 |
To Turbine or Not To TurbineWhat the WTO ruling against Ontario’s FIT Program is really about. In December 2012, a World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel ruled that Ontario’s Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program violated Canada’s WTO obligations. In February, all three disputing parties—Canada, the European Union (EU) and Japan—appealed the ruling. Due to the high level of public [...] |
 |
Mountains and Oceans: The World’s Energy FutureTwo possible scenarios for the world’s energy future: either way, peak oil is approaching. There’s no clear consensus on when the rate of petroleum extraction is expected to max out, but a new Royal Dutch Shell report isn’t hedging bets. Global production of conventional crude peaked in late 2004 and has levelled off at 72 to 74 million barrels per day, according to the Association for [...] |
 |
A Window into the UndergroundHow municipalities are better managing infrastructure through a common operating picture of underground assets. Canadians are the world’s second largest per capita users of water, with an average household use of up to 329 litres per person, per day. As of 2009, 86 per cent of Canadian households receive their water from a municipal water supply that undergoes some degree of treatment before being used and returned [...] |
 |
Building BellevilleHow one small town is making some major improvements. When Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis thought about the infrastructure gap that his municipality was facing, it was enough to keep him up at night. The city had a decades-long backlog of infrastructure upgrades and repairs in the neighbourhood of $400 million. Like many other municipalities in Ontario, City [...] |
 |
The Road AheadFrom less damaging de-icing materials to roads that save—and even generate—power, new technologies are on the market. Now that the ice and snow has disappeared from roads in most parts of the country, it’s time to address the potholes left behind, on the roads and in the policy regarding road management. Following the path of Transport Canada’s Road Safety Strategy (RSS) 2010, the focus of the 2015 edition is [...] |
 |
The Economics of Green InfrastructureTraditionally, green infrastructure was developed for aesthetic reasons. However, these systems provide much needed services such as water management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, air quality improvement, and the potential for ongoing local employment. Enabling communities to use green [...] |
 |
How Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation Will Affect Email PracticesUtilities, energy providers, trade associations, and other entities participating in or supporting the energy and infrastructure sectors will be impacted by Canada’s new anti-spam legislation, known as CASL. CASL affects anybody who sends commercial or promotional messages by electronic means, such [...] |
 |
The Era of Innovative FinancingThe end of a paradigm. The global economic crisis and current economic slowdown has countries around the world opting for tightly controlled budgets and drastic cuts in public deficits. In some cases, financial market pressures are forcing governments to take action. Spain, a prime example of austerity, is projecting budgetary [...] |
 |
Talk is CheapWhen this annual series of conferences started in 1984, TEDTalks focused on technology, education, and design. While organizers kept the acronym, the scope of Ideas Worth Spreading has since expanded to include just about any imaginable topic, from music and social issues to literature and sustainability [...] |
 |
Architect Patrick Evans on Where the Snow GoesSnow can be magical. Many a children’s story starts with a snowman who comes to life and opens up a world of wonders for one little boy or girl. But, in the city, snow becomes waste as soon as it hits the ground. What if snow could be seen as a material like any other or, more than that, a resource [...] |
