Community Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

20

Date:

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 5:30 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 December 10, 2025, in Community Services Committee Report 20.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on November 24, 2025, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on November 25, 2025.

2.

Declarations of Interest

2.1

D. Hill - Draft 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets – Community Services Committee

In accordance with Sections 5 and 6 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990: I, Councillor David Hill, declare a potential, deemed indirect pecuniary interest on the following portions of the Community Services Committee (CSC) 2026 Draft Operating Budget: Community and Social Services Department – Children’s Services Operating Resource Requirement, “Wage Enhancement & Workforce Comp” and “Canada Wide System (CWELCC)” line items (Page 10 of the CSC Budget Book), as my wife is employed by an organization that will receive funding from, or would be eligible to receive funding from, these budget line items; and Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services – Complexes, Aquatics and Specialized Services Operating Budget and User Fees (pages 34-37 of the CSC Budget Book), as my daughter is employed by the Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services Department in the service that receives funding from this area of the budget.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

CSC Minutes 19 – October 28, 2025

• Carried

4.

Finance and Corporate Services Department

4.1

Draft 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets – Community Services Committee

File No. ACS2025-FCS-FSP-0013 – City-wide

The draft budget was tabled at the Council meeting of November 12, 2025.

• D. Hill declared a conflict on this item. (In accordance with Sections 5 and 6 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990: I, Councillor David Hill, declare a potential, deemed indirect pecuniary interest on the following portions of the Community Services Committee (CSC) 2026 Draft Operating Budget: Community and Social Services Department – Children’s Services Operating Resource Requirement, “Wage Enhancement & Workforce Comp” and “Canada Wide System (CWELCC)” line items (Page 10 of the CSC Budget Book), as my wife is employed by an organization that will receive funding from, or would be eligible to receive funding from, these budget line items; and Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services – Complexes, Aquatics and Specialized Services Operating Budget and User Fees (pages 34-37 of the CSC Budget Book), as my daughter is employed by the Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services Department in the service that receives funding from this area of the budget.)

The following staff presented an overview of the report and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

• Cyril Rogers, Chief Financial Officer and General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services Department
• Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services, Kale Brown, Director, Housing, Jason Sabourin, Director, Children’s Services, Dean Lett, Director, Long Term Care (Community and Social Services Department)
• Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services
• Andrea Lanthier-Seymour, Associate Director, Parks Maintenance and Forestry Services (Public Works Department)

Committee received the following submissions, and a copy of each is filed with the Office of the City Clerk:

• Brian Innes (Hintonburg Community Association) letter dated November 24
• Rachael Wilson (Ottawa Food Bank) letter received November 24
• Menasheh Speevak-Sladowski email dated November 24
• David Hole (Ottawa Neighbourhood Solutions) letter dated November 25

The following members of the public spoke before the Committee and provided comments on the item:

• Henry Beelen and Peggy Pratt (Ottawa Baseball Infrastructure Improvement Group) – slides on file
• Ana Maria Cruz-Valderrama – speaking notes on file
• Jonathan Rothschild (Community Volunteer Income Tax Program)
• Andrea Poncia (Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres)
• Stephanie Fragman (Eastern Ottawa Community Resource Centre)
• Valens N. (Community Volunteer Income Tax Program)
• Marc d'Orgeville (EBO Financial Education Centre / Centre d’éducation financière Entraide Budgétaire Ottawa)
• Robin Browne (613/819 Black Hub)
• Aileen Leo (Ottawa Mission) – speaking notes on file
• David Hole (Ottawa Neighbourhood Solutions) – slides on file
• Catherine Boucher (Dalhousie Community Association)
• Darrell Bartraw (Canada Day Barrhaven Inc.) – speaking notes on file
• Cassandra Olsthoorn (Arts Ottawa)
• Cheryl Parrott (Hintonburg Community Association)
• Anona Kosmack
• Menasheh Speevak-Sladowski
• Kate Veinot (Ottawa Community Food Partnership)

As part of discussions, staff accepted the following Direction to staff (Councillor R. King):

Childcare remains a critical priority for Ottawa families, yet operators across Ontario continue to face significant uncertainty. Disputes between the provincial and federal governments over funding under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement have delayed progress toward the original goal of $10-a-day childcare. Fees are now capped at $22 per day until at least December 2026, and many newly created childcare spaces fall outside the fee-reduction program. This situation places undue pressure on families and providers alike, highlighting the urgent need for stable, predictable funding.

Staff are directed to:

1. Continue working with both the federal and provincial governments to secure funding under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
2. Advocate to federal and provincial governments for the financial support necessary to make quality childcare truly accessible and affordable for families in Ottawa.

Following discussions, the Committee considered the motions as follows:

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee consider the relevant portions of the 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets and make recommendations to Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, to be held December 10, 2025.
• Motion No. CSC 2025-20-01
  Moved by J. Bradley

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the table “Children’s Services – User Fees” be replaced with the corrected table attached to this motion, and on file with the City Clerk, at each of the following pages:

  • Community Service Committee Full English Book, page 12
  • Community Service Committee Condensed English Book, page 12
  • Community Service Committee Condensed French Book, page 15
  Carried
• Motion No. CSC 2025-20-02
  Moved by J. Bradley

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Community Services Committee recommend that Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole on December 10, 2025, approve the Community Services Committee portion of the 2026 Draft Operating and Capital Budgets, as follows:

  1. Community and Social Services Operating Budget, as follows: 
     
     1. General Manager’s Office and Business Support Services Operating Resource Requirement (page 2) 
     2. Community Safety, Well-being, Policy and Analytics Operating Resource Requirement (page 5)
     3. Employment and Social Services Operating Resource Requirement (pages 7-8)
     4. Children’s Services:
        
        1. User fees (revised page 12)
        2. “Wage Enhancement & Workforce Comp” and “Canada Wide System (CWELCC)” line items of the Operating Resource Requirement (Page 10)
        3. Remaining Operating Resource Requirement (pages 10 -11)
     5. Housing and Homelessness Services Operating Resource Requirement (page 15-16)
     6. Long-Term Care Services Operating Resource Requirement (page 18)
     7. Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development Services Operating Resource Requirement (page 21)
  2. Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Operating Budget, as follows:
     
     1. General Manager’s Office and Business Support Services:
        
        1. User fees (page 24);
        2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 23);
     2. Community Recreation, Culture and Sport Services:
        
        1. User Fees (pages 28-31);
        2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 27);
     3. Complexes, Aquatics and Specialized Services:
        
        1. User Fees (pages 35-37);
        2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 34);
     4. Parks and Facilities Planning:
        
        1. User Fees (page 41);
        2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 40);
     5. Facility Operations Service
        
        1. User Fees (page 45);
        2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 44).
  3. Public Works Department Operating Budget, Parks Maintenance Services Operating Resource Requirement (page 47); and
  4. Community Services Committee’s portion of the Capital Budget (pages 48-50, individual projects listed on pages 89-156).   
  Carried

  Councillor D. Hill did not participate in discussion, nor vote, on recommendations 1.D.ii) or 2C. of motion no. CSC 2025-20-02.

  
  

5.

Community and Social Services Department

5.1

Long-Term Care Accreditation Governance Standards

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-019 – City-wide

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee recommend that Council confirm the participation of Councillor Plante and Councillor Lo in the 2026 Long-Term Care homes accreditation process to meet the governance participation requirements established by Accreditation Canada, as outlined in this report. 

  Carried

6.

Office of the City Clerk

6.1

Status Update – Community Services Committee Inquiries and Motions for the period ending November 7, 2025

File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0129 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee receive this report for information.

  Received

7.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

8.

Information Previously Distributed

8.1

Use of Delegated Authority During 2024 by Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department, as Set Out in Schedule "E" of By-law 2023-67 

File No. ACS2025-RCF-GEN-0008

8.2

Mooney’s Bay Park - Hill Modification Study

File No. ACS2025-RCF-GEN-0011

With the will of Committee, this item was added to the agenda for discussion. Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, briefly answered questions from Committee.

8.3

Use of Delegated Authority during 2024 by the Community and Social Services Department under Schedule “D” City of Ottawa By-law 2024-265

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-017

8.4

Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) Year One Update

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-016

With the will of Committee, this item was added to the agenda for discussion.

The following members of the public spoke before the Committee and answered questions:

• Michelle Hurtubise and Suzanne Obiorah (Centretown Community Health Centre)
• John Hoyles (Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario/211 East)

9.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

10.

Inquiries

10.1

CSC-2025-06 – Stages of expansion of the Alexander Community Centre

Submitted by Councillor R. Brockington:

With the financial contribution from the Ministry of Sport in October 2025 to be used for the expansion of the near 60-year-old Alexander Community Centre, would staff in Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services please identify the major stages required to complete the renovation and expansion project with associated timelines.

Is there a date that requires the provincial contribution to be used by?

11.

Other Business

There was no other business.

12.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: February 24, 2026

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 pm.