#racetozero – Climate Action Muskoka

RTO-ERO and CAM Taking Action In a Climate Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Muskoka – An exciting new initiative to take action on the Climate Crisis in Muskoka was launched Friday at the weekly Climate Strike in Memorial Park, Bracebridge. The Muskoka Chapter of the Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO) is supporting Climate Action Muskoka (CAM) with a financial donation to be used to promote the CAM 50% by 2030 Community Carbon Challenge.

The Challenge calls on all Muskoka households, businesses and groups to assume the same greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal – 50% by 2030 – as the District of Muskoka and the area municipalities. Sign up to take the challenge at climateactionmuskoka.org.

RTO-ERO’s goal is to significantly increase the number of households in Muskoka who pledge to take action to make a difference in sustaining the Muskoka environment. They also want to promote the use of the Carbon Calculator on the CAM website and encourage changes in behavior by individuals and households.

RTO-ERO is looking at three different steps to achieve its goal and, to that end, has printed bookmarks to invite participation by both permanent and seasonal residents and to provide lots of simple ideas for GHG reductions. The group will be:

providing posters and bookmarks to Muskoka businesses that are frequented by seasonal residents to provide information on the Community Carbon Challenge and how to access it. Watch for posters and bookmarks coming soon to local businesses and bulletin boards across Muskoka!
providing bookmarks to all municipalities in Muskoka.
distributing bookmarks to all junior level classrooms in Muskoka, along with some curriculum ideas for teachers, to encourage students and their parents to take up the Community Carbon Challenge.

The Retired Teachers of Ontario, District 46, Muskoka (RTOERO) endorsed the efforts of CAM almost a year and a half ago and can now report that the District of Muskoka, the Township of Lake of Bays, and the Town Councils of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville have joined the Township of Georgian Bay in declaring a climate emergency.

For more information contact Joanne Garvey at president46@districts.rtoero.ca or CAM at climateactionmuskoka@gmail.com

Kudos to Huntsville Town Council for Passing a Climate Emergency Resolution

Huntsville passes Climate Emeregency Resolution

Huntsville becomes the third Muskoka municipality to declare a strong Climate Emergency resolution, joining the Township of Georgian Bay and the Town of Gravenhurst. The resolution which was passed was rewritten by the Muskoka CAOs from the original CAM resolution. It includes the language and the strong targets in the original resolution. However, the community engagement component was missing but was added back in with an amendment by Mayor Terziano. This will ensure that Huntsville voices and Huntsville-specific actions are included in the Community Action Plan to be developed.

Natural Gas Subsidies In Muskoka

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2021

MUSKOKA – On June 13, 2021 Climate Action Muskoka (CAM) sent an open letter to MPP Miller and Premier Ford to raise awareness of a misguided Ontario policy – the expansion of new gas lines. The goal of affordable home heating is a good one. However, adding more greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere is not the way to go. Muskoka must reduce GHG emissions 50% by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.

CAM advocates practical, workable solutions. We suggested four obvious ways to eliminate the need for natural gas heating: 1) super-insulated buildings require far less energy to heat; 2) advancements in heat pump technology make them the most energy efficient form of heating available (and they function well to -20C); 3) solar panels can help reduce the need for grid electricity; and 4) cash rebates can offset electrical energy costs. CAM also opposes the use of natural gas to generate electricity.

Our letter cited the government subsidies for Burk’s Falls and Hidden Valley. The cost: $3.1M for 144 buildings ($21,500 per unit!). We did not include the cost of the full Natural Gas Expansion Program (NGEP). In 2018 the Ford government put aside $234M to fund new gas distribution to 8,750 buildings ($26,000 per unit!).

It is provincial tax contributions that are funding the installation of natural gas lines by private companies. However, residents will be required to purchase natural gas furnaces themselves, committing them to the use of GHG-emitting fossil fuels for the next decade.

CAM believes that the NGEP is a misguided use of our Provincial resources. The policy does not reduce heating costs for the majority of Ontarians, and causes significant harm to our environment.

The Ford government is not responding to the urgency of the climate crisis and taking appropriate steps to address it. In fact, the government has already spent $231M to cancel over 750 renewable energy projects. As well, they have proposed legislation (within Bill 276) to repeal the existing requirement to give priority consideration to renewable energy production.

CAM calls on the provincial government to:

1. Halt and reverse the expansion of natural gas distribution.

2. Phase out gas-fired power plants by 2030.

3. Spend the previously allocated funds on energy solutions that reduce GHGs.

4. Distribute the benefits of the spending more equitably.

Oliver Klimek

On behalf of Climate Action Muskoka

Gravenhurst Climate Emergency

April 20, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MUSKOKA – Gravenhurst has become the first Town in Muskoka to unanimously declare a Climate Emergency and to align its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals with the District of Muskoka’s targets – a significant event in Earth Week, 2021.

At its Tuesday, April 20, 2021 meeting, Council passed a Climate Emergency resolution brought by Climate Action Muskoka (CAM), pledging to reduce its GHG emissions 50% by 2030, reaching zero by 2050.

“It’s the miniature, little needle-pushing that we do – our municipality, other municipalities, the province, federally that add up and make it a success,” said Councillor Steven Klinck, “And in the end, and hopefully as a nation, we reach these goals. If we fail, at least we failed trying.”

