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Councilors from Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, will be responsible for the likely deaths of thousands of their citizens, the destruction of their local economy, and serious damage to the environment if they continue to bow to uninformed activists and municipal staff who support their Climate Change Master Plan. For this plan will force the city to electrify virtually everything with costly, unreliable, and environmentally damaging wind and solar power, a staggering 710 industrial wind turbines taller than the Statue of Liberty, and 36 square kilometers of solar panels.
One of the most egregiously bad parts of Ottawa’s plans concern transportation. Besides spending $1 billion by 2027 on electric buses, city planners intend to:
- Restrict sales of new personal vehicles to accelerate conversion to electric vehicles (EVs)
- Subsidize the installation of fast rechargers for EVs
- Require 40% of heavy trucks operating in the city by 2030 to be “zero emission”
- Require all commercial vehicle fleets (e.g., delivery vans, taxis, etc.) to be zero emission by 2030
- Pursue the goal that over 50% of commuters travel by transit, cycling, or walking by 2050
- Prioritize bicycle paths over roadways
- Ban parking in Byward Market and the downtown core of Ottawa by 2030
- Eliminate requirements that developers provide parking for new residential and commercial developments
- Convert many streets into car-free zones
If all this ever comes close to being carried out, Ottawans will undoubtedly throw out every councilor who supported the plan in the next election.
Tom Harris is joined by Bob Lyman, former Director General, of Environmental Affairs in Transport Canada, to discuss why the transportation components of the city’s plans are impractical, expensive, unnecessary, and threaten our energy security. Urban planners are trying to substitute their preferences for those of the general public.
Mr. Lyman spent 37 years in the Canadian public service as an economist, policy advisor, and Canadian diplomat. At Transport Canada, he leads the analysis and policy development with respect to emissions reduction in the transport sector, the development and implementation of climate programs, and promotion of technology development to reduce emissions in that sector.
Join Bob Lyman and Tom in this week’s episode of The Other Side of the Story to hear a cautionary tale of what cities across the Western world must avoid.
References relevant to this show:
- “Citizens challenge Ottawa’s climate and energy plans at Environment and Climate Change Committee hearing,” April 18, 2023, videos of five “delegations” in opposition to the city’s dangerous plans. Robert Lyman’s delegation may be seen here.
- “Ottawa Shows What Happens When Cities Bow to Climate Alarmism,” by Tom Harris, America Out Loud, May 3, 2023
- “Ottawa’s Climate Plans ‘Irresponsible,’” by Tom Harris, Canada Free Press, April 27, 2023
- “Nuclear Power Is an Ideal Solution for Modern Cities,” by Tom Harris, America Out Loud, April 24, 2023
- “Climate Plans Will Leave Us Bankrupt, Hungry, and Freezing in the Dark – Harris’ February 21st testimony before the City of Ottawa enviro committee,” By Tom Harris, Canada Free Press, March 8, 2023
- “Fighting Back Against Climate Alarmism, OTTAWA-STYLE!,” by Tom Harris, America Out Loud, March 8, 2023
- “Ottawans ‘Mad as Hell and Aren’t Going to Take it Anymore’,” by Tom Harris, America Out Loud, March 2, 2023
- “Ottawans Furious About City’s Dangerous Climate Plans,” by Tom Harris, America Out Loud, February 23, 2023
- “Ottawa’s Suicidal Climate Plans a Cautionary Tale for Governments Everywhere,” by Tom Harris and Dr. Jay Lehr, Canada Free Press, April 14, 2022
- “Ottawa Committing Climate Suicide with Dangerous Energy Plans,” by Dr. Jay Lehr and Tom Harris, America Out Loud, March 22, 2022
- “Wind and Solar are the Most Environmentally Destructive Energy Sources,” by Dr. Jay Lehr and Tom Harris, America Out Loud, July 7, 2021
Image: Ottawa’s Climate Emergency protest. Flickr
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