This article is not a travelogue. My friend Lisa does a much better job than I in capturing the history, architecture, and visuals of her travels. Lisa was one of seven companions who went with Dayle and me to this beautiful and culturally rich country. You can see her posts about the trip at Lisastokes.ca.

What I want to focus on in this article is how the Dutch people, have largely left behind the debate about the reality of climate change and are simply getting on with the job of addressing it. Contrast that with Canada where federal and provincial governments, from both sides of the political spectrum, are rapidly rolling back climate policy and environmental regulations.

The first notable difference between Canada and the Netherlands is that climate is tied to economics rather than environment. The Dutch Ministry responsible for meeting carbon reduction targets is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. There is a recognition that the Dutch economy, as well as its way of life will be severely impacted if emissions reductions specified in the Paris agreement are not met.

As a tourist, Dutch efforts to reduce carbon emissions are both subtle and obvious. The most obvious is the absence of car culture. The bicycle is the primary mode of travel for short-distance trips throughout the Netherlands. In large cities like Amsterdam bicycles account for almost 1 of every 2 trips taken. Public transit, mostly in the form of trams and trains are used for about 8% of trips. The car still dominates for longer-distance travel on major throughways, although there is a reasonably convenient cycling network connecting towns and cities. But facts and statistics do not do justice to the feeling you get travelling in Holland. The volume of bike traffic is almost overwhelming.

The infrastructure is almost always built with the safety and comfort of both cyclists and pedestrians in mind. Within the towns, and on secondary roads, convenience for car drivers is at best a secondary consideration. In Amsterdam, and smaller cities such as Hoorn or Haarlem, separated bike lanes are the norm for any streets that are expected to carry larger volumes of faster moving traffic. Bicycles are not allowed on sidewalks and pedestrians must take the same care in crossing bicycle lanes as they would a lane for cars.

Side streets are often protected by huge bollards that prevent larger vehicles from entering. These bollards lower into the pavement to allow for passage of local, commercial and or safety vehicles and then rise again once the vehicle has passed.

Streets that accommodate all vehicle types are referred to as “woonerf” or living streets. On these streets the cars are considered “guests”, speeds are limited to 30km per hour and cars must yield to cyclists, even if that means travelling at bicycle speed for a kilometre or more.

From an energy standpoint, the message is clear that the Netherlands is committed to renewable energy. Many older style windmills are still functioning to help pump water or grind grains.

Newer technology windmills are almost always in view, whether as part of offshore windfarms or dotting the landscape amongst the farm fields and flowers. Renewables, mostly solar and wind, now generate more than 50% of the country’s electricity needs with the target to achieve 75% by 2030.

Beyond individual transport and energy were other signs of a collective commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Of course we observed many electric vehicles on the road or plugged into local charging stations. But I wasn’t expecting to see a sign on our boat indicating it used 100% biofuel.

And the motors on the Love boat that we took to tour the canals of Amsterdam were 100% electric!

I also noted a reduced amount of plastic packaging in the Jumbo stores where we bought groceries. Most products are wrapped either in cellophane, paper or cardboard, all biodegradable materials. Public recycling bins are everywhere, and they included separation for organic waste.

Climate friendly industries were highly visible as we travelled through the countryside. Here are a couple of examples.

And streets in the Netherlands are cleaner than at home, partly because of the culture, and partly because of the teams of street sweepers which can be regularly seen, especially in Amsterdam’s downtown tourist area.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the Dutch are so eager to embrace actions to address climate change is that the country has a lot to lose if global temperatures surpass the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature change threshold considered safe by the scientific community. Time and place didn’t allow us to see some of the Netherland’s amazing flood management systems but this is another way in which the country is embracing the climate challenge.

More than 30% of the country is below current sea levels requiring an intricate system of polders, (large land areas that have been raised above sea level), dykes, (barriers along the coast to hold the sea off the lower lands), and a series of dams, fixed storm surge barriers and portable flood barriers that self-inflate in the presence of high water levels.

