OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES 68
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
10:00 am
By Electronic Participation
This Meeting was held through electronic
participation in accordance with Section 238 of the Municipal Act, 2001 as
amended by the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020
The Council of
the City of Ottawa met on Wednesday, 26 January 2022, beginning at 10:00 AM. The
Mayor, Jim Watson, presided over the Zoom meeting from Andrew
S. Haydon Hall, with the remaining Members participating remotely by Zoom.
The Mayor, Jim
Watson, presided and led Council in a moment of reflection in honour of the victims
of the recent explosion on Merivale Road.
Elder Claudette Commanda delivered an
Indigenous blessing to open the first City Council meeting of 2022.
All Members were present at the meeting.
MOTION NO 68/1
Moved by Councillor
L. Dudas
Seconded by Councillor
G. Darouze
BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s remarks[1] given at the City
Council meeting on January 26, 2022, be appended to the Minutes of today’s
Council meeting.
CARRIED
CONFIRMED
No declarations
of interest were filed.
No regrets were filed.
MOTION NO 68/2
Moved by Councillor
J. Cloutier
Seconded by Councillor
C. Kitts
That the
Finance and Economic Development Committee Report 33; Planning Committee Report
54A; and the reports from the City Clerk entitled “Status Update - Council Inquiries
and Motions for the period ending January 21, 2022”, and “Summary of Oral and
Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’
at the City Council Meeting of December 8, 2021” be received and considered.
CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive this report for information.
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RECEIVED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That
Council:
1. Approve
the acquisition of a fee simple interest in lands owned by Canadian Pacific
Railway municipally known as 3101 Albion Road, shown on Documents 1 & 2
being the “Lands”, either by:
a. a
negotiated purchase agreement for the combined value of $6,362,400, plus all
applicable taxes and closing costs (the “Purchase Agreement”) to be funded
through accounts 908239 and 908550, as outlined in this report; or
b. the
exercise of the City’s Option to Purchase the Lands pursuant to the Lease
between the City and Canadian Pacific Railway Company (the “Option
Agreement”);
2. Delegate
authority to the Director, Corporate Real Estate Office to enter into,
conclude, execute, amend and implement on behalf of the City, the Purchase
Agreement or the Option Agreement, and to negotiate, execute, amend and
implement all ancillary documents required in order to give effect to the
transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement or the Option Agreement,
as applicable, as described in this report; and
3. Delegate
the authority to the Director, Rail Construction Program to negotiate,
finalize and execute the Station Construction Agreement and the Station
Operating Agreement for the Airport Rail Link with the Ottawa
Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority with respect to the Airport
Rail Link, and to negotiate, execute, amend and implement all ancillary
documents required in order to give effect to the arrangements contemplated
by the Station Construction Agreement and the Station Operating Agreement, as
applicable, as described in this report.
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CARRIED with Councillor D. Deans dissenting.
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council direct the City Manager and Director of Rail
Construction engage a peer review of the strategy for design, construction,
commissioning, and maintenance of the Trillium Line by the TransitNEXT
organization to identify potential challenges caused by design, construction,
commissioning, training, and/or organizational design that could be
remediated now before the rail line is completed.
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CARRIED
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PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT 54A
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION, AS AMENDED
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
200 Baribeau Street in order to accommodate the construction of an 85-unit
Planned Unit Development, as detailed in Document 2 as amended.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
299 Carling Avenue to permit an increase in the permitted heights for the
subject lands, as detailed in Document 3.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
471 Terry Fox Drive to permit “animal care establishment” as an additional
permitted use, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve the Summaries of Oral and Written Public
Submissions for items considered at the City Council Meeting of December 8,
2021, that are subject to the ‘Explanation Requirements’ being the Planning
Act, subsections 17(23.1), 22(6.7), 34(10.10) and 34(18.1), as
applicable, as described in this report and attached as Documents 1 to 4.
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CARRIED
MOTION NO 68/3
Moved by Councillor J. Cloutier
Seconded by Councillor C. Kitts
That Finance and Economic Development Committee Report 33; Planning
Committee Report 54A; and the reports from the City Clerk entitled “Status Update
- Council Inquiries and Motions for the period ending January 21, 2022” and
“Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the
Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of December
8, 2021” be received and adopted as amended.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 68/4
Moved by Councillor G.
Darouze
Seconded by Councillor C.
Kitts
WHEREAS Conservation Authorities are legislated under the
Conservation Authorities Act, and each has its own Board of Directors
comprised of members appointed by local municipalities; and
WHEREAS in
accordance with the Conservation Authorities Act, the City of Ottawa may
appoint four (4) Members to South Nation Conservation Board of Directors, which
may be Members of Council or City of Ottawa residents appointed by Council; and
WHEREAS
Ottawa’s current representatives are Councillors George Darouze (Chair of the
Board) and Catherine Kitts, and Council-appointed public members Gerrie Kautz
and Michael Brown; and
WHEREAS one
of the City-appointed public members of the South Nation Conservation board, Michael
Brown. has advised the City that he will be resigning from the board on January
3, 2022; and
WHEREAS in
light of a number of new regulations for Conservation Authorities, and the fact
that there are no public members on the reserve list, the Chair of South Nation
Conservation is recommending that a Member of Council be appointed to fill the
seat for the remainder of the Term of Council; and
WHERAS
Councillor Allan Hubley has expressed a willingness to serve on the Board.
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that Council appoint Councillor Allan Hubley as the City of
Ottawa’s fourth representative on South Nation Conservation, until the end of
the 2018-2022 Term of Council.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 68/5
Moved by Councillor J.
Leiper
Seconded by Councillor
C. McKenney
WHEREAS at its
meeting of December 1, 2021, the Transportation Committee considered a report
from Councillor Leiper entitled Eliminating “revert reds” and ensuring
cyclists receive a green display whenever they are detected by a traffic signal
in Ottawa (ACS2021-OCC-TRC-0031); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to
Subsection 83(8) of the Procedure By-law, where an item fails at a
Standing Committee/Commission, such item shall not be forwarded to Council,
subject to the right of Council to have the matter brought forward through a
motion adopted by Council.
BE IT RESOLVED that
Council approve to eliminate in all cases “red revert” traffic signals such
that in any instance where a sensor detects the arrival of a cyclist or other
mobility device user at an intersection, that user will be given a full green
light regardless of whether the sensor detects the continued presence of that
user at any point in the phase subsequent to triggering the green light cycle.
MOTION NO 68/6
Moved by: K. Egli
Seconded by: J. Watson
That the Leiper/ McKenney Motion be deferred for
consideration after staff has had the opportunity to report back to
Transportation Committee with additional information.
