Enviro Watchdog Gives Mayor and Council Poor Grades on Environment

For Immediate Release

December 8, 2016

TORONTO: Today, the Toronto Environmental Alliance released an environmental progress report on City Council’s environmental actions, midway through their 4-year term, and the results are poor. 

“Based on our analysis, the Mayor and Council failed in dealing with climate change and transportation,” said Heather Marshall, Campaigns Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA). “They did slightly better at reducing garbage and getting harmful toxics out of the environment.” 

Toronto’s Environmental Progress Report evaluates City Council’s key environmental decisions at their midterm mark. “There is a worrisome trend at Council where they agree to take concrete actions and then fail to follow through at budget time,” says Marshall. “Progress made on pollution policies and zero waste goals suggest City Council is willing to take bold action to protect our health and the environment. But budget cut backs and a lack of adequate investment in public transit and climate change threaten to stop progress in its tracks.”

“Politicians must be held accountable for their election promises and the decisions they make once elected,” says Marshall. “With two years left in their term, Council has time to turn things around. But the longer City Council waits to act, the more opportunities we lose to build a greener city.”

Read TEA’s report online: www.torontoenvironment.org/progress 

 

-30-

For more information, contact Heather Marshall: 416-833-5583