What You Can Do

You are not necessarily alone

Some possible avenues for expression

NCC up to something in your area? Someone has probably already organized a campaign:

Action Chelsea for the Respect of the Environment (ACRE)

Fighting the NCC's plan to build a new access road in Gatineau Park.

See also CREDDO: Conseil regional de l'environnement et du developpement durable de l'Outaouais

Gatineau Park Protection Committee

Monitoring the NCC's management of Gatineau Park.

See also Gatineau Park News.

Rock Climbers should head to Ottawa-Gatineau Climbers' Access Coalition.

Cross Country Skiers may want to check out XCskiing.ca.

CPAWS: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Ottawa Valley Chapter

Monitoring parks and wilderness in the region, including Gatineau Park.

Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital

Keeping an eye on everything the NCC does with Greenbelt lands.

See also Greenbelt Coalition of Canada's Capital Region.

Westboro Beach Community Association

Tracking the NCC's plans for land around Westboro Beach.

Atlantis Woods and Selby Plains greenspace resource page

StopTheBridge.org

Opposing the NCC's plans for an interprovincial bridge at Kettle Island.

New Edinburgh Community Alliance

Lobbying the NCC for public consultation on the fate of the Canada and the World Pavilion.

See also the Ottawa Art Gallery petition

mtbkanata

The mountain bikers keep an eye on what the NCC is doing with its trails, particularly in Gatineau Park. Includes a discussion forum.

Heritage Ottawa

Preserving built heritage.

Responsible Dog Owners of Canada

Formerly National Capital Coalition of People and Dogs, who tracked the NCC's endless revisions to their rules for walking dogs on their land.

Democracy Watch

Advocating open and transparent government.

Groups of the past

Coalition for the Preservation of Leamy Lake Park

Fought the NCC's plan to turn Lake Leamy Park into a golf course for gamblers. The NCC ended up dropping the plan.

Communities Before Cars Coalition

This group took the NCC to court over its plans for the Champlain Bridge.

Moffatt Farm Citizen's Coalition

Worked against the NCC's plan to swap Moffatt Farm for Montfort Woods so the land could be developed. (The development went ahead.)

Committee for the Environmental Assessment of the McConnell-Laramee Highway

Took the Quebec Government to court to secure an environmental assessment of the McConnell-Laramee highway.

Info-Laramee also provided info on the new highway.

The Underdog

Challenged the NCC's regulations in court.

Research and resources

Ever wonder what happened to that house down the street that was expropriated, or what happened to that bit of land backing onto the greenbelt where you walk your dog? A little research can go a long way in exposing past blunders.

NCC Library (open to the public)
City of Ottawa Archives
Ken Rubin - Access to Information and research
Trace the history of your house at the archives workshop

Talking to the NCC

There is now an NCC Ombudsman, with the role of serving "as an independent and confidential resource for the public to resolve complaints involving the NCC, when all other redress avenues within the NCC have been exhausted."

Finally, you can tell the NCC what you think directly here. Let us know if you actually get some sort of meaningful response.