In addition to designing systems that keep water out, they also have infrastructure to strategically let water in to be absorbed into restored marshes and estuaries where it reduces flooding risk while supporting natural ecosystems. See, the YouTube video, How the Dutch Keep the Entire Country from Drowning, for a better understanding of how the Dutch have developed the most sophisticated water defence system in the world.

Despite their engineering prowess, the Netherlands still has significant obstacles to overcome to achieve long-term environmental sustainability. Sea levels are rising. The International Panel on Climate Change assumes a maximum rise of 1 metre by the year 2100. But the rate of rise has almost doubled over the last decade to about 4mm each year. This may be due to ocean warming and melting ice in the Arctic, Antarctic and, Greenland that is happening faster than originally assumed. If sea levels rise by 2 metres or more, Netherlands water defence system would need a complete overhaul to prevent catastrophic flooding.

Also, the Netherlands is not on track to achieve its target to reduce carbon emissions by 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. The government’s environmental assessment agency suggests that reductions of between 45% and 53% are more likely based on current performance. That is similar to Canada’s target of 40-45% reduction based on 2005 levels. But reports suggest that Canada’s target for 2030 is also at risk, suggesting 21-28% is a more likely scenario. And Canada’s per capita emissions are more than 2X the Netherland’s and more than 3X the global average. So we here in Canada have a lot to learn from our Dutch cousins. They have left us with big shoes to fill!

Oh, and by the way, the flowers were spectacular!

It’s hard for me not to take this personally. My wife Dayle and I started BikeBrampton 13 years ago to encourage the city to build an active transportation network that would offer a safe, convenient and relatively comfortable alternative to the car for short-distance trips. Until last week, it’s been slow but reasonably steady progress. Over the past decade or so, the city has created a subdepartment under planning for active transportation. It hired an active transportation specialist and supporting staff. An active transportation master plan was created and unanimously passed by Council in 2019. That plan outlined a connected network of pathways, sidewalks and bike lanes across the entire city that would be built out over 20 years.

The plan also outlined the compelling reasons why cycling must be an important element in the city’s long-term transportation strategy. The traffic demand management experts have done the calculations and determined we are in big trouble if the historical growth in the use of cars continues, particularly for single occupancy vehicles. As the city’s population tips over 1 million residents in the next few years, Brampton will not only run out of road space, it will run out of space to build roads unless a higher percentage of people choose transportation alternatives other than the personal automobile. Straight and simple. If we want to avoid traffic chaos and road related carnage both now and in the future, more people must choose transit, walking, cycling, and micro mobility for short-distance travel.

Encouraging people to walk, cycle or jump on transit starts with giving them the confidence that, if they choose a mode of travel other than the car, they can still get to their destinations, conveniently, and in relative safety and comfort. There are many aspects to what it takes to create this confidence. But table stakes is for the city to build a network that is as comprehensive as the existing road system while limiting interaction between motorists and vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

Sidewalks serve this purpose for pedestrians. They are physically separated from faster moving traffic and are reasonably comprehensive in allowing walkers to get from home to destinations that are maximum 1-2 km away. Adult cyclists cannot use sidewalks. For one thing it is illegal do so in Brampton. And sidewalks are not designed for bicycles travelling faster than about 12 kilometers an hour. Mixing pedestrians and fast-moving utilitarian cyclists is not a good idea. Safety becomes an issue on this type of facility the faster you go. For this reason, multi-use paths are also not a valid option for cyclists or e-scooters wanting to get somewhere quickly and conveniently.

Bicycles are allowed to use the road. But the speed variance between bicycles and cars leads to potential conflicts and safety issues. Depending on the speed and volume of traffic on the road, it also reduces the comfort level for cyclists meaning most people will not ride even if they want to.

Dedicated bicycle lanes provide a cost-effective and reasonably safe alternative. Installing a separated bicycle path in the boulevard can cost 5 to 50 times as much per kilometer compared to on-street bike lanes. And, bike lanes only need to be installed along certain roads of the network to provide key connectivity allowing cyclists to travel to virtually any part of the city in relative safety.

