Finding 'Experts' - some pointers

Thanks to Joe for raising this question. I think there are a few good ways to start, each of which can be done in concert with the others:

- as far as I know the best thing to do to find relevant individual experts is to read the literature that you can find online - local articles, conference papers, blogs, etc. and you should find both activists (people with a particular viewpoint) and 'experts' (people who claim to not have a particular viewpoint). Speak to both kinds of people - and YES you can seek someone out by email or by phone and just explain what you want. The worst thing that can happen? They migh say no.
- check out local publications online (like The Star, NOW Mag) and to see if anyone has lately been writing about your topic, then find that writer online.
- check the websites of Toronto Environmental Alliance (torontoenvironment.org), Greenpeace (greenpeace.ca) the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, and Pollution Probe (pollutionprobe.org) and those dealing with transportation might want to check out www.gtacleanaironline.ca
- also check out the 'official' institutions' web resources - Ontario Power Generation, the City of Toronto Water Service (www.toronto.ca/water), the TTC and GO Transit. Each of these will have a person that you can ask questions of (though you will get 'the official story' only!)
- don't forget your librarians at OCAD and at the reference library on Yonge Street - they are your friends! If you want an introduction to the library services at OCAD we can set that up for the class.