This year’s grant will be used for the following projects: 

• BikeBrampton/Different Spokes will provide free pop-up bicycle repairs in a neighbourhood park in the fall of 2025 and spring 2026. Young adults are currently being trained to learn to ride safely on trails and the road.  
• These trainees will then become mentors to 10–15-year-olds in a total of six free workshops (fall and spring).  The goal is to provide a safe, active means of commuting to the Youth Hub that will open next year at Century Gardens which is accessed by the protected bike lanes along Vodden . 

• Three Nature Journalling workshops will also be held next spring for people of all ages and abilities.  The workshops are free, and all art materials will be provided.   

Thanks to BEA member Cindy Evans for spearheading these projects again this year!

If you are interested in any of these projects and would like more information, please contact Cindy Evans (cinsevans@icloud.com)   

Come visit the BEA table at this Saturday’s Ecofest, organized by Unifor in support of the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.

Participate in planting and stewardship events at Dearbourne Park this week and next week.

Get a free tree, courtesy of the City of Brampton this Saturday at Norton Place Park.

Learn how Emerald Energy from Waste’s proposal for a six times expansion of their Brampton waste burn facility will affect you by attending a seminar on Wednesday October 9th at Century Gardens Recreation Centre.

Celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Fletchers Creek Sustainable Neighbourhood Program at Fred Kein Park on Saturday October 5th. Or interact with local artist at the Catchbasin Art Project at Eastbourne Park on the same day.

All these events and more. Visit https://www.bramptonea.org/events/ for more information and to register.

Despite the bleak weather there were some hardy souls who opted to ride into the event at Norton Place Park including, Dayle, Lisa, Steve, Stacey, Alina, Ewa, Sonia, Ken, Susan, and me. It’s actually a nice ride as long as you are dressed for the occasion.

Sonia and I even brought the tents and table displays by bike using the Bike Hub’s wonderful cargo bike trailers! These are amazing beasts that can carry long loads and more than 100 lbs.!

Before the event officially started, we held our BEA member meeting where we kicked off our “Graceful Aging Through Connecting with Nature” project. The project, fondly referred to as ‘GATCWN’ has been made possible by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors grant. BEA’s partner groups include Friends & Stewards of Dorchester Park, Heart Lake Turtle Troopers, People Against Littering, Sierra Club Peel, and Friends of Heart Lake.

Check out the list of 26+ partner events that are scheduled now until mid October! Graceful Aging Through Connecting with Nature project.

We also introduced the members of our newly formed Youth Council!

The students were assigned to visit all the booths and ask questions to use this as their first learning opportunity. Several stopped by BikeBrampton to ask Sonia questions about Different Spokes, Brampton Bike Hub and what happens at BikeWrx: Pedalwise mentoring, DIY bike repair, educational workshops, group rides and a great drop-in fun experience!

The ceremony began and closed with a sacred fire by Edge of the Bush including Dr. Hopi Martin.

Despite the cold and rain, 340 folks showed up! 75 of them were seniors, a good start to our GATCWN target of 500. Many families also came to the event.

Participants ate a great lunch, and visited the various environmental booths including:

• BikeBrampton BikeWrx pop-up,
• Heart Lake Turtle Troopers,
• Sierra Club Peel,
• Friends of Dorchester Park,
• People Against Littering,
• Brampton Library,
• Brampton Forestry and Parks Maintenance,
• Brampton Transit e-bus,
• Brampton Animal Shelter,
• Brampton Fire and Emergency Services,
• Brampton Stormwater Programs,
• Toronto and Region Conservation Authority,
• Brampton Horticultural Society,
• PLAST/EarlyON,
• Community Climate Council.

Polly even brought her e-car for the Electric Vehicle Society.

Brampton Environmental Alliance was pleased to be on the committee with City of Brampton to help organize this event. There just has to be better weather next year!

January 23, 2022

In an interesting move, two Brampton Councillors are asking that the City withdraw its support for highway 413. It was previously thought that the Provincial Government would support the City’s plan of a “Boulevard” option for the portion of the highway running through the Heritage Heights sub-division in the City’s northwest. More details about the Boulevard design can be found on the City’s website.

Evidently, the Ministry of Transportation has indicated they will not be incorporating the urban boulevard into their corridor planning, but rather will continue to plan on the basis of the entire corridor being a 400-series limited access highway.

Council is now realizing that, should the highway proceed as planned, it would split the Heritage Heights community in two and jeopardize Council’s vision for Heritage Heights as a complete community. Additionally the highway would “increase car dependence, contribute to low density suburban sprawl, increase greenhouse gas emissions, increase congestion, and prevent Council’s vision for northwest Brampton from being realized”.

While the revised Council resolution continues to support the urban boulevard concept, if it is passed, the City would now be strongly opposed to the current 400-series design currently being proposed by the Province.

The motion is set to be voted on at the January 26th, virtual meeting of Council. Residents wishing to speak to the issue can summit a delegation form to the cityclerksoffice@brampton.ca. Alternatively, letters in support of the motion to can be sent to MayorBrown@brampton.ca copying the City Clerk.

The Nurturing Neighbourhoods program provides residents the opportunity to play an active role in shaping the future of their neighbourhood! 

Complete the Nurturing Neighbourhoods survey and participate in the online mapping tool – this will allow us to capture comments from you; telling us what you love about your neighbourhood, what you wish was there, and where we could do better.

The survey is offered in multiple languages including Gujarati. Simply select your language at the top of the survey screen. Participants completing the survey by January 30, 2022, will be entered into a draw for a chance to win 1 of 10 prizes.

Learn more!

The next meeting of the Brampton Environmental Alliance will be held virtually on Wednesday December 8th. Informal networking at 6:15pm. The meeting starts at 6:30pm sharp! Click the Register button for your free ticket.

