"Environmentalists are urging the City of Ottawa to inject green values into its revamped Official Plan, which will frame the city’s expansion and development over the next 25 years.
Some citizens are concerned about how the municipal government intends to address climate change and incorporate environmentally sustainable policies and strategies into the city’s blueprint for growth, which will be drafted over the next year or so.
Paul Johanis, chair of the Greenspace Alliance — a local non-profit environmental organization — says that the Official Plan must hold the City of Ottawa accountable for climate change.
“This has to be really proven by the city — that they are serious about climate change by making big changes in the Official Plan to respond to the climate emergency,” said Johanis.
There are five major themes proposed within the Official Plan. One, resiliency, is expected to guide how the city will respond to climate change."