November 1st, 2007

Montreal Matters: The Environment!

Our subject this year couldn't have been more timely. Since we launched our series on the environment on October 1st, 2007, Montreal's municipal government has been busy implementing its new Transportation Plan. Quebec's carbon tax has come into effect. And Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Throughout our month of special programming, on Radio and Television, we brought you compelling, original stories about why the environment matters to Montrealers. We were the first to tell you about the risk for pregnant women of living next to a highway -- a new study shows a correlation between low birthweight, premature birth and air pollution from congested highways.

On CBC Radio, Loreen Pindera made us face the fact that we Montrealers are the worst water-wasters on the planet! Loreen also introduced us to a dynamic employee of St-Hubert Barbecue in Ste-Hyacinthe whose efforts to reduce waste on the job earned her the attention of St-Hubert's head office. Now the restaurant chain is transforming its packaging and corporate practices with the environment in mind. In another report, Loreen took us into the city's contaminated community gardens. She spoke to a team of researchers who are investigating how many contaminants get from the toxic soil into the plants. Their work may lead to the gardens being reopened...or kept closed indefinitely.

The Daybreak team took their assignments from two environmental guest editors in October: Steven Guilbeault of Equiterre and Sophie Brochu, president and CEO of Gaz Metropolitain. Meanwhile, On Homerun, the Wednesday houseguests told us about how the environment became a priority in their lives and work: James Ford and Lea Berrang-Ford, geographers at McGill University, Brian Wilkinson, CEO of Matrix Energy, and Christiane Germain, president of Group Germain.

We took our radio programs out of the studio and into the community throughout October 2007. Daybreak kicked off Montreal Matters from beside the new (and at that point still under construction) downtown bikepath on De Maisonneuve Blvd. Mid-month, Radio Noon left Montreal to broadcast via satellite from atop Mont-St-Hilaire at the Nature Reserve. Finally, Homerun wrapped up the month with a special program into all aspects of living locally, live from the Maison La Co-op Verte in NDG.

On CBC television, Justin Hayward looked into the problem of electronic waste and how a computer we discard here may end up making someone sick on the other side of the world. Justin introduced us to a rendering plant that turns its bio-waste into fuel. And he told us about a team of researchers at Concordia University who are trying to develop a technology that could clean up the contaminants in Montreal's lakes and the river in a more cost effective way. In his final Montreal Matters report, Justin met with policy makers and environmental analysts from around the world at the Palais des Congrès to discuss the consequences of climate change and what kind of adaptation is possible.

Of course, throughout October, we heard from Montrealers with a passion for the environment: on our feature "60 seconds for the environment," through calls to the Radio Noon phone-ins on environmental topics, and through the feedback feature of this website. Meanwhile, across the city, our Montreal Matters partners held events, lectures and workshops on a variety of environmental issues.

And those are just a few of the events and stories that rolled out since the beginning of October 2007!! There are more - and you can hear them and watch them by visiting our Media Archives.

What is Montreal Matters?

It is our city's most comprehensive, revealing and thought-provoking exploration of an issue that matters to Montrealers. Montreal Matters is a multi-media, multi-partner initiative spearheaded by CBC Montreal. This is the sixth edition of Montreal Matters. We've looked at MONEY, HOME, FOOD, WORK, and SCHOOL. In 2007 we tackle the issue of THE ENVIRONMENT!
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What Matters to You?

Through Montreal Matters we hope to enhance public understanding about an issue of broad concern to Montrealers, and to do so in innovative ways through our broadcasts and through the activities of our partners.

We need to take the pulse of Montreal so that the Montreal Matters series in October 2008 provides information, entertains, and stimulates discussion on an issue of central importance to the lives of the citizens of our city. What issues or ideas are you thinking about? What have you been hearing your family, friends and co-workers talk about? What do you see emerging as critical in the life of Montreal?

Let us know what matters to you! Send us an e-mail!

Molly Kohli, Web Content Manager
Catherine Megelas, Communications Officer