NOVEMBER 2024

The ClimateFast newsletter shares information about the Climate Crisis that may interest our readers, but does not necessarily reflect the views of ClimateFast as an organization, nor those of its members. If you have an event or resource you would like to share, please send it to newsletter@climatefast.ca.

PLEASE NOTE: this newsletter may be truncated when you receive it; click on 'view entire message' at bottom to see the full document.

Hundreds of cyclists descended on Queen's Park October 23 to tell the Ford government they're not happy with his interfering in municipal bike lane decisions. The Minister of Transportation introduced a bill earlier in the week which would require municipalities to seek approval from the province before building new bike lanes, and would also give the province a chance to "review existing bicycle lanes." Premier Ford says he's not against bike lanes per se, but he says they cause congestion on arterial roads like Bloor, Yonge and University. ClimateFast members were there to support cycling commuters who use these bike lanes to travel safely every day. See the bike lane petition under "Calls to Action" and add your voice!! Watch and learn about the formerly car-centric city of Barcelona and how it is changing positively for cyclists and drivers alike.

Mississauga students at Fridays for Future rally @ Queen's Park Oct 25

The Toronto chapter of Fridays for Future held a climate strike October 25 at Queen's Park. Young people from across the GTA attended, along with older allies from such groups as SCAN!, GASP, ClimateFast, and the Green Party. Heartfelt speeches and chants directed at federal and provincial levels of government were shared. The group is calling for Big Oil to pay into a climate recovery fund - get more info here.

Are you as excited as we are about the Toronto Voting Records website that ClimateFast is building? ClimateFast is getting closer to wrapping up work on an independent website that will serve as a reliable source for tracking the climate-related voting records of Toronto city councillors.

STAY TUNED for the final focus group for the Voting Records website prototype happening early December (date TBD). The purpose of the focus group is to get your feedback on ease of navigation, as well as general use and design of the site. 

The website will provide information to members of the public - now and at election time - enabling voters to gauge the climate and environmental stance of their mayor and councillors. It may also be a resource for climate groups looking to do related research. 

Please contact us at climatefast@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to get involved with/beyond the focus group.

Join TERRE (Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy) and other Toronto residents to oppose the polluting Portlands Gas Plant in our neighbourhood… for everyone’s health. The rally will include engaging speakers, music, and family activities. RSVP here if you will attend.

We are demanding:

• the Ontario government cancel the proposed expansion of the gas plant
• a phase-out of the gas plant by 2030
• a rapid and just transition to a renewable energy future

We all know that the next federal election may come very soon and Canadians urgently need a unified, progressive choice!. To make this happen, the progressive parties must adopt a cooperative approach — rather than competing with each other, splitting the vote and allowing less-progressive candidates to prevail. 

Cooperate for Canada aims to bring groups and individuals together to promote electoral cooperation among the progressive political parties committed to tackling the many challenges facing Canadians, including the destructive climate crisis, growing economic disparity, and a tragic lack of affordable housing. These are issues that will not be dealt with – or will be made worse – under a CPC majority government.

Cooperate for Canada is a diverse group that knows the next federal election will be one of the most important in this country’s history. This is an “all hands on deck” effort … please click here for more on our plan and how local and national organizations, individuals and riding associations can get involved.

The provincial government plans to ban new bike lanes that require the removal of car traffic lanes. This change would severely limit the ability of municipalities across the province to expand their networks of protected bike lanes, and potentially lead to the removal of some existing bike lanes. Critics accuse Premier Ford of overstepping and meddling in municipal affairs, not to mention jeopardizing the safety of those who regularly travel by bike. Consultations on the bill are taking place now; click here to share your thoughts and opinions by November 20. Also, go to Cycle Toronto's site to sign its petition and to Leadnow to sign its petition - all with the same message to the provincial government: "stay in your own lane!"

STOP HIGHWAY 413!!

ReNew Canada

The Ontario government has announced it will fast-track construction of Highway 413. The proposed mega-highway will destroy thousands of acres of farmland and hundreds of acres of Greenbelt.

In fact, as part of its announcement Ontario pledged to “accelerate” the expropriation of farmland and allow highway construction to proceed “around-the-clock, 24/7.”

The good news is that we can still stop this project and save the Greenbelt — if we can convince the federal government to take action. Ontario can only build the 413 if Ottawa gives it the necessary permits. 

