Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

Greater Toronto Region (1339 articles)

On this site, the Greater Toronto Region includes the City of Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, and areas to the north. There are close to a dozen rivers running through this area, which is home to roughly 4-millioni people. The area is highly urbanized, and water quality is influenced by airports, development, sewage overflows, and industrial facilities. Toronto is also the Provincial Capitol. Toronto Harbour is one of Lake Ontario's "Areas of Concern".

YorkRegion Article: Region ‘offends, insults’ Georgina

October 19th, 2011

A proposal to treat north York Region’s wastewater in the Lake Simcoe watershed rather than Lake Ontario’s is in the early stages but already touching off some contentious debate.Regional mayors and councillors spent nearly two hours at the environmental services committee yesterday challenging staff on the details of the Upper York Sewage Solutions project.Georgina... (more)

(0 comments) Development & Land Use Fish Greater Toronto Region Sewers & Urban Runoff Swim

Liberals halt Mississauga power plant

September 26th, 2011

Less than two weeks before the Ontario election, the Liberals have announced they are halting construction of a controversial gas-fired power plant in Mississauga.Liberal candidates Charles Sousa, Donna Cansfield, Laurel Broten and Dipika Damerla gathered in the Toronto suburb on Saturday to announce that the Eastern Power Ltd. plant would not go forward at its current... (more)

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Toronto News: Minor explosion at Ashbridge’s Bay treatment plant – thestar.com

September 20th, 2011

A minor explosion happened at the Ashbridge's Bay waste water treatment plant on Saturday morning, according to Toronto Police.Toronto Water confirmed that a fire started at the pelletizer facility of the treatment plant at about 8:45 a.m. The pelletizer is operated by Veolia Water Canada Inc. on behalf of the city, turning sewage sludge into pellets the company sells as... (more)

(0 comments) Drink Fish Greater Toronto Region Sewers & Urban Runoff Waste Management

Who decides on land use in Port Lands and Mississauga? – thestar.com

September 20th, 2011

Toronto’s city council is about to weigh in on Mayor Rob Ford’s intervention into the Port Lands development, and the Mississauga inquiry is about to report on Mayor Hazel McCallion’s intervention in the city centre development. Already one can see a shared question mark linking the two GTA controversies: when it comes to a city’s prominent lands, what checks and... (more)

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Mississauga Article: Power plant fight wages on

September 16th, 2011

If tonight's rally against a power plant being built in the city's east end is any indication of the battle that lies ahead, it will be a good fight.A standing room only crowd of Mississauga and Etobicoke residents packed into Le Treport Wedding & Convention Centre to send a clear message to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.Waving signs that read, "Stop the Sherway... (more)

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The waterfront’s sad history of errors – thestar.com

September 15th, 2011

Toronto’s waterfront is at a pivotal historical moment. For a decade, the city’s long legacy of unfulfilled waterfront plans and cantankerous relationships among government agencies, development organizations and the general public has been resolved. But Mayor Rob Ford’s recently announced “vision” has created a crisis by destabilizing this hard-won accord.His... (more)

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It’s a mistake making Toronto’s waterfront ‘a spectacle,’ critics say – The Globe and Mail

September 15th, 2011

Mayor Rob Ford’s plan for the Port Lands is “window-dressing for an old-fashion land deal,” say a group of academics, urban designers and architects in an open letter to city councillors.The letter, delivered to the mayor and councillors Thursday afternoon, takes aim at the ambitious vision championed by the mayor and his brother Councillor Doug Ford to put a... (more)

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Ferris wheel pitchman says ‘only Rob Ford’ listened – The Globe and Mail

September 15th, 2011

When Councillor Doug Ford introduced the notion of a waterfront Ferris wheel for the moribund Port Lands, one person in Toronto wasn’t a bit surprised.John Kowal has talked to countless civic leaders about his money-making proposition for the city. The 77-year-old retired manufacturing engineer says he has been pitching a giant wheel modelled after the London Eye for... (more)

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Toronto News: We can pay for Port Lands plan, Waterfront Toronto says – thestar.com

September 8th, 2011

In a challenge to Mayor Rob Ford, Waterfront Toronto’s board chair says the agency will have no problem coming up with the money for flood protection in the Port Lands.Ford cited Waterfront Toronto’s supposed inability to fund the $634 million flood protection project as a main reason council should dismiss its plans for a Port Lands neighbourhood and put the city-owned... (more)

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Doug Ford’s waterfront fantasy meets numbers and facts | Ford Focus | torontolife.com

September 8th, 2011

The buzz-kills over at the Globe and Mail have thrown cold water all over Doug Ford’s plans for the Port Lands. Chief among the paper’s not-so-surprising revelations is that Ford’s plans could very well require “a significantly revised environmental assessment,” which would amount to a major speed bump (read: millions of dollars) for the project. In other words, if... (more)

(0 comments) Development & Land Use Drink Environmental Law Fish Greater Toronto Region Groundwater Industrial Emissions Sewers & Urban Runoff Shipping, boating & navigation Swim Waste Management