In her presentation, CAM co-founder Sue McKenzie stressed the urgency of taking action, noting that in 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gave us just 11 years to take significant action to limit global heating before planetary tipping points are reached. This has now shrunk to 9 years. She urged Gravenhurst to join the over 10 000 cities and municipalities around the world which have adopted meaningful carbon emission reduction targets.

“We are ecstatic about this outcome,” McKenzie said. “We only have praise for the forward-thinking Gravenhurst councillors who understand everyone must take action NOW to keep global heating below 1.5C. I am so proud to live in Gravenhurst!”

Councillor Sandy Cairns, who seconded the motion, stressed the importance of putting Gravenhurst on the map as a community moving forward on climate action. Echoing her comments, Councillor John Gordon, mover of the motion, noted that Earth Week is a great time for Gravenhurst to show its commitment to making the earth a liveable place for all future generations.

Councillor Jo Morphy liked the idea of showing climate impacts of Town decisions on reports and Councillor Penny Varney pointed out that many people in the community want to know what they can do to help.

Mayor Paul Kelly stressed the importance of collaboration among the municipalities, noting that area CAOs are already working on a plan to co-ordinate actions.

CAM will ask the other lower-tier governments in Muskoka to pass the same resolution over the next few months. The Township of Georgian Bay declared a Climate Emergency in February, 2020, and has a Climate Action Plan in place.

Read the full resolution at climateactionmuskoka.org. Take individual action by signing on to CAM’s Community Carbon Challenge, also on the website. You can watch the replay of the Council discussion at https://www.gravenhurst.ca/en/town-hall/webcasts.aspx

Re-Imagining the Future: Climate Action Muskoka Launches Vision

This is the first submission in the Re-Imagining Series from Climate Action Muskoka – MuskokaRegion.com

Imagine a future where we are no longer staring down a climate crisis but are experiencing a drawdown of carbon from the atmosphere, where the health and well-being of people in an equitable and resilient Muskoka are reflected in communities around the world, and where a global response to what was once a heating planet has been achieved.

Imagine our Muskoka filled with small, thriving, locally-supported businesses and hundreds of green energy and care sector living-wage jobs — where everyone has an affordable, sustainable home built or retrofitted with carbon sequestering materials — a Muskoka powered by locally produced electric power.

Imagine walking or cycling to services from your neighbourhood, visiting neighbouring communities via a network of paved, separated and safe cycling lanes. Imagine no more noisy, internal combustion engines, quiet streets and lakes, an accessible public transport system, an inexpensive train service linking us to communities both near and far.

Imagine urban agriculture within easy walking or cycling distance of our homes where we can work our own plot, buy fresh, local, organic produce, or subscribe to a regular delivery of produce to our homes — a Muskoka where feeding ourselves means food no longer travels long distances or is at the whim of constant price rises. Imagine a tourism economy thriving on ecotourism in a protected and cherished world class destination.

Imagine a future in which we no longer worry about our children’s and grandchildren’s future, because we ensured it would be safe 20 years ago when we took action in 2021.

We know the path we are on now is unsustainable. We know we need to set out on a new path. Join our inspired Climate Action Muskoka team of contributors on a journey as they look to Muskoka in 2030, 2040, and onwards. Through a series of columns, they will be Re-Imagining the Future and capturing the steps we need to take now in order to get there.

From their diverse areas of expertise, our writers will help us imagine a decarbonized, equitable and resilient Muskoka. They will motivate us to see our opportunities as individuals, as communities, and as elected officials to get to where we need to go. Seeing what that future could look like makes it easier for us to embrace the changes needed now to get there.

Impossible you say? We are at a crossroad with opportunities like never before. We have the solutions. Join us as we explore the possibilities within our own Muskoka communities.

Imagine what a collective difference we could create in Muskoka if our very first step is to take up the Community Carbon Challenge (CCC) and reduce our own carbon footprint 50 per cent by 2030: climateactionmuskoka.org

In the words of Christiana Figueres, key architect of the Paris Accord, “Impossible is not a fact. It is an attitude.”

Linda Mathers -Thursday, March 11, 2021

Linda Mathers is a retired teacher, advocate and longtime volunteer working for a future for her grandchildren.

Find links to all the columns in the series –here

Who Are The Rabble Rousers To Watch In 2021?

Fridays For Future weekly climate strikers before the covid19 lockdown
Bracebridge, Muskoka, Ontario

Why Muskoka Declared a Climate Emergency

Maya Bhullar – March 4, 2021

In 2020, amidst the pandemic, the district government of Muskoka declared a climate emergency and endorsed a plan which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and take them down to zero by 2050. This is a region which votes staunchly conservative every provincial and federal election. Who made this happen and how did they do it? The organization behind the curtain working tirelessly to make these changes are the “rabble rousers to watch” at Climate Action Muskoka. Here is what I learned in my interview with rabble rousers Sue McKenzie and Linda Mathers from Climate Action Muskoka. Read the whole story – here

Listen to Sue McKenzie and Linda Mathers speak with Maya Bhullar about how they organized to have their municipality declare a climate emergency on rabble radio- here.