Highway 413 is NOT just an Ontario issue. If our greenbelts (supposedly protected) can now be paved to make way for expressways, no forest, farm or watershed is safe anywhere in Canada. Stopping the 413 is crucial to all of us.

Sign the petition here to tell the federal environment minister to stop Highway 413 and save the GREENBELT!!

Charter Challenge for Fair Voting Briefing Meeting - Fair Vote Canada

• When: Sunday November 3, 2-4 pm
• Where: North York Central Library, Meeting Room 2/3
• Who: Fair Vote Toronto
• What else: The Charter Challenge for Fair Voting is in the Ontario Court of Appeal in  early November in Toronto. Tony Hodgson, president of Fair Voting BC, one of the applicants in the case, will be in Toronto for the court hearing and will host an in-person briefing for any electoral reform supporters. You're invited to explore the arguments behind the challenge and learn how you can get involved going forward. RSVP here.

Free Webinar - Impact of  US Election on Canadian Climate Policy and Action

• When: Thursday November 7, 1-2:30 pm
• Where: on Zoom
• Who: Globe Series
• What else: Includes moderated discussion among notable experts including David MiIler, managing director C4 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy, and Lisa Raitt, vice-chair CIBC Capital Markets

• When: Wednesday, November 13, 7-9 pm
• Where: Online
• Who: Hosted by Toronto Climate Action Network (TCAN)
• What else: Webinar on Toronto's Climate Action Strategy (TransformTO) for 2026-2030 and how communities can get involved. Special guests: David Miller (former mayor); Gaby Kalapos (Ontario Clean Air Partnership); Maggie Cheng (Climate Advisory Group, Co-Chair); How-Sen Chong (TEA). Get free tickets through Eventbrite here.  Also, ClimateFast is organizing a ward-based project to support this next phase of the City's Climate Action Plan. If you are interested in helping organize in your ward, please fill in this interest form and we will be in touch. 

Farmers' Market @ Wychwood Barns

• When: Saturday November 16, 9 am - 5 pm
• Where: Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St
• Who: Wychwood Farmers
• What else: "The Wychwood Barns Farmers' Market is one of the  best in the city." (online review). Climate action organizations, including CimateFast, will have a table at the market.

• Building a Social Mandate for Climate Action : A Playbook for Accelerating Public Engagement by Re.Climate and EcoAnalytics, October 2024.

This guide provides key insights on values, framing, language, and messengers, as well as communication traps to avoid. It distills the results from a national survey of 6,142 Canadians conducted in November 2023. The survey findings and guidance were then explored in 13 focus groups where participants responded to a series of communications narratives and images, as well as specific messages.

• Ontario's top court orders new hearing in youth climate case by Canadian Press for CBC News, October 17, 2024.

The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that the seven young people who launched a constitutional challenge against the provincial government's emissions targets will get a new hearing. Ecojustice, an environmental law charity that backed the young people who brought the challenge, called it a landmark victory.

Excerpted from A Crisis Is a Scary Time. You Are Not Alone. | The Energy Mix

We know there’s a path to bringing the climate emergency under control. But getting there will take time. It won’t be easy. And there will be many tough moments along the way.

It’s natural to feel scared or overwhelmed by day-to-day climate news, or by the enormity of what we have to get done over the next several years. It’s also true that the only way to guarantee that we lose this battle of our lifetimes is to assume it’s already lost.

Here are some great resources to help you sit with life in the midst of a climate emergency… and when you’re ready, to do something about it.

• Gen Dread is a free newsletter that talks about the emotional pain that the climate and wider ecological crisis is causing, and how to put it to work.
• Project InsideOut “applies the latest research and best practices in psychology to help people on the journey from despair, passivity, and denial toward courageous, more impactful environmental action.”
• The All We Can Save Project envisions that, by 2030, women leading on climate will hold the power to create transformational change and will experience deep joy in their work to build a just and livable future.
• The Climate Psychology Alliance spreads awareness of climate psychology and mental health through educational events and climate outreach. Also see Handbook of Climate Psychology.
• Project Drawdown offers specific, actionable advice on how you can direct your concern to create real change and help solve the climate crisis.

ClimateFast is run solely by volunteers and is funded entirely by donations.

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You may donate online or by cheque, made payable to:

ClimateFast

and mail c/o Lyn Adamson
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