In 2020, just as COVID hit, the city introduced the “Streets for People” program which started in earnest to build out the network described in the active transportation master plan. Perhaps the most important connection in the plan is the east-west cycling corridor encompassing, Vodden, Howden, North Park, Central Parkway, and Cottrelle once the bridge across the Bayridge Valley is complete. This stretch of road midway between Queen and Bovaird runs almost the full width of the city. It uses collector roads that were historically “over-engineered” so that bike lanes could be used as a traffic calming measure to reduce speeding and aggressive driving behaviour. It connects the three major pathways that run north and south through Brampton’s rivers valleys. It also connects residential areas to literally hundreds of destinations, areas for recreation employment and commercial activities. This section of roadway is uniquely suited to act as the spine for active transportation across the city.

Unfortunately, change inevitably is met with resistance. Even though cycling usage has increased significantly in recent years, motorists still saw the bike lanes as being mostly empty. They became frustrated with the loss of road space for automobiles, There was particular frustration at intersections where there was no longer a dedicated lane for right-hand turners. With road construction on Williams and Dixie that encouraged more cut-through traffic along Howden, residents became increasingly upset. They demanded action

Last summer, Council directed staff to analyze several options. After conducting numerous public feedback sessions and reviewing the data, staff recommended an option that would maintain the bike lanes along most of the road section but move those lanes into the boulevard at the intersections allowing for dedicated right and left-hand turns for motorists. A cost-effective and reasonable compromise which would help alleviate resident concerns while still maintaining this key piece of infrastructure for cyclists.

Here is my frustration. With the exception of one, Council, fueled by the resident anger, determined they were not prepared to support this compromise, or any compromise for that matter. The only thing that would satisfy them was complete removal of this section of the Howden bike lanes, which threatens to render the active transportation master plan useless.

I started riding my bike primarily for environmental reasons. In Brampton, transportation represents the largest source of carbon emissions. I’m very concerned about climate change, (as should we all be). Dayle and I had taken the usual steps to reduce our carbon footprint, changing light-bulbs, increasing insulation, sealing doors and windows, etc. There are very few things that we as individuals can do to address the climate crisis. I was looking for more, and riding my bike to short-distance destinations seemed like a good way for me to help the planet while staying in shape at the same time.

Brampton has the potential to be bicycle friendly. We are a suburb yes, but we are also a city of close to a million people while enjoying extraordinary population growth. Most of our trips taken by car are less than 5km. Cycling changes the environmental fabric of the city. It allows us to grow up not out and in a healthier, less polluting way that connects to our communities and encourages support for local businesses.

It’s time we all decided what kind of city we want to live in, today and in the future. If you care about this issue, (and you should); if you care about your future and the future of your children, (and I’m sure you do), then write your councillors and tell them you support active transportation. Tell them you support bike lanes!

The BEA has been fortunate to receive funding from the TRCA each year, since 2022, for delivery of projects within the Bramalea SNAP area. Cindy Evans has been the BEA lead for for the past 2 years. This year, however, the project was split in two with half the deliverables in 2025 and the rest to be delivered in 2026.

Cindy Evans is a tireless advocate for safer streets. When she isn’t practicing her art or music, Cindy loves riding her bicycle, not just in her Bramalea neighbourhood, but throughout the city. She has also cycled throughout Ontario and in Europe. She loves sharing her experience and expertise while giving back to her community. Cindy is a member of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee which provides advice and guidance to Brampton Council on issues related to human powered travel, primarily walking and cycling. She is also a member of BikeBrampton and the Brampton Environmental Alliance (BEA).

A focus area of Cindy’s project this year and next is to build on one of the SNAP goals -to encourage active transportation in the E, F and K sections of Bramalea while fostering a safe, connected community of students who ride their bikes to school.

Spring audits of Bramalea Secondary School and Earnscliffe Senior Public School demonstrated that, despite lack of on street cycling infrastructure, 28-32 secondary students and 17-19 middle school students were riding to school on a regular basis. Cindy’s project aimed at improving the safety of student and community bicycle riders.

She did this by first recruiting four youth leaders who were taught bike safety basics over 5 sessions in July and August with the help of experienced adult trainers. Next she organized a free bike repair pop-up at Bramalea Secondary School with the help of the Brampton Bike Hub operated by Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS). There participants were shown how to do basic bike repair and maintenance.

