial savings over the cost of a regular student pass. U-Pass programs in other Canadian cities have encouraged students to use public transportation more often, as the pass is included in their registration fees. The program can reduce the carbon footprint of the student population and broaden a public transit culture on the 2 campuses.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (22): Councillors G. Hunter, C. Doucet, P. Hume, R. Jellett, M. Wilkinson , R. Bloess, D. Holmes, M. Bellemare, C. Leadman, E. El-Chantiry, M. McRae, G. Brooks, R. Chiarelli, S. Qadri, A. Cullen, P. Feltmate, D. Thompson, J. Harder, J. Legendre, D. Deans, and G. Bdard, Mayor OBrien NO (2): Councillors S. Desroches and B. Monette

ALLOWING LOW-EMISSION AND HYBRID TAXIS (PASSED)

June 23, 2010 Community and Protective Services Committee Report 56, Item 3 The vote to allow taxi drivers to drive low-emission and hybrid cars was actually part of a larger motion to update the Citys taxi bylaw, including its outdated vehicle standards. The motion also included a request that the Province provide more financial incentives to offset the higher costs of hybrid or electrically powered vehicles being used in taxicab fleets. In approving this bylaw revision, Ottawa is catching up with other Canadian cities like Vancouver, which initiated the very first hybrid taxicab service in North America in 2000.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (23) : All councillors, Mayor OBrien Absent: Councillor J. Legendre

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Urban Growth And Land Use

BAN ON MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DEVELOPERS, CORPORATIONS AND UNIONS (LOST)
January 13, 2010 Motions 81/10 and 81/11 Partly in an attempt to curb the influence of developers at City Hall, this motion requested the Province of Ontario to allow municipalities to ban municipal candidates from accepting donations from corporations and unions. Council voted against revisiting this touchy subject, which had been the subject of a similar motion in 2009. The influence wielded by developers in city planning has been the subject of heated debate in Ottawa recently. In 2009, an Ecology Ottawa report revealed that developers donated more than $120,000 to city councillors and the mayor in the 2006 municipal election campaign. The 2010 election campaign is likely to keep up this troubling tradition. At present, only the City of Toronto has the right to ban these types of donations, due to special powers granted under the City of Toronto Act. City councillors should represent the public interest and shouldnt be beholden to vested interests.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (10): Councillors D. Holmes, G. Brooks, C. Doucet, P. Feltmate, C. Leadman, R. Jellett, P. Hume, R. Bloess, A. Cullen and G. Hunter NO (14): Councillors E. El-Chantiry, S. Desroches, M. McRae, G. Bdard, D. Thompson, D. Deans, B. Monette, S. Qadri, J. Legendre, M. Wilkinson, M. Bellemare, R. Chiarelli, J. Harder and Mayor OBrien

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Water
APPROVAL OF THE OTTAWA RIVER ACTION PLAN (PASSED)
February 24, 2010 Planning and Environment Committee Report 64A, Item 11 This vote approved the Ottawa River Action Plan (ORAP), which includes 17 projects to be completed over five years, at a total cost of $251.6 million. The Plan will upgrade the Citys water and wastewater systems and improve the health of the Ottawa River. The upgrades include the construction of massive water storage tanks, which will reduce sewage overflows into the Ottawa River. The Plan aims to achieve zero overflows during the swimming season in the average year. This is a significant undertaking to improve the health of local water ecosystems. In the past, Ottawas sewer systems have been overwhelmed by the amount of water entering the systems during rain and other wet weather events such as snowmelt, resulting in the overflow of wastewater directly into the river. The combined sewer overflows resulted in shoreline pollution, beach closures, and damage to the local aquatic ecosystems. Once constructed, the storage tanks will contain excess water in times of heavy flow until it can be released more gradually at a pace that can be handled by the sewage treatment plant.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (21): All councillors and Mayor OBrien. Absent: Councillors S. Desroches, D. Holmes, M. McRae

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Water
PROMOTION OF MUNICIPAL DRINKING WATER, INCLUDING MOBILE WATER STATIONS (LOST)
April 28, 2010 Motion 88/3 While debating a new strategy to promote municipal water as a source of drinking water, Council split over whether to approve the full plan that included the purchase of two mobile water stations (i.e. a water trailer and a pickup truck) to serve local events and festivals. Providing mobile water stations would reduce the consumption of bottled water at festival sites and demonstrate the benefits of municipal drinking water to hundreds of thousands of Ottawa residents each year. Funding for the stations at a cost of $200,000 was a key part of the Citys strategy and should have been noncontroversial, having already been approved in the 2010 budget. This compromise motion (88/3) would have approved the purchase of only one mobile water station instead of cancelling the program outright, but it did not pass. A subsequent motion, which did pass, resolved that the program would only proceed if a corporate sponsor could be identified. To date, no sponsor has been found.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (8): Councillors A. Cullen, G. Bdard, J. Legendre, C. Doucet, P. Feltmate, P. Hume, M. Wilkinson and D. Holmes. Absent: Councillor J. Harder NO (12): Councillors R. Bloess, R. Chiarelli, R. Jellett, S. Desroches, E. El-Chantiry, G. Brooks, B. Monette, D. Thompson, S. Qadri, G. Hunter, D. Deans and Mayor L. OBrien.