DEFERRAL
CARRIED on a division of 18 YEAS and 6 NAYS, as follows:
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YEAS (18):
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Councillors Darouze, Luloff, Kitts, Dudas, El-Chantiry, Harder,
Cloutier, Tierney, Meehan, Hubley, Fleury, Moffatt, Deans, Curry, Gower,
Brockington, Egli, Mayor Watson
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NAYS (6):
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Councillors Kavanagh, McKenney, King, Chiarelli, Leiper, Menard
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DIRECTIONS TO
STAFF (Councillor S. Menard)
As
part of the December, 2019, Strategic Road Safety Action Plan Report,
staff recommended that “traffic signal locations where multi-use pathways cross
roadways with bicycle signal displays, the multi-use pathway traffic signal operations
will be adjusted to hold the call for a signal change even when a bike moves
off the detector area. This adjustment will also be made at all signalized
intersections that are actuated, which have a bike lane, and operate in a 2-phase
operation”. However, there remain signalized
intersections that are actuated, which have a bike lane, and operate in a
2-phase operation that have not had the hold-the-call functionality
implemented.
That
staff be directed to:
- identify
the intersections where multi-use pathways cross roadways with bicycle
signal displays, where the hold-the call functionality has not been
implemented and at signalized intersections that are actuated, which have
a bike lane, and operate in a 2-phase operation that have not had the
hold-the-call functionality implemented, and develop a plan, in coordination
with local Ward Councillors with a goal to implement this
functionality at these intersections in each Councillor’s respective ward;”
- Work
with Ward Councillors to identify high pedestrian and bicyclist
intersections in their respective wards that fall outside the types of
intersections identified within the Strategic Road Safety Action Plan,
such as no right on red intersections, that would benefit from the implementation
of “hold-the-call” functionality;
- Pilot the cycling detection feedback
bollard in 2022, whereby bicyclists will be able to get a visual queue
that they have been detected; and
- Pilot
new and comprehensible road pavement detection signage in 2022 instead of
the three yellow dots.
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MOTIONS REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE
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MOTION NO 68/7
Moved by Councillor M.
Fleury
Seconded by Councillor
R. King
That the Rules of Procedure be
Suspended to consider the following motion in order that the new Tenant Member
the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation may be appointed without delay. :
WHEREAS Ottawa Community Housing
Corporation (OCHC) is committed to engage OCHC tenants in decision-making
through tenant engagement as well as membership on OCHC’s Board of Directors;
and
WHEREAS OCHC’s recent tenant director
recruitment process has identified a strong candidate for membership on the
Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS Ottawa City Council, as the sole
Shareholder of OCHC, has the authority to appoint members to the OCHC Board of
Directors; and
WHEREREAS at is meeting of January 20,
2022, the OCHC Board of Directors approved a recommendation to request the
Shareholder appoint OCHC tenant Stephen Sauppe to OCHC’s Board of Directors;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Stephen
Sauppe be appointed to the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation Board of
Directors as a Tenant Member for a term effective immediately and expiring at
the 2023 OCHC Annual General Meeting; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor
and the City Clerk be authorized to sign a written resolution on behalf of the City
of Ottawa as Shareholder of OCHC setting out the resolutions approved by City
Council.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 68/8
Moved by Councillor M.
Fleury
Seconded by Councillor
R. King
That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the following
Motion, in order that the property owner may address these issues as soon as
possible,
WHEREAS the building on the parcel of land known as 301 Savard Avenue is considered to be
in a state of disrepair; and
WHEREAS the property owner is in receipt of funding from Nunavut Tunngavik
Incorporated for the costs associated with demolition, including the demolition
permit, coordination of a Designated Substances Survey, and retention of a
demolition contractor; and
WHEREAS the funding agreement between the property owner and Nunavut
Tunngavik Incorporated requires the building to be demolished by March 31,
2022; and
WHEREAS there is currently no building permit application for a
replacement building.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve demolition control for
the existing building on the property subject to the following conditions;
1. The registered owner shall obtain a
demolition permit prior to the building being demolished.
2. This approval is considered null and
void if a demolition permit is not obtained within three months of Council’s
approval.
CARRIED
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NOTICES OF MOTION (FOR CONSIDERATION AT SUBSEQUENT
MEETING)
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MOTION
Moved by Councillor D.
Deans
Seconded by Councillor
R. King
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa stands firmly in
support of religious freedom which in Canada is protected by the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act;
and
WHEREAS Quebec’s Bill 21, an act respecting
the laicity of the State, infringes upon those rights by targeting
religious and ethnic minorities who wear religious symbols such as hijabs,
kippahs and turbans; and
WHEREAS on February 26, 2020, Ottawa City
Council passed Motion 28/7 to officially oppose Quebec’s Bill 21 and support in
principle the constitutional challenge to Bill 21, recognizing the importance
of protecting
racialized communities against discrimination and the need to uphold our shared values of tolerance and diversity; and
WHEREAS On December 15, 2021, the City of Brampton
passed a motion that provides financial assistance by way of a one-time
contribution to those challenging Bill 21, recognizing the significance of this
court case on our foundational value of religious freedoms; and
WHEREAS The motion passed by the City of
Brampton calls on Canada’s Big Cities to assist in funding this legal challenge
and to support racialized communities against the Province of Quebec; and
AND WHEREAS The City of Ottawa, as the Nation’s
Capital, should join the City of Brampton to support the constitutional
challenge of Bill 21 and calls on all other Canadian Big Cities to join the
coalition;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, in recognition of
Council’s support for the current legal challenge against the discrimination of
freedom of religion in Quebec’s Bill 21, Council approve a one-time 2022
contribution of up to $100,000, as required, to the joint challengers of Bill
21, being the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the World Sikh
Organization of Canada (WSO) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
(CCLA); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this one-time
contribution be funded from the Tax Stabilization Reserve account.
MOTION
Moved by Councillor M.
Luloff
Seconded by Councillor C.
Kitts
WHEREAS Private Jess Larochelle was a member of the Canadian Armed
Forces and fought in the War in Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS in 2006 Private Larochelle defended his unit's position and
saved countless lives in the process demonstrating an unparalleled sense of
duty and commitment to his fellow soldiers; and
WHEREAS Private Larochelle was awarded the Star of Military Valour
for his role in the 2006 battle in Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS a large group of veterans known as Valour in the Face of the
Enemy are requesting that this young hero’s Star of Military Valour be upgraded
to Canada’s highest honour, the Canadian Victoria Cross; and
WHEREAS there is a petition before the Minister of National Defence
(Petition e-3636), which calls upon the Government of Canada to investigate the
new evidence regarding Private Larochelle, and, if the investigation proves
that the new evidence sufficient enough, upgrade Private Larochelle to the
Canadian Victoria Cross; and
WHEREAS the Ottawa Veteran’s Task Force is requesting Council join a
growing number of municipalities in endorsing this effort;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Ottawa
endorse the request by Ottawa Veterans Task Force on behalf of Valour in the
Presence of the Enemy to have Private Larochelle awarded the Canadian Victoria Cross.
AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that a copy of this motion be forwarded to
the Governor General Mary Simon, the Minister of National Defence, the
Honourable Anita Anand, local Members of Parliament, and Valour in the Presence
of the Enemy.
MOTION
Moved by Mayor J.
Watson
Seconded by Councillor C.
Kitts
WHEREAS on July 24, 2002, City Council
approved, as amended, the Commemorative Naming Policy; and
WHEREAS in keeping with its powers set
out in the Municipal Act, 2001, Council may assign a commemorative name by
resolution, notwithstanding the provisions included in the Commemorative Naming
Policy; and
WHEREAS Canadian actor, producer,
screenwriter, entrepreneur, and activist Ryan Reynolds is one of Canada’s most beloved and widely recognized actors; and
WHEREAS as a former resident, spending
part of his childhood living in Vanier, Ryan has a close connection to the City
of Ottawa; and
WHEREAS throughout the COVID-19
pandemic, Ryan has shined his “Green Lantern” on important health measures and
was revealed to be “Bruce” the Ottawa Public Health
intern; and
WHEREAS he acted as a “Free Guy”
supporting various OPH social media campaigns that had local, national and
international reach; and
WHEREAS the “Deadpool” star has
shown tremendous generosity donating to the Ottawa Food Bank to support residents
in need during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS upon receiving “Red Notice” of
the generous donation, staff and residents were given encouragement, hope and a
shared sense of community; and
WHEREAS “The Proposal” to recognize Ryan for his contribution is well warranted;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the
name “Ryan Reynolds Way” be added to Building Code Services’ list of reserved
street names to be used in the new Cassette development being constructed by
Caivan Communities at the corner of Mer Bleue Road and Brian Coburn Boulevard in
Ward 19 (Cumberland); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
Building Code Services work with all relevant parties in compliance with the
Municipal Addressing By-law and other relevant procedures to implement this
street naming.
MOTION TO INTRODUCE BY-LAWS
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MOTION NO 68/9
Moved by Councillor
J. Cloutier
Seconded by Councillor
C. Kitts
That the by-laws
listed on the Agenda under Motion to Introduce By-laws, Three Readings, be read
and passed
CARRIED
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THREE READINGS
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2022-04.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to repeal By-law No. 2021-81 and
to amend By-law No. 2021-370 respecting fees and charges for solid waste
services.
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2022-05.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish stormwater service fees
and to repeal By-law No. 2021-82
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2022-06.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend the fees in By-law No. 2019-74,
as amended, regulating the municipal water supply.
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2022-07.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law 2007-268 respecting
public transit amending the regulation of private tour operators for
sightseeing.
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2022-08.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2017-180 respecting the appointment of Municipal Law Enforcement Officers
in accordance with private property parking enforcement.
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2022-09.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at Halton
Terrace on Plan 4M-1246 and Blocks 37 and 38, Plan 4M-1246, designated as Halton
Terrace, by Bylaw 2011-125 registered as Instrument No. OC1231530 on May 5,
2011, as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2022-10.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at
voie Hepatica Way on Plan 4M-1526 as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2022-11.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at avenue de
la Famille-Laporte Avenue on Plan 4M-1539 as being exempt from Part Lot
Control.
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2022-12.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at
voie Rye Grass Way, avenue Lentago Avenue and rue Fameflower Street on Plan
4M-1692, as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2022-13.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at croissant Nettle Crescent on Plan 4M-1690 as being
exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2022-14.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2001-17 to appoint
certain Inspectors, Property Standards Officers and Municipal Law Enforcement
Officers in the Building Code Services Branch of the Planning, Infrastructure
and Economic Development Department.
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2022-15.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa
to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of the lands known municipally
as 299 Carling Avenue.
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2022-16.
A by-law of the City
of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of the lands known
municipally as 200 Baribeau Street.
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2022-17.
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of the lands known
municipally as 471 Terry Fox Drive.
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2022-18.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at privé
Attwell Private as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2022-19.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish certain lands as
common and public highway and assume them for public use (avenue Finsbury
Avenue, rue Dagenham Street and promenade Goldhawk Drive).
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2022-20.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law 2003-445 respecting the regulation of road
activity on City highways.
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2022-21.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-446 respecting
encroachments on City highways.
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2022-22.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-497 respecting
permit fees for over-dimensional vehicles.
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2022-23.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-447 respecting
fees for private approaches.
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2022-24.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2017-92 respecting
fees for ROW patios on City highways.
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2022-25.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-445
with respect to road cut fees.
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2022-26.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-520 respecting
the fees for certain signs and advertising devices on City roads.
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2022-27.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2010-115 to amend
fees for services and activities of the Corporate Real Estate Office.
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CARRIED
MOTION NO 68/10
Moved by Councillor
J. Cloutier
Seconded by Councillor
C. Kitts
That the following
by-law be read and passed:
To confirm the proceedings of the Council meeting of January 26,
2022.
CARRIED
The meeting
adjourned at 12:04 pm.
_______________________________
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CITY
CLERK MAYOR
State
of the City Address
Mayor
Jim Watson
Wednesday,
January 26, 2022
I want to
sincerely thank Elder Claudette Commanda for once again offering this beautiful
Algonquin blessing, which has become a cherished tradition during my last few years
as Mayor.
I hope your
guidance will once again help us in our last year of this Term of Council.
Migwetch,
Claudette.
Claudette’s Algonquin
ancestors have been the stewards of these lands across Ontario and Quebec for
over 6,000 years – and we need to acknowledge that we are simply tenants on their
land.
I very much value
our relationship with our surrounding Algonquin communities – Pikwakanagan and
Kitigan Zibi – as well as with all First Nation, Métis and Inuit residents of Ottawa.
I look forward
to strengthening those relationships in the coming year.
As you all know,
this will be my last State of the City Address as Mayor of Ottawa.
It’s a little bittersweet,
as it’s a yearly tradition I’ve grown quite fond of over the years; one that
provides a good opportunity to look back on the year that’s gone by and ponder
the important decisions that lie ahead.
Since this is
my last Address, I’ll ask for your indulgence as I also look back on some of
the successes we have delivered as a City during the last three terms of
Council.
I’m proud of
what we’ve accomplished by working together – and these projects and
initiatives would have never become reality without your support.
What had been
a dream for decades became a reality when we invested in arts and culture and
opened the new Ottawa Art Gallery and the revitalized Arts Court.
We also approved
the new Central Library project, in partnership with Library and Archives
Canada, a net-zero carbon facility that will become a flagship destination at
LeBreton Flats and an important attraction in our city – with more than 1.5
million visitors expected annually.
I’m extremely
proud that this iconic building will bear the Anishinabe name Adisoke, or story
telling, as a testament to our Reconciliation efforts with our Algonquin host
nations.
The design of
this facility was widely acclaimed, and with the contract now awarded, we will
break ground on our new Central Library in April, along with our federal and
Indigenous partners.