Finally, with permission from the administration, she helped students at Earnscliffe start a Bike Club, . Helmets were distributed to those students without, (including customized helmets for Sikh boys donated by Bold Helmets a Brampton based manufacture of specialized helmets). Bells were installed, tires were inflated, and brakes checked on all student bikes at each of 4 Bike Club Meetings. Middle school bike club members were mentored, by the youth leaders, on bike skills and safety techniques. Each session ended with a short neighbourhood ride on trails and roads.

Bike Club 2025 ended in November with a route planning workshop using paper and Google maps. Students who attended 3 or more Bike Club sessions were given rechargeable rear lights upon completing a short paper questionnaire.

A benefit of this grant being split into two years is that the Bike Club will restart at the end of April 2026. Cindy plans to create bike repair and cycling events to encourage more students to safely experience the joys of riding to school and having fun with their neighbourhood friends.

Aneet and Rajbalinder talked about the importance of One-planet Living, the concept of staying within the Earth’s limitations in terms of resource extraction, managing waste, and living with each other in harmony.

The BEA has participated in several past events at this school and has found the students, parents and staff to all be engaging and interested in environmental issues and local environmental sustainability. This event lived up to expectations as families signed up to receive the BEA newsletter and committed to participate in BEA events.

On October 8th, Ghazanfar, Yarim, Gunjan, and Rajbalinder attended the W. G. Davis Senior Public School Open House. One-Planet Living and Plant-Based Treaty were among the topics discussed with students and parents.

According to the organizer, Noura Bacon, “the feedback from the evening was spectacular”! The school is hoping to grow connections with community organizations to create lasting partnerships where students feel more connected to their school and community. Ghazanfar and Noura are continuing collaboration discussions on creating a pollinator garden on school property starting next spring. Receiving a thankyou note is always nice.

On October 9th, Yarim, Gunjan, and Aneet participated in an Open House event at Springbrook Public School. Students were encouraged to use plant-based dyes to create postcards with an environmental theme.

They also were played a waste sorting game to help their families put waste products into the right bin.

Finally, students and their parents were told about plant-based eating and using One-Planet principles to learn to live within the earth’s planetary boundaries.

Sasha, the school principal, was thrilled with the BEA exhibits.

Most Ontarians were not even aware of the government’s intention. The speed at which these bills were rammed through the legislature is nothing short of breathtaking, with next to no committee discussion or public consultation. Bill 5 was first introduced on April 17th and Bill 17 passed first reading on May 12th. Both bills were declared law by Royal Assent this past Thursday before the legislature adjourned until October.

Called omnibus bills, these legislative tools are large complex and far reaching. They limit the powers of municipalities, to make independent land use decisions, to protect important natural heritage features, and to implement sustainable development guidelines that will help our communities to both mitigate against the worst effects of climate change and adapt to those effects that we cannot avoid.

The main purpose of the legislation is to encourage developers to build new and affordable housing faster than they would otherwise. It does so, however, by putting the costs of providing services for those new homes on the backs of existing homeowners. It does this by deferring or eliminating development charges which the municipalities rely on to pay for building schools, recreation centres, roads, parks, etc.

I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago outlining the major problems with Bill 5. Below is a letter I wrote to my MPP Graham McGregor outlining my concerns with Bill 17. If you believe as I do that Bill 5 and Bill 17 are not the way to get more and affordable homes built, I hope you will take the time to let your MPP know how you feel and that you expect them to alter these pieces of legislation before they are allowed to damage our plan for a sustainable future.

Letter dated June 3, 2025.
To: Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism and MPP for Brampton North.

