Summer’s almost here and the forest fire season is already well underway, exacerbated by climate change. As Canada’s GHG emissions continue to rise, we must prepare ourselves for the new reality of extreme weather events. Our governments must take action to help our communities adapt and they must do everything they can to prevent the consequences of climate change from getting worse.
40 organizations, including Équiterre, gathered in front of the National Assembly recently to express this collective frustration, calling on the government to listen and to include Quebec citizens in the discussions around the province’s energy and socio-ecological transition.
And to reinforce the next generation of environmentalists, Équiterre launched the 14th edition of the Laure Waridel Bursary, to encourage student contribution to the ecological transition.
Call for more coherence and transparency on environmental issues from the Quebec government
A quarter of car trips could be made by electric bike
Electrically assisted bicycles (EABs) could replace cars in a quarter of the trips made in the greater Montreal metropolitan area, according to Équiterre’s recent report from our Vélovolt campaign. With 70 % of Quebecers living in metropolitan areas, there’s huge potential for EABs to replace car usage.
In addition to the health and environmental benefits, there’s also an economic upside. Replacing a car with a combo of e-bike and public transit could save a household up to $7,146 a year! Take advantage of the warmer weather to give it a try and enjoy all the benefits.
Agriculture and food
The stakes are high for our farmland
Our message is clear: if we continue to lose farmland, there will be less and less local food available to put on our plates. Our farm fields are not just part of the landscape. They’re our food security and a major part of our Quebec identity. Yet we’re losing them at an alarming rate, such as this field in Laval that has been replaced by… a gas station.
The consequences are clear and are costing us dearly. The scarcity of harvested crops, coupled with the climate crisis, continue to drive up prices at the grocery store. This has led certain companies to resort to commercial practices such as shrinkflation and skimpflation. Many of you expressed interest in this subject in our previous newsletter, so we invite you to have a look at our recent webinar (in French) to learn more about these practices.
You can help us take this project further, if you could please take a few minutes to respond to our survey (in French) about your grocery store experiences.
Mobility
Public transportation in Quebec: more bureaucracy than services?
Though the creation of Mobilité Infra Québec has been announced, an agency which will seek to analyze, plan and carry out transport infrastructure projects, it does not address the immediate needs of Quebecers for more frequent, reliable and affordable public transport services.
As we continue to work on these issues, we’re also turning to the federal government to request accelerated fundingfor public transportation, an essential element for a successful ecological transition.
Help us pursue our work for public transit and agricultural land
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