In the last
few years, I believe we’ve truly acknowledged that we are tenants living on
Algonquin lands and we’ve embarked on the path to Reconciliation with our Indigenous
partners through the many concrete actions we have taken to strengthen this relationship.
In the case of
our new Central Library, we have engaged a Curator of Indigenous Art who will
oversee the commissioning of five significant pieces of Algonquin art for the
facility – with final artist selections being made in the coming months.
After renaming
the Prince of Wales Bridge in honour of Chief William Commanda last year, we
once again dedicated funding towards Algonquin art and inserted economic
opportunities for Algonquin workers as part of the construction RFP – a first
at the City of Ottawa.
I’m also
pleased to report that, over the last few months, we have held preliminary
discussions with Chief Jocko and her team about the possibility of establishing
an urban addition to their reserve in Ottawa – one that would create economic and
cultural sharing opportunities in our city for members of Pikwakanagan.
A resolution
giving the green light to the project was adopted yesterday by Chief Jocko’s
Band Council – and the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan are presently in discussions
with their development partners on possible locations within the City of
Ottawa.
This follows
in the footsteps of similar urban reserve projects that have taken place in Winnipeg,
Saskatoon and Vancouver in the last few years.
As this
initiative progresses in the coming months, staff will keep us apprised of developments
– and I look forward to confirming Council’s support for this project that further
strengthens our commitment to our First Peoples.
Work has now
begun to transform the Chief William Commanda Bridge connecting Gatineau and
Ottawa into a multi-use pathway for walking, cycling and cross-country skiing.
And I’m
pleased that this great project – which will feature a new timber deck on top
of the existing rail tracks, as well as new railings and lighting from Bayview
Station to Gatineau – will be opening to the public in the fall of 2022.
We invested in
connecting communities and built many important bridges to help our residents
rediscover our beautiful waterways – with most dedicated to pedestrians and
cyclists.
·
The Max Keeping Bridge
·
The Adàwe Crossing
·
The Jackie Holzman Bridge
·
The Flora Footbridge
·
The Juno Beach Bridge
·
The Vimy Memorial Bridge; and
·
The Rideau River Bridge at
Carleton University, being delivered as part of Stage 2 LRT.
Since 2010, we
have grown our cycling network in a significant way, and those investments –
including those we will make in 2022 – total over $202 million dollars in
standalone cycling infrastructure.
This is in
addition to the many complete streets and road renewal projects that have also
improved active transportation in our city during this time.
In 2010, we
had 672 kilometres of cycling infrastructure across our city.
By the end of
this year, we will have 1,065 kilometres – for an increase of 58% in our
cycling network over the course of these 12 years.
As a result, Ottawa’s
Gold Bicycle Friendly Community Award was renewed last year by the Share the
Road Coalition for a three-year period – and we remain one of only three cities
in Ontario to be recognized with this designation.
We’ve invested
in our Francophone community by overseeing the opening of the brand new La
Nouvelle Scène theatre on King Edward, as well as la Maison de la Francophonie
serving the west-end’s growing Francophone community.
I’m proud that
we are now supporting the expansion of the MIFO facility in Orléans, which has
provided important services and programming to hundreds of Francophone families
in the east end for over four decades.
In 2016, we welcomed
new residents to our community when we opened our doors and our hearts to
roughly 4,000 Syrian refugees who were fleeing war and violence in their home
country.
I’ll never
forget the pride I felt when I saw hundreds of Ottawa residents coming to City
Hall wanting to learn how to help our new neighbours find a home in Canada by
privately sponsoring their arrival.
We’ve also
decided to address systemic issues that create barriers for women and
racialized individuals living in our community.
We now have a
Council Liaison for Women and Gender Equity, as well as a Council Liaison for Anti-Racism
and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives.
We’ve created
the Anti-Racism Secretariat, which is currently hard at work consulting with
members of the community to develop the City’s first Anti-Racism Strategy,
which will be presented to Council in June of this year.
I know we have
a lot of work to do to eliminate racism in our city, but I’m confident that
having a strong, measurable plan with clear deliverables and expected outcomes
will help us address issues of systemic racism in the coming years.
And this important
work is not limited to the Anti-Racism Secretariat – as signs of progress can
be found across many other departments.
For example in
Cultural Funding, we increased the Equity and Inclusion in the Arts Fund from
$337,000 in 2020 to $459,000 in 2021 – a boost of 36%.
As part of
that fund’s micro-grant program, we were able to distribute $60,000 to 30
artists and art projects from Indigenous and equity-seeking communities – and
most of these recipients were first-time applicants to the City’s cultural
funding programs.
I believe it’s
these concrete actions taking shape within all services at the City that will
help us make a real difference moving forward.
We invested in
our environment by taking bold decisions early on – like replacing thousands of
bus trips from our streets thanks to our electric LRT, reducing our GHG
emissions and ensuring that future generations will have clean air to breathe
in our city.
The purchase
of our first four electric buses – which was a campaign promise of mine in 2018
– begins the transition of the rest of the bus fleet towards zero-emission buses.
These four
buses will soon operate on select trips on dozens of routes across the city and
at various times of the week, including peak hours and weekends.
This year, OC
Transpo will purchase another 74 electric buses which will come into service
next year, with 450 scheduled to serve transit users by 2027.
Our ambitious
plan will convert the entire diesel fleet to zero-emission buses by 2036.
We also
invested significantly in the Ottawa River Action Plan, and thanks to the
commissioning of the Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel last year, we are now
preventing frequent sewage overflows into the Ottawa River and keeping our
water clean for wildlife and our beaches open more often.
We invested in
our local economy and jobs by creating Invest Ottawa in 2012, before giving the
economic development agency a brand-new home at the Innovation Centre at
Bayview Yards in 2017.
According to a
recent economic impact study, between 2012 and 2020, the team at Invest Ottawa
played a pivotal role in attracting over a billion dollars in foreign and
direct investment to Ottawa, as well as facilitating over 11,000 well-paying jobs
in our city.
In recent
years, Invest Ottawa was instrumental in establishing Area X.0 and the Smart
Farm in Nepean, initiatives that are putting Ottawa on the map as a leader in
autonomous vehicle technology and precision agriculture, which will be required
to feed the planet’s growing population in the coming decades.
During the pandemic,
Invest Ottawa pivoted to deliver the Digital Main Street future-proofing program,
which helped over 1,700 local business owners increase their online presence
and stay afloat during lockdowns.
I know the
team at Invest Ottawa will play a pivotal role in helping our entrepreneurs and
start-ups continue to grow as we rebound from the pandemic.
Before the
pandemic, our tourism and hospitality sectors were growing at an impressive
rate, thanks to some key initiatives we had delivered.
Just think back
on the excitement that Ottawa 2017 brought to our community and the impressive
year-long program of events we delivered all across the city to mark Canada’s
150th anniversary.
I’ll never
forget the magic I saw in the eyes of children and grandparents alike, as hundreds
of thousands of spectators descended on downtown Ottawa to catch a glimpse of Long
Ma the dragon and Kumo the spider chasing each other on our streets.
