5 days ago
Hersh: Ottawa Council must take a risk and ban fossil fuel ads
Recently, Ottawa was filled with smoke due to wildfires in Western Canada. In the past couple of years our city has experienced tornadoes, massive flooding and intense storms, all of which can be attributed in part to climate change.
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Yet, despite declaring a climate emergency in 2019, city council has taken little action in respect to our climate priorities. Since approving its flagship Energy Evolution program in 2020, it has spent a paltry $2.6 million on the program, which calls for around $600 million annually.
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Today, however, councillors have a chance to take real action when it comes to tackling 'greenwashing' and climate misinformation.
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In February 2024, 15 civil society groups launched a campaign to get the City of Ottawa to ban fossil fuel ads from city property such as community centres, sports arenas and OC Transpo buses and shelters.
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In essence, the groups are asking councillors to take the same leadership the city took 20 years ago when it banned tobacco advertising despite a strong backlash from the industry. Just like Big Tobacco, oil and gas have harmful effects on public health. Continuing to allow advertising that promotes fossil fuels as 'clean energy' is not in line with the city's priorities.
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Now, city staff have come forward with a report that will be debated at committee, saying it would be too legally risky to implement a ban, as that would limit the content of ads and would therefore 'constitute a limit on the right to freedom of expression.' Instead, the report suggests Ottawa can instead follow new 'greenwashing' guidelines from the Competition Act.
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While this is arguably a step forward, this puts the onus on residents to submit individual complaints about particular ads when it is the city that should be taking leadership.
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One only needs to look to The Hague to see that it is possible to challenge the fossil fuel industry on this and win.
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The Hague voted to approve a ban on fossil fuels ads in 2024, coming into effect in January 2025. The municipal bylaw had since been challenged in court by the industry.
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On April 25, the court ruled in favour of the municipality, arguing that commercial advertising is not protected under freedom of expression and that The Hague is allowed to enact laws it deems in the public interest.
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The Hague took bold action and have since been vindicated — but it was not without legal risk, as Ottawa's city staff note.