“Dear Minister McGregor,

I find myself once again in the unfortunate position of writing to you about a piece of legislation which, if passed will be egregiously damaging to municipal plans to protect our environment. I’m talking about Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Smarter and Faster Act, 2025. I am alarmed that Bill 17 is being fast-tracked without debate and that it attacks municipal decision-making powers.  I am particularly concerned that the Bill will threaten the ability of municipalities to continue to use Green Development Standards to ensure that new homes are safe, weather-proof, energy efficient, and more affordable to operate. Construction methods have been quickly evolving, and Ontario’s building code has fallen behind the times. Forward thinking municipalities, like Brampton, are filling the gaps so that new homes are built using modern technologies to withstand extreme weather conditions, while improving energy efficiency and facilitating low-carbon options such as electric vehicle charging, and efficient, clean heating systems.

As a case in point, this past November my wife Dayle and I received an amber alert type message on our phone at 2:00am indicating the presence of a tornado in the vicinity of our home! It didn’t wake me; I was already awake because of the roar of the wind outside. While vicious storms in November have historically been the norm, a late fall tornado in southern Ontario is not. There should be no question that the severity of weather events in our area is increasing due to climate change along with the probability of significant property damage. Our governments, at both the municipal and provincial level, have the power to implement policies that will either mitigate or exacerbate the risks. I’m disappointed that the province has chosen the latter approach in the interests of meeting short-term objectives that are driven by ideological rather than evidence-based factors.

If needed, I can provide you with the fact-based arguments as to why Green Development Standards at the municipal level will not impact speed or affordability of housing starts but will improve home efficiencies and reduce operating costs, increasing home affordability for years to come. I would ask you to please raise these issues in your Provincial caucus meetings and let your Premier know that he will be on the wrong side of history if Bill 17 and Bill 5 pass without major modifications.

Thanks for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

David Laing, L6Z 2A1

David Laing – President, Brampton Environmental Alliance https://bramptonea.org

Emerald Energy from Waste is a private waste burning company located on Brampton’s southeast border with Mississauga. Emerald has been operating this plant since 1992. Recently, they submitted a proposal to the Ontario Government for permission to dramatically increase their plant capacity, to accommodate the equivalent of 1/3 of all of Ontario’s household waste and become the largest mass burn facility in Canada.

Emerald claims they are a clean, green technology company turning unwanted waste into sustainable electricity. Representatives, including experts from Environmental Defence, Toronto Environmental Alliance, and Region of Peel Public Health Department, dispute those claims citing the following facts:

• Burning waste produces 50% more carbon emissions per kilowatt-hour generated than coal and almost 3X the emissions compared with burning natural gas to create electricity,
• Burning plastics, textiles, preserved wood and other man-made materials produces a range of chemicals that are known to cause health problems including cancer, endocrine system disruption, and respiratory issues such as asthma. Peel Public Health has noted that air quality in the area near the plant is already compromised. If the expansion proceeds, the level of these chemicals in smokestack emissions would greatly exceed Provincial and Federal guidelines according to the company’s own forecasts,
• The expansion would result in a 5-fold increase in carbon emissions that would affect municipal emissions reductions targets,
• The emissions from the plant’s stacks are self-monitored by the company. They are subject to inspection by the Province but that happens only once per year, and then only after the plant has been notified of the coming inspection,
• The waste stream can contain high amounts of moisture that must be driven off before combustion. This often requires the facility to burn natural gas along with the waste stream to keep the material burning,
• In order to feed the plant, garbage would need to be trucked in from all over the Province adding to traffic congestion and exhaust emissions,
• Providing municipalities across the province with a cheap waste disposal alternative to landfill reduces the incentive for these local governments to support reduce, reuse and recycle programs.

The Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks is still reviewing the company’s proposal. There is time to stop this project. Time is of the essence. A decision could be rendered any day.

TELL THE PROVINCE TO REFUSE THE EXPANSION OF THE MEGA-INCINERATOR IN BRAMPTON

In the morning, the Bramalea Community Network hosted a Health and Wellness Day at the Knightsbridge Seniors Centre. About 30 neighbourhood residents attended including seniors from the Centre as well as families from the surrounding community.

The event featured presentations on nutrition, mental health, and overall well-being by expert speakers from William Osler Health System and B.L.O.O.M. Empowerment Group.

It also included a short chair yoga session.

About 10 community service organizations, including BikeBrampton and the BEA, were invited to set up information tables around the room’s perimeter.

