Council Watch

Press release – For Immediate Release

How green is Ottawa City Hall under Mayor Jim Watson?
Ecology Ottawa grades mayor and city councillors for 2011

November 23, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – Ecology Ottawa today released the 2011 edition of its environmental report card of Ottawa City Council. This fifth annual report card is the first for Mayor Jim Watson and many first-time councillors.

The majority of councillors received grades in the B & C range. Only Councillor Doug Thompson earned a lower grade, coming home with a D. Councillors Chernushenko, Fleury, Holmes and Hume each netted an A. Mayor Jim Watson earned a respectable B, which represents a dramatic change from his predecessor, Mayor Larry O’Brien, who consistently scored at the back of the class. The closer grouping of grades in this year’s report card is reflective of a less divided, more unified council and the tighter governing style of Mayor Watson. Council members’ grades are based on how they voted on key environmental decisions made at City Hall during the past year.

“Under Mayor Watson and the new Council, Ottawa has enjoyed some positive environmental decisions related to cycling and renewable energy,” said Alison Harman, co-chair of the 2011 Council Watch report team. “However, Ecology Ottawa is concerned that cuts to OC Transpo’s budget and service levels, together with spending on new roads, is failing to make Ottawa a leader in combating climate change.  Ottawa is being left in the dust by other Canadian cities like Vancouver.”

To read the full report card, please click here. The grades of each councillor and the mayor are as follows:

Jim Watson Mayor B Katherine Hobbs Kitchissippi B
Stephen Blais Cumberland C+ Diane Holmes Somerset A+
Rainer Bloess Innes C+ Allan Hubley Kanata South C-
David Chernushenko Capital A+ Peter Hume Alta Vista A-
Rick Chiarelli College B Maria McRae River B
Peter Clark Rideau-Rockcliffe C+ Scott Moffatt Rideau-Goulbourn B
Mathieu Fleury Rideau-Vanier A- Bob Monette Orleans C-
Diane Deans Gloucester-Southgate C+ Shad Qadri Stittsville B
Steve Desroches Gloucester-South Nepean B Mark Taylor Bay B
Keith Egli Knoxdale-Merivale C+ Tim Tierney Beacon Hill-Cyrville C+
Eli El-Chantiry West Carleton-March B Doug Thompson Osgoode D
Jan Harder Barrhaven C- Marianne Wilkinson Kanata North B

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For more information, please contact:

Trevor Hache
policy coordinator, Ecology Ottawa
Work: 613-860-5353; Cell: 613-866-9912
E-mail: trevor.hache@ecologyottawa.ca

 

This is the 5th time that Ecology Ottawa has released a report card documenting the environmental performance of City Council. Council members’ grades are based on how they voted on key environmental decisions made at city hall during the past year.

Report cards from previous years are available below:

2010: Voting Green, Voting Grey: Ecology Ottawa 2010 Council Watch Report

2009: A Council Divided: The 2009 Council Watch Report

2008: Voting Green, Voting Grey: The 2008 Council Watch Report

2007: A Question of Leadership: An Environmental Report Card on Mayor O’Brien’s City Council (2007)

2003-2006: Ottawa Environmental Votes