FUNDING FOR THE OTTAWA RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM (PASSED)

November 16, 2009 Planning and Environment Committee Report 59A, Item 6 This vote approved $250,000 in funding to the Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program for 2010. This initiative pays 50 to 75 per cent of the cost of some rural property owners projects to improve surface water quality. Rural residents are the primary stewards of their lands and this program is among the Citys best tool to engage them in water quality improvement and protection.

HOW THEY VOTED

YES (24): All councillors, Mayor OBrien

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Grading Calculations 2010

Council members grades were based on how they voted on 17 key decisions made at City Council between November 2009 and June 2010. Councillors were given one point for each environmentally responsible motion they supported during council meetings, and one for each destructive motion they voted against. These points were then added up and divided by the total number of decisions voted on by that councillor. The numerical score was converted into a letter grade as shown in the grading scheme in the table on the following pages. Admittedly, this system of grading is not rigorously scientific. It does not capture every element of a councillors performance at city hall. For example, in order to consistently measure each councillor against the same criteria, we have omitted decisions made at the committee level, where many decisions are debated by a subset of councillors before reaching council. That said, the report does provide us with a rough tool for comparing the relative positions of the mayor and councillors, and in reviewing the results from the four report cards, the patterns become quite clear.

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Grading Calculations 2010

ExpansionofUrbanTransit Areaintonewersuburbs Enforcementofdistinctive treebylaw Yes No Yes No No No No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No Yes 9/14 0 Banonelectiondonations fromcorporations FundingforOttawaRural CleanWaterProgram FundingfortheOttawa PedestrianPlan Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 24/0 0 Approvalofauniversal studenttransitpass Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 22/2 0

GradingScheme: A+=91-100% A=86-90% A-=81-85% B+=76-80% B=71-75% C+=66-70% C=61-65% C-=56-60% D=50-55% F=0-49% Grade Score x/17 MayorLarryOBrien GeorgesBdard MichelBellemare RainerBloess GlennBrooks RickChiarelli AlexCullen DianeDeans SteveDesroches CliveDoucet EliEl-Chantiry PeggyFeltmate JanHarder DianeHolmes PeterHume GordHunter RobJellett ChristineLeadman JacquesLegendre MariaMcRae BobMonette ShadQadri DougThompson MarianneWilkinson Environmental/ Anti-environmental Mayor Rideau-Vanier BeaconHill-Cyrville Innes Rideau-Goulbourn College Bay Gloucester-Southgate Gloucester-SouthNepean Capital WestCarleton-March KanataSouth Barrhaven Somerset AltaVista Knoxdale-Merivale Cumberland Kitchissippi Rideau-Rockcliffe River Orleans Stittsville Osgoode KanataNorth CAB C CCA+ CD A+ CA+ D A+ A C CB+ AB F CD B+ 10/17 14/17 12/16 11/17 9/15 9/16 16/17 10/17 8/15 16/17 9/16 16/17 7/13 14/15 14/16 11/17 9/16 11/14 13/16 10/14 6/17 10/17 8/15 13/17

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 24/0 0

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 21/2 1

Yes No No No Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No 10/14 0

16-Nov-09 25-Nov-09 13-Jan-10 28-Jan-1

28-Jan-10 28-Jan-10

20

Grading Calculations 2010

Watermobilestopromote municipaldrinkingwater Hiringforestmaintenance stafftodealwithEAB Increaseof$2Mto2010 TransitServicesbudget ApprovaloftheOttawa RiverActionPlan

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 28-Jan-10 28-Jan-10 24-Feb-10 24-Feb-10 28-Apr-10 No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes 11/13 0 No No No No No No Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No 4/20 0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 21/0 3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes 14/3 7 No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No No 11/9 4

Yes Yes 28-Apr-10 28-Apr-10 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 23/0 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 18/3 3

Yes Yes No 28-Apr-10 26-May-10 9-Jun-10 No Yes No No No Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No Yes 8/12 4 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 23/1 0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 0/24 0

Yes 23-Jun-10 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 23/0 1

Allowinglow-emission andhybridtaxis

Pilotprojectforsmart streetlighting

Leasinglandforsolar energypark

DevelopingaWildlife Strategy

Costingfordifferent transportationmodes

LoopholeinGreen BuildingsPolicy

Purchaseofmore fuel-efficientbuses

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About Ecology Ottawa

We are a not-for-profit organization working to make Ottawa the green capital of Canada. We believe that Ottawa residents are concerned about issues such as pollution, waste, and global warming, and that they want a sustainable communityies where public transit, renewable energy, recycling, and the protection of green spaces take priority. We are working with residents and local organizations across the city to ensure that their voices are heard at city hall. Together we can make a difference, but we need your active support to move our city in the right direction. Find out more and sign up for our e-mail updates at www.ecologyottawa.ca.