Feedback on the resources and information provided was positive.

That evening, the BEA attended an Earth Hour event in the Caledon East Community Complex. This first ever event was organized by Eco-Caledon and sponsored by the Town.

Almost 300 attendees and 25 exhibitors spent the evening celebrating sustainability, environmentalism, and our collective efforts to protect the planet!

Exhibitors were encouraged to include interactive activities at their tables and they delivered. Magicians, kale smoothies, blue planet cookies, bean bag tosses, and heat pump demonstrations were all part of the mix.

The BEA’s activity was a One-Planet Pledge. Participants were invited to select one of the ten principles from the One Planet Living Framework® and then pledge to take two actions that would help fulfill that principle.

Join the Contest, take the One Planet Living Pledge for Earth Day 2025

Among the issues we faced: the Province prioritizing building Highway 413, and the efforts of the Emerald Energy From Waste company to expand its garbage burning operations in Brampton without appropriate environmental controls being in place. Of greater concern is the general apathy of the public towards environmental issues and the vitriolic response to public policies aimed at climate change mitigation, notably carbon pricing and rebates. The fact that we seemingly cannot have an adult conversation related to these important topics is deeply troubling.

Perhaps the biggest blow to our progress was in the area of active transportation, i.e. using human power to get around. After a decade of advocating, planning and, public consultation, a safe cycling network was beginning to emerge in the City of Brampton, one that would truly encourage more people to leave their cars at home for short-distance trips. And the data showed it was working. In previous posts we’ve described how the installation of bike lanes in the city increased the amount of cycling and improved road safety by slowing down the average road speeds. Counter-intuitively even though speed was reduced, actual travel time was shortened, meaning the roads were being used more efficiently. The reduction of carbon emissions was becoming significant.

Unfortunately, as the cycling network became more “obvious” to the public, city staff and Councillors received increasing levels of complaints. The situation worsened during the summer and fall of 2024 after Council responded to cyclists’ concerns resulting from continued bike lane parking violations and irresponsible driver actions that put cyclists’ lives at risk. Council voted to increase parking fines, and hired more by-law officers to enforce the rules. Protection barriers were installed at several intersections to prevent conflict situations.

These actions, while effective at changing driver behaviour for the better, also fueled a volley of anger and protest that threatened to create a cultural chasm between those wanting to perpetuate suburban car-centric planning and those who support a city transformation that includes safe, convenient, economically available and environmentally sustainable transportation choices. The former group’s objections were so vehement that they won the day and Council chose to back down. The Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) was suspended, pending review later this year.

This past fall another figurative nail was driven in the ATMP coffin as the Provincial Government enacted Bill 212. This poorly crafted, politically driven piece of legislation overrides local transportation policy planning. New bike lane installations now require Ministerial approval and the Province can force municipalities to remove bike lanes in certain situations. More egregiously, the legislation also absolves the province of legal liability for cyclists safety, despite a Provincial staff report indicating that bike lane removal would compromise road safety.

These policy decisions are heading us in the wrong direction despite a year of heightened climate risk, rising carbon emissions from transportation and roads that continue to be more dangerous by the day, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. Despite these setbacks BEA members continue to advocate, working with City Council and staff to make the best of the situation across all these fronts. I especially thank the members of our Board for their continued support and tireless contributions. Their efforts have led to several, more than modest wins. So, let me touch on a few of our efforts from 2024.

Advocacy

• Worked with Environmental Defence to ask the Federal government to request a full environmental assessment for highway 413,
• Met with the Mayor and Council members several times on various environmental issues related to active transportation, energy transformation and climate change,
• Met with MPP McGregor to advocate for Alectra policy changes that would support home electrification projects including installing residential heat pumps,
• Met with Brampton’s Government Relations department to advocate for carbon controls to be put onto Capital Power’s expansion proposal for the Goreway Gas Plant.

