(Vancouver) As the Metro Vancouver transportation and transit plebiscite continues to dominate public discussion, a new study offers insights into how parents of young children travel from place to place within Vancouver, and how they’d like to see their experience improve.
Environment and sustainability
We know that we don't want to invest in more fossil fuel infrastructure, so what's the alternative green infrastructure we want? Marc Lee takes a cut at this question with a case study of the City of Vancouver's Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU), which powers the new Southeast False Creek neighbourhood.
A new report questions the long-term environmental sustainability of many elements of Saskatchewan's economic growth strategy.
A choice is before us. Metro Vancouver’s upcoming transportation referendum is a rare opportunity to significantly enhance transit services, boost local employment and tackle climate change.
Metro Vancouver voters are being asked to support a 0.5 percentage point increase to the provincial sales tax (PST), which would raise $2.5 billion over ten years. Together with contributions from federal and provincial governments this means an overall $7.5 billion capital plan for transit and transportation.
In mid-March, residents of Metro Vancouver will receive mail ballots giving them a chance to vote in the region’s transit and transportation referendum. Ballots must be returned by mail by May 29.
Specifically, Metro Vancouver voters are being asked if they support a 0.5 percentage point increase to the provincial sales tax (officially known as the Congestion Improvement Tax), applied only in the Metro Vancouver region, in order to fund new public transit and transportation infrastructure.
Inside this issue:
On October 30, TransCanada Corporation submitted its 30,000-page application for the construction of the Energy East pipeline to the National Energy Board (NEB). Company execs, federal and provincial politicians, and promoters in the media say the project is more than just a new route for landlocked tar sands. In a November 6 Globe and Mail op-ed, ormer New Brunswick premier and current deputy chairman of TD Bank Frank McKenna said, “Energy East, much like the Canadian railway, is a true representation of nation-building at its very best.”
I practise public interest law. My files often involve basic questions affecting fundamental legal and economic arrangements in our society. The issues are often daunting. Fortunately I have lots of help from talented colleagues at Sack Goldblatt Mitchell. While we do our part, the following cases reflect the determination of civil society groups and progressive trade unions to defend our commons—the institutions and economic arrangements that were built to serve the collective or public interest.
Stealing from the Canadian Wheat Board
The world is already witnessing severe impacts of climate change on lives and livelihoods. Global damage from climate change and fossil fuel development was estimated at $1.2 trillion in 2010, or 1.6 per cent of world GDP, and is projected to rise to 3.2 per cent by 2030. Over the past several years alone, the severity of extreme weather events impacted millions of lives. In some cases, changes in climate will induce permanent or temporary displacements, and the forced movement of people will only increase over the coming decades.
This paper examines often-ignored questions of climate justice: given Canada’s historical and ongoing contribution to global warming, what is our collective obligation to people fleeing regions most affected by climate change, and how prepared are we to meet these obligations?