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| Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour. Thanks to Facebook for the photo by Robert Edward Grant with the following message: “There’s a theory that says that life is based on competition and the struggle and the fight for survival, and it’s interesting because when you look at the fractal character of evolution, it’s totally different. It’s based on cooperation among the elements in the geometry and not competition.” – Bruce Lipton IMPORTANT LOCAL ISSUES 1. Pedestrian Bridge Connecting Rideau Heights to Kingscourt – Survey 2. Pollinator Gardens & Naturalized Lawns – Survey Deadline March 17, 4 pm 3. Murals on Private Property – Heritage Concerns – Survey Deadline, March 22, 4 pm. 4. Kingston named Top City for Students in Canada 5. Donate Money to Kingston Climate Action for Recognition 6. Message from the Friends of Queen Street re 16 Story Tower 7. News from Mutual Aid Kingston Katarakwi 8. SCAN Organizes Upcoming Action at the Royal Bank Downtown 9. Utilities Kingston Shares Tips during Fraud Protection Month 10. City of Kingston Offers Discounted Trees to Grow Local Tree Canopy 11. Local Organizations Launch KFL&A Human Trafficking Protocol 12. Kingston Campaign to Stop For-Profit Clinics – Two Upcoming Events 13. City Council Approves Tax Increase 14. Kingston Transit Affordable Pass Fee Reduction 15. Marine Museum Purchases Titanic Era Ship FROM FARTHER AFIELD 16. Federal Money for Frontenac Arch Biosphere 17. Removing 3 million cubic metres of dredged sludge in Toronto 18. Protecting Whales from Ship Traffic in Canada’s Arctic 19. Queen’s Program Aims to Transform Health Care in NE Ontario 20. Record Breaking Year Expected for Great Lakes Cruises 21. Lake Superior Port being Developed as Link to Ring of Fire 22. Drinking Water Must be Better Protected from Forever Chemicals 23. Ontario’s Water Security Must be Better Protected – Important Petition! FOR FUN 24. KFPL Offering Memoir Writing Workshop 25. Fun New Turtle Car Magnets 26. Why You Should only have 85 Items of Clothing 27. Blue Zones and Healthy Aging – Who Knew? 28. Mushrooms and Sound Waves. Unbelievable. 29. Interesting turtle info. Do they dream? 30. 8 Reasons You Should Never Eat Baby Carrots IMPORTANT LOCAL ISSUES 1. Pedestrian & Cycling Bridge to Connect Rideau Heights w. Kingscourt The Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour have been pushing for this for a few years now! We are thrilled to see that a study is now happening as promised. It will be wonderful for high school students in the Heights to have a much safer and faster way of walking and/or cycling to the new high school. It will also be great for Kingscourt families to access the community centre in Rideau Heights. And it will connect the two badly connected sections of the K&P Trail. PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AND CONSIDER COMPLETING THE SURVEY. DEADLINE OPEN https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/jcb-pedestrian-bridge A study has begun to identify alternative locations and conceptual design alternatives for a new pedestrian crossing over John Counter Boulevard and the CN Rail line to provide a north-south connection for the existing Kingston and Pembroke Trail (K & P Trail), between Division Street and Elliot Avenue. The need for this crossing was identified in the City’s Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) and the initiation of this study was committed in the City’s Five-Year Active Transportation Implementation Plan (ATIP). 2. City Survey re Pollinator Gardens & Naturalized Lawns City Council recently passed a motion to allow the implementation of pollinator gardens on private properties. Info gathered will inform the by-law and creation of a public education campaign on the subject.Survey Deadline March 17 at 4 pmhttps://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/pollinator-gardens?tool=survey_tool#tool_tabTo complete the survey by phone or to request a paper copy, call 613-546-0000.3. Murals on Private PropertyThe City is amending its to outline a new, streamlined process to support and sanction the creation of murals on private property. This new proposed process will help remove barriers and better support artists and property owners. It includes an application process that will be reviewed by the City’s Arts & Culture Services staff and the Art in Public Places Working Group, which is made up of community members. This survey asks if you are supportive of this policy change and how you think murals on private property can add to the vibrancy of the Kingston community. Your feedback will be considered by staff when the policy updates are made. Shirley Bailey of the Frontenac Heritage Foundation has expressed concern that there should be a respected process for “permitting such murals on listed or designated buildings and…on all buildings in Heritage Character Areas or in Heritage Districts”. What do you think? You can also write to Danika Lockhead, the head of public art programming(dlochhead@cityofkingston.ca) and your local councillor.Time to complete survey: 5 minutes.Survey closes: Wed, March 22 at 4 p.m.https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/murals-on-private-property/survey_tools/survey 4. Kingston named Top City for Students in Canada Received from The Kingston Whig Standard, Mar 10, 2023 – Steph Crosier Kingston has been named Canada’s top city in which to be a post-secondary student, according to HelloSafe, an insurance and financial product comparison platform. “I’m not surprised. Kingston is an amazing city to live in,” Mayor Bryan Paterson said Friday morning after reviewing the results. “I think obviously it’s a great city for students, but also it’s a great city for young families, it’s a great city for seniors. I think there are reasons why people come to this community: it has a lot to offer.” HelloSafe last ranked the best cities for students