As published in The Erin Advocate
No doubt there is a price to be paid for living in an uncrowded area with plenty of fresh air, fresh water and fresh food. But senior governments need to be reminded of the value that rural communities provide to the economic and environmental welfare of city dwellers.
The Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation released a report this year that says small towns and Aboriginal communities have been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to services that all Canadians should enjoy.
“We have been neglecting rural Canada,” the report says. “Despite the vital role of rural places in this country, and despite their partnership with urban Canada, we have been neglecting rural places and permitting the erosion of an important community development foundation of Canadian society and economy. Fundamentally, we have forgotten how to re-invest in rural and small town places, preferring instead to simply run down the capital invested by previous generations.”
Erin may be relatively affluent, but most of our money is generated elsewhere, so there is a lack of motivation to invest in the local community. We need to demand a fair share of the wealth that comes from the offices and factories of the Greater Toronto Area, but the Foundation also urges us to be innovative in developing our own economy with local action.
“As we approach a re-imagined rural Canada we need to listen to rural peoples,” the report says. “We cannot re-imagine places and economies without the vision and experience of those who live and work every day in these places.”
Another report with more local information was released this year by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), analyzing the changing use of farmland within our watershed based on the 2011 Census of Agriculture.
“Agricultural producers are key stakeholders in protecting environmental resources such as water, air, soil and biodiversity,” said Mike Puddister, Deputy CAO and Director of Watershed Transformation at CVC.
CVC provides financial incentives for farmers, stressing that conservation and improvement of environmental resources benefits everyone, including densely populated areas like Brampton and Mississauga.
“Adopting conservation practices is increasingly important with climate change,” said Mark Eastman, Agricultural Program Coordinator at CVC. “For example, planting buffer zones along streams protects fields from erosion, filters nutrients and pollutants, and shades water keeping it cool for fish.”
Ontario’s prime farmland is concentrated in the southern part of the province, where there is huge pressure for new homes, roads and businesses. So it is no surprise that from 1956 to 2011, Ontario lost 36% of its farmland – compared to an 8% decline in Canada as a whole.
The census data for the West Credit Subwatershed (most of the eastern half of the Town of Erin) show a 26% drop in the number of farms, from 1996 to 2011 (88 farms down to 65), with most of the decline from 1996 to 2001.
The total acreage, however, was down only 9.2%, since average farm size was increasing. Most of the farms are in the 10-69 acre category (25 of them) or 70-129 acres (15). While farm acreage was down, the total number of acres in the subwatershed being sprayed with herbicides was up 43% in 15 years, and acres sprayed with insecticide were up 32%.
Other trends in the larger watershed include more acreage in field crops and less in natural land for pasture. The number of farms producing fruit, berries and nuts was down by more than 50% in the 1996-2011 period. The number of farms producing vegetables was stable, but the acreage was down 34%.
The CVC study found that 50 per cent of farms in the watershed are rotating their crops, 28 per cent are using rotational grazing, 25 per cent have buffer zones around water bodies and 30 per cent have windbreaks and/or shelterbreaks within their fields. Of all the farmland, 48% was rented – up 14% over 15 years.
Showing posts with label Commuting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commuting. Show all posts
December 30, 2015
July 15, 2015
Major expenditure needed to replace one-lane bridge
As published in The Erin Advocate
One-lane bridges need to become a thing of the past, especially when they carry substantial high speed traffic between communities – and sooner rather than later if they’re falling apart.
That’s the case with the bridge on Winston Churchill Blvd. just north of 27 Sideroad (Highpoint Sideroad on the Caledon side). It was built in 1920, rehabilitated in 1950, and now handles an average of 2,400 vehicles per day. A recent inspection report found it to be in “very poor condition” and recommended a new two-lane bridge “to improve public safety”.
People who use the road regularly to travel between Erin and Orangeville have learned how to judge the speed of oncoming traffic to see who will have to slow down and who will get to go first. But for those unfamiliar with the road or not paying attention, a one-lane bridge creates the need for an unexpected quick decision, which can be more difficult at night.
Winston Churchill is the boundary road for Caledon on the east (in Peel Region) and Erin on the west (in Wellington County). Further south, it is considered a Regional Road, with the Region and County sharing the costs, but this bridge, which crosses a tributary of Shaw’s Creek, is in a section where the local Towns are responsible.
There’s no detailed cost estimate yet, but Transportation Engineer Hilda Esedebe, of the consulting firm McIntosh Perry said a full replacement with two lanes could cost about $1.5 million.
At a recent Public Information Centre in Alton, as part of an Environmental Assessment (EA) now being conducted by the Town of Caledon, she said the reconstruction is planned for next summer and that the Town of Erin is expected to contribute 50% of the cost. The existing bridge has an estimated remaining service life of six years.
Erin Mayor Al Alls said that while it is normal to share costs for boundary roads, Erin has not been formally asked to participate. He expects to discuss the matter soon with Caledon Mayor Allan Thompson.
Erin has, however, included the project in its 5 Year Capital Plan for 2016, with an amount of $680,000. Like most of the 55 other items on the Roads list, the Winston Churchill bridge is “unfunded”, with no grants allocated and no reserve funds set aside. The draft plan provided to council last January showed $21.8 million in Roads infrastructure needs over five years, with $17.4 million unfunded.
The bridge will be discussed in the 2016 budget process, when council decides how much it is willing to borrow and which projects will make the cut.
Of course, the costs for Erin and Caledon could be greatly reduced if they were shared with all taxpayers in Wellington and Peel – but the bridge could collapse while waiting for such good news. Caledon has been lobbying Peel to take over this section of Winston Churchill (north of Beech Grove Sideroad) as a major arterial route, and similar discussions are ongoing at County Council. Erin will take any road uploading it can get. If upper tier municipalities take over a road, they are legally obliged to take over any debt payments related to its improvement.
The EA for the Winston Churchill bridge considered the lower-cost options of doing nothing, of closing the bridge permanently or of leaving it at one lane. Rehabilitation of the existing deck and foundations could last 20 years, and a new one-lane deck on rehabilitated existing foundations could last 50 years. The recommendation is an entire replacement with two lanes, expected to last 75 years.
The updated design would mean lower maintenance costs, a wider span that would improve river flow, and roadside barriers and railings that meet modern safety standards.
June 25, 2014
Most rural roads will have speed limit of 60
As published in The Erin Advocate
The Town will spend $10,000 for about 175 new speed limit signs, enabling enforcement of a bylaw that sets most rural limits at 60 kph and most urban ones at 40 kph.
Council approved a bylaw that has been needed since the Town discovered the default speed limit on most rural roads is actually 50 kph, not 80 kph as most people (and the OPP) had believed.
The problem relates to the 1998 amalgamation of Erin village and township. Erin was a “town” when the new Municipal Act took effect in 2003, setting the default at 50 for “towns” (including their rural areas) and 80 for “townships”. Without proper signs, this was not being enforced.
Council has the right to override the defaults and set speed limits ranging from 40 to 80, but because of Erin’s hilly terrain and low-quality roads in many areas, safety standards require a limit of less than 80.
Drivers entering the Town will soon see signs saying the speed limit is 60 kph “unless otherwise posted”. The new bylaw will apply to Town roads, but not to County roads, which have their own limits. Many border roads will continue to have limits higher than 60, until agreement is reached with neighbouring municipalities on a common limit.
Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck reminded councillors that they had received legal advice on the issue, that a consultant and staff had reviewed all roads and that they had previously given him direction to prepare a bylaw with a general limit of 60 in rural areas and 40 in urban areas.
The bylaw, published with the June 17 agenda, lists every section of every road with its speed limit. There are some exceptions to the normal standards, with limits of 50 or 70 in some areas. A sign is required at every point where the limit changes.
The Town will spend $10,000 for about 175 new speed limit signs, enabling enforcement of a bylaw that sets most rural limits at 60 kph and most urban ones at 40 kph.
Council approved a bylaw that has been needed since the Town discovered the default speed limit on most rural roads is actually 50 kph, not 80 kph as most people (and the OPP) had believed.
The problem relates to the 1998 amalgamation of Erin village and township. Erin was a “town” when the new Municipal Act took effect in 2003, setting the default at 50 for “towns” (including their rural areas) and 80 for “townships”. Without proper signs, this was not being enforced.
Council has the right to override the defaults and set speed limits ranging from 40 to 80, but because of Erin’s hilly terrain and low-quality roads in many areas, safety standards require a limit of less than 80.
Drivers entering the Town will soon see signs saying the speed limit is 60 kph “unless otherwise posted”. The new bylaw will apply to Town roads, but not to County roads, which have their own limits. Many border roads will continue to have limits higher than 60, until agreement is reached with neighbouring municipalities on a common limit.
Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck reminded councillors that they had received legal advice on the issue, that a consultant and staff had reviewed all roads and that they had previously given him direction to prepare a bylaw with a general limit of 60 in rural areas and 40 in urban areas.
The bylaw, published with the June 17 agenda, lists every section of every road with its speed limit. There are some exceptions to the normal standards, with limits of 50 or 70 in some areas. A sign is required at every point where the limit changes.
Ninth Line south of Erin village will be 50 kph down to 10 Sideroad, then 60 kph to County Road 42 (Town Line / Ballinafad Road).
“To assist motorists and police, efforts have been made to provide a consistent speed along a road section, rather than increasing and decreasing zones over short distances,” said Van Wyck.
Staff will prepare a coloured map showing all the Erin speed zones, which will be available at www.erin.ca.
“To assist motorists and police, efforts have been made to provide a consistent speed along a road section, rather than increasing and decreasing zones over short distances,” said Van Wyck.
Staff will prepare a coloured map showing all the Erin speed zones, which will be available at www.erin.ca.
April 23, 2014
It's not too late for climate change solutions
As published in Country Routes
Measures to counter the damaging effects of climate change can be achieved without catastrophic costs and devastation of the world economy, according to new studies in the debate over global warming.
That’s music to the ears of environmental activists like Erin’s Liz Armstrong, who have pushed for practical climate action at the local level.
She has started a chapter of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL), designed to influence political decision makers at various levels of government.
Two recent reports from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) say that while the risk of increasing droughts, floods,
crop failures and severe storms due to the carbon from fossil fuels is reaching
an alarming level, the ability to do something about it remains well within the
reach of national governments.
“It will get worse before it gets better, but it’s not too late, and it is not going to cost the earth,” said Armstrong. “We have to buckle down and steel ourselves to do this. It is the developed countries that are causing the problem. There is no excuse not to act.”
The IPCC report says climate change is “unequivocally” caused by people burning fossil fuels and that it poses a serious threat to peace and stability. Scientists warn that we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent or more by mid-century to avoid calamity.
“The good news is that it will not cost much compared to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and compared to the cost if we do nothing,” said Armstrong.
Her group is meeting on the first Saturday of each month at Erin United Church, training on how to engage politicians and the public, planning local action and getting updates from CCL leaders. She can be contacted by email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca, and more information is available at www.citizensclimatelobby.ca.
The federal Conservative government has put a lot of energy into oil sands expansion, pipeline plans and energy exports. They have promised tougher environmental legislation, and say Canada is on track to trim greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from their 2005 level. But The Toronto Star reports that Environment Canada is less optimistic, saying last fall that at the current rate, we will achieve a mere 0.4-per-cent cut.
The Citizen’s Climate Lobby favours a “Carbon Fee and
Dividend”, essentially a carbon tax placed on fossil fuels at their source.
This would result in higher fuel prices, but all of the extra money would be
rebated equally to Canadians. It would be a market-driven system, benefiting
those who use less fuel.
The Lobby also objects to the current distortions in the marketplace, in which taxpayers’ money is used to mask the true cost of energy. A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated that Canada provided $26 billion to subsidize the energy industry in 2011, which is $787 per person.
IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton said removing these subsidies worldwide could lead to a 13 percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions. This would reduce global energy demand and strengthen incentives for research and development in energy-saving and alternative technologies.
Canada already has a thriving “green” sector, innovating and making money in areas such as energy, infrastructure, transportation, biorefinery, industrial processes and wastewater treatment.
“Canada’s clean tech sector is now a $11.3 billion industry, it employs more Canadians than aerospace, and has the potential to grow to $50 billion by 2022, representing 2% of the global market share,” said Armstrong, suggesting that subsidies for clean technologies instead of oil would be a better investment for Canada.
A study by Analytica Advisors estimates employment in the clean tech sector could grow from the current 41,100, to more than 75,000 in the next eight years.
“Canadian innovation is helping to clean up contaminated land and water, store energy for use during peak demand, improve efficiencies in solar systems and transform greenhouse gases into stronger concrete to build greener buildings,” says the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, commenting on the study.
“Other countries have taken notice, buying environmentally-friendly Canadian technologies that help reduce and recycle solid waste, improve efficiencies and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and petro-products. Approximately 74 percent of Canadian clean technology companies are exporters, with 42 percent of export sales going to non-US countries.
