Takin' it to the Beach!

The Toronto Beaches International Jazz Festival this past weekend featured not only great music but also Transforming Toronto's very own power trio of (l to r) Julie Simmons, Sandra Pimpaso, and Jeff Johns. They did a great job of getting the message out about the East Toronto Transmission Line, collected signatures on our petition, and even had a debate with a couple of engineers from the Ontario Power Authority. Interestingly, the engineers revealed an intimate knowledge of the web site at transformingtoronto.ca

Don’t build near transmission lines, British MPs say

New homes and schools should not be built within 60 metres of High Voltage Overhead Transmission Lines, a committee of British MPs says.

The Cross-Party Inquiry into Childhood Leukaemia and Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields is calling on the British government to “recognize the potential risks to children’s health,” boost research, and educate homeowners and the public about EMF.

The Inquiry also calls on the government to “Consider the potential health risks of EMF exposure as part of the Government’s Energy Review and give full consideration to alternative options, such as local generation, which could contribute to a reduced future need for new HVOTL.”

For full information, click here to read the Inquiry’s report dated July 18, 2007.

East-enders oppose transmission line, support “cleaner, greener”

TORONTO – Residents of several east Toronto neighbourhoods are banding together to fight construction of a giant electricity transmission line now under consideration by the Ontario Power Authority.

“If built, the East Toronto Transmission Line [ETTL] will cost electricity users $600 million that would be much better spent on cleaner, greener energy alternatives,” said David MacLeod, spokesperson for a new community group called Transforming Toronto. “Now is not the time to be pouring our energy into yesterday’s technologies.”

The group has written to Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan, calling on him to issue a legal directive to the Ontario Power Authority that will remove the possibility of the ETTL and invest the $600 million in conservation measures and locally-generated power.

“We’ve heard some general statements from the Minister suggesting that the line might not be built, but ‘might not’ is not ‘will not,’” said MacLeod. “This transmission line is still very much a live issue. We want to see it dead, not just sleeping until the provincial election is over.”

Transforming Toronto plans to make the ETTL an issue in the Oct. 10 election, MacLeod said.

“We’re just a group of citizens, but in the next three months we feel we can reach a lot of people, not only in ridings along the proposed route of the line, but right across Toronto,” he said.

“The future of our city, and our planet, demands strong, progressive leadership on energy issues,” MacLeod said. “What is needed now is a bold approach that says ‘Yes, we can.’ Local power is the answer.”

The group invites all concerned citizens to get involved with the campaign by visiting www.transformingtoronto.ca.

Transforming Toronto wrote to Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan today

Read the letter here.

Welcome to the Transforming Toronto News & View Page

There is a lot happening here at Transforming Toronto and we have only just begun. To stay up-to-date with the latest news in regards to the East Toronto Transmission Line (ETTL) as well as what is going on with Transforming Toronto, bookmark this page and visit regularly or subscribe via email.