Tag: 50by30WR

Power Up! Rally, Saturday 4 November 2023 at Carl Zehr Square, Kitchener

What: Power Up! Rally
When: 1:00pm on Saturday, 4 November 2023
Where: Carl Zehr Square, Kitchener City Hall
Location: 200 King Street West, Kitchener Map

You and your family are invited to the Power Up! Rally where we’ll bring clarity not only to the anticipated near to medium term impacts and implications of climate change on Southwestern Ontario, but also explore the progress being made on Waterloo Region’s Transform WR Plan (to achieve 50% reduction of fossil fuel use in the Region by 2030). In addition, there will be brief presentations by experts in solar power,heat pumps and geothermal projects to highlight clean energy options, and a local federal Member of Parliament about federal initiatives and programming. The Rally will end with ‘what WE can do NOW’ presentations by a variety of local activists and experts.

This Rally is being organized by 350 (left-pointing arrow to the left of numbers 350, white on a blue background)350.org in partnership with 50×30, Council of Canadians, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, and Faith Climate Justice. We hope you’ll encourage your children and grandchildren to have fun creating signs, solar panels and heat pumps out of craft materials that they could bring and showcase. Also, please feel free to share this invitation and the graphic below widely through your personal and professional networks. The impacts of climate change are coming at us faster than we may have ever imagined but, together, we can work to ensure the ongoing security and quality of life of people in Waterloo Region.

Edit:
Our first Speaker is Kathryn Bakos from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation. She will talk about the expected climate impacts for Southern Ontario, the urgency for transition off of fossil fuels, and steps we can take to enhance energy efficiency, flood and fire protection, while saving money on energy and home insurance premiums.

A variety of speakers will highlight local or nearby climate solutions, such as West 5, which is Ontario’s first mixed-use Net Zero community, and Heather McDiarmid about the potential of Air Source Heat Pumps. We will also have Aislinn Clancy and Deb Chapman give their perspectives on local initiatives, and Mike Morrice, MP, will talk about Federal initiatives.

The rally will end with “What We Can Do Now” to support local initiatives and join local groups. One action is to sign a petition calling on the Federal Government to apply a 15% windfall profit tax on fossil fuel companies operating in Canada, and directing that revenue to support further action on climate change and improve affordability for Canadians, such as investments in public transit, retrofitting buildings and greening the electricity grid.

November 04, 2023 | Join us at Carl Zehr Square, 200 King St W at 1:00pm | Be part of a global day of action calling on our leaders to speed up the shift to renewable energy | Power Up for Climate Solutions! | Find out more at globalpowerup.org/canada

Climate Rally at Willow River Park on Saturday 16 September 2023 at 2:30pm

Join 50by30WR for the Global Rally

What: Global Climate Rally: Protect our Environment, Protect our Greenbelt
Where: Willow River Park at the Clock Tower (aka Victoria Park) Map
Website: https://www.50by30wr.ca/event-details/climate-rally-protect-our-environment-protect-our-greenbelt
RSVP: with 50by30WR; with Green Party of Canada

A coalition of environmental and climate groups will stand together for the future of our Earth.

After a summer of smoke, fires, and devastating extreme weather events worldwide we will be calling out all levels of government to pass legislation and recognize the importance of our environment, that acknowledges how interrelated health care, land development, and future jobs are, and takes action to ensure the safety of our future. The lives and livelihoods of millions are being impacted, particularly Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities in Canada and the Global South.

On September 16th, we rally, we march, and we demand change!

We will meet at the Clock Tower in Victoria Park at 2:30 pm

Speakers will start at 3:30 pm until 4:15 pm. Come and listen to climate groups, activists, and environmental advocates from Waterloo Region and surrounding.

Local groups will be at the event to share information about their efforts.

Speaker List: 3:30 pm

  • Opening – 50by30WR – Stephanie Goertz
  • Smudging & Indigenous Opening – Cheryl Baker
  • Kitchener South Green MP Mike Morrice
  • Council of Canadians – Marilyn Hay
  • 50by30WR & Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign – Barbara Schumacher
  • Faith Climate Justice – Kai Reimer-Watts
  • Kitchener Councillor and NDP MPP Candidate Debbie Chapman
  • Waterloo Region Labour Council – Ramzi Abdi
  • Kitchener Councillor and Green MPP Candidate Aislinn Clancy

…additional speakers will be added shortly…

This is a great way for you and your family/friends to get more involved in local initiatives.