in Canada in 2021, when Kingston, home to Royal Military College, Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College, placed third. This year’s runners-up were Montreal and Vancouver. Alexandre Desoutter, editor-in-chief for HelloSafe Canada, explained that staff examine the 47 cities in Canada with at least one post-secondary institution for their attractiveness, quality of life, quality of student life, academic excellence and cost of studying. They used all public and open sources of data, from Statistics Canada and McLean’s magazine to AllTrails, an outdoor recreation website and app… Kingston placed third in terms of academic excellence, behind Hamilton and Montreal; fifth under student life, with Montreal and Toronto taking the top two spots; fifth again under quality of life, with Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivieres in first and second; and third again under attractiveness, behind Ottawa and Victoria. Desoutter was surprised Kingston claimed the top, but said it deserved it as the city presented a good overall balance. He said HelloSafe usually expects a major city to take the top spot. “I’m very happy for Kingston to be on top of the ranking,” Desoutter told the Whig-Standard over the phone from Paris, France. “In the end, when you go deeper into the criteria and the rankings, it doesn’t make the first spot a surprise. It was only a surprise at first sight.” For three seasons of the year, Kingston hosts roughly 35,000 full-time students from Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College and Royal Military College. None of the institutions responded to the Whig-Standard’s request for comment on this story. Paterson said the students bring “vitality,” “energy” and “creativity to the community.” As an example, he pointed to the annual Mayor;s Innovation Challenge, in which post-secondary students pitch ways and programs to make the city better. This year’s winners were Smart Kingston Stream, a cloud-based system where the vulnerable population can safely store their documentation, and Food4All, an app that facilitates the redistribution of leftover food from restaurants to homeless shelters. He has also seen students voluteer with local agencies such as the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington. “There are a number of ;local fundraisers that I go to and there are Queen’s students that are helping to run it and raise funds for the local community,” Paterson said. “I think it’s, you know, when you have a student population of our size it definitely has a big impact on the city.” One such impact is on the local economy. Paterson recalled the days at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when he heard concern from downtown establishments that rely on the student market. “There were concerns that those businesses wouldn’t survive if students weren’t coming into the city,” Paterson said. On the flip side, three times a year — in September, October, and March — when there’s a notable portion of the permanent population that would rather see the students stay away. While they were tame in 2020 during the pandemic, unsanctioned street parties resumed with full force during Orientation, Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day.. Police have reported upwards of 8,000 people in the street, and in recent years it has cost the police force, and ultimately the city, a significant amount of cash. This year, police blamed the street parties for their largest budget deficit in at least 14 years. Paterson said that while the street parties are an ongoing challenge, it is important to recognize that it is the minority of local students who are involved and most just want to be good citizens. “The other piece is just pressures on neighbourhood” Paterson said. “There can be strains between students and non-students in particular neighbourhoods. I think we need to work hard at making sure we’re building relationships and having mutual respect for each other.” The number of rentals for students has also put a financial strain on anyone who wants to live full time in the Sydenham, Williamsville and Portsmouth districts. “It puts enormous pressure on our housing market and on the rental market, there’s no question,” Paterson said. He pointed to the recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Committee published in early 2020 that pointed to the need for a good understanding of enrolment at the college and university in the city to ensure enough housing is being built. “We, as a city, have been able to facilitate a big increase in the amount of new housing, including a number of purpose-built student-apartment projects, which are really important,” Paterson said. “You want quality housing for students and you want that housing so it’s not putting pressure on our housing market because we know that’s a huge challenge for us right now and probably will be for a number of years ahead.”scrosier@postmedia.com How do find your post-secondary student neighbours? Send us opinions, comments and other feedback. Letters may be emailed to whig.local@sunmedia.ca. 5. Donate Money to Kingston Climate Action for Reward Until March 31, if you make a minimum $50 donation to any of the three great projkects through the Kingston Community Climate Action Fund – including Sustainable Kingston’s Electric Vehicle campaign, we’ll add your name or organization to the side or hood of Sustainable Kingston’s new E.V https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-hall/projects-construction/community-climate-action-fund If you’ve already donated $50 + to the campaign and wish to be recognized on the vehicle, let us know! We’ll add your name to the list. For more information, contact Geoff Hendry at geoff@sustainablekingston.com. 6. Message from the Friends of Queen Street re 16 Story Tower Received from McBurney Park Neighbourhood Association March 14, 2023 This is the message that Friends of Queen Street