Presentations

Keynote presentation by Dr. Dianne Saxe. Dianne Saxe is one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers and was the independent Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, until the Conservative Government rolled that position under the Office of the Auditor General in 2019. Dianne is running as a member of Provincial Parliament candidate for the Green Party of Ontario (University Rosedale riding) in next year’s Provincial election. Dianne is an articulate defender of the environment and a champion of the new green economy. The BEA is thrilled Dianne has agreed to share her passion and environmental knowledge with BEA meeting participants.

Register for the meeting through Eventbrite

Spotlight presentation by Tooba Shakeel. Tooba is a Senior Coordinator of Sustainable Neighbourhoods Program (SNAP) at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC). She is an ISA Certified Arborist, an EcoDistrict Accredited Professional and a Board member of LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests) a Toronto-based not-for-profit group dedicated to urban forest protection. Thanks to Tooba for agreeing to share information about CVC programs in Brampton including the Fletcher’s Creek SNAP!

After the main meeting, those who wish to become more involved in the BEA can join one of the three working groups described below. Sign up to join one of the three working groups here.

Working Groups

• Events
  This group coordinates events for members and assists with events for residents – BEA Collaboration event, Brampton Earth Day event
• Education and Resources
  This group arranges talks on environmental topics, using the One Planet principles of focus: Land and Nature, Culture and Community, Travel and Transport as they relate to Brampton. The group also helps connect members to needed resources and expertise on financing and various environmental topics
• Advocacy
  This group helps coordinate and amplify community advocacy campaigns and environmental initiatives under the three One Planet principles above.

The City has focused on addressing the spread of COVID-19 for the past 20 months. As we start to gain control over the pandemic, climate change will continue to negatively impact Brampton residents as the climate crisis worsens. Climate change disproportionately affects women, indigenous populations, and people of colour. Stresses associated with climate change also impact the mental health of our children and youth. Climate change mitigation and adaptation requires our ongoing undivided attention. 

Deliberations on the City’s 2022 Proposed Budget are coming soon, and we request that Council continue moving forward on implementing the Brampton 2040 Vision and prioritizing funding to enhance the City’s Grow Green Environmental Master Plan.

The City of Brampton declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since set a bold green agenda to do its part in reducing GHG emissions. We cannot turn back or lose momentum. In particular, the following initiatives have helped move the City from environmental laggard to leader and we strongly encourage the City to continue to fund and resource these programs:

• Community Energy and Emissions Reductions Plan: Continue implementing Brampton’s CEERP to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain contributions to the recently established energy efficiency retrofit Reserve. Brampton aims to achieve a target of 80 percent GHG reductions by 2050 and an interim target of 30% by 2030.
• Grow Green Environmental Master Plan: Continue to implement the 5-year action plan to improve Brampton’s overall environmental sustainability performance.
• Centre for Community Energy Transformation: Establish this not-for-profit, community-based organization that will accelerate Brampton towards a low-carbon future and create economic advantage.
• One Million Trees Program: Continue supporting tree planting to reach the target of one million trees by 2040, grow the urban forest, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and foster the delivery of ecosystem services. That’s an average of 50,000 trees per year with appropriate forest management.
• Brampton Transit Electrification Program: Continue advocacy and investments that support the implementation of a fully electric, zero-emissions bus fleet.
• Green Fleet investments including Electric Fire Trucks: Continue ongoing investments to electrify city vehicles as they are replaced.
• Implement the Active Transportation Master Plan: Continue expediting, investing in and advocating for a solid active transportation network that will encourage people to choose active transportation (cycling, micro-mobility, walking) instead of cars.
• Zero Emissions Buildings: Ensure the Susan Fennell Sportsplex becomes the City’s first Zero Carbon facility but do not let it be the last. Look for opportunities to renovate and build more zero emissions buildings.
• Backyard Garden Program: Support food security in our city by continuing the backyard garden program that encourages residents to grow produce on their property and donate their home-grown crops to local food banks and community organizations.  

These initiatives are foundational to realizing Brampton’s 2040 Vision and achieving significant GHG reductions in this declared climate emergency. Yet much work remains for Brampton, the fastest growing large city in Canada. According to the most recent IPCC report, global carbon emissions must peak by 2025 to maintain the 1.5 °C “safe” limit for temperature rise as outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. Canada, being one of the economically privileged countries, will be under pressure to step up its carbon reduction commitment during and after the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26). As one of Canada’s top ten urban centres, Brampton can and must step up its commitment to help the country achieve carbon reduction targets. 

The Globe and Mail recently published a keynote address HRH Prince of Wales presented at COP 26 where he stated that the private sector holds the key to creating the technology, innovation, and access to capital that will build the required infrastructure necessary for climate stability. But, according to the extensive conversations he has had with private sector leaders from around the world, they are looking for “clear market signals from governments so they can plan for the long-term. This would boost confidence in existing projects and attract the necessary institutional investment for new ones.” 

The leadership and direction from municipal governments is equally as important as from the Federal and Provincial levels. The businesses that we have and want to attract to Brampton will be looking for this clear signal so they can make a long-term commitment to low-carbon economic development in Brampton.

As we embark upon a COVID economic recovery, now is the time to double down on the environmental commitments and base that recovery on a low-carbon economy that will provide a sustainable present and future for Brampton.

Signed,

Organizations
David Laing – BikeBrampton
Brian Diaz – Unifor West GTA Regional Environment Council
Rosemary Keenan – Sierra Club Ontario, Peel Group
Ephraim Mwaura – Heart Lake Run
Stacey Wilson – Friends of Dorchester Park
Rajbalinder Ghatoura – Human Impact Environment