“While Canadian clean technology enjoys strong market diversification overseas, it struggles to compete domestically. One challenge is the price of carbon-based energy, which is relatively cheap in Canada compared to many countries.
“At a time when the world is thinking twice about investing in a high carbon future, Canada can ill-afford to put its economic eggs in the oil sands basket. According to the IPCC, the world must keep two thirds of all fossil fuel reserves in the ground to avoid dangerous global warming.
“Canada is at a crossroads. Does it invest in dirty oil and pipelines, and lock the country into a high-carbon economy, or does it focus on transforming its economy, using clean technology to drive innovation and economic growth?”
“Building a green economy will create more long-term jobs,” said Armstrong, who remains hopeful that some of those companies could be attracted to Erin. “Smart municipalities are making plans and looking to the future. Election candidates need to say what type of development they would like to see here in the next 50 years.”
Climate change could mean a low flow of water in the West Credit River at certain times. As a precaution against excessive contamination from treated sewage effluent, a 10% cutback has been made in the maximum number of new residents to be allowed in Erin village and Hillsburgh.
Food is another key aspect, with crop yields and fish harvests declining as the world population increases, making it difficult to sustain a quality, affordable supply.
“This is no longer a picture about poor farmers in some regions being hit by climate change,” said Tim Gore, head of policy for food and climate change at Oxfam. “This is a picture about global agriculture being hit – US, Russia, and Australia – with global implications for food prices.”
A TD Bank report says natural catastrophes will cost Canadians an estimated $21-$43 billion per year by 2050.
“The frequency of weather events has increased,” said lead author and TD economist Craig Alexander. “Storms that used to occur every forty years are now occurring every six years. And because of the composition of Canadian economy and society, we’re ending up with more damaging events.”
He said city dwellers are at the highest risk, and with Canadians becoming wealthier, they have more valuable assets to lose in the event of a catastrophic storm. Repairs after a catastrophe tend to inflate the GDP, masking the costs that are shared broadly via the insurance industry and government relief funding.
The TD report highlights estimates that for every dollar invested in adaptation to climate change prevention, such as severe weather resistant buildings, from $9-$38 worth of costs will be avoided in the future.
“Here in the Town of Erin, we should be cognizant of these predicted increases of weather and climate extremes when planning and building new (or replacing old) infrastructure, housing, roads and bridges, etc., significantly boosting their capacity to withstand more punishing climate stresses than in the past,” said Armstrong.
“All of these suggestions were brought forward in 2011 by Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver, an Environment Canada climatologist who was a member of the IPCC. Our Council (present and future) needs to be aware, and prepared to act on his suggestions and forewarnings.”
Measures to counter the damaging effects of climate change can be achieved without catastrophic costs and devastation of the world economy, according to new studies in the debate over global warming.
That’s music to the ears of environmental activists like Erin’s Liz Armstrong, who have pushed for practical climate action at the local level.
She has started a chapter of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL), designed to influence political decision makers at various levels of government.
 |
| Liz Armstrong |
“It will get worse before it gets better, but it’s not too late, and it is not going to cost the earth,” said Armstrong. “We have to buckle down and steel ourselves to do this. It is the developed countries that are causing the problem. There is no excuse not to act.”
The IPCC report says climate change is “unequivocally” caused by people burning fossil fuels and that it poses a serious threat to peace and stability. Scientists warn that we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent or more by mid-century to avoid calamity.
“The good news is that it will not cost much compared to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and compared to the cost if we do nothing,” said Armstrong.
Her group is meeting on the first Saturday of each month at Erin United Church, training on how to engage politicians and the public, planning local action and getting updates from CCL leaders. She can be contacted by email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca, and more information is available at www.citizensclimatelobby.ca.
The federal Conservative government has put a lot of energy into oil sands expansion, pipeline plans and energy exports. They have promised tougher environmental legislation, and say Canada is on track to trim greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from their 2005 level. But The Toronto Star reports that Environment Canada is less optimistic, saying last fall that at the current rate, we will achieve a mere 0.4-per-cent cut.
The Lobby also objects to the current distortions in the marketplace, in which taxpayers’ money is used to mask the true cost of energy. A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated that Canada provided $26 billion to subsidize the energy industry in 2011, which is $787 per person.
IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton said removing these subsidies worldwide could lead to a 13 percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions. This would reduce global energy demand and strengthen incentives for research and development in energy-saving and alternative technologies.
Canada already has a thriving “green” sector, innovating and making money in areas such as energy, infrastructure, transportation, biorefinery, industrial processes and wastewater treatment.
“Canada’s clean tech sector is now a $11.3 billion industry, it employs more Canadians than aerospace, and has the potential to grow to $50 billion by 2022, representing 2% of the global market share,” said Armstrong, suggesting that subsidies for clean technologies instead of oil would be a better investment for Canada.
A study by Analytica Advisors estimates employment in the clean tech sector could grow from the current 41,100, to more than 75,000 in the next eight years.
“Canadian innovation is helping to clean up contaminated land and water, store energy for use during peak demand, improve efficiencies in solar systems and transform greenhouse gases into stronger concrete to build greener buildings,” says the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, commenting on the study.
“Other countries have taken notice, buying environmentally-friendly Canadian technologies that help reduce and recycle solid waste, improve efficiencies and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and petro-products. Approximately 74 percent of Canadian clean technology companies are exporters, with 42 percent of export sales going to non-US countries.
“While Canadian clean technology enjoys strong market diversification overseas, it struggles to compete domestically. One challenge is the price of carbon-based energy, which is relatively cheap in Canada compared to many countries.
“At a time when the world is thinking twice about investing in a high carbon future, Canada can ill-afford to put its economic eggs in the oil sands basket. According to the IPCC, the world must keep two thirds of all fossil fuel reserves in the ground to avoid dangerous global warming.
“Canada is at a crossroads. Does it invest in dirty oil and pipelines, and lock the country into a high-carbon economy, or does it focus on transforming its economy, using clean technology to drive innovation and economic growth?”
“Building a green economy will create more long-term jobs,” said Armstrong, who remains hopeful that some of those companies could be attracted to Erin. “Smart municipalities are making plans and looking to the future. Election candidates need to say what type of development they would like to see here in the next 50 years.”
Climate change could mean a low flow of water in the West Credit River at certain times. As a precaution against excessive contamination from treated sewage effluent, a 10% cutback has been made in the maximum number of new residents to be allowed in Erin village and Hillsburgh.
Food is another key aspect, with crop yields and fish harvests declining as the world population increases, making it difficult to sustain a quality, affordable supply.
“This is no longer a picture about poor farmers in some regions being hit by climate change,” said Tim Gore, head of policy for food and climate change at Oxfam. “This is a picture about global agriculture being hit – US, Russia, and Australia – with global implications for food prices.”
A TD Bank report says natural catastrophes will cost Canadians an estimated $21-$43 billion per year by 2050.
“The frequency of weather events has increased,” said lead author and TD economist Craig Alexander. “Storms that used to occur every forty years are now occurring every six years. And because of the composition of Canadian economy and society, we’re ending up with more damaging events.”
He said city dwellers are at the highest risk, and with Canadians becoming wealthier, they have more valuable assets to lose in the event of a catastrophic storm. Repairs after a catastrophe tend to inflate the GDP, masking the costs that are shared broadly via the insurance industry and government relief funding.
The TD report highlights estimates that for every dollar invested in adaptation to climate change prevention, such as severe weather resistant buildings, from $9-$38 worth of costs will be avoided in the future.
“Here in the Town of Erin, we should be cognizant of these predicted increases of weather and climate extremes when planning and building new (or replacing old) infrastructure, housing, roads and bridges, etc., significantly boosting their capacity to withstand more punishing climate stresses than in the past,” said Armstrong.
“All of these suggestions were brought forward in 2011 by Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver, an Environment Canada climatologist who was a member of the IPCC. Our Council (present and future) needs to be aware, and prepared to act on his suggestions and forewarnings.”
September 11, 2013
Town wants SSMP done, but faces more new costs
As published in The Erin Advocate
Councillors are getting impatient for completion of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) but they will face more costs, and it could take until next June to get it done, according to Project Manager Dale Murray of Triton Engineering.
Murray appeared as a delegation to council last week to explain the further work proposed by consultant BM Ross, which has been criticized for not completely fulfilling their original assignment.
“They recognize the concerns,” said Murray. “They are definitely committed to completing this SSMP process – within the Terms of Reference.”
Mayor Lou Maieron expressed concern about the length of the process. BM Ross got the contract in 2008, and expected to be finished in 2010, but delays have come from various sources.
“What I hear from a lot of residents is they are voting with their For Sale signs, and this is causing a great economic challenge in the community, as many people are unaware of how things are moving forward and are opting to sell,” he said. “I’ve never seen more real estate signs. The sooner the SSMP process is concluded one way or another, the better it will be for our community.”
The mayor is hoping to avoid the possibility that a developer “pulls the trigger” and appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board, claiming that the delays have been excessive.
“Everybody loses in that equation,” he said, and asked Murray for a guarantee that council will be in a position to make a decision during its current term.
“As your project manager, I will do the best I possibly can to direct your consultant to get this thing finished for you,” said Murray.
Councillor John Brennan agreed with the urgency of the project, saying, “Let’s get this done.” Councillor Jose Wintersinger said that with some new members joining the Liaison Committee, representation from Hillsburgh would be desirable. Murray said the advice from the expanded group will be important.
“They’ve got something to say, and I think we need to listen to it. Now is the time to do it,” he said.
BM Ross estimates that council could approve the SSMP report by next May, while Murray thinks it will take until June.
Maieron is concerned that if further delays push the project into September, council will be in a “lame duck” status, not legally allowed to make decisions until after the October municipal election. It could take a while for any new councillors to become familiar enough with the SSMP to make a decision.
Progress on the project was delayed this year, since Credit Valley Conservation did not have enough data on the river flow to enable BM Ross to calculate a specific population limit for the Town’s combined urban areas. They could only give a range, from 6,500 to 13,500.
A preliminary report with data from five new river surveys will be ready in October. Murray said it is important to know the exact capacity of the Credit River to handle sewage effluent.
“The schedule reflects a need to involve and seek more direction from this council and your planner on what growth can occur, and where it will occur,” he said. “I don’t think the SSMP can provide any kind of meaning without that kind of direction from council.”
Maieron asked how council could approach this, since the developable land within the urban boundaries could handle far more population than the capacity of the river will allow.
“Who gets to build, and who doesn’t?” he said.
Murray conceded it is a difficult issue, but insisted it needs to be brought forward once the river capacity and population limits are approved by the CVC and Ministry of the Environment.
“That’s the cornerstone of how we’re going to build on this thing,” he said, suggesting a spring workshop with council and BM Ross. “Look at the numbers and have them explain them to you, so you can make educated decisions on where you want the growth.”
Murray was the engineering consultant for Erin village when it studied a sewage plan in 1995. In the years leading up to the start of the current environmental assessment, he was the Project Manager for the SSMP process. In November 2008, on his recommendation, council accepted the $350,000 bid from BM Ross to do the project.
BM Ross ranked second on technical merit in the selection process, behind Stantec. But when the cost was factored in, BM Ross ranked first. Stantec’s bid was $847,000.
In 2008, Murray specifically warned council that the final cost would likely be 15 to 20% higher than the $350,000 quote, because it did not include work to be done by hydrogeologist Ray Blackport on storm and ground water, and economic analysis by Watson Associates.
Murray included that work when he wrote the SSMP Terms of Reference. Although he was a member of the Steering Committee, which includes council members, Town staff and provincial representatives, he was not involved in supervising the project once BM Ross started their work.
“I could have used your help during the last three years,” said Maieron.
It turns out that the consultation with Blackport and Watson Associates was never arranged, but no one from council or staff ever pointed this out publicly. Then, when former CAO Frank Miele was saying last spring that the SSMP was 95% done, Water Superintendent Frank Smedley wrote a critique of the project, for a meeting with Triton, saying significant work remained to be done.
BM Ross will be doing more work at no extra charge within its $350,000 contract, but is requesting an additional $54,000 to deal with new river data from CVC, to host and attend a series of meetings to discuss the growth allowed by the Assimilative Capacity Study, and to re-write the final draft of the SSMP report.
Then there will still be other charges, with the amounts still unknown, from Blackport, Watson Associates and Triton Engineering.
The total cost to the Town of the SSMP since 2006 has been $419,067, including payments to other engineering and hydrogeological consultants, including Triton Engineering. In addition, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) has spent about $380,000, bringing the overall public expenditure total as of last May to $799,000.
Councillors are getting impatient for completion of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) but they will face more costs, and it could take until next June to get it done, according to Project Manager Dale Murray of Triton Engineering.
Murray appeared as a delegation to council last week to explain the further work proposed by consultant BM Ross, which has been criticized for not completely fulfilling their original assignment.