did not want to send – but there is no other choice. As you know, Keilty International and Podium Development are seeking approval to build a 16-storey tower in our neighbourhood with no provision for affordable housing. Our neighbourhood needs respectful density and diversity, welcoming both people with limited means and buildings that fit in. This 16-storey proposal rivals the massive Princess Towers in height and flies in the face of Kingston’s Official Plan and new zoning bylaws. The City failed to make a decision on this file which permitted the developers to proceed directly to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for approval. The only way our collective voices would be heard, was to seek Party Status at the OLT. To be a Party at the OLT is expensive. We are estimating that two case management conferences and a formal hearing will cost $40,000. These costs will cover:legal fees to our lawyer David Donnelly of Donnelly Lawpayment for expert witnesses on cultural heritage, traffic, urban design / architecture, land use planning, and engineering / environment Kindly share this plea for funds with your friends and networks to help us raise $40,000. e-transfers can be made to this email foqskingston@gmail.com at the Credit Union, where Rose DeShaw used to hand out cookies.7. News from Muitual Aid Katarakwi Kingston Received from the McBurney Park Neighbourhood Association, March 14, 2023 You have likely heard about Justice Valente stopping an encampment eviction in Waterloo Region. Here is MAKK’s take on why that ruling applies toKingston. The City of Kingston voted in January to give encampment residents until March 21 to remain in the encampment. Waterloo encampment ruling indicated that charter rights were being violated, and that municipality cannot evict if there is no appropriate place to go, and appropriate/accessible meaning that the offered spaces must meet people’s needs. The Judge was also critical that the municipality had failed to engage or meaningfully consult with encampment residents…Both key issues (lack of consultation and lack of appropriate alternatives) also apply to Kingston’s circumstances.The City has been having in camera meetings about the encampment, though has not publicly communicated their plans. This causes increased stress for residents of the encampment to not know what will happen on or after March 21. While new options have been helpful, they continue to not meet all the needs of the encampment residents therefore are not sufficient alternatives for people to choose to leave the encampment. Plus, some of the new options were temporarily funded.This means that people are not likely to move to them and away from the ICH where more of their basic needs are being met, and instead are likely to move further into the woods.When people choose to live near the ICH, they are choosing to access live-saving services there. Forcing people away from the ICH increases the risk of death due to drug poisoning.8. Action at the Royal Bank Downtown Received from the McBurney Park Neighbourhood Association, March 14, 2023 and from SCAN https://seniorsforclimateactionnow.org/ It’s all about divesting from RBC. Bring photos of children and grandchildren, it’s they who will inherit. “Since a couple of dozen of us gathered at The Spire late last fall, Kingston’s SCAN! group helped to organize a boisterous rally at the Brockville office of Steve Clark, Doug Ford’s minister in charge of eroding the Greenbelt ad boosting developer fortunmes.. We are now planning a noon, March 21 rally at the RBC branch on lower Princess in downtown Kingston…. The bank is Canada’s largest financier of fossil fuel projects. RBC is lending $275 million to CoastalGasLink, being built through unceded Wet’suet’en territory. Our campaign is based on solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty. Since 2015, RBC has loaned over $262 billion to fossil fuel expansion. We have great allies in Queen’s student activists. SCAN! has prepared a letter to RBC workers, explaining our position. We emphasize that people behind the counter are not to blame for RBC’s policies. As part of an RBC divestment campaign, SCAN! supporters in Kingston will have collectively divested over $1.5 million from RBC. Our pamphlet explains that Barclay’s and HSBC have turned their backs on fossil fuel development. Here’s what we are asking Kingston supporters to do this month:This coming Friday..March 17, join us at weekly Fridays for the Future gatherings at Princess and Wellington. We want to show our support for this ongoing effort by https://world.350.org/kingston/ Attend the rally on Princess below Wellington Tuesday, March 21 at noon. There will be giant puppets, music and a stirring speech (just one) speech from a custom built soapbox. Spread the word as much as you can, if you can. Particularly if you’re active on social media. Please join us. For further information please don’t hesitate to call me 613 583 8292…. Cheers, Jamie Swift – Js – swiftjamie46@gmail.com“ 9. Utilities Kingston Shares Tips during Fraud Protection Month Received from The Kingstonist, March 1, 2023 – Jessica Foley https://www.kingstonist.com/news/utilities-kingston-shares-tips-during-fraud-protection-month/ 10. City of Kingston Offers Discounted Trees to Grow Local Tree Canopy Received from The Kingstonist, March 1, 2023 – Jessica Foley https://www.kingstonist.com/news/city-of-kingston-offers-discounted-trees-to-grow-local-tree-canopy/ 11. Local Organizations Launch KFL&A Human Trafficking Protocol Received from The Kingstonist, March 7, 2023 – Michelle Davey Forestell https://www.kingstonist.com/news/local-organizations-launch-kfla-human-trafficking-protocol/ 12. Kingston Campaign to Stop For-Profit Clinics – Two Upcoming Events Received from the Kingston Health Coalition early MarchInformation Picket – KGH’s Use of For-Profit Clinics Monday, March 20 11:30am to 1 pm Gardiners Road and Taylor Kidd Drive Join others