Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.20
Liaison Jonathan Rausseo
Submission Date March 29, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Ottawa
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Eric Campbell
Director, Communications & Outreach
Smart Prosperity Institute
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

"Beginning in 2009, the University of Ottawa has consistently lobbied the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo to implement a U-pass for students. This has resulted in the continual adoption of a transit pass for students attending colleges and universities in the National Capital Region.

The University of Ottawa has advocated that the City of Ottawa should reduce the parking requirements laid out in the City of Ottawa bylaw given the sustainable transportation options available to commuters downtown. Additionally, the University of Ottawa has worked with the City to ensure cycling connectivity pathways between major routes, for example, the University entered negotiations to extend the Laurier bike path to the end of the uOttawa campus and has altered constructions plans to accommodate cycling pathways when possible.

The Smart Prosperity think tank is also operated out of the university which undertakes research on sustainable development challenges and makes policy recommendations to all levels of government (http://institute.smartprosperity.ca/)."


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

Since 2009, the University has been part of the “Ontario Universities Going Greener” coalition organized by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). This group pushes industry and provincial government to look at sustainability solutions based on research and initiatives undertaken at academic institutions.

The Smart Prosperity think tank is also operated out of the university which undertakes research on sustainable development challenges and makes policy recommendations to all levels of government (http://institute.smartprosperity.ca/).


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

The Smart Prosperity think tank is also operated out of the university which undertakes research on sustainable development challenges and makes policy recommendations to all levels of government (http://institute.smartprosperity.ca/).


Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level, including the issues, legislation, and ordinances for or against which the institution has advocated:

"The Smart Prosperity think tank is also operated out of the university which undertakes research on sustainable development challenges and has undertaken an international climate initiative (http://institute.smartprosperity.ca/NACPF).

The purpose of the North American Climate Policy Forum is to provide a structured dialogue between senior policy officials from each country and leading experts in climate policy design, low carbon technology and innovation policy. The Forum is a partnership between the University of Ottawa, Smart Prosperity Institute, the Nicholas Institute for Environment Policy Solutions at Duke University, and the Duke University Energy Initiative."


A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):

The University of Ottawa Board of Administration has asked its Finance and Treasury Committee to develop a strategy to shift uOttawa’s fossil fuel-related investments over time towards investments in enterprises, especially in Canada, involved in creating and selling technologies of the future, including renewable energy and other clean technology solutions.


A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.