“They recognize the concerns,” said Murray. “They are definitely committed to completing this SSMP process – within the Terms of Reference.”
Mayor Lou Maieron expressed concern about the length of the process. BM Ross got the contract in 2008, and expected to be finished in 2010, but delays have come from various sources.
“What I hear from a lot of residents is they are voting with their For Sale signs, and this is causing a great economic challenge in the community, as many people are unaware of how things are moving forward and are opting to sell,” he said. “I’ve never seen more real estate signs. The sooner the SSMP process is concluded one way or another, the better it will be for our community.”
The mayor is hoping to avoid the possibility that a developer “pulls the trigger” and appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board, claiming that the delays have been excessive.
“Everybody loses in that equation,” he said, and asked Murray for a guarantee that council will be in a position to make a decision during its current term.
“As your project manager, I will do the best I possibly can to direct your consultant to get this thing finished for you,” said Murray.
Councillor John Brennan agreed with the urgency of the project, saying, “Let’s get this done.” Councillor Jose Wintersinger said that with some new members joining the Liaison Committee, representation from Hillsburgh would be desirable. Murray said the advice from the expanded group will be important.
“They’ve got something to say, and I think we need to listen to it. Now is the time to do it,” he said.
BM Ross estimates that council could approve the SSMP report by next May, while Murray thinks it will take until June.
Maieron is concerned that if further delays push the project into September, council will be in a “lame duck” status, not legally allowed to make decisions until after the October municipal election. It could take a while for any new councillors to become familiar enough with the SSMP to make a decision.
Progress on the project was delayed this year, since Credit Valley Conservation did not have enough data on the river flow to enable BM Ross to calculate a specific population limit for the Town’s combined urban areas. They could only give a range, from 6,500 to 13,500.
A preliminary report with data from five new river surveys will be ready in October. Murray said it is important to know the exact capacity of the Credit River to handle sewage effluent.
“The schedule reflects a need to involve and seek more direction from this council and your planner on what growth can occur, and where it will occur,” he said. “I don’t think the SSMP can provide any kind of meaning without that kind of direction from council.”
Maieron asked how council could approach this, since the developable land within the urban boundaries could handle far more population than the capacity of the river will allow.
“Who gets to build, and who doesn’t?” he said.
Murray conceded it is a difficult issue, but insisted it needs to be brought forward once the river capacity and population limits are approved by the CVC and Ministry of the Environment.
“That’s the cornerstone of how we’re going to build on this thing,” he said, suggesting a spring workshop with council and BM Ross. “Look at the numbers and have them explain them to you, so you can make educated decisions on where you want the growth.”
Murray was the engineering consultant for Erin village when it studied a sewage plan in 1995. In the years leading up to the start of the current environmental assessment, he was the Project Manager for the SSMP process. In November 2008, on his recommendation, council accepted the $350,000 bid from BM Ross to do the project.
BM Ross ranked second on technical merit in the selection process, behind Stantec. But when the cost was factored in, BM Ross ranked first. Stantec’s bid was $847,000.
In 2008, Murray specifically warned council that the final cost would likely be 15 to 20% higher than the $350,000 quote, because it did not include work to be done by hydrogeologist Ray Blackport on storm and ground water, and economic analysis by Watson Associates.
Murray included that work when he wrote the SSMP Terms of Reference. Although he was a member of the Steering Committee, which includes council members, Town staff and provincial representatives, he was not involved in supervising the project once BM Ross started their work.
“I could have used your help during the last three years,” said Maieron.
It turns out that the consultation with Blackport and Watson Associates was never arranged, but no one from council or staff ever pointed this out publicly. Then, when former CAO Frank Miele was saying last spring that the SSMP was 95% done, Water Superintendent Frank Smedley wrote a critique of the project, for a meeting with Triton, saying significant work remained to be done.
BM Ross will be doing more work at no extra charge within its $350,000 contract, but is requesting an additional $54,000 to deal with new river data from CVC, to host and attend a series of meetings to discuss the growth allowed by the Assimilative Capacity Study, and to re-write the final draft of the SSMP report.
Then there will still be other charges, with the amounts still unknown, from Blackport, Watson Associates and Triton Engineering.
The total cost to the Town of the SSMP since 2006 has been $419,067, including payments to other engineering and hydrogeological consultants, including Triton Engineering. In addition, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) has spent about $380,000, bringing the overall public expenditure total as of last May to $799,000.
January 09, 2013
Growth will increase pressure for bypass
As published in The Erin Advocate
If you think traffic in downtown Erin is heavy now, imagine what it will be like with a few thousand more residents and a new industrial zone in the north end of the village. There will have to be an alternative route for heavy trucks and other vehicles that are travelling through.
As a result of increasing local and regional traffic by 2032, intersections at the north and south of the village are expected to exceed their capacity at the afternoon peak time, resulting in noticeable delays, according to a traffic study completed for Solmar Development Corp.
The study, which is available on the Town website (www.erin.ca), also recommends new traffic lights at County Road 124 & Winston Churchill Boulevard, at County Road 124 and Tenth Line (on the north side of the Solmar subdivision) and at County Road 124 and Erinville Drive (south of Tim Hortons).
Over the next 20 years, traffic volumes are expected to increase by 1% per year on Winston Churchill, County Road 124 and County Road 52 (Bush Street). An increase of 2% per year is expected on Dundas Street and Shamrock Road.
Wellington County has no current plans for major improvements to its arterial roads in the Erin village area, but its 2012 Development Charge Background Study reports that traffic projections show a need to eventually widen or add more passing lanes on County Road 124 between Erin and Guelph.
Within Erin village, the County study says projected traffic growth "would require widening to a four-lane cross-section by the 2031 horizon", but says this may not be feasible "due to potential impacts to existing development" (ie. downtown businesses).
"An alternative solution might be to provide a truck by-pass road along a new alignment around Erin. The viability of this solution could only be properly validated/confirmed through the completion of an Environmental Assessment."
A bypass to the north of the village has been studied, but never acted upon. Bypasses to the south would also be possible, involving Wellington, Peel Region and Halton Region.
Drivers coming west towards Erin village on County Road 124 could be directed to turn south on an upgraded Winston Churchill Boulevard. They could then use County Road 52 to reconnect with 124, though intersection improvements would be needed at the south end of the village.
If drivers instead continued south on Winston Churchill to the Erin-Halton Hills Townline (Sideroad 32/County Road 42), then west to Ballinafad, they could turn south or north on Trafalgar Road. Or they could continue all the way to Crewson's Corners, joining Highway 7 on the far side of Acton.
The Niagara Escarpment Commission expects that proposing a haul route on 32 Sideroad will generate "a lot of push-back" from residents, and that the intersection at Ballinafad would need major improvements.
In this context, it is interesting (and instructive) to read about the efforts of Halton Region to find a solution for similar (but more severe) truck problems in Acton. An update to their Transportation Master Plan in 2011 proposes a solution for Acton that could assist Erin.
"Regional Road 25 and Highway 7 through downtown Acton will be over capacity by 2031 requiring one additional lane in each direction," the report said. "Heavy truck traffic is part of the problem in this area and has also resulted in safety concerns in the downtown area. "
They considered a southern bypass, a northern bypass and the prospect of widening to four lanes through downtown Acton. The recommendation is to build a new northern four- lane alternate route starting at Highway 7, going north along the Fourth Line. It would turn west along 32 Sideroad (the Erin-Halton Hills boundary), around the north side of Acton, and reconnect with Highway 7 at Dublin Line or Crewson's Corners.
The Erin and Acton bypasses could have a common section on 32 Sideroad, with the potential for cost sharing.
"While this alternative will have greater effects on the agricultural community and natural environment, the socio economic effects of a widened Highway 7/Regional Road 25 through downtown Acton and the capital costs to do so are so great that they outweigh the negative effects of the northern alternate route," the report said.
The Town of Halton Hills wants Halton Region to take over responsibility for Winston Churchill, south of 32 Sideroad, since it carries "a significant amount of long-distance traffic that is not locally generated or destined." They also want Halton to take over 32 Sideroad if it is to become a major arterial route.
Ted Drewlo, Manager of Engineering Services for Halton Hills, said his staff found that "traffic volumes are forecast to increase and could triple by 2031" on 32 Sideroad.
Peel Region is already planning to reconstruct the unpaved section of Winston Churchill from Olde Baseline Road to Terra Cotta. They are also undertaking a study to "confirm and identify priority routes within Peel, having regard for connectivity with key external routes". Peel Engineer Gary Kocialek said they "will be looking at the potential upgrades that Halton is considering for Ballinafad Road".
If you think traffic in downtown Erin is heavy now, imagine what it will be like with a few thousand more residents and a new industrial zone in the north end of the village. There will have to be an alternative route for heavy trucks and other vehicles that are travelling through.
As a result of increasing local and regional traffic by 2032, intersections at the north and south of the village are expected to exceed their capacity at the afternoon peak time, resulting in noticeable delays, according to a traffic study completed for Solmar Development Corp.
The study, which is available on the Town website (www.erin.ca), also recommends new traffic lights at County Road 124 & Winston Churchill Boulevard, at County Road 124 and Tenth Line (on the north side of the Solmar subdivision) and at County Road 124 and Erinville Drive (south of Tim Hortons).
Over the next 20 years, traffic volumes are expected to increase by 1% per year on Winston Churchill, County Road 124 and County Road 52 (Bush Street). An increase of 2% per year is expected on Dundas Street and Shamrock Road.
Wellington County has no current plans for major improvements to its arterial roads in the Erin village area, but its 2012 Development Charge Background Study reports that traffic projections show a need to eventually widen or add more passing lanes on County Road 124 between Erin and Guelph.
Within Erin village, the County study says projected traffic growth "would require widening to a four-lane cross-section by the 2031 horizon", but says this may not be feasible "due to potential impacts to existing development" (ie. downtown businesses).
"An alternative solution might be to provide a truck by-pass road along a new alignment around Erin. The viability of this solution could only be properly validated/confirmed through the completion of an Environmental Assessment."
A bypass to the north of the village has been studied, but never acted upon. Bypasses to the south would also be possible, involving Wellington, Peel Region and Halton Region.
Drivers coming west towards Erin village on County Road 124 could be directed to turn south on an upgraded Winston Churchill Boulevard. They could then use County Road 52 to reconnect with 124, though intersection improvements would be needed at the south end of the village.
If drivers instead continued south on Winston Churchill to the Erin-Halton Hills Townline (Sideroad 32/County Road 42), then west to Ballinafad, they could turn south or north on Trafalgar Road. Or they could continue all the way to Crewson's Corners, joining Highway 7 on the far side of Acton.
The Niagara Escarpment Commission expects that proposing a haul route on 32 Sideroad will generate "a lot of push-back" from residents, and that the intersection at Ballinafad would need major improvements.
In this context, it is interesting (and instructive) to read about the efforts of Halton Region to find a solution for similar (but more severe) truck problems in Acton. An update to their Transportation Master Plan in 2011 proposes a solution for Acton that could assist Erin.
"Regional Road 25 and Highway 7 through downtown Acton will be over capacity by 2031 requiring one additional lane in each direction," the report said. "Heavy truck traffic is part of the problem in this area and has also resulted in safety concerns in the downtown area. "
They considered a southern bypass, a northern bypass and the prospect of widening to four lanes through downtown Acton. The recommendation is to build a new northern four- lane alternate route starting at Highway 7, going north along the Fourth Line. It would turn west along 32 Sideroad (the Erin-Halton Hills boundary), around the north side of Acton, and reconnect with Highway 7 at Dublin Line or Crewson's Corners.
The Erin and Acton bypasses could have a common section on 32 Sideroad, with the potential for cost sharing.
"While this alternative will have greater effects on the agricultural community and natural environment, the socio economic effects of a widened Highway 7/Regional Road 25 through downtown Acton and the capital costs to do so are so great that they outweigh the negative effects of the northern alternate route," the report said.
The Town of Halton Hills wants Halton Region to take over responsibility for Winston Churchill, south of 32 Sideroad, since it carries "a significant amount of long-distance traffic that is not locally generated or destined." They also want Halton to take over 32 Sideroad if it is to become a major arterial route.
Ted Drewlo, Manager of Engineering Services for Halton Hills, said his staff found that "traffic volumes are forecast to increase and could triple by 2031" on 32 Sideroad.
Peel Region is already planning to reconstruct the unpaved section of Winston Churchill from Olde Baseline Road to Terra Cotta. They are also undertaking a study to "confirm and identify priority routes within Peel, having regard for connectivity with key external routes". Peel Engineer Gary Kocialek said they "will be looking at the potential upgrades that Halton is considering for Ballinafad Road".
November 28, 2012
Council receives Solmar plan despite warnings
As published in The Erin Advocate
Faced with the certainty of an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) if they refused, Town council voted last week to deem the subdivision applications from Solmar Development Corp. as "complete".