concerned about the privatization of KGH to the for-profit clinic, Focus Eye Care. An information picket will be held on Monday, March 20, 11:30 to 1pm at the corner of Taylor Kidd BLVD and Gardiners Road. Kingston Health Sciences Center (KGH) has been using some of its allocated cataract surgery money to provide the services at Focus Eye Care, a laser eye surgery chain. Kingston Health Coalition Meeting Wednesday March 22, 7pm Planning for the May 26-27 Citizen’s Referendum on For-Profit Care If you can, join our planning meeting on March 22 at 7pm by zoom. If you are unable to attend but have ideas on where we can hold a voting station, or if you could volunteer to help put up signs, staff a voting station, or canvass, please contact us at kingstonhealthcoalition@gmail.com. To get the zoom link for the March 22 meeting contact kingstonhealthcoalition@gmail.com 13. City Council Approves Tax Increase Received from The Kingstonist, March 2, 2023 – Dylan Chenier “During the final night of a three-evening marathon budget session, Kingston City Council officially approved the 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets on Wednesday, Mar. 1, 2023, which will result in a $124 tax increase for the average homeowner. The 2023 budgets weren’t passed without some significant amendments from councillors who approved new spending increases to fund things like additional firefighters and crossing guards in the city. The first amendment to the budget saw councillors approve an increase of $740,000 to the 2023 Municipal Operating Budget for Public Works(Kingston Fire and Rescue), to facilitate the hiring of 12 new firefighters in 2023. Back in December, Council approved a new operational planning model for Kingston Fire and Rescue (KFR). During that meeting, it was noted the number of career firefighters in the west end has remained unchanged since 2003. Staff had initially intended to add 12 new firefighters to the service between 2024 and 2027, eventually reaching a ratio of 35 firefighters per platoon, with the amendment aiming to accelerate those new hires. Councillor Chaves speaks to his motion to amend the budget. Screen captured image. “[A] report was presented to Council several months ago to increase the staffing of firefighters… This is something that’s been neglected… for the last twenty years. The west end population has grown by 33 per cent over that time, with no increase in firefighters… which has increased response times [for] residents in those areas,” noted Paul Chaves, Councillor for Loyalist-Cataraqui District, the mover of the motion to amend. Chaves’ amendment drew a significant amount of debate from Council, as members looked for ways to minimize the overall impact on the CIty’s property tax rate. Mayor Bryan Paterson voiced some concern over the potential impact such an increase could have on the City’s other priorities, such as housing. “Obviously, fire service is very important… my concern is, we need homelessness supports. If we don’t invest in those, we’re going to have to close some of our shelters, because we won’t have funding for them.” Council did end up approving a motion to allocate $340,000 for new firefighters from the City’s Working Fund Reserve, while the remaining $400,000 will be covered by a 0.16 per cent tax increase for local residents. “I think this gets us to where we need to be. It lowers the impact on our overall tax rate… we get the 12 [new firefighters]… and we can resolve this issue,” said Kingscourt-Rideau Councillor Brandon Tozzo, who moved the motion to amend Chaves’ amendment. Chaves’ motion, as amended, passed by a vote of 11-2, with Mayor Paterson and Countryside District Councillor Gary Oosterhof opposed. After the amendment for additional firefighters, Councillors then debated a motion to amend the Capital Budget for Transportation and Public Works, to provide the City’s engineering department with an additional $3,000,000 for “road rehabilitation.” The motion, moved by Williamsville District Councillor, and current Deputy Mayor, Vincent Cinanni, called for an increase to be funded through the Municipal Capital Reserve Fund. “I was thinking we could try to get ahead on our road maintenance to try to save costs later… Some of our roads are tired looking… [Currently], we’re just doing the bare minimum that we can do… This doesn’t increase taxes and it will eventually need to be done anyway,” said Cinanni. The motion to amend passed by unanimous approval from Council. Meadowbrook-Strathcona Councillor Jeff McClaren then took the floor, as he tabled a motion to increase the Municipal Operating Budget for Transportation and Public Works by $75,000, in order to fund four additional crossing guard locations in the city. “One of the things that I did hear a lot of in my district is there [are] four schools, and two of them feel that the changes in behaviour [with] people driving their kids to school, necessities the need for more [crossing] guards,” McClaren remarked. The additional funding for new crossing guards, which includes a tax increase of 0.03 per cent, passed by a vote of 11-2, with Councillors Ridge and Oosterhof opposed. It was Councillor Oosterhof who seemed to take issue with the ways other members were adding additional increases to the budget, instead of waiting for the upcoming strategic planning sessions to advocate for the needs of their constituents. Councillor Oosterhof voices his concerns. “I don’t know if this is the [right] time. We’re going to have strategic planning, [which is when] we can bring [forward] our concerns and what we would like to see in our districts… I’ve never seen this before, [where] we’re adding to the budget every time. Why wouldn’t we just wait for strategic planning?” asked the Councillor. When it came time to debate the budgets as amended, Mayor Paterson reflected on the overall impact such spending increases will have on local taxpayers. “A number of times tonight we’ve talked about ‘this is only another dollar or another $10.’ But, it’s cumulative, that’s how you get to the number you get to. It’s not splitting hairs, there’s a principle piece here.” While the Mayor seemed to express some concern with the increased spending in the 2023 budgets, he spoke positively about the deliberations process.“I very much appreciate the debate and discussion around the table… I think it’s important that Council [has] seen what has probably been one of the most extensive budget deliberations that I’ve seen, certainly in my time on Council.” City Council ultimately approved the 2023 General and Operating Budgets by a vote of 12-1, with Mayor Paterson the lone vote against. For 2023, the City of Kingston will have a General Municipal Operating Budget of $422,926,437, and a Municipal Capital Budget of $106,858,349. Asked by Kingstonist why he voted against the 2023 budgets, Mayor Paterson said, “the budget passed with a property tax increase that is among the lowest of other cities across the province, but it wasn’t as low as it could have been. I thought it was important to make [a] statement because I think, this year, perhaps more than any other, people are really struggling financially.” As for whether there were any items the Mayor would have liked to see cut from the approved budgets, Paterson pointed to the funding for 12 new firefighters. “I absolutely do think that we need to make more investments in fire services. But, I appreciated the plan that staff had [prepared], which was to bring those additional services in at a slower rate, to be able to hold the property tax increase lower.” A total tax increase of 3.35 per cent includes a Council tax rate increase of 2.3 per cent, as well as special increases for the following initiatives:Green Standard Community Improvement program (0.16 per cent)Homelessness and supportive housing (0.7 per cent)12 additional firefighters (0.16 per cent)four additional crossing guards (0.03 per cent)With the budgets now approved, the average Kingston homeowner will see an additional $124 on their property tax bill for 2023. Wednesday’s meeting also saw councillors approve the 15-year capital expenditure forecast, a Capital Works Progress Listing as of November 30, 2022, and the Municipal Reserve Fund Schedules of continuity.” 14. Kingston Transit Affordable Pass Fee Reduction to Begin April 2023 Received from The Kingstonist, March 3, 2023 – Jessica Foley Kingston Transit’s Affordable Transit Pass will have a lower fee as of April 2023. Community members who are supported by the City of Kingston’s Municipal Fee Assistance Program (MFAP), will pay 50 per cent less when purchasing their Kingston Transit Affordable monthly transit passes. Earlier this year, Kingston City Council voted to approve the 50 percent reduction in the cost of affordable transit passes for a period of nine months. Starting this April, the cost of affordable transit passes — which offer unlimited use of Kingston Transit at an already reduced rate for low-income users — will be lowered to accommodate those most acutely impacted by the current cost of living crisis. “High inflation and the rising cost of living have made it harder for households to make ends meet,” said Mayor Bryan Paterson in a media release from the City of Kingston. “Reducing the cost of public transit is one way the City is directly supporting those who need help the most.” In order to qualify for the affordable transit passes, individuals must be enrolled in the City’s Minicipal Fee Assistace program, which is open to residents from lower-income households. Beginning with April 2023 monthly passes, adults will pay $20 per month and youth/seniors will pay $14.88 per month. According to the release, the 50 per cent reduction to the affordable transit pass program will also apply to registered clients of Kingston Access Bus (KAB). The City said that there will be no price increase for other transit fares or passes this year. The rate reductions and freezes were approved by Council on Feb. 21, 2023, and will remain in effect until at least Dec. 31, 2023. 15. Marine Museum Purchases Titanic Era Ship S.S. Keewatin, Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, March 2, 2023. The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston is pleased to announce the S.S. Keewatin will be joining the Museum’s collection this fall! This historic ship, which is the last of its kind, will be integrated into our extensive transportation collection covering the history of the Great Lakes. Also received from The Kingstonist, March 3, 2023 – Jessica Foley https://www.kingstonist.com/news/marine-museum-to-host-historic-ship-s-s-keewatin/ FROM FARTHER AFIELD 16. Federal Money for Frontenac Arch Biosphere Received from Parks Canada, Feb 27, 2023 NOTE: Only the local information regarding the Biosphere is included here. Three critical natural spaces in Ontario were involved: The Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark system that connects with the Bruce Trail and north to Tobermory and the Niagara Escarpment, and the Algonquin to Adirondacks road ecology study. Both are fascinating but I have only included the local Frontenac Arch Biosphere details here for lack of space. Frontenac Arch Biosphere Protection – $3,500,000 Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) owns and protects land in the heart of the Frontenac Arch Natural Area. New hectares purchased would be left undeveloped for the benefit of nature and would add to NCC’s nature reserve in the Loughborough Wilderness Block. This project comes from NCC’s three-year funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, including $3.5 million for projects in Ontario. With over 72 per cent forest cover, the Frontenac Arch is a strip of rocky outcrops, wetlands and forest that connects the northern forests of Algonquin with the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. It forms an important habitat linkage between the hardwood and mixed forests of Ontario with the Appalachian Mountain chain of eastern North America. This serves as a vital corridor that allows wildlife to move over long distances, rather than being cut off in isolated pockets. The wetlands in this area are listed as provincially significant. At-risk species on the property include the cerulean warbler (Endangered), a forest songbird with an estimated population of 1,000 in Canada and the grey ratsnake (Threatened), Ontario’s largest snake reaching up to 2 metres in length and is non-venomous. They are threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Over 200 bird species have been documented in the Frontenac Arch Natural Area by researchers at the Queen’s University Biological Station. 