Events

• 2024 03 13 Brampton Environmental Alliance Annual General Meeting
• 2024 03 21 Wetlands Enhancement Project
• 2024 03 30 Ecosphere Conference & Job Fair
• 2024 04 17 Bramalea Community Network (BCN) Co-Design Workshop and Meeting
• 2024 04 20 Earth Day Festival
• 2024 04 21 Rooted in Hope Final Training Event
• 2024 05 11 Reconnect Brampton Clothing Swap
• 2024 05 23, Dearbourne Park Pollinator Habitat Planting Activity with BEA
• 2024 05 25 Laidlaw Park Tree Planting
• 2024 05 25 Chingucousy Park Bike Fest
• 2024 05 29 Peel Council on Aging Summit
• 10th Annual Bike the Creek Event
• 2024 06 18-19 Emerald Energy from Waste proposal, community meeting and City Council delegations. This item has been referred to City staff for a report back later this summer.
• 2024 06 15 Fred Klein Park tree planting & invasive species pull hosted by CVC
• 2024 06 25 Moving Electricity to fight Climate Change – DSF webinar
• 2024 07 04 Heart Lake Turtle Troopers Family Fun Night Picnic
• 2024 09 14 Unifor GTA West Environmental Council Ecofest in support of CVC
• 2024 10 05 CVC Fletcher’s Creek SNAP 5 year celebration event Fred Klein Park
• 2024 10 09 Emerald Energy from Waste Community Information Session
• 2024 10 22 Litter Reduction Charter Signing
• 2024 11 02 BEA Completes Healthy and Connected Bramalea Project

Education

• BEA delivered a keynote presentation at the Ecosphere Conference and Job Fair,
• BEA delivered Rooted in Hope Training event at Gore Meadows,
• BEA worked with Sierra Club, Toronto Environmental Alliance and Environmental Defence to host an information session on the Emerald Energy from Waste expansion proposal,
• BEA helped promote a David Suzuki Foundation webinar on Moving Electricity to fight climate change,
• BEA organized and helped deliver 2 bike repair workshops, 1 bicycle skills training session and three nature journaling workshops to residents in the Bramalea SNAP neighbourhood as part of Healthy and Connected Bramalea Project.

Collaboration & Networking

• The BEA AGM offered a great networking opportunity,
• Collaborated with BikeBrampton, Sierra Club and Brampton staff on the organizing committee helping plan for the City’s Earth Day Grow Green Celebration and Grow Green Awards Presentation,
• Collaborated with TRCA, BikeBrampton and ACER on the delivery of the Rooted in Hope Project,
• Collaborated with Sierra Club and BikeBrampton to keep Bike the Creek as a waste free event,
• Collaborated with TRCA’s Bramalea SNAP team, BikeBrampton to deliver Healthy and Connected Bramalea Project,
• Participated with the City’s Community Safety and Well-being Office on Litter Reduction Task Force and the development of the Litter Free Charter.

As 2025 kicks off, the Trump tariffs loom as a potentially catastrophic blow to the Canadian economy and the friendly interconnected relationship that has existed between Canada and the United States for over a century. I am hopeful, however, that something good will emerge from this chaos. A breakdown of inter-provincial trade barriers that have historically made it easier for Canadian businesses to sell to customers in Arizona than to neighbouring provinces. A regenerated pride in our country, A focus on self-reliance. A desire to work together as a country and leave partisanship and petty differences behind.

We live in a country of immense natural, cultural and economic wealth. Perhaps the greatest benefit will be that we recognize how precious, how tenuous these benefits are and the importance of putting in the necessary effort to protect them against existential threats, a U.S. economic takeover, or a climate induced apocalypse. We can no longer afford to take these features for granted.

The last Provincial election was decided by fewer than 20% of Ontario’s eligible voters. That’s not democracy, that’s indifference. With an Ontario election looming, we all need to understand the critical issues affecting us. Your vote in the upcoming election could dramatically impact your cost of living, and your access to health services, affordable housing, insurance, food, and more?

The OCEC is planning a virtual non-partisan Town Hall for February 13th from 7:00-8:30pm designed to help you make informed choices. Hear key policy records of each party and an expert panelists’ discussion of the real-life impacts of those policies on you and your loved ones. The session will be interactive. You can ask the panelists your questions during the Q+A at the end of the session.