Between La Machine,
the Grey Cup, the NHL 100 Classic, the JUNO Awards, Red Bull Crashed Ice and hundreds
of other special events, we set records for visitors, hotel occupancy and airport
traffic.
And although
we had feared a tourism hangover in the following years, that did not
materialize and the momentum was sustained until the start of the pandemic.
Working with
our tourism partners, we were the first municipality in Ontario to put in place
the Municipal Accommodation Tax in 2018.
This new
revenue stream quickly provided Ottawa Tourism with an important cash injection
to continue its great work of marketing and developing our city into a
world-class destination.
And I want to
thank our partners at Ottawa Tourism for their incredible efforts throughout the
pandemic, as they turned their attention to promoting Ottawa’s bike trails, its
natural beauty and many exciting experiences discovering our rural villages.
Over the
years, our municipal investments in public spaces around the city have helped
Ottawa Tourism attract major events to the nation’s capital.
After decades
of being nothing more than a parking lot surrounded by crumbling
infrastructure, we revitalized Lansdowne Park and made it a real people place
with new sports teams, retail, restaurants – not to mention a tremendous amount
of greenspace, trees, gardens – and even an apple orchard.
Today we have the
67s playing hockey, the RedBlacks playing football, the Atletico playing soccer
and the BlackJacks playing basketball at TD Place – offering world-class
entertainment almost year-round to thousands of sports fans.
We’ve also
hosted amazing events like the Grey Cup, the NHL 100 Classic, the Davis Cup,
the Brier, the National Figure Skating Championships and the Volleyball Men’s
Nations League Championships, to name only a few.
Lansdowne is a
jewel in Ottawa’s crown – and it’s in no small part because of the wonderful
heritage buildings we have preserved on that site and once again made available
to the public.
Both the
Aberdeen Pavilion and the Horticulture Building have become very popular venues
to host special events.
And I’m proud
that to support the rebound of our festivals, culture and music sectors, we’re
making these venues and other great City facilities like Shenkman and the
Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe available to not-for-profit partners at 50%
of the regular cost.
The Aberdeen Pavilion
is a one-of-a-kind structure that dates back to 1898, when it was built to welcome
the Central Canada Agricultural Exhibition.
In the
following years, it also served as a meeting point for soldiers heading to
combat in the Boer War and World War I – but also as an ice pad where the
original Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup in 1904.
That building
has seen it all – and it remains today the only unsupported building of its
type in North America.
Unfortunately,
after decades of neglect in the second half of the 20th century, the
Aberdeen Pavilion was abandoned and taken over by thousands of pigeons before
being condemned for demolition.
Thankfully, on
July 2nd, 1992, Council voted to reverse that decision and to invest
the funds required to save the building and to restore it to its former glory.
We will be
working with the Central Canada Exhibition Association to mark the 30th
anniversary of that important day on July 2nd this summer – and for
the occasion, I’ve asked City staff to work with the former organizers of the
Ex to host an old-fashioned exhibition at Lansdowne.
I know it will
bring back some good memories for many residents who enjoyed the Ex – and
probably create some new ones for those who weren’t around at the time.
Unfortunately,
some of the facilities at Lansdowne are no longer up-to-par with modern hosting
requirements – like the arena, which dates back to 1967 and no longer meets
accessibility or environmental standards.
City staff are
currently working with our partners at OSEG on a plan that will include the
renewal of the arena, as well as the addition of affordable housing units.
Over the
years, we’ve had the honour to watch a few of our own in action at Lansdowne,
some of whom have gone on to great acclaim – like tennis star Gaby Dabrowski – and
Vanessa Gilles, who won an Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer last summer.
Vanessa seemed
quite flattered and excited to have the City park where she learned to play
soccer renamed in her honour during a ceremony that took place this last December
in Pineview.
Our many parks
around the city offer not only learning opportunities to children – but also an
escape for families and residents year-round.
And I’m proud
of the investments we’ve made together to grow these opportunities for physical
activity, fresh air and an improved quality of life.
Since 2010, we
will have opened 166 new parks in all corners of the city, including 11 new
parks this year – and that’s something we should all be very proud of.
We’ve also
delivered some important regional recreation facilities across the city – like
the François-Dupuis Rec Centre in Cumberland, the Richcraft Recreation Complex
in Kanata North, the Minto Rec Centre in Barrhaven, and the new arena at
CardelRec Centre in Stittsville, just to name a few.
Beyond regional
facilities, we’ve also delivered and improved facilities in many neighbourhoods
like:
The expansion
of Centrepointe
The Terry Fox
track replacement
The Overbrook
expansion
The
Jules-Morin fieldhouse
The Richcraft SensPlex
East
The Dovercourt
expansion
The Kanata
Recreation Centre renovations
The Constance
Bay Community Centre expansion
The Bayshore
fieldhouse expansion
The Canterbury
Park covered rink
And the
Manotick Arena and Hall expansion
Later this
year, we’ll reopen the Beacon Hill North Community Centre following its
expansion and renovation, which will greatly benefit at-risk youth in this
neighbourhood.
I think there’s
a lot that we can be proud as a city and a community – and I believe that it’s
also our role as elected officials to talk up our city as opposed to talking it
down.
When we talk
up the city; we help build up the city.
We have one of
the highest vaccination rates in the country.
The quality of
life of Ottawa residents is very high because we live in a beautiful, green and
liveable city with hundreds of parks and extensive networks of walking and
cycling paths along some beautiful waterways.
The compassion
and generosity of our residents is second to none.
I agree that
we should all take a critical thinking approach to the legislative reports and
proposals that are before us – and there’s a lot of work for us to do…
But we also have
a duty to recognize the good things that make Ottawa one of the best cities in
the world to live in.
Our residents
love their city and they’re proud of it – and I witness this each and every day
when I’m out in the community.
I hope that in
the coming years, we can find a return to balance and a more objective
appreciation of how great this city is when compared to others.
While I’m
quite proud of what we’ve delivered together over the last 12 years, we can’t
ignore the hardships and challenges we’ve been through – and those that remain.
Although our
LRT has performed at approximately 99% since it relaunched on November 12, our
transit users have had to be very patient through several issues that have
plagued the system since its launch in 2019.
I recognize
that this has been a source of anxiety and disappointment for many users who
rely on LRT to go to work, school or even medical appointments.
That said, I
was comforted to hear our safety experts from TRA state during a Transit Commission
meeting that they thought this was an excellent system that needed a more
rigorous inspection and maintenance regime.
But I can
assure you we will continue to hold RTM and Alstom’s feet to the fire over the
coming months.
Another
ongoing challenge in our community is the crisis facing our homeless residents.
Despite historic
increases in support and investments into affordable housing by all levels of
government, the number of residents living without a fixed address across the
country has only increased due to the pandemic.