17. Removing 3 million cubic metres of dredged sludge in Toronto https://www.blogto.com/city/2023/03/toronto-removed-4-million-cubic-metres-gunk/ Received from blogTO, March 9, 2023. After dredging the Keating Channel for nearly a century, PortsToronto has managed to remove over three million cubic metres of gunk and debris from the polluted waterway. PortsToronto has managed to remove exactly 3,832,581 cubic metres of that sludge to date. 18. Protecting Whales from Ship Traffic in Canada’s Arctic https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/for-the-safety-of-the-whales-keeping-ship-traffic-under-control-in-canadas-arctic-ocean/ Received from Canadian Geographic, February 28, 2023. We have all seen those signs about the need to reduce speed in school safety zones: flashing speed indicators, road bumps, lawn signs etc. These measures aren’t deployed around schools randomly. We know these are critical areas where we need to control traffic to keep children safe, so why can’t we do the same for marine life? Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS) researchers are proposing a similar approach for whales in Canada’s Arctic Ocean to prevent collisions with marine life. They have used data collected on whale and ship movements to identify the highest potential conflict areas in this fast-changing ocean environment. 19. Queen’s Program Aims to Transform Health Care in NE Ontario Received from The Kingstonist, Feb 28, 2023 – Jessica Foley. DO CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING DIRECTLY! https://www.kingstonist.com/news/new-queens-program-aims-to-transform-healthcare-in-northeastern-ontario/ 20. Record Breaking Year Expected for Great Lakes Cruises https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/record-breaking-year-expected-for-great-lakes-cruises Received from Up North Live, March 13, 2023. A new wave of cruises is expected to be on the Great Lakes this summer. Last season was a record breaker, bringing 150,000 international passengers to stops around Michigan. The American Queen and Viking Cruise ships will be traveling the Great Lakes. For 2023, Great lakes cruises expect a record 170,000 passengers, which would be about a 15% increase from last year. 21. Lake Superior Port Being Developed as Link to Ring of Fire Received from Inside Logistics, March 13, 2023 https://www.insidelogistics.ca/infrastructure/lake-superior-port-being-developed-as-link-to-ring-of-fire-184841/ The northernmost heavy-cargo port on the Great Lakes is being developed by the BMI Group and the Red Rock Indian Band. The two groups signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will allow them to explore the redevelopment of lands formerly used by a linerboard mill in Red Rock, Ontario, as a deep-water port. Red Rock is on the northernmost shore of Lake Superior, just off the Trans Canada highway, about 110 km northeast of Thunder Bay. 22. Drinking Water Must Be Better Protected from Forever Chemicals Received from CNN March 14, 2023 – Jen Christensen EPA proposes standards to make drinking water saver from “forever chemicals”. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/14/health/epa-pfas-standards-wellness/index.html?utm_term=167880299424864ba51939499&utm_source=cnn_Breaking+News&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=ePdQD%2BXJvLJ5jgs8QeunFKwtpL3AhcOt8LgiXPIOIe%2BVBiHkCiHNIe9Rg0pQzau0&bt_ts=1678802994250 23. Ontario’s Water Security Must Be Better Protected – Important Petition Thanks Jeremy Milloy for this. https://act.newmode.net/action/ontario-headwaters-institute/ontario%E2%80%99s-water-security-must-be-better-protected Petition from the Ontario Headwaters Institute, March 13, 2023 FOR FUN 24. KFPL Offering Memoir Writing Workshop https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kfpl-offering-sessions-for-seniors-to-craft-a-compelling-memoir/ https://calendar.kfpl.ca/event/7245991 25. New Turtle Car Magnets Received from Turtles Kingston, Feb 27. Order online from their turtle store https://www.facebook.com/mary.farrar.7/posts/10167776783275601?notif_id=1677548533808410¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif 26. Why You Should only have 85 Items of Clothing Received from CBC What on Earth, March 4 How many pieces of clothing do you think you have in your wardrobe? In today’s world of fast fashion, easy online shopping and ever-changing trends, chances are it’s way too many. Now, a new report from a Berlin sustainability think-tank, the Hot or Cool Institute, lays out how many items of clothing the average person in a four-season G20 country such as ours really needs: 85 (keep in mind that includes coats and shoes, but not underwear and accessories). Going by the institute’s math, that works out to about 23 outfits total, which they say can include one to four pieces of clothing. The report notes we need to drastically reduce our clothing consumption if we’re going to meet the 1.5 C target of the Paris Agreement. “Current trends in fashion consumption, in particular fast fashion, cannot be maintained if we aim to achieve a fair and just transition to climate neutrality,” the authors say. That number 85 falls within what the institute