The Canadian Opera Company in Toronto is doing their part to stop the decline of bee populations in North America by installing two honey bee hives on the roof of their building. Recent studies have shown that urban bees often fare better than their rural counterparts due to lower pesticide exposure.
Read about the project here.
In an effort to increase turnout at the polls, Alberta Liberals are proposing a $50 tax credit for those who vote in the provincial election. The proposal is part of a 12-point strategy to increase accountability and effectiveness in government. Read the full story in the Globe and Mail.
An increase in shelter space and improved services for those will mental illnesses and addictions are helping to reduce Vancouver’s crime rate. Programs such Operation Co-operation, Safer Parking Initiative, Project Griffin, and Bar Watch are also helping reduce crime. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
In an effort to boost cycling as a mode of transportation from 3.7% to 10%, the city of Vancouver is allocating $25 million dollars towards a two year plan aiming for a reduction in road space for cars. The city has already converted a lane of traffic from the both the Burrard Street Bridge and the Georgia Viaduct to cycling lanes, with very little fuss. Learn about what a road diet is here.
Vancouver has signed on to be Canada’s first Fair Trade City. With an ethical purchasing policy already in use, this move further establishes the city’s commitment to buying products that were made with fair and sustainable labour practices. Read the full story in the Vancouver Observer.
A parkade rooftop in the Downtown Eastside is about to become the city’s first urban rooftop farm. Food grown at the farm will be sold to local residents and distributed to local inner-city agencies and kitchens. The managers of the project expect to hire 25 part-time workers from the community. Read the full story in the Vancouver Sun.
The BC Liberals maintain that education gets more money every year, and that teachers are misrepresenting the situation by asking for more funding. However, a close analysis shows that current funding fails to meet the true cost of sustaining public schools, resulting in a structural funding shortfall. Read the full story in The Tyee.
The City of New Westminister has become the first municipality in Canada to adopt a living wage policy. A living wage is calculated as the income two working parents would need in order to support a family of four with adequate food and shelter, and adequate funds to participate in their community. In Metro Vancouver, a living wage is calculated as $16.74/hour. View New Westminister City Councillor Jamie McEvoy’s presentation here.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has proposed a national food policy that aims at encouraging Canadians to eat better, while boosting the agricultural sector. The policy would include funding to help low-income children eat healthy foods and improvements to food inspection standards for imported foods. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
A recent Angus Reid poll shows that nearly 80% of British Columbians support increased funding for public schools. The online poll was conducted while school trustees across the province were forced to cut programs, staff and services to balance their annual budgets. Read the full story in the Vancouver Sun.
The City of Vancouver chose Earth Day to launch its new curbside composting program. As of today residents can pitch fruit and vegetable food scraps in their yard waste bins. In 2011 the program will expand and allow for the composting of meat, dairy and bread products. Read the full story in the Vancouver Observer.