The resolution was passed unanimously without any public debate or questions from councillors, after they returned from a 70-minute closed-door session with their lawyer, during Tuesday's council meeting.
The decision overrides the objections of Town Planner Sally Stull, who told council the applications were incomplete and premature, since it is not possible to have definite information about sewers while the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) is still in progress.
Stull said she has not had time to fully evaluate the material and that further study is needed on a traffic bypass route. She reminded council that other developments have been on hold for several years, and that the Solmar plan exceeds Official Plan population targets by more than 700 homes.
"It would essentially eliminate anyone else from participating, unless they were within the current Erin village, which is of course stymied by the problem that it doesn't have servicing," she said.
In a separate report to council, Water Superintendent Frank Smedley outlines a broad series of concerns, including the need for new wells, lack of staff expertise with sewers, and the potential for settlement of basements and roads due to poor soil drainage conditions.
"The SSMP should be completed as soon as possible," he said. "This will allow Council to give clear direction to the developer and staff.
"This is our opportunity to work with a developer to reduce the cost of servicing the urban areas with municipal sewage, if this is the path Council chooses."
Last week's resolution has three additional points: Despite the "complete" status, approval of the applications would be premature until the SSMP is complete and council has time to assess its implications and consider a course of action; council is not satisfied with the level of detail in the documentation; and the legally-required public meeting is considered premature until the SSMP recommendations are available.
Wellington County is eager to have Erin accept its share of regional population growth. Gary Cousins, Wellington's Director of Planning and Development, has notified the Town that the County considers Solmar's applications "complete". He also said approval must wait for the SSMP, and his exact words on this issue were used in Erin's resolution.
Council's vote does not approve the 1,240-home proposal, but simply starts the formal application process, with input from the public, Town staff and outside agencies.
Stull said the project would make Erinville Drive a major collector road, and that the proposal includes 570 single detached dwellings, 472 semi-detached, 48 townhouse units and 150 apartment-type units.
"These applications provide tremendous benefits to the community, strong job creation, strong housing options," said Solmar Planner Maurizio Rogato, who appeared as a delegation to voice disagreement with Stull's report to council.
"We're not looking for a decision on the actual applications themselves, we're simply looking to state that the applications have been completed, and they can be circulated, which allows dialogue to take place."
When the applications came to council in October, Mayor Lou Maieron suggested a Social Impact Study, since Solmar could eventually more than double the number of homes in the village. Transition Erin, a citizen group that is responding to the Solmar plan, also wants such a study, and possibly a "Health Impact Assessment".
They are "looking forward to the remaining components of the Solmar application being released to the public so that we can study them." Information on the group is available at Aanimad.com/transition.
James Kennedy of KLM Planning, working for Solmar, said all of the required information has been submitted, and that council can still meet its objective of not approving any new subdivision until the SSMP is completed and approved. That could be in February or March.
Solmar says the studies they have already done (some already available on the Town web site), supporting their applications for a draft plan of subdivision, and zoning and Official Plan amendments, will "inform" the SSMP process. Stull says the Solmar proposal "distracts" from the SSMP.
"There is no question about how these lands will be serviced," said Kennedy, noting that the province requires sewers for this scale of development. Solmar may be able to proceed with its own sewers, even if the Town decides against them for the existing village.
"You are a long way from the stage where major development is permitted. I can see no reason not to get started in this process," he said. "The SSMP will define the big picture, and the details relative to these applications will follow.
"Should council deem these applications incomplete, Solmar will appeal this decision to the Ontario Municipal Board. We would prefer not to be forced to take this approach. We don't really need to start off this process on that basis.
"If and when this development does proceed, it will generate millions of dollars in revenue for the Town, as well as a new fully-serviced business park attracting jobs to Erin."
Deeming the applications complete starts the clock on a legal 180-day period during which the Town theoretically would have to decide whether to approve the project. Rogato said that in practice, it often takes much longer.
"If things are moving, things are working cooperatively and we're reviewing reports, we want to be there as a willing partner," he said.
But, after 180 days, if the developer feels that sufficient progress is not being made, Rogato said they have the right to force the issue by appealing to the OMB – an expensive process for both sides. Of course, if the applications are ultimately denied, that could also be appealed to the OMB.
After Solmar's presentation, Maeiron commented on a possible sewer plan for the existing village.
"We can approve it in principle, but where's the money coming from?" he said. "Because for 160 years, or for forever, this municipality has done nothing with respect to bringing the servicing up to today's standards."
He said it would not be realistic to have two sewage treatment plants, and noted that if Solmar builds its own expandable plant, the town could feed into it in the future.
"I'm not trying to side with the proponent, but working concurrently to bring in our needs, if we decide that we need servicing to today's municipal standards, with an incoming plant, sort of tends to make some sense to me," he said.
Faced with the certainty of an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) if they refused, Town council voted last week to deem the subdivision applications from Solmar Development Corp. as "complete".
The resolution was passed unanimously without any public debate or questions from councillors, after they returned from a 70-minute closed-door session with their lawyer, during Tuesday's council meeting.
The decision overrides the objections of Town Planner Sally Stull, who told council the applications were incomplete and premature, since it is not possible to have definite information about sewers while the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) is still in progress.
Stull said she has not had time to fully evaluate the material and that further study is needed on a traffic bypass route. She reminded council that other developments have been on hold for several years, and that the Solmar plan exceeds Official Plan population targets by more than 700 homes.
"It would essentially eliminate anyone else from participating, unless they were within the current Erin village, which is of course stymied by the problem that it doesn't have servicing," she said.
In a separate report to council, Water Superintendent Frank Smedley outlines a broad series of concerns, including the need for new wells, lack of staff expertise with sewers, and the potential for settlement of basements and roads due to poor soil drainage conditions.
"The SSMP should be completed as soon as possible," he said. "This will allow Council to give clear direction to the developer and staff.
"This is our opportunity to work with a developer to reduce the cost of servicing the urban areas with municipal sewage, if this is the path Council chooses."
Last week's resolution has three additional points: Despite the "complete" status, approval of the applications would be premature until the SSMP is complete and council has time to assess its implications and consider a course of action; council is not satisfied with the level of detail in the documentation; and the legally-required public meeting is considered premature until the SSMP recommendations are available.
Wellington County is eager to have Erin accept its share of regional population growth. Gary Cousins, Wellington's Director of Planning and Development, has notified the Town that the County considers Solmar's applications "complete". He also said approval must wait for the SSMP, and his exact words on this issue were used in Erin's resolution.
Council's vote does not approve the 1,240-home proposal, but simply starts the formal application process, with input from the public, Town staff and outside agencies.
Stull said the project would make Erinville Drive a major collector road, and that the proposal includes 570 single detached dwellings, 472 semi-detached, 48 townhouse units and 150 apartment-type units.
"These applications provide tremendous benefits to the community, strong job creation, strong housing options," said Solmar Planner Maurizio Rogato, who appeared as a delegation to voice disagreement with Stull's report to council.
"We're not looking for a decision on the actual applications themselves, we're simply looking to state that the applications have been completed, and they can be circulated, which allows dialogue to take place."
When the applications came to council in October, Mayor Lou Maieron suggested a Social Impact Study, since Solmar could eventually more than double the number of homes in the village. Transition Erin, a citizen group that is responding to the Solmar plan, also wants such a study, and possibly a "Health Impact Assessment".
They are "looking forward to the remaining components of the Solmar application being released to the public so that we can study them." Information on the group is available at Aanimad.com/transition.
James Kennedy of KLM Planning, working for Solmar, said all of the required information has been submitted, and that council can still meet its objective of not approving any new subdivision until the SSMP is completed and approved. That could be in February or March.
Solmar says the studies they have already done (some already available on the Town web site), supporting their applications for a draft plan of subdivision, and zoning and Official Plan amendments, will "inform" the SSMP process. Stull says the Solmar proposal "distracts" from the SSMP.
"There is no question about how these lands will be serviced," said Kennedy, noting that the province requires sewers for this scale of development. Solmar may be able to proceed with its own sewers, even if the Town decides against them for the existing village.
"You are a long way from the stage where major development is permitted. I can see no reason not to get started in this process," he said. "The SSMP will define the big picture, and the details relative to these applications will follow.
"Should council deem these applications incomplete, Solmar will appeal this decision to the Ontario Municipal Board. We would prefer not to be forced to take this approach. We don't really need to start off this process on that basis.
"If and when this development does proceed, it will generate millions of dollars in revenue for the Town, as well as a new fully-serviced business park attracting jobs to Erin."
Deeming the applications complete starts the clock on a legal 180-day period during which the Town theoretically would have to decide whether to approve the project. Rogato said that in practice, it often takes much longer.
"If things are moving, things are working cooperatively and we're reviewing reports, we want to be there as a willing partner," he said.
But, after 180 days, if the developer feels that sufficient progress is not being made, Rogato said they have the right to force the issue by appealing to the OMB – an expensive process for both sides. Of course, if the applications are ultimately denied, that could also be appealed to the OMB.
After Solmar's presentation, Maeiron commented on a possible sewer plan for the existing village.
"We can approve it in principle, but where's the money coming from?" he said. "Because for 160 years, or for forever, this municipality has done nothing with respect to bringing the servicing up to today's standards."
He said it would not be realistic to have two sewage treatment plants, and noted that if Solmar builds its own expandable plant, the town could feed into it in the future.
"I'm not trying to side with the proponent, but working concurrently to bring in our needs, if we decide that we need servicing to today's municipal standards, with an incoming plant, sort of tends to make some sense to me," he said.
October 03, 2012
Winston Churchill upgrade delayed until 2016
As published in The Erin Advocate
Peel Region has delayed by three more years the reconstruction of Winston Churchill Boulevard, between Olde Baseline Road and Terra Cotta.
The project had been discussed for decades, and in 2009 a final plan was presented at a public information session in Terra Cotta. Design and property acquisition were to have been done by this year, with construction in 2013.
But now, capital forecasts indicate the property acquisition will not start until 2014, with construction in 2016, according to Peel Transportation Engineer Gary Kocialek. Since Winston Churchill is a boundary road, the Region will pay half of the projected $4.1 million cost, with Wellington County and Halton Region splitting the balance.
Peel has safety concerns about the gravel stretch, the Region's only unpaved road, especially because of the steep grade and poor sightlines just south of the intersection with Ballinafad Road (also known as the Erin-Halton Hills Townline, Wellington County Rd. 42 or Sideroad 32).
It needs full reconstruction to meet modern engineering standards, but some Terra Cotta residents have opposed upgrades for fear of additional commuter traffic, mainly from Erin. As of 2006, the road was handling 245 vehicles per hour each morning, and 300 per hour each afternoon.
The region says it does not expect any traffic impact on Terra Cotta, from drivers wanting to access the future extension of Highway 410 towards Georgetown. Now that Erin's 5 Sideroad has been reconstructed, Erin drivers are able more easily able to avoid Terra Cotta, getting to Mississauga Road via Olde Baseline Road.
There had also been concerns about the environmental impact of the road improvement, so the path of the road was altered to avoid some sensitive areas. Urban-style curbs are planned for some sections, taking rainwater along the road to outlet points, reducing the need for wide ditches.
Peel Region has delayed by three more years the reconstruction of Winston Churchill Boulevard, between Olde Baseline Road and Terra Cotta.
The project had been discussed for decades, and in 2009 a final plan was presented at a public information session in Terra Cotta. Design and property acquisition were to have been done by this year, with construction in 2013.
But now, capital forecasts indicate the property acquisition will not start until 2014, with construction in 2016, according to Peel Transportation Engineer Gary Kocialek. Since Winston Churchill is a boundary road, the Region will pay half of the projected $4.1 million cost, with Wellington County and Halton Region splitting the balance.
Peel has safety concerns about the gravel stretch, the Region's only unpaved road, especially because of the steep grade and poor sightlines just south of the intersection with Ballinafad Road (also known as the Erin-Halton Hills Townline, Wellington County Rd. 42 or Sideroad 32).
It needs full reconstruction to meet modern engineering standards, but some Terra Cotta residents have opposed upgrades for fear of additional commuter traffic, mainly from Erin. As of 2006, the road was handling 245 vehicles per hour each morning, and 300 per hour each afternoon.
The region says it does not expect any traffic impact on Terra Cotta, from drivers wanting to access the future extension of Highway 410 towards Georgetown. Now that Erin's 5 Sideroad has been reconstructed, Erin drivers are able more easily able to avoid Terra Cotta, getting to Mississauga Road via Olde Baseline Road.
There had also been concerns about the environmental impact of the road improvement, so the path of the road was altered to avoid some sensitive areas. Urban-style curbs are planned for some sections, taking rainwater along the road to outlet points, reducing the need for wide ditches.
May 30, 2012
County seeks input on economic development
As published in The Erin Advocate
Wellington wants to be more competitive in attracting investment and tourists, and is looking for ideas from local businesses and residents.
