100 residents rally for climate action along Yonge Street in Newmarket

Rally organizers aim to persuade government to stop subsidizing oil and gas industry

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 13, 2021
Aileen Zangouei

About 100 residents rallied along Newmarket's Yonge Street Sept. 8, calling on governments to stop subsidizing the oil industry and use those finances toward a renewable-energy economy.

Art Lightstone, one of the organizers of the Canada is Still on Fire Day of Action, alongside Monica Woodley and Pamela Vega, was very pleased by the turnout at the rally.

Mayor John Taylor was also in attendance to support a more green future.

Federal NDP candidate for Newmarket-Aurora riding, Yvonne Kelly, rallied in front of a gas station, joining the choir of voices calling for environmental action.

In January 2020, Newmarket declared a climate emergency, with the aim of naming and deepening the town's commitment to protecting the environment, economy, and community from the impacts of climate change.

"Newmarket has always been committed to the environment," Taylor said.

"This declaration deepened Newmarket’s commitment to the protection of the environment, economy and community from the impacts of climate change. This includes but is not limited to the town’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions so that the community can benefit from ancillary opportunities such as economic growth, stimulation in the low carbon economy and cost savings which are created by reducing emissions," he added.

Other green initiatives of the town include a stormwater management plan, installing electric charging stations at four municipal locations, and an Urban Forestry Management Plan.

Lightstone agreed that the town has always been sensitive to climate change, explaining he once had a children's book made by the town about 10 years ago about how to live a more environmentally friendly life.

The rally aimed to bring attention to the issue of climate change and persuade the federal government to end subsidies for the oil and gas industry, on which it spends billions of dollars every year.
Instead, Lightstone said they would like to see the government put that money into funding for higher growth industries that should be put in place to successfully address the challenges of climate change.

Lightstone said renewal energy is where the world is inevitably heading, and the sooner the government starts funding it, the easier it less costly it will be.

"This demonstration was geared toward persuading our government to make the decision we know they will make one day, but to make it now," Lightstone said.

The timing of the rally was right around when a federal leaders debate began.

"Hopefully, it will give politicians and all leaders a clearer sense that this is what Canadians want," Lightstone said.

For a full list on the Town of Newmarket's environmental initiatives, and more information, visit www.newmarket.ca/environment.