The morning started with nearly 24,000 petitions and letters from Torontonians asking for efficient, reliable rapid transit to be built now.

TTCriders members and TEA canvassers and volunteers collected thousands of letters and petitions over the last year - and our hard work paid off!

Click here to see how your councillor voted.

The vote on Wednesday was a great example of councillors from all over the city considering their residents, and voting for effective transit that will keep our air clean!

Ontario waste: good & bad

Ontario's waste diversion strategy is getting back on track! Last week, the Premier announced plans to improve waste diversion in Ontario.

Importantly, producers must ensure that the products they sell in Ontario are handled and disposed of safely at the end of the product's life. The fees they pay to municipalities and recyclers for hazardous waste programs will now be based on actual costs, not projectedcosts.

This will ensure sufficient money to dispose of waste properly, and will protect the environment and consumers.  Read the MOE release here and backgrounder here.

Unfortunately, the Energy Minister Chris Bentley is considering burning solid waste as a potential source of 'green energy'. Burning garbage works against diversion efforts.

TEA, with the Ontario Zero Waste Coalition (OZWC), sent a letter to the Ministerexplaining why burning garbage is a terrible idea. We know thatnearly 2/3rds of the average garbage bin in Toronto is still made up of recyclables and organics - we need to focus on diversion and not waste these resources!  Read the OZWC press release here.