APRIL 2026

This 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.

The theme for Earth Month 2026 in Canada is 'Our Power, Our Planet.' This theme emphasizes the importance of individual and community actions in protecting the planet. It encourages everyone to reflect on the choices we make in everyday life, and their impact on the environment. Every action counts; every voice matters.

CF w/ TERRE and others at Portlands Energy Centre (short video) | CF and friends at MP Dabrusin's office

WARDS PROJECT UPDATE

HOT OFF THE PRESS! It was standing room only at a March 28 climate roundtable hosted by the Wards Project and Councillor Josh Matlow (Toronto-St Paul's). City staff, local energy experts and community leaders were on hand to answer questions and provide insights into climate policy and programs.

Here's what Councillor Matlow said about it on X afterward: "What was planned to be a roundtable on Climate Action I co-hosted today with The Wards Toronto Project, became a fully packed room of amazing and caring people who want to get involved. Thank you to everyone who participated today to build a resilient city and healthier planet."

CLIMATE VOTING RECORDS WEBSITE

How did your councillor vote on climate-related items??

PUTTING PEOPLE'S HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND ELECTRICITY AFFORDABILITY FIRST BY SAYING NO TO AI DATA CENTRES IN ONTARIO

Send a letter to your local MPP and municipal councillor about your concerns regarding AI data centres! This is a two-in-one letter to both your provincial and municipal representative.

This is urgent: the Ontario Legislature resumed sitting March 23, and we need to have have our voices heard NOW while bills are being drafted on AI and data centres.

You might be wondering, how big is the problem of AI data centres? In December 2025, the total amount of electricity demand from data centres hoping to connect to Ontario’s grid was enough to power more than 6.5 million homes. Usage has more than tripled in just six months, mostly due to AI.

We need to protect the water in our Great Lakes, and our air quality, from AI data centres, because they demand an enormous amount of water and electricity, and lead to higher bills and taxes. AI data centres are also toxic for the environment because they have on-site diesel and gas generators. These generators release harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide, which are bad for our health.

That’s why we need immediate transparency and action on AI data centres: to protect our air, water supply, affordability, and public health.

Additional information: Datacenters Behaving Like Acoustic Weapons. (YouTube)

Toronto council seeks answers on AI data centre approvals (The National Observer, Mar 25, 2026)

STOP PLASTIC POLLUTION!!

Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has confirmed that the federal government can act to stop plastic pollution. This is a major victory for all creatures. It means the federal bans on harmful and unnecessary plastic items, such as checkout bags and six-pack rings, stand. It also means there is no excuse for the government to hold back: now is the time for bold and ambitious federal action to protect people and the environment from plastic.

REJECT ALBERTA'S PIPELINE PLOY!

Canada faces a choice: build new fossil fuel pipelines that deepen the climate crisis, damage ecosystems, endanger communities and enrich oil and gas billionaires, or build a truly resilient, people- and nature-centred future powered by renewables.

In November 2025, Prime Minister Carney made a damaging deal with Alberta to fast-track a new diluted bitumen oil pipeline to B.C.’s coast while rolling back key environmental protections. This pipeline would lock Canada into deeper dependence on a declining, high-polluting industry and put North Pacific ecosystems and coastal First Nations at risk from increased tanker traffic and catastrophic oil spills.

There’s still time to stop this pipeline ploy and choose a fossil-fuel free future. Alberta intends to submit its pipeline proposal to the federal government’s Major Projects Office by July 1, 2026.

Turtle Protectors is an Indigenous-led stewardship program in Toronto dedicated to protecting turtles and their habitats in city parks.

New volunteers are always welcome! Connect through their website or via Volunteer Toronto. Turtle protecting happens at many parks in the city, including High Park, Woodbine Park, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Humber Bay and Don Valley Brick Works, among others.  647-491-4057 is the hotline for turtle sightings.

Excerpted from "Militarism: A Leading Cause of Environmental and Climate Crises," International Union of Scientists, April 28, 2025.

"The climate and environmental impacts of war and military operations are often neglected in global climate negotiations. This article highlights how war, being the most profitable and lucrative business for imperialist nations, adversely impacts the environment and climate, such as deforestation, pollution, the destruction of ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change, urging a deeper consideration of its long-term global toll...

The global community must demand accountability for the greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation caused by war and the military-industrial complex ... To combat the climate crisis effectively, policies must include measures to mitigate the military’s environmental impact and integrate this issue into broader global climate action.

Moreover, scientists, engineers, physicians, and experts who contribute to the development of war technologies—whether directly through the creation of weapons or indirectly through technological advancements that support military operations—must reflect on the ethical implications of their work."

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