calls a “fair consumption space,” defined as “a space where consumption levels stay below environmentally unsustainable levels yet above sufficiency levels that allow individuals to fulfil their basic needs.” It assumes the average person needs workwear, home wear, sports and activewear, festive occasion outfits and outdoor clothing, and all 85 items are actually in use. It also requires a reduced carbon footprint — such as avoiding excessive laundry and impulse shopping, extending the life of your garments through mending and buying second-hand or swapping. When you consider that the average person in North America purchases 37 kilograms of clothing per year, according to Katherine White, a professor of marketing and behavioural science at the University of British Columbia, it’s safe to say many of our wardrobes far exceed the recommendations. “The average North American buys way too much clothing,” White told CBC News. “Part of this is driven by the fact that we are constantly bombarded with advertising messages to buy more stuff. The system is set up to remind, reinforce and reward us for making repeated consumption choices with short-term hedonic payoffs.” Advocates have been saying this needs to change for years. A recent study found that Ontarians generate 500 million kilograms of textile waste a year — and that 86 per cent of those materials have reuse or recycling potential. The textile and clothing industry is also responsible for two to eight per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion and textiles account for about nine per cent of annual microplastic losses to the oceans. So, with that in mind, how can you cut down on your own clothing consumption? First, think of it in terms of pieces, not outfits, said Erin Polowy, the founder and editor of Canadian clothing sustainability website My Green Closet. With careful planning, you can have a diverse and fashionable wardrobe with very few pieces in it, she said — even fewer than the 85 suggested in the report. “I can make 40 or 50 outfits from my roughly 33-item wardrobe that I do every season,” she told CBC News. “There’s a lot of creativity that comes with constraint.” In a recent YouTube video, for instance, Polowy shows viewers her winter capsule wardrobe — a curated collection of a limited amount of clothing that she mixes and matches — which contains just 28 items to get her through an Edmonton winter. Pay careful attention to what you actually wear day-to-day, Polowy suggests, and build a wardrobe around a few quality, staple pieces that you love. When you are looking to add new pieces, shop second-hand, try to avoid impulse purchases and choose more sustainable clothing brands. — Natalie Stechyson 27. Blue Zones and Healthy Aging – Who Knew? Thanks Jerry J for this. Received March 6, 2023 by John Lord This article appeared in the Waterloo Region Record on March 1, 2023. Canadians are living longer than ever before. The 2021 census showed that there are almost 13,000 Canadians aged 100 or older. Life expectancy for males is now 79.8 years while for females it is 84.1. This is a striking change in less than 100 years. During the 20th century, life expectancy increased from 50 years to almost 80. As a result of this increased longevity, there is more concern with healthy aging. Although several factors influence how well we age, healthy aging starts long before the last decades of life. Improvements in people’s health (including brain and cardiovascular) can largely be attributed to our society’s way of life over the life span. Researchers have identified six pillars of brain health that can enhance our lives as we age. The six pillars are fitness and exercise, social activity and supportive relationships, mental stimulation, good nutrition, stress management, and sufficient sleep. We now know that dementia can be reduced by as much as thirty percent with a healthy lifestyle over the lifetime. Canada can learn a great deal about healthy aging from Blue Zones, places in the world where people live a long time and have quality lives as older adults. It is not unusual in Blue Zones for 100-year-olds to be active in community life. There are five blue zones world-wide; Icaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma, California. Findings from Blue Zone research shows that there are several things that people do that enhance healthy aging:Move naturally – people find ways to move all day long, every twenty minutes. No gym workouts, but regular walking, yoga, and dance.Right outlook – people have a strong sense of purpose, and they take time to downshift, with meditation, napping, or relaxation.Eat wisely – people eat mostly plant-based diets, small helpings, occasional meat, poultry, or fish.Socially connect – people focus on loved ones, sense of belonging, and are part of positive, supportive social networks.Montreal psychologist Susan Pinker looked at many factors to explain people’s longevity in Sardinia, one of the Blue Zones. She concluded that supportive relationships and social integration were the most important. As Pinker says, “We are happier, healthier, and more resistant to disease and despair if we satisfy the need for meaningful human contact.” The lesson is clear: to stay healthy, build relationships and stay connected with life in your community, whether through work, volunteering, or participating in clubs, community associations, or your neighbourhood. In Blue Zones, people are nudged into habits that enhance healthy aging. The focus is on supportive environments. If everyone in your network is active, the chances are very high that you will be as well. If your neighbourhood and community is walkable and easy to access, you will tend to get out. And you will not find a long-term care institution in a Blue Zone. Younger people support elders who require assistance. In Sardinia, unlike Canada, respect increases with age, creating natural age-friendly communities. There are four