I’m proud that
we have made historic capital investments of more than $60 million in this Term
of Council in order to build new affordable and supportive housing units for
our residents in need.
This is of
course in addition to the City’s overall contributions to housing and
homelessness supports, which will total $119 million in 2022.
Last year, we
started welcoming veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
into a new facility called Veterans House, located at Wateridge Village, or the
old CFB Rockcliffe.
Delivered by
Multifaith Housing Initiative, Veterans House is providing supportive housing
to these veterans in need.
The residence
has all the necessary facilities to help them establish a stable lifestyle –
including a communal kitchen and outdoor barbecues, an indoor gym and a dog
park for training service dogs.
The initiative
has been a great success and Veterans House has plans to deliver similar
facilities in other Canadian cities.
We’re
continually making progress, and thanks to our Long-Range Financial Plan for
Housing and our contributions of $15 million per year, we will be able to build
up to 500 affordable housing units every year, delivering on the commitments we
have made as part of our 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan.
Our Finance
staff are also preparing a report for us to introduce a Vacant Unit Tax this
year, which is projected to raise roughly $6 million annually for us to invest
in affordable housing.
Of the 1,700
units in various stages of development across the city, 232 supportive housing
units and 229 affordable units will be completed in 2022.
And we must
keep in mind that poverty and homelessness are not only downtown issues.
We have
residents in need right across the city, and we need to reach them where they
need our help.
That’s why the
232 supportive housing units coming online this year are taking shape right
across the city and include developments on Carling Avenue with
the John Howard Society, as well as units on Merivale Road and Castlefrank Road
delivered with the Shepherds of Good Hope.
These units will bring 232 individuals out of chronic homelessness and
into homes, along with the supports they need to start rebuilding their lives.
Earlier in
January, Housing Services issued another RFP to find a partner to deliver at
least 40 units of affordable housing on surplus City land near Ogilvie Road and
Jasmine Crescent.
Thanks to an
investment of $5 million from the City, we will deliver new affordable housing
units as well as a brand-new space for the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard
for residents in that community.
But despite
this progress, over 12,000 residents in need remained on the City’s centralized
waitlist for rent-geared-to-income housing at the end of 2021 – reminding us
that we must continue to invest more and more every year to address this
ongoing crisis.
But the
greatest challenge of our time remains climate change, which threatens the very
existence of human life on this planet – and it’s led to some very local impacts
here in Ottawa.
In 2018, we
had to respond to tornadoes that tore through and devastated a number of
communities.
In 2017 and
2019, we had to deal with significant flooding events that affected hundreds of
residents living along our waterways.
But through it
all, our community came together to help those who needed it.
During the
flooding in 2019, in addition to the women and men of the Canadian Armed
Forces, 15,000 volunteers showed up to lay sandbags and help protect homes
along the Ottawa River.
Following the
tornadoes that touched down in multiple neighbourhoods, the West Carleton
Warriors hockey team initially raised $4,000 to help those affected.
But they stepped
up their donations in a very big way after they were awarded $100,000 from the
Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup in recognition of their efforts to help their
community.
Imagine 11-
and 12-year-old kids showing that kind of generosity to help their neighbours get
back on their feet following a traumatic event.
It’s this kind
of gesture that embodies the spirit of this community: neighbours helping one
another.
And we’ve seen
that generosity from Ottawa residents helping those in far away places as well.
Following the devastating
Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016, Chris Phillips led the charge and brought our
community together to host a fundraiser at Lansdowne, which raised over
$128,000 for those in need in Alberta – almost 4,000 kilometres away.
Over the
years, the compassion and generosity of Ottawans is something that has consistently
impressed me and inspired me as Mayor of this great city.
Throughout the
pandemic – which is undoubtedly the worst health crisis in recent history – we’ve
witnessed thousands of gestures from residents and business owners wanting to
help their neighbours in need.
Under the
leadership of Rabbi Kravet and Rabbi Rotenberg, a small group of volunteers has
been hard at work at the Ottawa synagogue making kosher chicken noodle soup –
or Jewish penicillin, as they affectionately call it – to bring to those who
need to be cheered up.
The team is
convinced that a bowl of chicken soup has a sort of healing quality – and it’s
true that it usually has a way to make you feel better when you’re down or sick.
They recently
helped out when a couple contracted COVID and was stuck in isolation at home,
with the husband already battling cancer.
As their
daughter was out of town on holidays, she got the Ottawa Kosher Soup Registry
to step in and had comforting chicken noodle soup delivered to her parents.
Just two weeks
ago, Lorna Forbes contracted COVID and was stuck at home and feeling weak.
Lorna is a
regular customer at Ogilvie Pizza on Montreal Road, and when owner Hani Soueid
learned that she was feeling quite sick, he sent her more than just the soda
she had called to order.
And in the same
week that his business was broken into, Hani put aside his own troubles and
sent his driver to assemble a care package for Lorna, which included every kind
of medication required to treat a cold.
Lorna ended up
going to the hospital because her symptoms worsened, but through it all, Hani
kept calling her every day to check up on her until she got better.
Once word of
Hani’s good deed got around, donations started pouring in from across the
country.
And of course
Hani decided to pay it forward and ended up donating between 50 and 75 pizzas
to customers.
And to add to
this heartwarming story, when David Baker, the owner of European Glass and
Paint, heard about Hani’s good deed and the break in at the pizzeria, he
decided to step in and to replace the broken door at no cost.
And I very
much like David’s philosophy on good deeds:
“You know, I
figured we’re coming up to kindness week next month – and if one act of kindness
spurs another act of kindness, it’s like a domino effect. And if everyone did
an act of kindness for somebody else in this city – as great as this city is – it
would be that much greater.”
During the
spectacular snowstorm of January 17, eight-year-old Clayton McGuire came to the
rescue of his elderly neighbour, who he noticed had fallen in deep snow and was
almost covered, injured and unable to get up.
Clayton and
his parents called 9-1-1 and waited with the gentleman – warming him up with
blankets and hot chocolate until the paramedics got to the scene and took over.
And these acts
of kindness in our community have come from outside of Ottawa as well.
Canadian actor
Ryan Reynolds, who spent a part of his childhood growing up in Vanier, has
certainly shown his generosity and attachment to our city time and time again.
Early on in
the pandemic, he and his wife Blake Lively generously donated to the Ottawa
Food Bank, knowing how many families in our community depend on their essential
services.
In a tweet, Ryan
said: “I used to live in Ottawa (in Vanier). It holds a special place in my heart.
I’m so happy to donate to your amazing food bank.”
They then went
on to provide funding to the Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region.
Ryan also agreed
to spend some time with Ottawa’s own Interview Dudes – Jack, Ben and Nathan –
the three eleven-year-old friends who interview interesting people with
interesting jobs as part of their podcast.
And Ben says
this was one of the best episodes so far!
And as part of
a tongue in cheek moment following the Superbowl last year, Ryan Reynolds took
the hit claiming that he was in fact Bruce, the fictional OPH intern who had
forgotten to insert the proper team name and logo of the winning team in the parody
congratulations tweet.
It’s clear that Ottawa does have a special place in Ryan’s
heart – and in his honour, I’ll be bringing forward a notice of motion later
today to have a street named after him.
Ryan Reynolds
Way will be located in a new subdivision named Cassette, adjacent to Avalon, at
the corner of Mer Bleue and Brian Coburn in the east end – and I want to thank
Caivan Communities for accepting this street name as part of their new
development.
When we
broached this idea with Ryan, he said:
‘’Very
excited, flattered and honoured here. I’m even a little choked up. This means
the world to me. Thank you on behalf of me and my entire family!’’
I hope I’ll be
able to count on your support to honour Ryan and acknowledge his constant
support and contributions to our community throughout the pandemic.
COVID-19 has
had an impact on all facets of our daily lives and what we considered to be
normal prior to March of 2020.
The pandemic
has placed a significant strain on our first responders, who have had to deal
with an increase in service requests that has taken a toll on their wellbeing –
and that goes for our officers at the Ottawa Police Service as well.
I know that
public safety is top of mind for most residents, who want safe streets and
neighbourhoods for their children and families to enjoy.
But over the
last few years, we’ve witnessed an increase in gun violence and gang activity
that has created challenges and anxiety in many neighbourhoods around the city.
The calls for
enhanced police presence have been voiced by many Councillors as well as thousands
of concerned members of the public – and that is why I defended the three
percent budget increase we had initially allocated to OPS as part of our Budget
Directions in July.
I believe
these public safety concerns are still very much top of mind for these
residents – and it will take some time for us to understand whether the redirection
of these OPS funds was the right thing for the betterment of our communities.
Another
ongoing impact of COVID in our community has been its disproportionate effect
on the vitality of our downtown core, where so many businesses and restaurants
lost tens of thousands of regular customers from one day to the next.
It’s been a
tough time for businesses everywhere – but especially for our business owners
downtown, where ‘’for lease’’ signs are more visible than ever.
Thanks to an
innovative partnership between Finance and Economic Development, the City has
been monitoring the health and recovery of our downtown using water usage as an
indicator – and staff believe we’re the only city in Canada to do so.
For 2021, this
data reveals a slight increase of between 14 and 19 percent in activity for
commercial properties compared to 2020, but an increase of only three percent
for federal properties – so we have a long way to go before we get back to
normal.
That said, there
are other indicators that are cause for optimism – like the city-wide office
vacancy rate dropping more than a full percentage point in the last quarter of
2021, from 9.7 percent in the third quarter to 8.6 in Q4.
And with a
vacancy rate of 9.9 percent for our downtown alone, Ottawa maintains the third lowest
vacancy rate in North America after Vancouver and Toronto.
Despite the
lingering uncertainty and hardship we’ve endured over the last two years, our
city has managed to continue on its path of growth and progress.
Thanks to the
impressive efforts of Ottawa Public Health and our Paramedic Service, the City
led a massive vaccination campaign that has placed us amongst the most
vaccinated in the country.
Working with our
many healthcare partners, our Emergency Operations Centre transformed numerous
City facilities into vaccination centres that have so far provided more than 2.2
million doses of vaccine to protect our residents from illness and hospitalization
due to COVID-19.
The Emergency
Operations Centre has now been reactivated since early December and is hard at
work delivering the important boosters that will protect us against the rise in
Omicron.
In the early
days of the vaccination campaign, our paramedics administered over 53,000 doses
to our seniors in long-term care homes.
Throughout the
pandemic, our City team quickly innovated and continued to serve residents and
deliver on strategic priorities to advance our city.
Community and
Social Services, as well as our Human Needs Task Force, played a key role in
helping our residents most in need during the pandemic.
Last spring,
they answered the call and offered emergency childcare services to 736 children
of essential workers who had to be present on the frontlines.
They also
provided 24/7 supports and services to over 1,000 households in need of
temporary accommodations across the city.
They
established multiple respite centres and physical distancing centres to help
avoid overcrowding and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our homeless shelters.
The 2021 Youth
Futures program was still able to go ahead, and the City ultimately offered
paid placements in seven City departments to 51 marginalized youth.
Throughout the
pandemic, the Inclusive Recreation Branch continued to deliver much-needed
therapeutic and rehab programming to residents with developmental or physical
disabilities – with 60 to 80 participants attending daily despite COVID-19.
This year, in
response to a growing need for more mental health supports in and around the ByWard
Market, the City will be contributing $435,000 to develop and deliver an
innovative pilot program led by Ottawa Inner City Health with partners like the
Canadian Mental Health Association.
I know the
Market’s business community has been requesting more assistance to address these
ongoing mental health issues that are affecting their businesses and livelihoods,
and I am confident that this is a step in the right direction.
Our team in
Public Works never skipped a beat either.
Their
hazardous waste deports collected and diverted 548 tonnes of harmful substances
from the landfill – which is a 10 percent increase over 2020.
As part of the
first phase of the Bike Parking Strategy, Parking Services installed 121 racks
with 305 spaces in 2021 so our cyclists can access to convenient and safe
parking across the city, with approximately 150 more racks to be rolled out in
2022.
Following a
successful pilot project that saw eight Automated Speed Enforcement cameras
installed in high-speed school zones, the Road Safety and Mobility team will be
deploying 15 more cameras this year at warranted locations – for a total of 23
cameras.
Not only are
these cameras effective at reducing travel speeds in these zones with a high
number of school children; they’re also raising important funds for Council to
reinvest in road safety initiatives.
In 2022, those
investments total $44.3 million, up significantly from $37.1 million in 2021,
of which $7.2 million was funded by Automated Speed Enforcement cameras.
In the coming
months, red light cameras will be installed at 10 new locations, and that
revenue will also be reinvested in road safety initiatives.
The teams in
Planning and Building Code Services have also been hard at work throughout the
pandemic.
Even as the
pandemic was taking a foothold in 2020, the number of building permits issued
that year went up three percent.
Last year, the
City issued 11,436 building permits – its highest number ever – for a further
increase of 14 percent, which demonstrates that our teams never stopped serving
the public and responding to the ongoing need for more housing options in our
city.
We also saw an
increase of 30% in the number of planning applications submitted last year,
which is a good indicator that the construction industry will continue to be
fairly busy in the coming years.
And the team
delivered all of this while also leading the adoption of the City’s new
Official Plan, which includes climate change policies that will guide our
sustainable growth over the next 25 years.
The City
played a key role in supporting our business community in the depths of the
pandemic, working alongside our partners to deliver initiatives like buy local
campaigns, or the elimination of patio fees and street closures that led to more
paying seats for restaurants.
We put in
place a Small Business Tax Subclass that will provide 10,000 small business
owners with a 15 percent tax discount, phased in over two years starting in
2022.