"The County of Wellington has decided to step up and develop a strategic plan to help map out our economic future," said Warden Chris White in a statement on the 2012 budget. It has $100,000 for new economic development initiatives, including $75,000 for a strategic plan to be done with Waterloo Wellington Community Futures.
"We must move off of our dependency on residential property tax and expand our commercial and industrial base."
In January, county council set up a formal Economic Development Committee, including Erin Councillor Ken Chapman. The new Economic Development Officer, Jana Reichert, formerly of Community Futures, has been discussing Erin's situation with Mayor Lou Maieron.
"I hope Erin sees me as a resource," said Reichert. "I can help you connect with investors, try to get funding for new initiatives and see what the priorities are."
Erin's efforts in this area are in disarray at the moment. The Town's volunteer-based Economic Development Committee had started a survey on the equine industry. But Chair Brian Gentles recently resigned, citing lack of support and direction from town council, and the committee has been temporarily dissolved.
Mayor Maieron has been pushing to have Economic Development as a Council Committee, with the ability to take more aggressive action to boost local business.
In the meantime, Erin residents and business people can contribute to the County's strategic plan. It includes an economic analysis of Wellington, identifying industries that will drive the regional economy, developing growth projections for them and developing strategies to boost employment.
Direct comments can be made at the website: www.wellingtonmeansbusiness.com, in the Have Your Say section.
Everyone is welcome to attend an Erin Focus Group on Wednesday, June 13, 9-11 a.m. at Centre 2000, to exchange ideas. Refreshments will be provided.
The website also has a link to an on-line survey. Naturally, it asks about the various positive things in Wellington, and there are many. More interesting is the section in which people can describe the opportunities (i.e., problems) that exist. The county cannot solve them all, but they can be part of a collaborative effort.
Here's what I wrote in the opportunity section of the survey:
• A consistent, long-term publicity effort is needed to enhance Wellington's image among potential business investors.
• Moderate population growth and immigration is needed to build the workforce and improve the consumer base for local retailers.
• Good quality cell-phone reception is needed in all rural areas.
• True high-speed internet is needed in all rural areas. The County's Rural Broadband project was inadequate in Erin.
• The County roads system needs to provide truck bypass routes for major bottlenecks, such as the downtown area of Erin village.
• A better network of bike lanes is needed on County Roads, through the Active Transportation Plan, plus a better network of off-road trails.
• Adequate ambulance service is needed in Erin, for residents and businesses. Thirty-minute waits are unacceptable.
• Land acquisition funding is needed, as in Halton and Peel, to create more Conservation Areas.
• More high-profile cultural events are needed to attract tourists.
My final comment is that economic development is too important to be left as an optional activity for municipalities. The Wellington Economic Development Strategy should guide local strategies.
The County should set some minimum standards to ensure that each municipality does a good job of promoting itself, and that the efforts are coordinated to promote the regional economy.
Wellington wants to be more competitive in attracting investment and tourists, and is looking for ideas from local businesses and residents.
"The County of Wellington has decided to step up and develop a strategic plan to help map out our economic future," said Warden Chris White in a statement on the 2012 budget. It has $100,000 for new economic development initiatives, including $75,000 for a strategic plan to be done with Waterloo Wellington Community Futures.
"We must move off of our dependency on residential property tax and expand our commercial and industrial base."
In January, county council set up a formal Economic Development Committee, including Erin Councillor Ken Chapman. The new Economic Development Officer, Jana Reichert, formerly of Community Futures, has been discussing Erin's situation with Mayor Lou Maieron.
"I hope Erin sees me as a resource," said Reichert. "I can help you connect with investors, try to get funding for new initiatives and see what the priorities are."
Erin's efforts in this area are in disarray at the moment. The Town's volunteer-based Economic Development Committee had started a survey on the equine industry. But Chair Brian Gentles recently resigned, citing lack of support and direction from town council, and the committee has been temporarily dissolved.
Mayor Maieron has been pushing to have Economic Development as a Council Committee, with the ability to take more aggressive action to boost local business.
In the meantime, Erin residents and business people can contribute to the County's strategic plan. It includes an economic analysis of Wellington, identifying industries that will drive the regional economy, developing growth projections for them and developing strategies to boost employment.
Direct comments can be made at the website: www.wellingtonmeansbusiness.com, in the Have Your Say section.
Everyone is welcome to attend an Erin Focus Group on Wednesday, June 13, 9-11 a.m. at Centre 2000, to exchange ideas. Refreshments will be provided.
The website also has a link to an on-line survey. Naturally, it asks about the various positive things in Wellington, and there are many. More interesting is the section in which people can describe the opportunities (i.e., problems) that exist. The county cannot solve them all, but they can be part of a collaborative effort.
Here's what I wrote in the opportunity section of the survey:
• A consistent, long-term publicity effort is needed to enhance Wellington's image among potential business investors.
• Moderate population growth and immigration is needed to build the workforce and improve the consumer base for local retailers.
• Good quality cell-phone reception is needed in all rural areas.
• True high-speed internet is needed in all rural areas. The County's Rural Broadband project was inadequate in Erin.
• The County roads system needs to provide truck bypass routes for major bottlenecks, such as the downtown area of Erin village.
• A better network of bike lanes is needed on County Roads, through the Active Transportation Plan, plus a better network of off-road trails.
• Adequate ambulance service is needed in Erin, for residents and businesses. Thirty-minute waits are unacceptable.
• Land acquisition funding is needed, as in Halton and Peel, to create more Conservation Areas.
• More high-profile cultural events are needed to attract tourists.
My final comment is that economic development is too important to be left as an optional activity for municipalities. The Wellington Economic Development Strategy should guide local strategies.
The County should set some minimum standards to ensure that each municipality does a good job of promoting itself, and that the efforts are coordinated to promote the regional economy.
May 16, 2012
Solmar would pay for initial sewage plant
As published in The Erin Advocate
Solmar is pressing ahead with plans for more than 600 new homes in the north end of Erin village, inviting public comments and promising to pay for the initial phase of a sewage treatment plant.
"We've been very patient," said Maurizio Rogato, a planner with Solmar Development Corp., who hosted a public meeting last week at the Legion hall. "Your input is actually important."
It was an informal session to explain the initial concept and allow residents to ask questions – not part of the legal planning process. New housing has been on hold for the past five years while Erin has studied growth and sewage issues with its Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP).
Solmar plans to file its development application with the Town of Erin very soon, for the 300 acres they own between Dundas Street and County Road 124, from the Deer Pit to the wooded area east of the 10th Line. They are planning a mix of commercial, employment (industrial) and residential development.
The exact number of homes has not been determined, but Rogato expects it to be "upwards of 600". That would mean a significant increase in the population of Erin village, which now has about 3,000 people. County projections show growth to about 4,400 by the year 2031, but it could be higher.
"There is a need for jobs, and a need for housing for young people and seniors," he said.
(Maurizio Rogato of Solmar explains plans at public meeting.)
The area will be developed in stages, with a mix of densities to include detached homes, semi-detached and townhomes, said Rogato, but not likely any high-rise apartment buildings. Some housing is designated as "affordable," including a section for seniors.
The County guideline is six homes per acre, but that is a county-wide average, so a lower number could be negotiated for Erin.
"It will be denser than you're used to," said Rogato. "There are density regulations that we have to abide by – it's not our choice."
No subdivisions can be built until the SSMP is complete, possibly next winter. Solmar is starting its application now, to run concurrent with the SSMP, since the initial phase of the planning process is expected to take two years.
A sales program could then start. But provincial policy requires sewers for new housing developments, and there is a need to find an alternative to aging septic systems and holding tanks for existing buildings, so it could be several years before anything actually happens.
"Instead of only providing servicing capabilities for our lands, we would build a modular facility," he said. "The Town could decide – we don't want municipal services here. But should the Town decide one day to have those, it could be accommodated through the modular facility...There will be enormous setback requirements. It won't be in the middle of someone's neighbourhood."
No plans have yet been made for the waste facility, but Rogato's "guess" is that Solmar would spend about $3 million on it, including service for the non-residential area. It has not been decided whether it will be on the developer's land, or further downstream in the village. CVC will have to determine whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge, and approve a preferable location.
"Modular" means that a small plant could be built to handle sewage primarily from the new development, plus some capacity for other village properties in urgent need of sewage service. There would also be treatment for local septage – the waste pumped out of septic tanks, and the holding tanks behind downtown businesses. The septage component would be at the Town's expense, said Rogato.
The Town would likely assume ownership and responsibility for the plant, just as it does with other infrastructure such as roads.
The plant could later be expanded by the Town to handle more waste, as a sewage system is phased in throughout the urban areas. The cost of a full plant is not known, but informal estimates put it at more than $50 million.
Actual work on sewers has to wait not only for the SSMP, but for an additional environmental assessment on the treatment plant itself. Even then it could take decades to hook up most of the urban areas, since some homes have septic systems that are relatively new.
"We will never get the whole town on sewers," said County Councillor Ken Chapman.
The Solmar land had been owned by Duncan Armstrong, Reeve of Erin Township from 1987 to 1994. Just before the development restrictions of the Green Belt legislation were to take effect in 2005, Town Council added the land to the Erin village urban area, opening it up for future growth. It was owned by Mattamy Homes, and then by Solmar.
"These lands are slated for development," said Rogato. "The conversation isn't so much 'when' or 'if' the lands develop. The more important conversation is 'how'. What is the outcome, what is the desired community input?"
Some at the meeting were not happy with the prospect of significant growth, with one audience member saying to Rogato, "It doesn't matter what we say, you are going to go ahead with this and make it work."
Rogato said that while Solmar is pressing ahead, it hopes to do so in a "cooperative" manner and that the entire development is likely to produce a financial gain for the municipality. People are welcome to contact the company for information or to make comments by email: info@solmar.ca. Solmar is a Canadian company based in Concord, which has developed residential, commercial and industrial projects over the last 25 years.
"For me, the most important part of the plan is the employment lands, because that's going to be sustainable, that's a long-term approach for Erin," said Rogato, noting that the Town's help will be needed to attract business to these lands. "That's a tax base that the Town can count on, that's jobs that the public can count on. And the only way you are going to get good employment lands to function well is to have them properly serviced."
Of the 300 acres owned by Solmar, only 125 acres would be residential. The plan also includes 40 acres of employment (industrial) land, 12 of commercial development along County Road 124, 40 of wooded greenspace with trails, 15 of parks, 15 for a school site and three for a place of worship.
Another 14 acres is marked as a Stormwater Management Pond. This is located next to the public land of the Deer Pit, which was recently regraded to enable stormwater drainage. The water travels through a pipe under the Elora-Cataract Trailway, just south of the Solmar land, down the 10th Line and into a tributary of the West Credit River.
The homes will have at least R2000 energy efficiency, but Rogato is not sure it will be feasible to build them to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. LEED is an international building certification program, focusing on sustainable site development, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environment quality.
"We're interested in affordable solutions," he said. "But we are committed to some form of environmental development."
Solmar is pressing ahead with plans for more than 600 new homes in the north end of Erin village, inviting public comments and promising to pay for the initial phase of a sewage treatment plant.
"We've been very patient," said Maurizio Rogato, a planner with Solmar Development Corp., who hosted a public meeting last week at the Legion hall. "Your input is actually important."
It was an informal session to explain the initial concept and allow residents to ask questions – not part of the legal planning process. New housing has been on hold for the past five years while Erin has studied growth and sewage issues with its Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP).
Solmar plans to file its development application with the Town of Erin very soon, for the 300 acres they own between Dundas Street and County Road 124, from the Deer Pit to the wooded area east of the 10th Line. They are planning a mix of commercial, employment (industrial) and residential development.
"There is a need for jobs, and a need for housing for young people and seniors," he said.
(Maurizio Rogato of Solmar explains plans at public meeting.)
The area will be developed in stages, with a mix of densities to include detached homes, semi-detached and townhomes, said Rogato, but not likely any high-rise apartment buildings. Some housing is designated as "affordable," including a section for seniors.
The County guideline is six homes per acre, but that is a county-wide average, so a lower number could be negotiated for Erin.
"It will be denser than you're used to," said Rogato. "There are density regulations that we have to abide by – it's not our choice."
No subdivisions can be built until the SSMP is complete, possibly next winter. Solmar is starting its application now, to run concurrent with the SSMP, since the initial phase of the planning process is expected to take two years.
A sales program could then start. But provincial policy requires sewers for new housing developments, and there is a need to find an alternative to aging septic systems and holding tanks for existing buildings, so it could be several years before anything actually happens.
"Instead of only providing servicing capabilities for our lands, we would build a modular facility," he said. "The Town could decide – we don't want municipal services here. But should the Town decide one day to have those, it could be accommodated through the modular facility...There will be enormous setback requirements. It won't be in the middle of someone's neighbourhood."
No plans have yet been made for the waste facility, but Rogato's "guess" is that Solmar would spend about $3 million on it, including service for the non-residential area. It has not been decided whether it will be on the developer's land, or further downstream in the village. CVC will have to determine whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge, and approve a preferable location.
"Modular" means that a small plant could be built to handle sewage primarily from the new development, plus some capacity for other village properties in urgent need of sewage service. There would also be treatment for local septage – the waste pumped out of septic tanks, and the holding tanks behind downtown businesses. The septage component would be at the Town's expense, said Rogato.
The Town would likely assume ownership and responsibility for the plant, just as it does with other infrastructure such as roads.
The plant could later be expanded by the Town to handle more waste, as a sewage system is phased in throughout the urban areas. The cost of a full plant is not known, but informal estimates put it at more than $50 million.
Actual work on sewers has to wait not only for the SSMP, but for an additional environmental assessment on the treatment plant itself. Even then it could take decades to hook up most of the urban areas, since some homes have septic systems that are relatively new.
"We will never get the whole town on sewers," said County Councillor Ken Chapman.
The Solmar land had been owned by Duncan Armstrong, Reeve of Erin Township from 1987 to 1994. Just before the development restrictions of the Green Belt legislation were to take effect in 2005, Town Council added the land to the Erin village urban area, opening it up for future growth. It was owned by Mattamy Homes, and then by Solmar.
"These lands are slated for development," said Rogato. "The conversation isn't so much 'when' or 'if' the lands develop. The more important conversation is 'how'. What is the outcome, what is the desired community input?"
Some at the meeting were not happy with the prospect of significant growth, with one audience member saying to Rogato, "It doesn't matter what we say, you are going to go ahead with this and make it work."
Rogato said that while Solmar is pressing ahead, it hopes to do so in a "cooperative" manner and that the entire development is likely to produce a financial gain for the municipality. People are welcome to contact the company for information or to make comments by email: info@solmar.ca. Solmar is a Canadian company based in Concord, which has developed residential, commercial and industrial projects over the last 25 years.
"For me, the most important part of the plan is the employment lands, because that's going to be sustainable, that's a long-term approach for Erin," said Rogato, noting that the Town's help will be needed to attract business to these lands. "That's a tax base that the Town can count on, that's jobs that the public can count on. And the only way you are going to get good employment lands to function well is to have them properly serviced."
Of the 300 acres owned by Solmar, only 125 acres would be residential. The plan also includes 40 acres of employment (industrial) land, 12 of commercial development along County Road 124, 40 of wooded greenspace with trails, 15 of parks, 15 for a school site and three for a place of worship.
Another 14 acres is marked as a Stormwater Management Pond. This is located next to the public land of the Deer Pit, which was recently regraded to enable stormwater drainage. The water travels through a pipe under the Elora-Cataract Trailway, just south of the Solmar land, down the 10th Line and into a tributary of the West Credit River.
The homes will have at least R2000 energy efficiency, but Rogato is not sure it will be feasible to build them to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. LEED is an international building certification program, focusing on sustainable site development, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environment quality.
"We're interested in affordable solutions," he said. "But we are committed to some form of environmental development."
November 02, 2011
Cycle tourism presents an attractive opportunity
As published in The Erin Advocate
Erin should take full advantage of its beautiful rolling hills by promoting itself as a destination or take-off point for cycling tourists.
"There is a tremendous opportunity for cycle tourism," said Andy Goldie, Director of Parks & Recreation for Centre Wellington, which is developing a Trails Master Plan. He was helping with an information Open House at Centre 2000 on October 22 for the county-wide Active Transportation Plan (ATP).
It is going to take a while to build up the number of rural roads with excellent bike lanes – ideally 2 metres wide, compared to the current 50 centimetres (19 inches) if they exist at all.
"Cyclists are using the roads anyway, and interest is growing all the time," said Project Manager Jay Cranstone, an Erin native, avid cyclist and landscape architect with MMM Group of Mississauga, the consulting firm hired to organize the ATP. While mountain biking remains popular, he has noticed a renewed interest in road cycling.
"Cycle tourists spend more than car tourists," he said. A survey in Quebec, where cycling culture is very strong, showed cycle tourists spending an average of $102 per adult per day (up from $83 in 2005), compared to $52 per day for motoring tourists. They also like vacationing in the spring and fall, extending the season for tourism-related businesses.
Unfortunately, Downtown Erin village is too congested on summer weekends for many cyclists to feel comfortable. Alternative routes and better parking could help improve the situation. Our off-road trails are generally unmarked, which is fine for long-time local riders, but for visitors, a more official, signed network is needed.
Erin needs to boost its image as one in a series of attractive destinations within a network of regional bike routes.
There are several positive scenarios. For example, people traveling the Trans-Canada Trail (Elora-Cataract) could detour into Hillsburgh or Erin village because they've heard good things about them. City dwellers who load their bikes onto vehicles and head out for an afternoon of riding could make Erin their preferred place to park and set out. Or those who come here mainly for shopping may like the option of also doing some short loops, either biking or hiking.
Cyclists planning a vacation could decide to check in at a local Bed & Breakfast place, using it as a home base for their excursions. Or if they are based at Conservation Area campgrounds in Rockwood, Guelph Lake or Belwood, they could plan routes through rural Erin, because they've heard that the hills and views are great, and the roads are not too busy. Companies that book cycle tours could flag Erin as a "must-see" place.
The Town of Erin needs to promote itself as a centre of activity, not a fringe area. Being a part of a large regional tourism association is useful, but the benefits seem limited. Erin has been shifted into a region that extends from here to Lake Huron, though we can still maintain a link with our Headwaters partners to the east, which seems a more logical grouping.
Erin gets some promotion on the Headwaters website (thehillsofheadwaters.com) which is quite professional, but it is not enough. We are lumped in with other places that in some respects have more to offer.
We can't expect other people to aggressively promote Erin – that's our job. We need a broad tourism strategy, involving businesses and the municipality, that identifies our strengths and gets the word out to potential visitors. Ideally, we should have our own tourism association to decide on the best marketing strategies.
Improved cycle tourism is just one of many aspects, which tend to support each other. Cycle traffic benefits food businesses, both the sit-down restaurants and places that offer quick carbohydrates such as ice cream and baked goods.
Riders may be interested, for example, in travelling to several of the art displays on the Hills of Erin Studio Tour, visiting farms or in attending attractions after their riding is done, such as shows at Century Church Theatre.
Public feedback is still being collected for the county study on non-car mobility – search Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires.
Erin should take full advantage of its beautiful rolling hills by promoting itself as a destination or take-off point for cycling tourists.
"There is a tremendous opportunity for cycle tourism," said Andy Goldie, Director of Parks & Recreation for Centre Wellington, which is developing a Trails Master Plan. He was helping with an information Open House at Centre 2000 on October 22 for the county-wide Active Transportation Plan (ATP).
It is going to take a while to build up the number of rural roads with excellent bike lanes – ideally 2 metres wide, compared to the current 50 centimetres (19 inches) if they exist at all.
"Cyclists are using the roads anyway, and interest is growing all the time," said Project Manager Jay Cranstone, an Erin native, avid cyclist and landscape architect with MMM Group of Mississauga, the consulting firm hired to organize the ATP. While mountain biking remains popular, he has noticed a renewed interest in road cycling.
"Cycle tourists spend more than car tourists," he said. A survey in Quebec, where cycling culture is very strong, showed cycle tourists spending an average of $102 per adult per day (up from $83 in 2005), compared to $52 per day for motoring tourists. They also like vacationing in the spring and fall, extending the season for tourism-related businesses.
Unfortunately, Downtown Erin village is too congested on summer weekends for many cyclists to feel comfortable. Alternative routes and better parking could help improve the situation. Our off-road trails are generally unmarked, which is fine for long-time local riders, but for visitors, a more official, signed network is needed.
Erin needs to boost its image as one in a series of attractive destinations within a network of regional bike routes.
There are several positive scenarios. For example, people traveling the Trans-Canada Trail (Elora-Cataract) could detour into Hillsburgh or Erin village because they've heard good things about them. City dwellers who load their bikes onto vehicles and head out for an afternoon of riding could make Erin their preferred place to park and set out. Or those who come here mainly for shopping may like the option of also doing some short loops, either biking or hiking.
Cyclists planning a vacation could decide to check in at a local Bed & Breakfast place, using it as a home base for their excursions. Or if they are based at Conservation Area campgrounds in Rockwood, Guelph Lake or Belwood, they could plan routes through rural Erin, because they've heard that the hills and views are great, and the roads are not too busy. Companies that book cycle tours could flag Erin as a "must-see" place.
The Town of Erin needs to promote itself as a centre of activity, not a fringe area. Being a part of a large regional tourism association is useful, but the benefits seem limited. Erin has been shifted into a region that extends from here to Lake Huron, though we can still maintain a link with our Headwaters partners to the east, which seems a more logical grouping.
Erin gets some promotion on the Headwaters website (thehillsofheadwaters.com) which is quite professional, but it is not enough. We are lumped in with other places that in some respects have more to offer.
We can't expect other people to aggressively promote Erin – that's our job. We need a broad tourism strategy, involving businesses and the municipality, that identifies our strengths and gets the word out to potential visitors. Ideally, we should have our own tourism association to decide on the best marketing strategies.
Improved cycle tourism is just one of many aspects, which tend to support each other. Cycle traffic benefits food businesses, both the sit-down restaurants and places that offer quick carbohydrates such as ice cream and baked goods.
Riders may be interested, for example, in travelling to several of the art displays on the Hills of Erin Studio Tour, visiting farms or in attending attractions after their riding is done, such as shows at Century Church Theatre.
Public feedback is still being collected for the county study on non-car mobility – search Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires.
April 06, 2011
Filling those blue boxes is just not good enough
As published in The Erin Advocate
If your proficiency at diverting paper, glass, cans and plastic into blue boxes every week has you feeling like a proud environmentalist, maybe it's time to check the bar. It was raised, quite a while ago, and now some are suggesting that the Blue Box Habit is doing more harm than good.
The issue is illustrated in the "3 R's" slogan, proclaimed by governments and activists seeking to change how people deal with trash. "Reduce, reuse and recycle" has been etched on the public blackboard, but only the third part has really sunk in.
The idea was to first reduce the amount of waste we buy and create, then reuse whatever we can, and only then put material into recycling programs. Of course, it is still better to fill blue boxes than to ship it all to the dump, but it is still an expensive pile of stuff to process – a cost borne by taxpayers, not the companies that manufacture the waste.
There were some interesting comments on the topic after last month's showing of the film Tapped, about the bottled water industry. It was part of the Fast Forward Film Festival, presented by Credit Valley Conservation and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE), which opposes the trend to single-use plastic containers.
The prime target is Nestlé, of course, getting its water virtually for free from high capacity wells in Aberfoyle, Hillsburgh and other small towns in Canada and the US. Should the provincial government simply charge high fees for water extraction, like they would for oil? Would that further legitimize the practice?
The Town of Erin might not mind a slice of that revenue – it would be like having a casino in your territory. Environmental benefits could flow from a huge increase in the price of bottled water: less consumption, less harmful plastic, fewer tanker trucks and less need to recycle.
Nestlé will seek renewal of its Hillsburgh license next year and there will be lots of opposition. If you want to get in on it, or help make bottled water an election issue, contact Liz Armstrong of CCAGE at liz@ican.net, Wellington Water Watchers at 519-780-5030, or go to www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
Nestlé has tried to purchase some good will in Erin and Aberfoyle with major donations to parks and recreation facilities, and the world's largest food processor makes much of its recycling efforts.
"Recycling is garbage," said Mike Nagy, one of the driving forces at Water Wachers, during the forum after the film. "It's a way of making you feel you're doing something good for the environment. You are not. Refuse, reduce, reuse. Because if you go by the theory that recycling is better, and I have 50 blue boxes in my driveway, I'm 50 times better than you, because I am recycling more. It's the reverse.
"We need to remove profiteering. If they get the water, and you want to buy it, it should be your right. But it should cost a lot of money. And it should be in returnable glass that you take back, not recycle. Fifteen years ago, we bought pop in this province in returnable bottles, and it's gone.
"The best thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box, and the absolute single worst thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box. It was a convenient way for industry to make you dispose of their products...and it costs the taxpayers a ton of money."
He said that since the blue box was introduced, we have not just recycled more, but the number of packaged products has increased dramatically.
Doug Hodgson, a farmer and environmental lawyer who operates Uphill Farm Organics at Third Line and County Road 50 in Erin, sponsored the film night and had the last word.
"Bottled water is a small piece of a much larger picture on water," he said, noting that 70 per cent of the fresh water in the world is used for agriculture. "Bottled water is really the low hanging fruit. If we want to do something about climate change, start with the easy stuff. Bottled water is a product we just don't need. Just drop it.
"The enemy isn't really Nestlé. The enemy is us. They're selling it to us for a buck and a half, but we're paying a buck and a half.
"If you want to change human behaviour, look at our tax laws. We need carbon taxes. We have to de-carbonize our economy. If you look at the bottled water industry, they're not paying for the damned stuff. All the costs are energy costs... So vote for carbon taxes. Double the cost of bottled water."
If your proficiency at diverting paper, glass, cans and plastic into blue boxes every week has you feeling like a proud environmentalist, maybe it's time to check the bar. It was raised, quite a while ago, and now some are suggesting that the Blue Box Habit is doing more harm than good.
The issue is illustrated in the "3 R's" slogan, proclaimed by governments and activists seeking to change how people deal with trash. "Reduce, reuse and recycle" has been etched on the public blackboard, but only the third part has really sunk in.
The idea was to first reduce the amount of waste we buy and create, then reuse whatever we can, and only then put material into recycling programs. Of course, it is still better to fill blue boxes than to ship it all to the dump, but it is still an expensive pile of stuff to process – a cost borne by taxpayers, not the companies that manufacture the waste.
There were some interesting comments on the topic after last month's showing of the film Tapped, about the bottled water industry. It was part of the Fast Forward Film Festival, presented by Credit Valley Conservation and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE), which opposes the trend to single-use plastic containers.
The prime target is Nestlé, of course, getting its water virtually for free from high capacity wells in Aberfoyle, Hillsburgh and other small towns in Canada and the US. Should the provincial government simply charge high fees for water extraction, like they would for oil? Would that further legitimize the practice?
The Town of Erin might not mind a slice of that revenue – it would be like having a casino in your territory. Environmental benefits could flow from a huge increase in the price of bottled water: less consumption, less harmful plastic, fewer tanker trucks and less need to recycle.
Nestlé will seek renewal of its Hillsburgh license next year and there will be lots of opposition. If you want to get in on it, or help make bottled water an election issue, contact Liz Armstrong of CCAGE at liz@ican.net, Wellington Water Watchers at 519-780-5030, or go to www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
Nestlé has tried to purchase some good will in Erin and Aberfoyle with major donations to parks and recreation facilities, and the world's largest food processor makes much of its recycling efforts.
"Recycling is garbage," said Mike Nagy, one of the driving forces at Water Wachers, during the forum after the film. "It's a way of making you feel you're doing something good for the environment. You are not. Refuse, reduce, reuse. Because if you go by the theory that recycling is better, and I have 50 blue boxes in my driveway, I'm 50 times better than you, because I am recycling more. It's the reverse.
"We need to remove profiteering. If they get the water, and you want to buy it, it should be your right. But it should cost a lot of money. And it should be in returnable glass that you take back, not recycle. Fifteen years ago, we bought pop in this province in returnable bottles, and it's gone.
"The best thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box, and the absolute single worst thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box. It was a convenient way for industry to make you dispose of their products...and it costs the taxpayers a ton of money."
He said that since the blue box was introduced, we have not just recycled more, but the number of packaged products has increased dramatically.
Doug Hodgson, a farmer and environmental lawyer who operates Uphill Farm Organics at Third Line and County Road 50 in Erin, sponsored the film night and had the last word.
"Bottled water is a small piece of a much larger picture on water," he said, noting that 70 per cent of the fresh water in the world is used for agriculture. "Bottled water is really the low hanging fruit. If we want to do something about climate change, start with the easy stuff. Bottled water is a product we just don't need. Just drop it.
"The enemy isn't really Nestlé. The enemy is us. They're selling it to us for a buck and a half, but we're paying a buck and a half.
"If you want to change human behaviour, look at our tax laws. We need carbon taxes. We have to de-carbonize our economy. If you look at the bottled water industry, they're not paying for the damned stuff. All the costs are energy costs... So vote for carbon taxes. Double the cost of bottled water."
March 09, 2011
Recycled vegetable oil powers biodiesel revolution
As published in The Erin Advocate
Could the availability of a fuel made with used vegetable oil from restaurants persuade you to buy a used diesel vehicle? I'm not quite ready to take that plunge myself, the idea being too new to have penetrated the automotive lobe of my brain, but the possibility is intriguing.
The question arose while watching Fuel, a documentary about our addiction to fossil fuels. It was the second in the Fast Forward Film Festival series, presented monthly at the Legion by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
The film follows the quest of Josh Tickell to promote sustainable energy alternatives, including a transcontinental trek in a "Veggie Van", powered by frying oil from fast food restaurants. Drop in to www.thefuelfilm.com.
The presentation was sponsored by Erin's own Everpure Biodiesel Cooperative, which produces a sustainable fuel for diesel cars, trucks, generators, farm equipment and home heating furnaces.
Biodiesel can be made from crops like soy and corn, but environmentalists have turned thumbs down on this method, since it diverts food into fuel, driving up the price of food. There is also research into biodiesel from algae, which can be grown using waste water.
Everpure's model is a food-fuel recycling loop, selling canola oil to some 40 local restaurants like Saucy Soup, Bistro Rivière, David's, Churrasco 77, Busholme Inn and Duke of Hillsburgh. Everpure gets the waste fryer oil back for free and puts it through a chemical-catalytic process to produce 100 per cent biodiesel.
It can power diesel engines just as well or better than the fossil diesel sold by petroleum companies, with no engine modifications. Everpure sells it to their 70 co-op members for five cents per litre less than the going price at the gas station.
The restaurants get to call themselves "green", while users get a fuel that produces no additional greenhouse gases, emits 95 per cent less particulate matter and 75 per cent less carbon monoxide than fossil diesel, has no sulfur and is non-toxic / non-flammable.
"If there's ever a spill of biodiesel, the biggest danger is slipping," said organic farmer Jay Mowat, a founder of Everpure, answering questions after the film. The project began at Everdale Farm five years ago when they could not find a biodiesel supplier. Now the co-op collects about 500 L / week, and is ready to expand to more than 2,000 L / week. Find out more at www.everpurebiod.ca.
Production is done in Acton at Zuraw Technologies, in partnership with chemical engineer and entrepreneur Michael Zuraw. In July, they hosted an Open House event, supported by Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong.
It is a simple, radical project that is making a difference. In a society that depends so heavily on oil, however, the annual sale of 25,000 litres is just a drip in a very large bucket. All the arable farmland in North America could only produce enough biofuel to replace 20 per cent of fossil fuel use.
"Biofuels are not a silver bullet, they are not an answer," said Mowat. "In certain instances, like Everpure, it can be one of the solutions, one of the alternatives. I personally believe the only way to get off the fossil fuel train is reducing our use – starting to learn how to conserve. We are a very wasteful society in terms of fossil fuel production.
"We have no desire to become the Imperial Oil of biodiesel. We want to take local waste oil, produce biodiesel locally, then sell it to local farmers and drivers.
"Very few people know about it. Most of the work the co-op does is education. If we brought the message out a bit better, people would start to use it, if it was available."
Before you rush out and buy a diesel vehicle, be aware that there are limitations. Diesel passenger vehicles made in 2007 and later have emission systems that only accept a blend of up to five per cent biodiesel. New farm tractors and big rigs can take Everpure's 100 per cent biodiesel, said Mowat. Check the warranty as well, to see if it limits the proportion of biodiesel.
Also, biodiesel turns to a non-flowing gel at about -5° C, effectively shutting down sales for the winter – though they do sell containers to mixing enthusiasts. A non-gelling additive would cost an extra 20 cents per litre.
"We are barely financially sustainable now," said Mowat. "If we had to add 20 cents a litre, I don't think we would find very many customers."
The Everpure pumps in Erin, Orangeville, Acton and Guelph are the only places in Ontario where you can get 100 per cent (B100) biodiesel. Naturally, their pumps run off batteries charged by solar panels. Members pre-buy $500 worth of fuel, or get bulk delivery to their farms.
Everpure has been doing research, in partnership with the University of Guelph, into biodiesel home heating, with the help of a $5,000 grant that Mowat won in a competition at the Ontario Co-Operative Association conference last October.
"We should be able to supply, with some luck, biodiesel for home heating fuel, with slight modifications to your furnace (nothing that would void a warranty) next winter, on a limited basis," he said.
Could the availability of a fuel made with used vegetable oil from restaurants persuade you to buy a used diesel vehicle? I'm not quite ready to take that plunge myself, the idea being too new to have penetrated the automotive lobe of my brain, but the possibility is intriguing.
The question arose while watching Fuel, a documentary about our addiction to fossil fuels. It was the second in the Fast Forward Film Festival series, presented monthly at the Legion by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
The film follows the quest of Josh Tickell to promote sustainable energy alternatives, including a transcontinental trek in a "Veggie Van", powered by frying oil from fast food restaurants. Drop in to www.thefuelfilm.com.
The presentation was sponsored by Erin's own Everpure Biodiesel Cooperative, which produces a sustainable fuel for diesel cars, trucks, generators, farm equipment and home heating furnaces.
Biodiesel can be made from crops like soy and corn, but environmentalists have turned thumbs down on this method, since it diverts food into fuel, driving up the price of food. There is also research into biodiesel from algae, which can be grown using waste water.
Everpure's model is a food-fuel recycling loop, selling canola oil to some 40 local restaurants like Saucy Soup, Bistro Rivière, David's, Churrasco 77, Busholme Inn and Duke of Hillsburgh. Everpure gets the waste fryer oil back for free and puts it through a chemical-catalytic process to produce 100 per cent biodiesel.
It can power diesel engines just as well or better than the fossil diesel sold by petroleum companies, with no engine modifications. Everpure sells it to their 70 co-op members for five cents per litre less than the going price at the gas station.
The restaurants get to call themselves "green", while users get a fuel that produces no additional greenhouse gases, emits 95 per cent less particulate matter and 75 per cent less carbon monoxide than fossil diesel, has no sulfur and is non-toxic / non-flammable.
"If there's ever a spill of biodiesel, the biggest danger is slipping," said organic farmer Jay Mowat, a founder of Everpure, answering questions after the film. The project began at Everdale Farm five years ago when they could not find a biodiesel supplier. Now the co-op collects about 500 L / week, and is ready to expand to more than 2,000 L / week. Find out more at www.everpurebiod.ca.
Production is done in Acton at Zuraw Technologies, in partnership with chemical engineer and entrepreneur Michael Zuraw. In July, they hosted an Open House event, supported by Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong.
It is a simple, radical project that is making a difference. In a society that depends so heavily on oil, however, the annual sale of 25,000 litres is just a drip in a very large bucket. All the arable farmland in North America could only produce enough biofuel to replace 20 per cent of fossil fuel use.
"Biofuels are not a silver bullet, they are not an answer," said Mowat. "In certain instances, like Everpure, it can be one of the solutions, one of the alternatives. I personally believe the only way to get off the fossil fuel train is reducing our use – starting to learn how to conserve. We are a very wasteful society in terms of fossil fuel production.
"We have no desire to become the Imperial Oil of biodiesel. We want to take local waste oil, produce biodiesel locally, then sell it to local farmers and drivers.
"Very few people know about it. Most of the work the co-op does is education. If we brought the message out a bit better, people would start to use it, if it was available."
Before you rush out and buy a diesel vehicle, be aware that there are limitations. Diesel passenger vehicles made in 2007 and later have emission systems that only accept a blend of up to five per cent biodiesel. New farm tractors and big rigs can take Everpure's 100 per cent biodiesel, said Mowat. Check the warranty as well, to see if it limits the proportion of biodiesel.
Also, biodiesel turns to a non-flowing gel at about -5° C, effectively shutting down sales for the winter – though they do sell containers to mixing enthusiasts. A non-gelling additive would cost an extra 20 cents per litre.
"We are barely financially sustainable now," said Mowat. "If we had to add 20 cents a litre, I don't think we would find very many customers."
The Everpure pumps in Erin, Orangeville, Acton and Guelph are the only places in Ontario where you can get 100 per cent (B100) biodiesel. Naturally, their pumps run off batteries charged by solar panels. Members pre-buy $500 worth of fuel, or get bulk delivery to their farms.
Everpure has been doing research, in partnership with the University of Guelph, into biodiesel home heating, with the help of a $5,000 grant that Mowat won in a competition at the Ontario Co-Operative Association conference last October.
"We should be able to supply, with some luck, biodiesel for home heating fuel, with slight modifications to your furnace (nothing that would void a warranty) next winter, on a limited basis," he said.
December 08, 2010
Active Transportation Plan will get assets moving
As published in The Erin Advocate
Gill Penalosa cut to the heart of the matter last week, in a discussion of Erin's future transportation needs: How do we really want to live? Are we content with a car-dominated culture, or are we prepared to demand an infrastructure that values walking, cycling and other modes of human-powered locomotion?
"It's not about the money, it's about having the vision," said Penalosa, an internationally renowned liveable city advisor, speaking at a series of workshops throughout Wellington County. An audience that included business people, environmentalists, trails enthusiasts and town councillors attended the session at Centre 2000, part of an initiative to develop a Wellington Active Transportation Plan.
"It's time to build alliances, to get everybody working together – it might not be easy," said Penalosa. "We've got to develop a sense of urgency. We have to make the best quality of life – the general interest must prevail. We need to make walking and cycling a normal part of life."
Penalosa is the Executive Director of 8-80cities, a Toronto-based non-profit group that promotes healthy, people-oriented communities. Their name is based on the strategy of designing public areas that are not only safe and comfortable for able-bodied adults, but also for eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds. Check out www.8-80cities.org.
An Active Transportation Plan (a process that is already well-advanced in nearby regions) provides a guide for future development that could, for example, require adequate bike lanes when roads come up for reconstruction. It a joint initiative of the County, local municipalities and the Health Unit, which is concerned about rates of obesity, heart disease and other consequences of inadequate levels of physical activity.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health already sponsors the "WDG in motion" initiative, with a mandate to “create a culture of physical activity” in the region, according to their website, www.wdginmotion.ca. If you have ideas for the Active Transportation Plan, you can write to Karen Armstrong, In Motion Coordinator at the Health Unit: karen.armstrong@wdghu.org. A consultant will be hired next year to work on the project.
It will be on a broad scaler than other related efforts, such as a Trails Master Plan for Erin, which is also being discussed. As with all such plans, they should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing until the plan is complete. If there is a consensus on the need for a certain project, it should proceed. The bias needs to be in favour of action.
Here are some of the ideas being floated to create a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The fact that some have been floating about for decades, but never achieved, does not make them less worthy of consideration.
• A bypass to take traffic, especially trucks, away from the downtown core of Erin village. This was mentioned by many participants at the workshop as a major factor in improving safety and quality of life in the village.
• Cross-walks or traffic lights to improve safety and discourage vehicle traffic.
• Improved off-street parking and elimination of some on-street parking to create a bike lane, with a concrete curb or barrier between the cars and the bikes.
• Improved trails, including a bridge over the river to link McMillan Park with the Woollen Mills Trail, a loop route on the water tower hill, a link from Stanley Park to Elora-Cataract rail trail, a loop including the rail trail in Hillsburgh and improved access to Barbour Field.
• Pedestrian-based areas of retail stores, restaurants and offices close to the downtown cores. Any significant redevelopment would require a sewage system.
• Bike lanes on selected rural roads to create a network among various destinations. Increased construction costs would be offset by the fact that wider roads last longer.
• A boardwalk along downtown sections of the river. The fact that some of this land is now privately owned would make such a project more complicated, but not impossible.
• Better bicycle parking areas in public places and at schools.
• Bus service to neighbouring municipalities.
• More parks and renewal of existing parks to make them more appealing to the public.
• More closures of downtown streets to vehicle traffic for special events on weekends.
• More local employment to reduce the rate of long-distance commuting.
Of course, in a town where the majority of residents live outside the urban areas and work elsewhere, cars and trucks will remain a necessity for many people. But we can still give higher priority to "active" transportation, and enjoy a better quality of life as a result.
Gill Penalosa cut to the heart of the matter last week, in a discussion of Erin's future transportation needs: How do we really want to live? Are we content with a car-dominated culture, or are we prepared to demand an infrastructure that values walking, cycling and other modes of human-powered locomotion?
"It's not about the money, it's about having the vision," said Penalosa, an internationally renowned liveable city advisor, speaking at a series of workshops throughout Wellington County. An audience that included business people, environmentalists, trails enthusiasts and town councillors attended the session at Centre 2000, part of an initiative to develop a Wellington Active Transportation Plan.
"It's time to build alliances, to get everybody working together – it might not be easy," said Penalosa. "We've got to develop a sense of urgency. We have to make the best quality of life – the general interest must prevail. We need to make walking and cycling a normal part of life."
Penalosa is the Executive Director of 8-80cities, a Toronto-based non-profit group that promotes healthy, people-oriented communities. Their name is based on the strategy of designing public areas that are not only safe and comfortable for able-bodied adults, but also for eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds. Check out www.8-80cities.org.
An Active Transportation Plan (a process that is already well-advanced in nearby regions) provides a guide for future development that could, for example, require adequate bike lanes when roads come up for reconstruction. It a joint initiative of the County, local municipalities and the Health Unit, which is concerned about rates of obesity, heart disease and other consequences of inadequate levels of physical activity.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health already sponsors the "WDG in motion" initiative, with a mandate to “create a culture of physical activity” in the region, according to their website, www.wdginmotion.ca. If you have ideas for the Active Transportation Plan, you can write to Karen Armstrong, In Motion Coordinator at the Health Unit: karen.armstrong@wdghu.org. A consultant will be hired next year to work on the project.
It will be on a broad scaler than other related efforts, such as a Trails Master Plan for Erin, which is also being discussed. As with all such plans, they should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing until the plan is complete. If there is a consensus on the need for a certain project, it should proceed. The bias needs to be in favour of action.
Here are some of the ideas being floated to create a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The fact that some have been floating about for decades, but never achieved, does not make them less worthy of consideration.
• A bypass to take traffic, especially trucks, away from the downtown core of Erin village. This was mentioned by many participants at the workshop as a major factor in improving safety and quality of life in the village.
• Cross-walks or traffic lights to improve safety and discourage vehicle traffic.
• Improved off-street parking and elimination of some on-street parking to create a bike lane, with a concrete curb or barrier between the cars and the bikes.
• Improved trails, including a bridge over the river to link McMillan Park with the Woollen Mills Trail, a loop route on the water tower hill, a link from Stanley Park to Elora-Cataract rail trail, a loop including the rail trail in Hillsburgh and improved access to Barbour Field.
• Pedestrian-based areas of retail stores, restaurants and offices close to the downtown cores. Any significant redevelopment would require a sewage system.
• Bike lanes on selected rural roads to create a network among various destinations. Increased construction costs would be offset by the fact that wider roads last longer.
• A boardwalk along downtown sections of the river. The fact that some of this land is now privately owned would make such a project more complicated, but not impossible.
• Better bicycle parking areas in public places and at schools.
• Bus service to neighbouring municipalities.
• More parks and renewal of existing parks to make them more appealing to the public.
• More closures of downtown streets to vehicle traffic for special events on weekends.
• More local employment to reduce the rate of long-distance commuting.
Of course, in a town where the majority of residents live outside the urban areas and work elsewhere, cars and trucks will remain a necessity for many people. But we can still give higher priority to "active" transportation, and enjoy a better quality of life as a result.
July 14, 2010
CBC proud to release report by ERIN Research
As published in The Erin Advocate
The first phase of an innovative study by an Erin firm, measuring the "balance" of news presented on television, radio and the internet, has been released by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The News Balance Interim Report, by ERIN Research, is based on a 10-week sample of news recorded from October 26, 2009, to January 17, 2010. The full study, to be released in the fall, will span the 25-week period ending May 2, 2010, covering about 440 hours of broadcast news and 2,400 internet news stories.
"The study will be the most detailed and comprehensive of its kind in Canada and likely among any in the world. It's already creating something of a buzz in the academic and research communities," said Jennifer McGuire, general manager and editor-in-chief of CBC News. "Overseen by an independent panel of media experts, the final study will include both detailed content analysis and audience perception research."
ERIN Research has a long history with the CBC – the broadcaster was their first client back in 1981. That work has included six major studies of fairness in coverage of federal elections, plus the Quebec Referendum in 1995.
The company was founded by Dr. George Spears, PhD, trained in cognitive psychology, and Kasia Seydegart, with a Masters in Social Work. The couple moved to Erin, then decided it was better to start their own company than to commute long distances to work. The core team now includes Director Pat Zulinov and Business Manager Brenda Nicholson. There is also a variable workforce of contract researchers hired for various projects. You can learn more about the company and its ventures at www.erinresearch.com.
In addition to research for various media groups, ERIN Research also works for large organizations including TD Canada Trust, Peel Region, the Upper Grand District School Board and the Ontario government, measuring the level of satisfaction or effectiveness perceived by end users of specific services.
"Organizations want an empirical basis for making decisions, grounded in fact, in the truth, removing it from the subjective," said Seydegart. "This enables decision makers to have common information."
She says the success of a study depends not just on knowledge of the field, but on the sophistication of the statistical analysis, which can produce more beneficial data for clients. The questions must not only be relevant, but worded to elicit clear answers.
ERIN Research has won several awards for innovation and performance. Dr. Spears is considered an expert in the analysis of news and public affairs broadcasting, and of music use in the media and on the internet.
The firm did four studies in a project called Citizens First, for the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service, analyzing what really drives public satisfaction with government services. The organization says it has established the "gold-standard" for research on public sector service delivery, not only in Canada, but around the world.
"It is a powerful tool for governments to see themselves from the public perspective," said Seydegart.
The high-profile work for the CBC results in some intense scrutiny. Follow the on-line link from the ERIN site to the CBC announcement, and you'll find a forum filled with critics who accuse the CBC of all sorts of biases. Some suggest the ERIN Research study cannot be valid, since they see it as the CBC analyzing itself.
"That is not the case – we are independent," said Seydegart. "They come to us to get objective advice. It is not slanted or biased."
The CBC study measures things like the amount of news exposure given to different parts of the country, the representation given to visible minorities and aboriginal people and the balance of air time given to various political parties. It even measures the "tone" of the introductions and wrap-up comments in news items. For example, on The National, it is 19 per cent positive, 62 per cent neutral and 19 per cent negative.
It also finds that the CBC leads its competitors in its proportion of appearances of female news anchors and program hosts: 49 per cent for network radio, 60 per cent for local radio, 58 per cent for network television and 75 per cent for local television. Men still dominate the content of the news, since they remain the primary players in major news categories such as politics and crime.
The first phase of an innovative study by an Erin firm, measuring the "balance" of news presented on television, radio and the internet, has been released by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The News Balance Interim Report, by ERIN Research, is based on a 10-week sample of news recorded from October 26, 2009, to January 17, 2010. The full study, to be released in the fall, will span the 25-week period ending May 2, 2010, covering about 440 hours of broadcast news and 2,400 internet news stories.
"The study will be the most detailed and comprehensive of its kind in Canada and likely among any in the world. It's already creating something of a buzz in the academic and research communities," said Jennifer McGuire, general manager and editor-in-chief of CBC News. "Overseen by an independent panel of media experts, the final study will include both detailed content analysis and audience perception research."
ERIN Research has a long history with the CBC – the broadcaster was their first client back in 1981. That work has included six major studies of fairness in coverage of federal elections, plus the Quebec Referendum in 1995.
The company was founded by Dr. George Spears, PhD, trained in cognitive psychology, and Kasia Seydegart, with a Masters in Social Work. The couple moved to Erin, then decided it was better to start their own company than to commute long distances to work. The core team now includes Director Pat Zulinov and Business Manager Brenda Nicholson. There is also a variable workforce of contract researchers hired for various projects. You can learn more about the company and its ventures at www.erinresearch.com.
In addition to research for various media groups, ERIN Research also works for large organizations including TD Canada Trust, Peel Region, the Upper Grand District School Board and the Ontario government, measuring the level of satisfaction or effectiveness perceived by end users of specific services.
"Organizations want an empirical basis for making decisions, grounded in fact, in the truth, removing it from the subjective," said Seydegart. "This enables decision makers to have common information."
She says the success of a study depends not just on knowledge of the field, but on the sophistication of the statistical analysis, which can produce more beneficial data for clients. The questions must not only be relevant, but worded to elicit clear answers.
ERIN Research has won several awards for innovation and performance. Dr. Spears is considered an expert in the analysis of news and public affairs broadcasting, and of music use in the media and on the internet.
The firm did four studies in a project called Citizens First, for the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service, analyzing what really drives public satisfaction with government services. The organization says it has established the "gold-standard" for research on public sector service delivery, not only in Canada, but around the world.
"It is a powerful tool for governments to see themselves from the public perspective," said Seydegart.
The high-profile work for the CBC results in some intense scrutiny. Follow the on-line link from the ERIN site to the CBC announcement, and you'll find a forum filled with critics who accuse the CBC of all sorts of biases. Some suggest the ERIN Research study cannot be valid, since they see it as the CBC analyzing itself.
"That is not the case – we are independent," said Seydegart. "They come to us to get objective advice. It is not slanted or biased."
The CBC study measures things like the amount of news exposure given to different parts of the country, the representation given to visible minorities and aboriginal people and the balance of air time given to various political parties. It even measures the "tone" of the introductions and wrap-up comments in news items. For example, on The National, it is 19 per cent positive, 62 per cent neutral and 19 per cent negative.
It also finds that the CBC leads its competitors in its proportion of appearances of female news anchors and program hosts: 49 per cent for network radio, 60 per cent for local radio, 58 per cent for network television and 75 per cent for local television. Men still dominate the content of the news, since they remain the primary players in major news categories such as politics and crime.
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