implications from the insights from the Blue Zones. First, we need to be vigilant against ageism, which continues to be prevalent in Canada. Consider the limited resources for home and community care for seniors, and the continual growth of long-term care institutions, even though elders have been adamant against them. Second, we need to increase prevention approaches. As one example, when people turn 65 in Denmark, they receive a visit from a health professional, who takes time to understand your situation and help you plan what you may need as you age. Combined with expansive home care means far fewer Danish citizens are placed in nursing homes. Third, we need to be much more intentional about nurturing inclusive communities. This includes improving city design and assisting apartments, condos, and neighbourhoods to create supportive social connections. Neighbours want to feel a sense of belonging, but often do not know how to initiate the process of engagement. Fourth, municipalities and the province need to have an ‘age friendly lens’ on all their initiatives, as the Waterloo Age Friendly Community Committee has been encouraging for the last decade. At the recent Global Wellness Summit, macro-level policies (such as reducing poverty, expanding affordable housing, and reducing loneliness) were identified as being vital to age-friendly communities. A culture that promotes healthy aging and age friendly communities will reduce ageism and segregation of elders. These will not be easy to change, but as our society ages we must transform ageism and elder care. We can start by embracing the lessons from the Blue Zones and the implications from these insights. John Lord is a Waterloo, Ontario researcher and writer. His web site is www.johnlord.net. As an elder, he is a leader with Seniors for Social Action Ontario, www.seniorsactionontario.com/28. Mushrooms and Sound Waves. Unbelievable. https://www.themarginalian.org/2022/11/13/mushrooms-sound-waves/ 29. Interesting Turtle Info. Do they dream? https://thinkturtleconservationinitiative.wordpress.com/2023/03/09/turtles-and-tulips/ 30. 8 Reasons You Should Never Eat Baby Carrots Received from Delish, March 6, 2023 – Taylor Ann Spencer As a longtime carrot connoisseur, I love every type out there. Except for one: packaged baby carrots. That’s right, those unnaturally perfect miniature carrot-like specimens that are sold everywhere from upscale grocery stores to gas stations to corporate office vending machines. They’re actually bad in every way. Ever since baby carrots were “invented” in the 1980s, marketers have conned us into believing that they’re the ultimate healthy snack, a convenient way to enjoy veggies on the go. Sure, they may be snackable and convenient, but they’re definitely not what you think they are. Here’s why you should think twice about snagging a bag:They’re not actually “baby.” The package might claim otherwise, but most carrots sold as “baby carrots” are just regular carrots that have been cut into two-inch pieces, shaved, and polished down to that snackable size.They don’t actually taste like real carrots. The taste of these so-called baby carrots can best be described as factory fresh, which is VERY different from actual carrot flavor. Don’t believe me? Get a bag of regular carrots and do a side-by-side taste test.The baby-carrot industry is obsessed with unrealistic beauty standards. Not all carrots can be cut and trimmed to become the perfectly straight, perfectly thin baby carrots that people will buy. As soon as they arrive at the baby-carrot processing plant, the carrots are sorted. Any that are too fat or not straight enough are deemed unworthy and discarded to become juice or animal fodder. So, just to be clear, when you buy a bag of these baby carrots, you’re buying into an industry that is as obsessed with unrealistic, unnatural perfection as any modern-day beauty industry.They waste energy. After the carrots are sorted, they’re cut down by machines into perfect two-inch pieces and then shaved twice to make them perfectly round, once in a rough cutter and then again, more precisely, in a polisher. If this seems like no big deal, just think about all the energy these machines are eating up, all for the sole purpose of beautifying something that was fine to begin with, and that we’re going to consume the minute we open the bag anyway.They’re rinsed with chlorine. To prevent “microbacterial contamination,” all baby carrots are treated with a weak chlorine solution before they’re packaged. True, they’re rinsed after the treatment. But do you really want to eat something that you know has been doused in chlorinated water? Or give it to kids? For me, that’s a hard no.They can develop this weird white film and get slimy. Because these carrots are now entirely composed of cut sides, they’re more prone to drying out and developing carrot blush, a thin white film that forms due to dehydration. Or, even worse, they can get slimy inside the bag, even before it’s opened. Which is just downright gross.They’re actually pretty expensive. The exact price may vary depending on the store, but, on average, a pound of regular carrots costs about $1. A pound of baby carrots, on the other hand, costs anywhere between $1.30 and $1.50. That’s a 33 percent mark-up. And for what? Someone else cutting your carrots, subjecting them to a beauty treatment, and giving them a chlorine rinse? Soooo not worth it.It takes two minutes to cut your own carrots. Seriously. You can enjoy better carrots, save energy and money, and avoid supporting an industry obsessed with promoting false vegetable beauty standards if you just buy a bag of “adult” carrots and cut them yourself. It’ll take two minutes—less time than you spent reading this article.So this newsletter really was a humdinger. Congrats if you made it to the end! Promise to be shorter next time. Cheers, Mary Farrar, President, Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour |