Community Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

17

Date:

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 4:30 P.m.

Location:

Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation

Present:

• Chair Laura Dudas, 
• Vice-Chair Jessica Bradley, 
• Councillor Riley Brockington, 
• Councillor David Brown, 
• Councillor Marty Carr, 
• Councillor David Hill, 
• Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, 
• Councillor Rawlson King, 
• Councillor Wilson Lo, 
• Councillor Stéphanie Plante, 
• and Councillor Ariel Troster 

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and hybrid participation details.

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on Council on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 in Community Services Committee Report 17.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Monday, June 23, 2025, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

These “Summary Minutes” indicate the disposition of items and actions taken at the meeting. This document does not include all of the text that will be included in the full Minutes, such as the record of written and oral submissions. Recorded votes and dissents contained in the Summary Minutes are draft until the full Minutes of the meeting are confirmed by the Committee. The draft of the full Minutes (for confirmation) will be published with the agenda for the next regular Committee meeting and, once confirmed, will replace this document

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

CSC Minutes 16 – Tuesday, May 27, 2025

• Carried

4.

Community and Social Services Department

4.1

Transition of Centre éducatif Pinocchio to a high needs area

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-009 – Rideau-Vanier (12) and Somerset (14) 

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee recommend that Council:

  1. Receive the business case and capital funding plan, as directed by Council, to facilitate the transition of the Centre éducatif Pinocchio to a high needs area as outlined in this report; and
  2. Approve the 1010 Somerset Street West location to transition the Centre éducatif Pinocchio that maintains and increases Francophone child care spaces to a high needs area; and
  3. Delegate authority to the Director, Children's Services, to negotiate, enter into, execute and amend agreements with the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) to facilitate the transition of the Centre éducatif Pinocchio Child Care Centre, as described in this report; and
  4. Direct staff to use the 1010 Somerset Street Capital Account to cover the expected costs to build two additional child care rooms should Provincial funding not be received by the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO), as described in this report; and
  5. Reaffirm the City’s 2021 commitment to direct staff to seamlessly transition these critical Francophone spaces, minimize impacts for families, work with the Centre éducatif Pinocchio landlord and a not-for-profit child care provider to maintain dedicated Francophone spaces and prioritize these spaces within directed growth strategies to ensure the spaces can remain within the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system, offering reduced fees for families.
• Motion No. CSC 2025-17-01
  Moved by S. Plante

  WHEREAS a Municipal Child Care Centre Review (ACS2021-CSS-GEN-0008) was completed and presented to City Council in June 2021 as a result of the child care and early years sector undergoing a significant period of transformation, modernization and growth; and

  WHEREAS having access to French-language child care and early years services is important for Francophone families in Ottawa. These services develop a sense of belonging, foster community vitality, preserve the language and encourage attendance in French-language schools; and

  WHEREAS the Review found that services at 111 Sussex Drive located between Lowertown and New Edinburgh, did not meet Council's mandate for municipally operated child care. This finding is mostly attributable to not serving families who face various barriers and systemic challenges; and 

  WHEREAS parents and families in Lowertown are very concerned about the loss of city-run Francophone child care in the area; and

  WHEREAS the current report recommendation is to reaffirm the City’s 2021 commitment to direct staff to seamlessly transition these critical Francophone spaces, minimize impacts for families, work with the Centre éducatif Pinocchio landlord and a not-for-profit child care provider to maintain dedicated Francophone spaces and prioritize these spaces within directed growth strategies to ensure the spaces can remain within the CWELCC system offering reduced fees for families; and

  WHEREAS Children’s Services is guided by the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan and provincial priorities, applying an equity and inclusion lens and an evidence-based approach to identify priority populations and geographic areas for the allocation of Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) -funded child care spaces between 2023 and 2026; and

  WHEREAS this approach is intended to ensure that new child care spaces are prioritized for families and communities facing systemic barriers and lower access to services as a result of limited new growth spaces within the CWELCC system; and

  WHEREAS aligning the location of Francophone child care services from 111 Sussex Drive to an area in Lowertown or Sandy Hill would help improve early childhood development outcomes for families facing systemic barriers and would better align to achieving the outcomes included in the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan; and 

  WHEREAS many existing community child care service providers in Lowertown and Sandy Hill are experiencing viability concerns, with a risk of lower access for a neighbourhood (Lowertown) that has a high neighbourhood vulnerability score indicating negative early child developmental outcomes and a neighbourhood (Sandy Hill) that is below provincial access targets as outlined within the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2025-2029); and

  WHEREAS the City of Ottawa used to also municipally operate a location in Lowertown and increasing municipally operated services around this area would help mitigate the associated service delivery risks for this community and ensure access to culturally relevant Francophone services;  

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT recommendation 5 of the report be deleted and replaced with the following:

  [That the Community Services Committee recommend that Council:]

  5. Direct staff to develop a business case and capital funding plan to explore the feasibility to maintain the continuity of municipally operated French language child care services within Lowertown or Sandy Hill.

  6. Direct staff to report back to Community Services Committee the findings of the business case no later than Q1 2027 with next steps and recommendations for consideration as part of the planned 1010 Somerset Street transition plan to help minimize impacts for families.

  Carried
• Report recommendations as amended

  That the Community Services Committee recommend that Council:

  1. Receive the business case and capital funding plan, as directed by Council, to facilitate the transition of the Centre éducatif Pinocchio to a high needs area as outlined in this report; and
  2. Approve the 1010 Somerset Street West location to transition the Centre éducatif Pinocchio that maintains and increases Francophone child care spaces to a high needs area; and
  3. Delegate authority to the Director, Children's Services, to negotiate, enter into, execute and amend agreements with the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) to facilitate the transition of the Centre éducatif Pinocchio Child Care Centre, as described in this report; and
  4. Direct staff to use the 1010 Somerset Street Capital Account to cover the expected costs to build two additional child care rooms should Provincial funding not be received by the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO), as described in this report; and
  5. Direct staff to develop a business case and capital funding plan to explore the feasibility to maintain the continuity of municipally operated French language child care services within Lowertown or Sandy Hill.
     
  6. Direct staff to report back to Community Services Committee the findings of the business case no later than Q1 2027 with next steps and recommendations for consideration as part of the planned 1010 Somerset Street transition plan to help minimize impacts for families.
  Carried as amended

4.2

2025 Update to Local Rules Under the Housing Services Act, 2011

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-010 – Citywide

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Community Service Committee recommend Council approve the Local Rules, as updated and set out in full in Document 1.

  Carried

5.

Office of the City Clerk

5.1

Status Update – Community Services Committee Inquiries and Motions for the period ending June 6, 2024

File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0073 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee receive this report for information.

  Received

6.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

7.

Information Previously Distributed

7.1

City of Ottawa-Anishinabe Algonquin Nation Civic Cultural Protocol and Implementation Plan (2022-2026)

File No. ACS2025-RCF-GEN-0005

• Motion No. CSC 2025-17-02
  Moved by J. Bradley

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Community Services Committee allow discussion of this item for consideration by the committee at today’s meeting, pursuant to subsection 89(4) of the Procedure By-law (being by-law no. 2022-410) to allow for an update on the matter.

  Carried

8.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

8.1

Councillor S. Plante - Renaming Emond Park to Mary Papatsie Park

WHEREAS Mary Papatsie was a beloved member of the Inuit community who lived in Vanier and had a large family who loved her; 

WHEREAS Mary Papatsie died in Vanier and is counted among the thousands of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada, with the circumstances around her death still being unknown; 

WHEREAS Mary Papatsie lived not far from Emond Park on Emond Street in Vanier; 

WHEREAS multiple canvassing efforts, social media posts and letter campaigns have overwhelmingly supported the park being named for Mary Papatsie; 

WHEREAS Rideau Vanier has the largest Inuit population outside of Nunavut, including many NGOs and non-profit organizations that serve the Inuit community; 

WHEREAS Rideau Vanier is also the site of the National Inuit Day celebrations every year;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Emond Park in Vanier located at the corner of Emond Street and Deschamps Avenue be named after Mary Papatsie, to honour the Inuit community in Vanier, to honour her life and death, and to honour the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Emond Steet will keep the same name; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the cost of changing the park sign to reflect the new name come from the Ward 12 Cash in Lieu of Parkland account;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT any costs for the installation of a plaque come from fundraising and other eligible sources;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT any plaque erected in the park also acknowledge that the land is unceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory, as per the wishes of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation Consultative Culture Circle and the Host Nation.

8.2

Councillor S. Plante - Responses to encampments

WHEREAS City Council declared “an Affordable Housing and Homelessness Crisis and Emergency” at its meeting of January 29, 2020, and where it joined the “Solve the Crisis" campaign of the Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM), focused on addressing the homelessness and mental health/addictions crisis in Ontario; 

WHEREAS one downstream effect of having inadequate resources for addressing homelessness and mental health/addictions is the proliferation of encampments;

WHEREAS encampment dismantles are handled by the Unsheltered Task Force, a group chaired by the Community and Social Services Department with inclusion from Ottawa Police Services, Ottawa Public Health, By-law and Regulatory Services, the Public Works Department, and not-for profit outreach social services; 

WHEREAS the number and volume of encampments in Ward 12, particularly in the downtown core, including the ByWard Market, Lowertown and Sandy Hill,has skyrocketed without the proper housing and mental health/addictions prevention, support and treatment;

WHEREAS these encampments can be a public health and safety concern creating enormous social disorder which impacts the quality of life for the surrounding community;

WHEREAS these ongoing impacts to the surrounding community due to encampments affect the ability of residents to enjoy community spaces;

WHEREAS children are acutely impacted by health and safety concerns resulting from social disorder and encampments which can affect early childhood development;

WHEREAS City staff address encampments on a case-by-case basis following a standardized approach across the city;  

WHEREAS timelines established for dismantles though the Unsheltered Task Force are limited by partner agencies (Police, Bylaw, Public Works, Social Services) availability;

WHEREAS Residents have pointed out that there are categories of encampments should be better triaged based on activities occurring in the encampment such as where there is criminal activity; 

WHEREAS having systematic responses to encampments where there is criminal activity should illicit a different response than for those genuinely seeking and needing housing;

WHEREAS the distribution of tents is not sanctioned by the City, nor are organizations that the City funds sanctioned to provide tents;

WHEREAS encampments can be a public health risk where there is the presence of refuse and human waste, on both public and private property; 

WHEREAS tents can hide nefarious activity committed, whether drug dealing and consuming, and/or sexual assault and harassment; 

WHEREAS the City’s procedures for encampment dismantles are based on a standardized response which is limited by the resources available from City and partner agencies; and

WHEREAS the City has limited resources to address the surrounding community’s concerns around encampments including living with constant aggression and verbal assaults, children whom not all have the luxury of moving, seeing their effects on mental health being compromised and other hazards.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Community Services Committee recommend that Council direct Community and Social Services Department staff as follows:

1. That staff provide a written summary of the current response to addressing encampments, particularly as it relates to the response in Ward 12; and
2. That staff complete an analysis of encampment response, including dismantles, across the City (by Ward) and utilize the data to identify gaps which will be used to inform resource needs and prioritization by Q4 2025.
3. That following the by Ward analysis, staff will meet with impacted Ward Councillors to discuss the findings.

9.

Inquiries

9.1

CSC-2025-05 - Municipal Support for Food Security Initiatives in Ottawa

Submitted by Councillor M. Carr:

In Food Banks Canada Annual Report 2024, it is reported that Canada is currently experiencing the highest levels of food bank use in Canadian history. In response, Food Banks Canada is currently advocating to governments for long-term policies to address the growth of poverty and food insecurity across Canada. They have called on governments to rebuild Canada’s broken social safety net, improve affordable housing, and introduce support for workers with low income. 

The City of Ottawa acknowledges that food insecurity is a growing challenge both locally and nationally. In response, the City has taken significant steps to address this issue through its Poverty Reduction Strategy, which was approved by Council in October 2024. A key pillar of this strategy is Food Security, which prioritizes funding for organizations and initiatives that address the root causes of food insecurity and aim to reduce long-term reliance on emergency food programs.

To support this priority, the City has committed the following investments:

• $1.4 million in Project Funding for poverty reduction and social development initiatives.
• $150,000 in strategic investment for local tax clinics to support low-income residents.
• An additional $462,000 in inflationary increases for over 30 food-serving agencies through the Community Funding Framework (a 10% increase).
• $108,000 allocated through the Emergency and Emerging Community Need Funding to specifically address food insecurity in 2025.

In total, the City has invested nearly $5 million in municipal funding toward food security initiatives in 2025.

In addition to financial investments, increased advocacy to the provincial government is recognized as a crucial step in addressing systemic issues contributing to food insecurity. Strengthening intergovernmental collaboration is essential to ensure sustainable, long-term solutions and adequate support for local food security efforts.

Given the scale of this investment, the importance of addressing food insecurity, and the acknowledgement of Food Banks that advocacy to higher levels of government is required to address the root causes of poverty, could staff provide by October 31, 2025, an outline of the City’s advocacy efforts to the provincial government regarding food security and poverty reduction.

10.

Other Business

There was no other business.

11.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

The meeting adjourned at 10:02 am.