Event Central
supported our growing TV and film production sector and issued 15% more film
permits in 2021 than the year before – and I know we’ve all seen many exciting
film sets taking shape in every part of the city.
In 2022, we
will continue this important collaboration, starting with our second Economic Rebound
Roundtable next month, which will bring together many business leaders to exchange
ideas and best practices to support our collective recovery in the coming
months and years.
We will also
continue to work with national cultural institutions and festivals, as well as
our partners in tourism, culture and music, to deliver an impactful program of
exhibits and events under the banner of the Year of Cultural Tourism in the
Nation’s Capital.
I’m confident
that this coordinated effort will help us make a splash and will convince
visitors to choose Ottawa as their destination this year.
Economic
Development will also work with the Ottawa Festival Network to deploy a new
volunteer tool to support their recovery this festival season.
Last year, the
Ottawa Festival Network celebrated its 25th anniversary – but due to
the pandemic, they were unable to mark that milestone, something they hope to
do this spring.
We’ve put in
place the committee to plan our celebrations for the 200th
anniversary of the ByWard Market’s, a celebration of our most historic district
and farmers’ market, which I hope will take place under more normal
circumstances in 2027.
In the last
few years, we’ve also recognized the importance of our rural economy.
As you know,
82% of Ottawa is rural and agricultural lands – and it is home to the 1,045
farms you will find while exploring our beautiful rural areas.
I’m proud that
in 2021, our Rural Affairs Office provided over $175,000 to 25 organizations
delivering community-building and economic development projects in our rural
communities.
This includes
a renewal of the City’s funding commitment to the Smart Farm, where many
agricultural partners are working together on important research to reduce GHG
emission from agriculture and increase farm yields.
In 2022, we
are also investing $44.1 million into our rural roads, a record amount that
will help our residents safely get where they need to go – like school and
work.
Infrastructure
Services also continued to deliver important city-building projects for our
residents.
We completed
the renewal of the Lois Kemp Arena in Blackburn Hamlet – adding new dressing
rooms, universal bathrooms and accessible bleachers that make it a far more
inclusive community hub.
We’ve
completed the Campeau Drive Extension, an important new link that connects
communities and businesses in Kanata.
We also opened
the new Bay Street cycling facilities, which are an important bidirectional
link connecting the Laurier bike lanes to the Portage Bridge cycle tracks.
This year, we
will complete the revitalization of Montreal Road and its transformation as a
complete street with cycling infrastructure – which will give residents and
business owners in Vanier a much-needed boost.
Construction
will also begin on the renewal of Albert and Slater corridors.
When
completed, these two streets will also offer cycle tracks.
We will also
begin the work to deliver a two-way facility along Colonel By Drive, which will
connect the Mackenzie Avenue bike lanes to the NCC’s Rideau Canal pathway at
Daly Avenue.
This cycle
path has been identified as a missing link for some time.
But our
largest ever city-building project – Stage 2 of LRT – can be seen taking shape
all across the city to better serve our residents.
The progress
is obvious all along the 174 in the east, where the installation of the rail
between Blair Station and Trim Station will be completed this year.
In the west,
station construction will begin at all remaining stations – including Moodie,
Bayshore, Iris, Kichi Sibi and Westboro – and the crews will begin laying down
the rail along the extension.
On the
Trillium Line south extension, the teams will complete the construction of all
13 stations as well as the new Walkley Yard MSF – and we’ll receive all our new
Stadler FLIRT trains, which we will continue to test along the corridor.
OC Transpo is
also delivering other exciting initiatives this year to make using transit
simpler and more accessible to residents.
In the first
half of 2022, Para Transpo users will begin using a full suite of online
services that will let them book and cancel trips, receive reminders of trips that
are coming up, and see when their ride is coming – along with alerts a few
minutes before the minibus or taxi arrives.
Staff are also
working with a supplier to install smartcard readers in all Para buses and
taxis, so customers can use their Presto card to pay their fare.
In March, OC
Transpo will start issuing up to 2,000 weekly and monthly transit passes to
clients of emergency shelters, so they can get around the city as they pursue
opportunities to get back on their feet.
Over the
course of the year, the green smartcard readers on all buses and at O-Train
stations will be replaced with a new technology that will give all customers
the ability to pay their adult fares with their credit card, in addition to using
Presto cards.
As the
pandemic subsides, I believe these measures will help us to attract new users
and increase ridership on our transit system.
And we need to
rebuild our ridership and increase transit revenue in order to continue
balancing the City budget.
I’m quite
proud of the fact that we have delivered 12 balanced budgets while respecting
the tax cap commitments I had made to residents.
I believe both
residents and business owners have benefited from this over the years – one
that has provided them with stability and predictability in planning their own
finances at home.
I certainly
encourage all those who will be running in this election and then our future
Council to take a similar fiscally responsible approach going forward.
We have to
remember that thousands of residents in our city unfortunately live paycheque
to paycheque and they need that stability and predictability.
During the State of the City Address two years ago, I announced I
would give the Key to the City to a number of accomplished Canadians who have
had an impact on our city and its image on the national and international
scene.
I know the recipients were looking forward to their Key to the City
ceremony, which we had to cancel due to COVID-19 – but I’m hoping 2022 is
finally the year that we get to host them at City Hall.
As a reminder, the recipients are:
·
Accomplished golfer and three-time
Canadian Press female athlete of the year: Brooke Henderson;
·
Former Governor General, veteran journalist
and global ambassador for La Francophonie: Michaëlle Jean;
·
TSN sportscaster and proud
Carleton University journalism graduate: James Duthie;
·
and last but not least, the Ottawa
Citizen, an organization that has been providing news coverage in the nation’s
capital for 175 years – the longest continuing local business in Ottawa today.
This year, in
recognition of her outstanding efforts and leadership, I will be giving the Key
to the City to Dr. Vera Etches, our Medical Officer of Health, who has been an incredible
leader to an incredible team since the start of COVID-19.
She has
inspired control, confidence and calm to our residents in the darkest days of
the pandemic – and as a result of her efforts, Ottawa has been a leader in the
fight against COVID-19.
Because Dr.
Etches could not have delivered such a professional and coordinated response
without the help of others, I will also be giving the Key to the City to the
entire team at Ottawa Public Health – who have been instrumental in these efforts
all along.
As we head into this third year of the pandemic, I want to encourage
all our residents to remain hopeful, to continue to listen to public health guidelines
and to get vaccinated – which is truly our way out of this.
I want to thank our outstanding City staff for their work during
this difficult last year.
From the snowplow operators to our public health nurses, and our
firefighters to those helping our small businesses in need – as well as our
senior leadership team for their commitment to helping our residents day in and
day out.
As I mentioned in my announcement on December 10, I very much look
forward to my final months in office – and I will continue to give my all to
our city and our residents.
I look forward to continuing our important work together during this
time, as we serve our residents and plan for the future of our city.