Information Tables:

Canada is burning. Time to act. | Global Rally | For our Environment | For our Greenbelt | Kitchener | Sat. Sept. 16 (2023) - Victoria Park, at the Clock Tower | 2:30 - 4:30pm | Bring your Signs!! | www.50by30wr.ca | www.endfossilfuels.ca | Faith Climate Justice WR | 50% emissions reduction by 2030 (white lettering with green and red highlights on a dark gray background to look like smoke clouds, red&white image of people marching carrying signs, with an illustration of a bullhorn near the bottom of the poster)
 

Rally Against the Big Sprawl: 2pm Sat 29 July 2023 in Waterloo Park

When: 2:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday 29 July 2023
Where: Waterloo Park
Rally Location: University Ave between Westmount and Seagram Map 1
Picnic Location: The Bandshell Map 2
Website: https://stopsprawlwr.wixsite.com/rally
Email: nvecoboosters@gmail.com

Rally Against the Big Sprawl | Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Rally 2-3pm * Picnic 3-4pm | University Ave. W., between Westmount and Seagram | Waterloo Park, Waterloo | www.50by30WR.ca * nvecoboosters@gmail.com

In the midst of our affordable housing and environmental crises, the Provincial government is removing land protection legislation to enable the construction of inefficient and expensive detached houses on precious farmland, the Greenbelt, and other natural spaces. This housing is not affordable for most people nor is it usually accessible by public transit.

Furthering the devastation of Bill 23, the Ontario government has already overridden the successful and strongly supported sustainable Waterloo Region and Hamilton Official Plans, forcing thousands of acres of additional unnecessary farmland loss. Now the province has proposed allowing every farm and rural property across Ontario three severances with up to 12 building lots and homes on each and every farm — forever devastating our agricultural system, impairing our ability to produce food, and threatening our groundwater aquifers.

The province is proposing full-throttle sprawl that undermines sustainable, transit-supportive, affordable communities. They want to cut policies requiring efficient growth and eliminate policies protecting environmentally sensitive areas and wetlands. The government even wants to delete the Provincial definition of “affordable housing.”

The facts are that municipalities already have enough land allocated to build over 2 million homes.

Focusing only on housing supply without considering affordability or sustainability will not fix the Page 1housing crisis. There is no need to force unsustainable boundary expansions, destroy irreplaceable farmland, remove environmental lands from the Greenbelt, and threaten our water supplies.

Concerned groups and representatives from community, environmental, affordable housing, climate change, and agricultural organizations are planning a community rally this coming Saturday, July 29th starting at 2pm along University Avenue West in Waterloo, followed by speakers and a picnic at the nearby Bandshell in Waterloo Park. Confirmed speakers include Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife, Green Party Candidate Aislinn Clancy, NDP Candidate Debbie Chapman, National Farmers Union President Jenn Pfenning, and representatives from Hold The Line and ACORN.

Citizens are urged to join the rally on Saturday at 2pm with creative signs at the corner of University and Seagram Drive in Waterloo and submit comments to the Environmental Registry of Ontario prior to the August 4th deadline to help ensure numerous improvements to the proposed PPS — most importantly the full and complete removal of any sort of rural severances — upholding the No Rural Severances Policy that the Region of Waterloo and other municipalities have had in place for decades.

In summary, our members and groups want to ensure a future with sustainable, affordable, transit-supported development in complete communities on already approved lands within our current urban boundaries across Ontario.

More Info

Learn more about the event at Stop the Sprawl Rally or www.50by30wr.ca

About:

Grand River Environmental Network (https://www.gren.ca) is a grassroots community group that is a proactive voice for the environment in the Grand River Watershed.

The Nith Valley EcoBoosters (www.nvecoboosters.com) is a not for profit, non-partisan volunteer group committed to achieving and supporting a long-term healthy environment in Wilmot and Wellesley Townships through education, action and collaboration.

Keep the Greenbelt Promise (www.greenbeltpromise.ca) is a network of grassroots organizations working together to stop development in the Greenbelt, on farmland, and in natural areas.

Media Inquiries: