OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL
Wednesday, 30 January 2019
10 am
Andrew Haydon Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue W.
MINUTES 4
The Council of the
City of Ottawa met at Andrew S. Haydon Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa,
on Wednesday, 30 January 2019 beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The Mayor, Jim
Watson, presided and led Council in a moment of reflection.
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The national anthem was performed by Pei Pilgrim.
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Mayor Watson presented the Mayor’s City Builder Award to
Greg Thurlow. Mr. Thurlow has been a member of the Osgoode Village Community
Association for seven years, including two years as president, and a member of
the Osgoode Ward Business Association. Mr. Thurlow worked with local churches
to help refugees, seniors and others in need, and continues to motivate
residents to be more involved in community events. He volunteered at the
Osgoode Medieval Festival, the annual Bethlehem Live church production, and as
Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny at the Osgoode Care Centre where he also
helped upgrade the lounge. He is Head Usher at the Trinity Bible Church where
he produced and directed various dramas for the community. He has also been an
Osgoode Lions member for eight years helping to organize events and raise
funds.
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS – MAYOR WATSON
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MOTION NO 4/1
Moved
by Councillor L. Dudas
Seconded by Councillor M. Luloff
BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s remarks given at the City
Council meeting on January 30, 2019 be appended to the Minutes of today’s
Council meeting.
CARRIED
All Members were
present at the meeting.
No declarations of
interest were filed.
MOTION NO 4/2
Moved by
Councillor S. Blais
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
That the report from the City Clerk and Solicitor entitled “Declaration
of Vacant Office on Council - Ward 13 (Rideau-Rockcliffe) and Related Matters”; the report from the
Selection Panel, Ottawa Board of Health entitled “Appointments – Ottawa Board
of Health”; the report from the Selection Panel, Ottawa Public Library Board
entitled “Appointments to the Ottawa Public Library Board”; the report from the
Selection Panel, Transit Commission entitled “Appointments to the Transit Commission”; and Planning Committee Report 1 be received and considered.
CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That City Council declare
the Office of Councillor, Ward 13 (Rideau-Rockcliffe), to be vacant, as
mandated by the Municipal Act, 2001;
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2. That Council approve and
enact the By-law to Require a By-Election attached as Document 1, which
requires that a by-election be held to fill the vacancy in the Office of
Councillor, Ward 13 (Rideau-Rockcliffe) in accordance with the Municipal
Elections Act, 1996, as described in this report;
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3. That Council approve the
following interim delegations of authority with respect to Ward 13
(Rideau-Rockcliffe) matters until such time that a new Councillor is sworn in
and takes Office:
a) That concurrence under the
Delegation of Authority By-law for Ward 13 matters, and the provision of
Councillor Comments on staff reports related to Ward 13, may be provided by
Councillors Fleury and Cloutier; and
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b) That the City Clerk and
Solicitor and the Manager of Legislative Services be delegated the interim
authority to approve the payment of expenses from the Ward 13 Office Budget
arising from routine matters, and to address human resources matters relating
to the Ward 13 Office.
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CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That, further to deliberations of the Selection Panel, Council
approve:
1. The following appointments
to the Ottawa Board of Health, all terms to be effective upon Council
approval, for the 2018-2022 Term of Council:
Elyse Banham
Tammy DeGiovanni
Lewis Leikin
Suzanne Pinel
Peter Tilley
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2. The following unranked pool
of reserve members from which the Selection Panel may recommend appointments
should a vacancy arise during the 2018-2022 Term of Council:
Jana Malhotra
Susan Ward
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CARRIED
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That, further to deliberations of the Selection
Panel, Council approve the following appointments to the Ottawa Public
Library Board, all terms to be effective upon Council approval, for the
2018-2022 Term of Council:
Steven Begg
Mary-Rose Brown
Kathy Fisher
Allan Higdon
Harvey Allan Slack
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CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That, further to
deliberations of the Selection Panel, Council approve:
1. The
following appointments to the Transit Commission, all terms to be effective
upon Council approval, for the 2018-2022 Term of Council:
Anthony
Carricato
Michael
Olsen
Leah
Williams
Sarah
Wright-Gilbert
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2. The
following unranked pool of reserve members from which the Selection Panel may
recommend appointments should a vacancy arise during the 2018-2022 Term of
Council:
André
Bergeron
Brian
Innes
John
Marshall
Caterina
Ositashvili
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MOTION
NO 4/3
Moved by Councillor S. Menard
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
That the
appointment of Michael Olsen be referred back to the Selection Panel.
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The Motion LOST on a division of 7 YEAS and 16 NAYS as
follows
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YEAS (7):
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Councillors J. Leiper, T. Kavanagh, S. Menard, M. Fleury, D.
Deans, J. Cloutier, C. McKenney
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NAYS (16):
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Councillors G. Darouze, S. Blais, J. Harder, A. Hubley,
R. Brockington, T. Tierney, J. Sudds, C.A. Meehan, M. Luloff,
L. Dudas, K. Egli, E. El-Chantiry, G. Gower, R. Chiarelli, S. Moffatt,
Mayor J. Watson
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MOTION
NO 4/4
Moved by Councillor J. Harder
Seconded by Councillor A. Hubley
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That the question be now put on the report
recommendations.
CARRIED on a division of 16 YEAS and 7 NAYS as follows
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YEAS (16):
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Councillors G. Darouze, S. Blais, J. Harder, A. Hubley, T. Tierney,
J. Sudds, C.A. Meehan, M. Luloff, L. Dudas, K. Egli, E. El-Chantiry, G.
Gower, J. Cloutier, R. Chiarelli, S. Moffatt, Mayor J. Watson
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NAYS (7):
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Councillors R. Brockington, J. Leiper, T. Kavanagh, S. Menard,
M. Fleury, D. Deans, C. McKenney
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The
report recommendations were put to Council and divided for voting purposes:
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That, further to
deliberations of the Selection Panel, Council approve:
1. The
following appointments to the Transit Commission, all terms to be effective
upon Council approval, for the 2018-2022 Term of Council:
Anthony
Carricato
CARRIED
Michael
Olsen
CARRIED, with Councillors R.
Brockington, D. Deans, T. Kavanagh,
J. Leiper, M. Fleury, C. McKenney and S. Menard dissenting.
Leah
Williams
CARRIED
Sarah
Wright-Gilbert
CARRIED
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2. The
following unranked pool of reserve members from which the Selection Panel may
recommend appointments should a vacancy arise during the 2018-2022 Term of
Council:
André
Bergeron
Brian
Innes
John
Marshall
Caterina
Ositashvili
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
No Committee recommendation
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MOTION
MOTION NO 4/5
Moved
by Councillor J. Leiper
Seconded by Mayor J. Watson
Whereas Planning Committee
considered a report with respect to a proposed rezoning of 180 Island Park
Drive; and
Whereas the staff
recommendation for the rezoning was lost at Committee; and
Whereas to establish a
Council position it is necessary that a recommendation by adopted by Council;
and
Whereas if a rezoning is
refused reasons must be provided;
Therefore
Be It Resolved That Council adopt the following in respect of the application
for rezoning for 180 Island Park Drive (Planning Committee Report 1, Item 5 on
the City Council Agenda):
- That the application
for a rezoning for 180 Island Park Drive is refused.
- That the reasons for
the refusal are the following:
- The existing zoning
is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement;
- The existing zoning
conforms to the Official Plan;
- The proposed zoning
does not meet the intent of the purpose of the R1 zones as expressed in
the purpose provision for the R1 zone in the zoning by-law;
- An employment use
in this location is not sufficiently close to transit and cycling
facilities;
- An employment use
in this location does not conform to the Official Plan policies
respecting employment;
- The above rationale
for refusal be included in the “Summary of Written and Oral
Public Submissions” to be submitted to the next Council meeting, along with
the consultation details set out in the report, the oral submissions to
planning committee, and the written submissions received between the
publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law
2008-250 for 2983 and 3053 Navan Road to permit residential and
non-residential mixed uses, including a gas bar and a car wash, to allow a
shopping centre development subject to site-specific yard provisions and the
application of a holding zone, as shown in Document 1 and detailed in
Document 3.
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CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve that an application to the
Committee of Adjustment be permitted in respect of the property at 168 Daly
Avenue for minor variances associated with proposed renovations.
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CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law
2008-250 for 5035, 5045 and 5055 Innovation Drive to permit an animal care
establishment and animal hospital, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law
2008-250 for 575 Dealership Drive to permit an automobile body shop,
automobile dealership and an automobile rental establishment as detailed in
Document 2.
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CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve and adopt the Official Plan
Amendment for the O-Train Network Development Zone of Influence as outlined
in this report and in Document 2.
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CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/6
Moved by
Councillor S. Blais
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
That the report from the City Clerk and
Solicitor entitled “Declaration of
Vacant Office on Council - Ward 13 (Rideau-Rockcliffe) and Related Matters”; the report from the Selection Panel, Ottawa Board of Health entitled
“Appointments – Ottawa Board of Health”; the report from the Selection Panel,
Ottawa Public Library Board entitled “Appointments to the Ottawa Public Library
Board”; the report from the Selection Panel, Transit Commission entitled “Appointments to the Transit Commission”; and Planning Committee Report 1
be received and adopted as amended.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/7
Moved
by Councillor J. Cloutier
Seconded by Councillor J. Harder
WHEREAS Alta Vista is home to two properties owned by the Government
of Canada, the Federal Study Centre located at 1495 Heron Road and an undeveloped
property at 530 Tremblay Road; and
WHEREAS the Federal Study Centre, approximately 17 acres in size, is
located on the north side of Heron Road abutting City-owned green spaces and
the homes in Guildwood Estates; and
WHEREAS the Government of Canada’s property on Tremblay Road,
approximately 26 acres in size, is located on the south side of Tremblay Road
at the intersection of St-Laurent Boulevard and abuts the homes in Eastway
Gardens; and
WHEREAS the Federal Study Centre pavilions are currently vacant and
being prepared for disposal; and
WHEREAS the Tremblay Road lands are vacant and have significant
potential for intensification due to the size and location of the site; and
WHEREAS the federal government’s intent is to transfer the Federal
Study Centre to Canada Lands Company for redevelopment (a federal Crown
corporation mandated to manage real estate and property redevelopment); and
WHEREAS the Government of Canada, through the Canada Lands Company,
has already sold a portion of the Tremblay Road site to a private developer;
and
WHEREAS the community is seeking consultation and a better
understanding of how the sale fits with the overall federal vision for the
Tremblay Road site through a transparent master planning process, and a chance to
provide input into future plans for the site as well as the Federal Study
Centre site; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council request that the
Government of Canada (either directly or through its agent Canada Lands
Company) undertake a proactive master development plan for the Federal Study
Centre before selling the property to the private sector; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council request
the Government of Canada delay any further sales transactions of the Tremblay
Road property to allow for community consultation to determine the development
potential for the site; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor write to local
federal Members of Parliament and Canada Lands Company to convey Council’s request
on this matter.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/8
Moved
by Councillor S. Moffatt
Seconded by Councillor K. Egli
WHEREAS the Terms of Reference for the
Environment and Climate Protection Committee states that its responsibilities include “providing guidance and direction on all
issues relating to environmental services, community sustainability, stormwater
management, solid waste management, utilities/water and wastewater, water
pollution control, urban forestry, and open spaces”; and
WHEREAS Climate Protection was a 2014-2018 Term
of Council priority and its broad mandate had implications for more than just
one committee; and
WHEREAS the Committee’s name does not reference
the specific responsibilities in the Terms of Reference regarding Water and
Wastewater as well as Solid Waste;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Environment
and Climate Protection Committee be renamed the Standing Committee on
Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Climate Impact
lens be considered for the template for all Standing Committee reports and that
this consideration be referred to the Mid-term Governance Review; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a comprehensive
review of all lenses be included in the Mid-term Governance Review so as to
ensure efficient and meaningful reporting to Committees and Council.
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Motion No. 4/8 was put to Council and the resolutions
were divided for voting purposes.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Environment
and Climate Protection Committee be renamed the Standing Committee on
Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management)
CARRIED on a division of 19 YEAS and 3 NAYS as follows
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YEAS (19):
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Councillors G. Darouze, S. Blais, J. Harder, A. Hubley, T.
Tierney,
J. Sudds, C.A. Meehan, M. Luloff, L. Dudas, K. Egli, E. El-Chantiry,
J. Leiper, T. Kavanagh, G. Gower, S. Menard, M. Fleury, R. Chiarelli,
S. Moffatt
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NAYS (3):
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Councillors R. Brockington, D. Deans, C. McKenney
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Climate Impact
lens be considered for the template for all Standing Committee reports and that
this consideration be referred to the Mid-term Governance Review; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a comprehensive
review of all lenses be included in the Mid-term Governance Review so as to
ensure efficient and meaningful reporting to Committees and Council.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/9
Moved
by Councillor J. Harder
Seconded by Councillor C. McKenney
That the Rules of Procedure be waived, to ensure that City comments
can be forwarded to the Ministry for Municipal Affairs and Housing of Ontario
in response to their consultation on Increasing Housing Supply in Ontario in a
timely fashion, to consider the following motion:
WHEREAS
the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (“MAH”) intends to develop an
Action Plan to help increase the supply of housing in Ontario and that will
address the barriers getting in the way of new ownership and rental housing;
and,
WHEREAS
to inform the Action Plan, the MAH launched a consultation process to hear the
views of all Ontarians on how to expand the housing supply in Ontario; and
WHEREAS
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development in collaboration with
Community and Social Services and other City departments drafted a response to
the MAH consultation; and,
WHEREAS
the draft response has been reviewed by the members of the Planning Committee
and the Council Liaison for Housing and Homelessness; and
WHEREAS
the proposed final response including all feedback received is attached to this
motion.
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that
Council formally supports the response as presented; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council
directs the General Manger of Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development
to submit the comments on behalf of Council to the Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/10
Moved
by Councillor M. Fleury
Seconded by Councillor R. Brockington
That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the following
motion:
WHEREAS the 28th Annual Stew
Cook-off is part of the Winterlude programming, and where By-Ward Market
restaurants compete for top honours in this long-running community event; and
WHEREAS 28th Annual Stew Cook-off
is to occur on Friday, Feb 8, 2019 from 11:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m.; and
WHEREAS York Street eastbound, from William
Street to Dalhousie Street is required to be closed to accommodate the event
and on-street event set-up; and
WHEREAS the on-street event set-up will
commence at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, Feb 8, 2019 and the event will begin operation
at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Feb 8, 2019; and
WHEREAS the on-street event take-down will
commence at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb 8, 2019 and the road re-opened at 6:00
a.m. Saturday, Feb 9, 2019; and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s Special Events on City Streets By-law
(2001-260) prohibits road closures before 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve the road closure for
York Street eastbound from William Street to Dalhousie Street from 6:00 a.m.
on Friday, Feb 8, 2019 to 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb 9, 2019 for the 28th
Annual Stew Cook-off, providing it meets the requirements, conditions and
approval of Special Events Advisory Team (SEAT).
CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/11
Moved
by Councillor T. Tierney
Seconded by Councillor M. Luloff
That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the following
motion:
WHEREAS Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) issues
Manufacturer’s Limited Liquor Sales licenses (also known as a “By the Glass”
licenses) that permit Ontario alcoholic beverage producers that already hold a
manufacturer’s license from the AGCO to sell and serve their own beverages to
patrons for consumption in single servings at their manufacturing sites under
certain conditions; and
WHEREAS, because "By the Glass"
license applicants are exempt from the public advertising process, the AGCO
requires a resolution from the municipal council indicating the support of the
local community before “By the Glass” licenses as part of the application for
this license; and
WHEREAS on April 29, 2015, Ottawa City Council approved a resolution providing ‘blanket’ approval for any manufacturer already duly licensed
by the AGCO in the City of Ottawa seeking a Manufacturer´s Limited Liquor Sales
License (“By the Glass” license) from the AGCO, and this ‘blanket’ approval
expired at the end of 2018; and
WHEREAS, given the economic development
potential of the alcoholic beverage manufacturing industry, it is desirable to
continue to proactively provide support to existing manufacturers that wish to
apply to the AGCO for a “By-the Glass” license;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that until December 31, 2022, City Council hereby continues to support the application of
any manufacturer already duly licensed by the AGCO in the City of Ottawa
seeking a Manufacturer´s Limited Liquor Sales License (“By the Glass” license)
from the AGCO.
CARRIED
MOTION TO INTRODUCE BY-LAWS
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MOTION NO 4/12
Moved by
Councillor S. Blais
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
That the
by-laws listed on the Agenda under Motion to Introduce By-laws, Three Readings,
be read and passed; and
That the
following by-law be read and passed:
“A by-law of the City of
Ottawa requiring a by-election to be held to fill the vacancy in the office of
the member of Council for Ward 13 - Rideau-Rockcliffe”.
CARRIED
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By-Laws
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THREE READINGS
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2019-1.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend
By-law No. 2007-338, as amended, to appoint Municipal Law Enforcement
Officers in the Special Constable Unit of the Transportation Services
Department.
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2019-2.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
certain lands as common and public highway and assume them for public use
(Rideau Shore Court).
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2019-3.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
certain lands as common and public highway and assume them for public use
(Old Prescott Road, Beechwood Avenue, Copeland Road, Carp Road, March Road,
Bank Street, Joseph Cyr Street, boulevard St. Joseph Boulevard, Sixth Line
Road, boulevard Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Bronson Avenue, Riverside Drive,
Mitch Owens Road, Cody Avenue, Cyr Avenue).
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2019-4.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-499 respecting fire routes.
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2019-5.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to repeal
by-law No. 2018-293 and to establish certain lands as common and public
highway and assume it for public use (Watercolours Way, Seeley’s Bay Street,
Freshwater Way, Dovetail Heights).
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2019-6.
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2018-167 being a by-law to regulate the municipal
water supply and to repeal By-law No. 2013-360.
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2019-7.
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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2019-8.
A by-law of the
City of Ottawa to govern the proceedings of the Council and its Committees
and to repeal By-law No. 2016-377.
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2019-9.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at Overberg Way and Rioja Street on Plan 4M-1508, as being
exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2019-10.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at privé Parish Private on Plan 4M-1596 as being exempt from
Part Lot Control.
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2019-11.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at terrasse Chimney Corner Terrace, voie Freshwater Way and
voie Watercolours Way on Plan 4M-1609, as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2019-12.
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to remove the holding symbol from the
lands known municipally as 1445 and 1451 Wellington Street.
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2019-13.
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 5035, 5045 and 5055 Innovation Drive.
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2019-14.
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to amend Volume 1, Section 2 – Strategic Directions of the Official
Plan for the City of Ottawa to update the Development Zone of Influence.
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2019-15.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend
By-law No. 2008-250 to remove the holding symbol on the lands known
municipally as 4025 (formerly 4005) Strandherd Drive.
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2019-16.
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
575 Dealership Drive.
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2019-17.
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
2983 and 3053 Navan Road.
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2019-18.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa requiring a by-election
to be held to fill the vacancy in the office of the member of Council for Ward
13 - Rideau-Rockcliffe
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CARRIED
MOTION NO 4/13
Moved by
Councillor S. Blais
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
That
the following by-law be read and passed:
To confirm the proceedings of the Council meeting of January 30,
2019.
CARRIED
Council adjourned
the meeting at 12:02 pm.
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CITY
CLERK MAYOR
ANNEX A – MAYOR’S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
State of the City Address
Mayor Jim Watson
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
With another
eventful and productive year under our belt, the State of the City Address
presents us with the opportunity to look back on what we have accomplished as a
City.
But the beginning
of a new Term of Council is a particular occasion to take a forward-looking
view and acknowledge the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for our
city.
And there are a
number of important projects waiting for us this term: the launch of the
Confederation Line and the beginning of construction on Stage 2, as well as a
review of our Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan, a strategy to
manage our solid waste, and a Ward Boundary review.
Thankfully – we
as a Council are presented with the privilege of working together over the next
four years to address many of these challenges and improve our community and
the quality of life of our residents.
But before I
start, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that we are on the unceded territory
of the Algonquin People, who have lived on these ancestral lands for millennia.
I 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.
And I want to
welcome Chief Kirby Whiteduck from Pikwakanagan who has joined us today.
It’s important
for me to have our Indigenous partners present at these events.
It speaks not
only to our ongoing friendship – but also to the City’s efforts to deliver on
our country’s reconciliation efforts.
And I was proud
when Council adopted last year a complete Reconciliation Action Plan and
Statement of Reconciliation, which aligned with the Truth &
Reconciliation’s calls to action.
I believe it’s
the least we can do to live in solidarity with our Algonquin neighbours and to
begin to right the wrongs of the past.
And we’re
continuing this great collaboration on many levels.
Just in November,
we announced that the City and Ottawa Tourism had worked with Chief Whiteduck’s
community and Indigenous Sport and Wellness Ontario to deliver on a number of
initiatives that will promote Indigenous wellness through sport, leadership and
community development.
As
part of this agreement, Ottawa will have the honour of hosting the 2021 Ontario
Indigenous Summer Games, as well as the 2021 and 2023 Masters Indigenous Games
– which we are thrilled to welcome to our city.
Hosting
these prestigious Games will give our residents the opportunity to learn more
about Indigenous culture, as well as celebrate it.
Nous avons hâte de célébrer la culture autochtone avec les milliers
de participants qui viendront à Ottawa pour ces événements.
As
we all know, these major events are important to Ottawa’s economy and help
sustain good jobs in our hospitality industry.
As
I look back on the success of our tourism sector over the past year, it’s
almost unfair to compare it to 2017 – when we celebrated Canada’s 150th
anniversary.
Our city and its
Ottawa 2017 initiative had delivered a very successful program of events that
captivated and excited our residents – and the more than 11 million tourists
who chose to visit our nation’s capital that year.
In fact – 2017
was so successful that many believed a significant tourism hangover was almost
inevitable in 2018.
But despite those
early fears, our partners at Ottawa Tourism are excited to report an increase
of more than four percent in hotel demand over 2016 – an important achievement
for our tourism sector.
And we have heard
the same message from the Ottawa Airport, where passenger numbers were up 5.6%
over 2017 – a new record for the airport.
And it’s hard to
ignore the importance of this activity following the release last week of
Ottawa Tourism’s economic impact study.
The numbers point
to more than 43,000 direct and indirect jobs that depend on a healthy tourism
sector in our city.
This adds $1.4
billion dollars to the GDP – or over $3.8 million that are generated every
single day because of Ottawa’s visitor economy.
Michael
Crockatt and his team at Ottawa Tourism are always hard at work promoting
Ottawa as a destination.
They
also ensure we keep up the momentum by attracting major sporting events and
conferences to Ottawa.
And
with the new Hotel Tax in place, they now have the resources to compete aggressively
on the world stage for these events.
Last
year, we successfully hosted events like:
·
the Canadian Track and Field Championships;
·
the FIVB Volleyball Nations League at TD
Place; and
·
The University Sports Women’s Soccer
Championships, in which uOttawa came out victorious on home turf.
We
will keep up the pace in 2019 by playing host to many more exciting events,
like:
·
the Canadian Championships in Artistic
Gymnastics;
·
the Ontario Basketball Championships for
Under 14 Boys and Under 16 Girls; and
·
the University Sports Women's Rugby
Championships.
Simply
between these four events, Ottawa will welcome approximately 3,500 athletes– in
addition to coaches, officials, and family members – most of whom will stay in
hotels, and eat and shop locally.
And
with the work of Sports Commissioner Mathieu Fleury, we hope to announce more
major sporting events this term of Council.
And there are
many other great reasons for tourists to visit Ottawa this year – with our
tourism and cultural sectors marking a number of milestones in the coming
years.
The National Arts
Centre turns 50 this year – and the NAC team is celebrating by launching its
new Indigenous theatre program.
La Nouvelle Scène – qui abrite quatre compagnies de théâtre
francophone dans ses nouveaux locaux sur la rue King Edward – aura à son tour
20 ans cette année.
Bluesfest and
Chamberfest will both be celebrating their 25th season – and Music
and Beyond is marking its 10th anniversary in 2019.
In 2020, the
world will be marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of
Holland during the Second World War.
As you know,
during that difficult time for the Dutch people, their royal family found
refuge in Ottawa.
In fact, Princess
Margriet was born in 1943 at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, where a federal
proclamation declared the maternity ward to be Dutch land, ensuring that the
new princess would only be a Dutch, and therefore eligible to the line of
succession to the throne.
These events are
behind the special relationship that Canada has with Holland – and it’s the
reason why that country still sends the 20,000 tulips that come to life and add
colour to our city every spring.
I have written to
Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Freeland to encourage them to invite the
King and Queen of the Netherlands to visit Ottawa in 2020, so we can
appropriately celebrate these momentous events.
Now as many of
you know, Centre Block has now closed for over a decade to undergo significant
renovations – which means that a generation of school children coming to Ottawa
won’t have access to the building they know as Parliament.
But I’m confident
that visitors will have exciting new experiences discovering the temporary
homes of the House of Commons in West Block – and of the Senate, inside the old
train station.
And let’s not
forget the many other City-led projects that make Ottawa not only a great
destination – but also a more liveable city for our residents.
This past spring, we opened the new Ottawa Art Gallery – a
world-class arts facility that has quickly become a visitor attraction, even
getting praise from the New York Times.
And
although it was not a full year of operations, the OAG is thrilled to report
that they welcomed a record 230,000 visitors in 2018 – more than double their
projections.
And
although I’m excited by these numbers, I’m not necessarily surprised.
Just
last week, I attended an event hosted by the Ottawa Cultural Alliance, where
they are hard at work developing our city’s next cultural roadmap.
The
Cultural Alliance used this session to share results of a recent study showing
that 90% of Ottawa-Gatineau residents are attending and participating in
cultural events.
This
participation rate not only exceeds the national average – it shows that we
fare better than seven other large Canadian cities.
I
think that’s a promising sign for our city’s arts and culture sectors over the
coming years.
Another
encouraging sign is the increase in the number of murals across our city – as
many residents are also showing their enthusiasm for these public art displays.
Last
fall, Stirling Avenue resident Sara May had a mural of her three-year-old
French bulldog Imelda, posing with flowers, painted on the side of her house in
Hintonburg.
After
she was asked by Bylaw to repaint over it, Councillor Leiper and I intervened
at Council to save the beautiful mural that was animating and bringing joy to
this neighbourhood.
This
year, as staff will be reviewing the Permanent Signs on Private Property
By-law, I have asked them to find an easy process to provide exemptions when
appropriate, so we can encourage this non-commercial type of public art – which
makes our city more appealing and more liveable.
Another
one of our city’s growing attractions is Lansdowne Park.
Since
its revitalization, Lansdowne has become one of our city’s great destinations
and an important economic generator – not to mention a great source of pride
and entertainment for all.
And
our residents will soon have more options to get to this site, once the
Flora Footbridge opens in the fall of 2019.
This exciting
addition to our transportation network will make it easier for pedestrians and
cyclists to get to Lansdowne – and it will increase connectivity between
neighbourhoods.
This $21 million
dollar project is a great example of what we can accomplish when all three
levels of government work together to fund important infrastructure projects.
And I want to
thank Minister Catherine McKenna and then provincial minister Yasir Naqvi for
delivering on this exciting project that will greatly benefit residents and
visitors alike.
Although it’s
still a few years away, we continue to make progress on our new Central Public
Library project – working with our partners at Library and Archives Canada.
This is an
important initiative for our community, as the relevance and need for libraries
in Ottawa is greater than ever.
OPL Chair Tim
Tierney tells me that last year alone, the Ottawa Public Library registered an
impressive 4.4 million in-person visits.
In November, we
announced that the respected team of Diamond Schmitt Architects and local firm
KWC Architects had been chosen as the successful proponent to design the new
library.
Witnessing the
exceptional work they did on the revitalization of the NAC and the new Senate
of Canada Building – I’m very excited to see what iconic building they will
propose for our new central library.
The community
consultations on this great city-building project are going to start at the end
of February.
The exact details
will be announced soon – and I encourage you to come out in great numbers to
let the designers know what functionalities you would like to see in this
building.
I’m also pleased
that we will begin planning for the new library in Riverside South this year –
which I look forward to seeing open in 2021, as I know Councillor Meehan does
as well.
And thanks to all
these exciting investments in our city, confidence in our economy continues to
grow.
Last
spring, Ottawa’s unemployment reached its lowest levels in many decades,
dropping as low as 4.2 per cent in April – the lowest it’s been in 30 years.
Since
then, we’ve delivered on three more projects that will help us diversify our
economy and create thousands of more jobs across Ottawa.
In
May, we approved Hard Rock’s expansion plans for the Rideau Carleton Raceway in
the south end.
This
$320 million project will create approximately 3,100 construction jobs and
close to 900 permanent jobs, up from the current 400 employees.
In
July, I was pleased to confirm the arrival of Amazon to the city’s east end,
with the construction of its new fulfilment centre on Boundary Road.
Not
only will Amazon create more than 600 full-time jobs in Ottawa when it opens
later this year, the construction of the facility itself is providing work to
1,500 residents.
Amazon créera 600 bons emplois pour nos résidents dans l’est de la
ville.
At the NCC Board
meeting in November, we approved a $40-million dollar soundstage campus and
creative hub project that will be built across the street from the Nepean
Sportsplex.
I’m proud to have
worked with Ottawa’s Film Commissioner Bruce Harvey and TriBro Studios – with
the support of Councillors Egli, Harder and Cloutier – to bring forward this
proposal.
The project will
create approximately 500 full-time jobs during construction, and over 500 new
full-time jobs in film, TV and animation in its first few years of operation.
And
thanks to Councillor Harder’s leadership, we will soon launch on this same NCC
property – which contains 16 kilometres of roads – an autonomous vehicle test
track where we can safely test these cars of the future away from other road
users.
This
project will also support the development of products and technologies to
advance precision agriculture – cutting-edge agricultural practices that lead
to higher crop yields and a lower environmental footprint.
And
speaking of the NCC, I remain hopeful that this year, the partners looking to
redevelop LeBreton Flats will successfully negotiate with the NCC so we can
finally see a start to this project, which would create thousands of new jobs
in our city.
And
with the Canadian Tire Centre potentially moving downtown, we must be aware –
as I know Councillor Gower is – of the need to ensure we do our best to help
fill the void that will be left with that move.
And
I’m quite proud that we’ve been able to help deliver these thousands of well
paying jobs for Ottawa residents while maintaining the City’s books in order.
Nous avons aidé à livrer ces milliers d’emplois pour nos résidents
en maintenant une discipline fiscale à l’hôtel de ville.
As
you all know, keeping taxes low and the city affordable for all has been one of
my top priorities during my time at City Hall.
I’ve
always believed that this fiscal discipline helps our seniors on fixed incomes,
young couples looking to buy a home, and small businesses dealing with rising
costs.
As
I always say: we must be part of the solution to help our residents and small
businesses – not part of the problem.
This
is why in the last election, I committed to helping restaurants that bring so
much liveliness to our neighbourhoods by reducing their patio fees by 50
percent.
This
reduction will save restaurants paying patio fees an average of $3,200 per
year.
And
I’m proud to say I will be bringing forward this proposal in the upcoming
budget, so we can lend a hand to some of our city’s hardest working
entrepreneurs.
I
also committed to helping reduce costs for our city’s festivals, who count on
our help to make their event a success.
One
comment I often hear from festival organizers is that their security and
policing costs are consistently going up.
That
is why I committed to working with the provincial government and with the
City’s emergency services staff – who oversee our Special Events Bylaw – to
bring in changes that will allow festival organizers to use more public safety
professionals and fewer paid-duty officers to oversee security at their events.
This
would allow festivals to save on security costs, freeing up funds to reinvest
towards artists and musicians.
We all know these
festivals play an important role in defining our city’s cultural identity and
making it a great destination.
They also support
our growing music industry and the musicians, producers and venues that can
truly transform Ottawa into a music city.
With that in
mind, Council approved last year the first ever Ottawa Music Strategy – thanks
to the leadership of Councillor Jeff Leiper – a plan that identified
opportunities and targeted investments to help grow this promising sector.
And we’re already
seeing investments happening based on our community’s enthusiasm for music.
Just think of the
latest addition to Queen Street – right next to the Parliament Station of LRT.
Queen Street Fare
has quickly become a popular food hall and music venue in the heart of
Centretown – with live music acts that entertain crowds almost every night.
And they were the
first venue to purchase the City’s new Musician Loading Zone permit – which
allows musicians to unload their instruments in convenient nearby locations –
making the venue attractive to artists.
And this is just
one of the transformations that’s taking place on Queen Street, as Michael
Curran recently pointed out in the Ottawa Business Journal.
And I quote:
‘’The NAC and the
super library will neatly bookend Queen Street, creating a much more lively
corridor than ever before.
‘’With LRT,
better buildings, improved entertainment options and a trend for burgeoning
tech companies such as Klipfolio and Survey Monkey to settle downtown, it’s
easy to see a more promising future for this once-tired old street.’’
Now we know that
a thriving cultural and music scene is always key to attracting young and
promising talent to Ottawa – and there’s already a lot of it.
I’m especially
proud of the inspiring start-ups that are coming out of Bayview Yards since it
opened in late 2016.
With the help of
Michael Tremblay and his team at Invest Ottawa, we are helping to launch and
grow the next generation of local entrepreneurs.
I’m sure many of
you tuned-in to the Dragon’s Den on CBC a few weeks ago to witness the
successful $250,000 deal that The Growcer’s Corey Ellis and Alida Burke struck
with two of the dragons.
The Growcer –
with its state-of-the-art food growing system inside a sea
container – is a true local success story – and I applaud them on their
continued accomplishments.
And the City also
plays a role in fostering innovation from local start-ups.
For a few years
now, Economic Development staff have been facilitating the innovation pilot
program –which was initiated by Councillor Allan Hubley to test new products
and technologies within City services.
·
There’s
Key-2-Access and its technology to help visually-impaired residents navigate
intersections, which was tested at an intersection on Elgin last year – and
because of its success, we will be going to tender this spring to install this
type of technology at all intersections on the redeveloped Elgin Street; and
·
For
their part, Safety Labs has created a sensor technology that protects residents
living with dementia from wandering off to unknown locations – and this product
will be tested in the coming months at the Peter D. Clark Long-Term Care home.
I look forward to
seeing the results of these pilot projects and I hope we will be able to help
these local companies grow along the way.
Now I get to
witness many more of these success stories when I’m out in the community.
Just last year, I
had the opportunity to visit a number of businesses to learn more about what
they do and how they strengthen our local economy.
Like Mercury
Filmworks and Jam Filled Entertainment – two very successful animation firms
who employ approximately 500 residents in Nepean.
And a little
known fact about Mercury Filmworks is that they animate the new episodes of the
most popular animated character of all times: Mickey Mouse.
Who would’ve
thought Mickey Mouse would ever set foot in Ottawa – let alone come to life in
our city?
And some of the
excitement and growth in our animation sector is already attracting other
players to Ottawa.
Just in December,
Vancouver’s Atomic Cartoons setup shop in Hintonburg, opening an office with a
team of approximately 15 animators and creative minds.
But they are
seeing the growth opportunities in Ottawa – and given our rich pool of
animation talent – they are hoping to increase that headcount to 200 employees
in no time.
And employment
numbers are also increasing in one of our city’s thriving industries:
high-tech.
Just this past
summer, commercial real estate brokerage firm CBRE ranked Ottawa as Number 1 in
North America for having the tech industry with the most momentum.
From the Shopify
and Klipfolio offices bursting at the seams downtown, to the increasing
activity in the Kanata North Business Park – something Councillor Sudds is very
familiar with – there is no doubt that Ottawa’s tech economy is thriving.
True to their
hashtag ‘’Success Happens Here,’’ the Kanata North Business Association
recently released an economic impact study that put in perspective the
contributions of their more than 500 high-tech members.
The study
revealed that Kanata North’s 33,000 employees contributed an impressive $13
billion to Canada’s GDP last year, up 66% from 2015 – and there’s no signs of
slowing.
And with already
so much activity happening in Kanata, a number of tech companies are turning to
the downtown core for office space and to attract the next generation of talent
– something we’ve never seen before.
And this trend
could extend even further east, thanks to the arrival of LRT and vacancy rates
that are expected to trend even lower in 2019.
Developers and
property managers like Colonnade Bridgeport are predicting that LRT could
increase demand for office space in the east-end, where vacancy rates tend to
be higher and rental fees lower – and I know Councillors Dudas and Luloff are
working to ensure LRT helps bring greater economic prosperity to Orléans.
This presents
opportunities for government and businesses looking to control costs, as well
as east-end residents looking for employment opportunities closer to home.
Shawn Hamilton –
CBRE’s Senior Vice-President in Ottawa – stated recently that he ‘’can’t recall
a time when there were so many simultaneous developments planned in Ottawa.’’
We know that
Ottawa is performing strongly – but we have to ensure that decision makers at
all levels of government know this as well.
Which is why on
February 26, I will lead a delegation to Toronto, where we will host Ottawa Day
at Queen’s Park to raise awareness with provincial ministers and MPPs.
With the
assistance of Minister Lisa MacLeod, I will be joined by Ottawa’s business,
tourism, education and health leaders – so that we can promote our city’s
accomplishments and advocate for its continued success.
I look forward to
meeting with Premier Ford and members of his government to share Ottawa’s
success stories ahead of the provincial budget.
Through the
flurry of economic growth taking place in Ottawa, we as a Council must ensure
that those opportunities benefit residents in all parts of the city.
So let’s not
forget the about the important jobs that exist in rural Ottawa – many of whom
help feed our families every day.
As you all know,
80% of Ottawa is rural and agricultural lands.
Last year, I
visited Berton Farms – a dairy farm in Sarsfield – with Councillor Blais, to
witness the impressive modernization of today’s farming operations.
Owned by the Van
Munsteren family, this farm is one of 1,045 farms you will find while exploring
the rural corners of Ottawa – and it’s at the heart of our agricultural
economy.
I also visited
Carleton Mushroom Farms in Osgoode with Councillor Darouze – an impressive operation
that brings many types of mushrooms to restaurants across the city.
And we have other
types of farms too – like the Mississippi Mills Solar Farm in Councillor
El-Chantiry’s ward – which plays a key role in producing clean, renewable
energy that it supplies to Ontario’s power grid.
The City has
recognized the importance and opportunity that presents our rural economy.
And that’s why
I’m proud that later this year, our economic development staff will be coming
forward with a comprehensive rural economic development strategy.
This document
will guide our efforts to bring jobs to the rural villages of Ottawa throughout
this term of Council.
And with our ever
growing population, we need good jobs in every corner of the city.
In the weeks
preceding Canada Day, we will achieve an important milestone in the life of a
city – when Ottawa surpasses one million residents.
Although we will
confirm this date in a few months, I’m excited by the prospects of planning for
a city of over a million residents.
This milestone –
along with the launch of LRT – will put us in another league amongst cities
worldwide and will bolster our image on the world map with visitors.
And if we want to
think even a bit further out: in 2036, the population of the entire National
Capital Region is expected to reach 1.8 million residents.
That’s about
where Vancouver was when it hosted Expo 86, and Montreal for Expo 67 – pointing
to more opportunities to host large-scale events and excel globally in tourism.
And
I’m encouraged that we are laying the foundations for this growth with
continued investments and confidence in our tourism industry.
In 2018, close to
1,000 new hotel rooms were added to the market – ranging from Le Germain at the
Ottawa Art Gallery, to a number of hotels at the airport and in Kanata.
In 2019, we
expect another 300 hotel rooms to come online to meet the increasing demand.
Having now
reached the five-million threshold in 2018, the Ottawa International Airport is
planning for its continued growth and will be investing $25 million over the
next few years to modernize its terminal and food concessions.
It was also
announced earlier this week that a $40 million ALT Hotel with 180 rooms will be
built directly at the airport, with an indoor connection to the terminal.
In addition to
this, the Airport will also be building an LRT station directly inside the
terminal.
And due in part
to these investments, the Conference Board of Canada recently projected that
Ottawa’s tourism sector would grow by about 2.4% in 2019 – and then by at least
2.3% each year between 2020 and 2022.
Among other
things, the Conference Board report also pointed to the launch of LRT and its
link to the Ottawa Airport as factors contributing to this strong upward trend.
And it will not
be the only economic benefit of LRT – our city’s largest and
most ambitious infrastructure project since the opening of the Rideau Canal in
1832.
Although
I would have liked to launch the Confederation Line in 2018, I am encouraged by
the progress that Transportation staff have recently reported.
For
example:
·
All 137 fare gates have been installed;
·
All 56 fare vending machines are ready to go;
·
And over 1,000 CCTV cameras are now connected
and already monitoring the system.
The
construction of LRT is creating thousands of good jobs and making people more
confident to invest in their future in Ottawa.
I’m
excited that we’ll soon launch the first stage of this transformational project
– and I’m proud that we’re already planning for Stage 2.
This
second phase of LRT will create 21,000 person years of employment and $4.5
billion in economic benefits to our city.
It
will also strengthen our reputation as one of the best cities in which to live
and invest in North America.
With
Stage 2 of LRT, we’ll bring reliable and efficient train service:
•
farther east to Place d’Orléans and Trim;
•
farther south to the Airport and Riverside South;
•
farther west to Algonquin College, Bayshore, Moodie Drive and the new DND
complex.
In
December, Treasury Board approved the City’s purchase of federal lands along
the Stage 2 corridor - lands that are necessary to proceed with the
construction project.
I’m
excited to report that a meeting of the Committee of the Whole will be held on
February 27 to approve the procurement of Stage 2 of LRT.
That
means we will see shovels in the ground this spring on the Trillium Line
extension – helping us maintain the momentum we have started with the
construction of the Confederation Line.
And
we won’t stop there, having already laid the groundwork to keep extending the system
to Kanata-Stittsville and Barrhaven in Stage 3 of LRT.
The
Kanata-Stittsville EA was completed and approved by Council last spring – and
so we are ready to develop that western rail corridor once funding becomes
available.
And
earlier this week, Ontario Environment Minister Rod Phillips called me and
signed off on the EA to go ahead, and I’m very pleased with this step forward.
I’m
also pleased to announce that later in 2019, the City will consult with
residents on the future names of LRT stations that will be built as part of
Stage 2.
And
at the request of Algonquin College, we will be proposing that Baseline Station
be renamed Algonquin Station.
This
makes perfect sense, given Algonquin’s recognition as one of our city’s
respected postsecondary institution and its role as a major hub in the
west-end.
Having
a world-class public transit system is critical to continuing to attract major
international business and talent to our city.
Un système de train léger de classe mondiale nous aidera à attirer de
nouvelles entreprises et du talent à Ottawa.
Now
as a Council, we need to ensure that these historic transit investments benefit
all residents – especially those who need it most.
That
is why we introduced the EquiPass and EquiFare in 2017 – to offer our
low-income residents access to transit services at a 50% discount.
The
EquiPass costs $58 monthly, approximately half the price of Toronto’s
low-income transit pass, which costs $116 per month.
This
saves pass holders approximately $700 every year.
Cette mesure nous permet de bâtir le type de ville que nous voulons
tous – une ville qui aide ses résidents dans le besoin à profiter du transport
en commun de façon plus abordable.
By
the end of 2018, more than 11,000 residents had registered as eligible EquiPass
users.
And
on average, more than 4,000 low-income residents benefitted from their monthly
subscription to the EquiPass – an increase of 25% over the 2017 average.
This
is in addition to the 223,000 trips that were made in 2018 using the
single-ride EquiFare.
These
numbers clearly point to the success of this initiative – but also to the need
for this program in our community.
Wanting
to do more to help our seniors – who often find themselves on fixed incomes, I
committed during the last campaign to extend the popular no-charge transit
service to Sundays – in addition to Wednesdays.
I
believe this is more than a simple cost saving measure for seniors.
It
will encourage them to get out and engage in social outings – helping to fight
the isolation that affects many in our community.
Unfortunately,
many seniors also find themselves on the City’s affordable housing waiting
list.
And
this is an area where the City needs to do more to help its residents and
families in need.
Thankfully,
between 2018 and 2022, approximately 750 new units will have been added to our
affordable housing stock – as a result of both public and private partnerships.
But
we can’t stop there.
We
must seek even more opportunities to help our low-income residents find a roof.
And
with the launch of LRT – we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to
locate a number of affordable housing projects on public lands near transit
stations.
Capitalizing
on this opportunity would really give a leg up to our low-income families who
need both affordable housing and affordable transit to meet their family’s
needs.
I
strongly believe this would position Ottawa as an affordable and truly
compassionate city.
The
City’s Transit-Oriented Development Working Group – struck last year to
identify these affordable housing development opportunities – has been hard at
work to produce the list of priority sites within walking distance of LRT
stations.
Under
Steve Willis’s leadership, the Working Group has identified five public sites
prime for development in this term of Council – a list he will be presenting to
Committee and Council in the spring.
In
the meantime, I’m pleased to announce that the first site that will be
prioritized by staff is 557 Albert Street – which is located between LRT’s
Pimisi Station and our future Central Library at LeBreton Flats.
I
look forward to seeing the detailed results of this work – and how these
affordable housing projects will help our community’s residents in need.
Now
beyond these investments in housing, we will also be investing significantly in
our city’s roads and infrastructure in this term of Council.
As
I made my way to more than 10,000 doors to hear from residents during the last
campaign – and I’m certain that all Members of Council heard it as well: the
condition of our roads and infrastructure was a priority for an overwhelming
number of residents.
La condition de nos routes et de notre infrastructure est une
priorité dans plusieurs communautés.
And
with the 3% tax target that Council supported in December, we will be able to
invest an additional $9.8 million this year towards infrastructure renewal
projects – including roads, sidewalks, paths, culverts and bridges – in all
parts of the city.
This
means we will invest $340 million towards roads and infrastructure in 2019 –
and a total of $1.4 billion throughout this term of Council.
At
this rate, the existing infrastructure funding gap will be eliminated in five
years instead of 10.
À ce rythme d’investissement, nous pourrons éliminer le déficit
d’infrastructure de la Ville en cinq ans.
I’ve
heard the concerns of residents – and I believe they are prepared to pay a bit
more to have better roads and infrastructure in their community.
I
also look forward to making investments to keep our communities safer.
As
you know, we can’t achieve this without the great work of our women and men in
uniform – whether to fight drugs and gang violence on our streets, or assist
fearlessly during emergency events.
First responders
play a critical role in keeping our children and families safe.
And somewhat
unfortunately – we have seen their professionalism, dedication and
effectiveness over and over again over the last few years, as our city was
struck again.
In September, the
Ottawa Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene of
devastating tornadoes that touched down in the communities of Dunrobin, Nepean
and Ottawa South.
Earlier this
month, they responded heroically and provided assistance, care and comfort to
those affected by the horrific Westboro bus collision, which took the lives of
three residents, injured 23 others, and shocked our entire city.
Through these
incredibly stressful events, our first responders continued to show poise and
resolve – and with the support of many City staff, they consistently help our community
get through the difficult times.
And because the
challenges are not getting any smaller – we will continue to hire more police
officers and paramedics throughout this term of Council, which I will address
during the 2019 Budget next week.
Now technology
can also play a crucial role in making our neighbourhoods safer – and we have
seen this with the success of the Red Light Camera program.
In the last
election, I committed to installing 20 new Red Light Cameras, in addition to
the current 54 cameras that already increase the safety of all on our roads.
Red Light Cameras
have led to a reduction of more than 50 percent in dangerous T-bone collisions,
as well as a decrease of 43% in injuries.
I’m also proud to
say that the revenues from these cameras help us fund more road safety
initiatives in neighbourhoods across the city.
This term of
Council, we will be piloting speed infraction cameras in school zones – with
the goal of eliminating dangerous driving and protecting our community’s
children.
As
a City, we’ve also invested in initiatives that help us protect our environment
for these future generations of Ottawa residents.
Construction
on the Ottawa River Action Plan’s most important project – the Combined Sewer
Storage Tunnel – has made significant progress.
The
North-South Tunnel was completed this summer – a major milestone that we
celebrated when the boring machine finally peeked out near the River, behind
the Supreme Court of Canada building.
The
tunneling of the east-west corridor is expected to be complete this fall, and
we look forward to commissioning the CSST in 2020.
This
important project will significantly reduce the amount of pollutants that make
their way into the Ottawa River – helping us keep our drinking water clean and
our beaches open for residents to enjoy.
In
the last term, we strengthened the City’s green building policy, in order to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.
We
now have 27 LEED-certified buildings – with six others currently undergoing
certification.
And
going forward, all new buildings will have to achieve a LEED Gold standard,
starting at the design phase.
We
invested one million dollars every year to implement energy retrofits –
projects that are good for the environment and generate cost savings.
We
also approved a new policy for electric charging stations on City property, and
converted 36,500 streetlights to energy-efficient LED technology.
We
all know Ottawa as a green city with plenty of parks and trees – but there’s
always room for improvement.
Over
the last four years, our tree-planting initiatives were a success, and working
with our partners at Tree Ottawa, we made significant progress to reverse some
of the devastation caused by the Emerald Ash Borer.
Which
is why in the last campaign, I committed to planting 500,000 trees during this
term of Council.
This
will help us grow our precious urban forest and assist in our efforts against
climate change.
We
will first dedicate a greater percentage of trees the communities that were
hardest-hit by tornadoes this past September – like Arlington Woods, Dunrobin
and Greenboro – so they may regain some of the thousands of trees that were
lost during these terrible storms.
Secondly,
I will ask staff to target City parks that could use some much needed shade for
families and children enjoying our public spaces.
I
will also work with Councillor Moffatt – as Chair of the Environment and
Climate Protection Committee – to bring in some of the toughest tree protection
bylaws and penalties in the country.
We
will ask the Province to give us permission to triple the current penalties –
which could lead to minimum fines of $3,000 and maximum fines of $300,000.
No
longer will developers or enterprising residents have ‘’oops’’ moments and a
slap on the wrist after cutting significant trees during construction projects.
This
year, we will also make important progress on enhancing the voice of women at
City Hall.
On March 8, in
celebration of International Women’s Day, I will have the pleasure once again
of welcoming over three hundred of our city’s leading women for a breakfast at
City Hall.
This year’s
breakfast will mark a first – as I will be joined by Council’s new Liaison for
Women and Gender Equity.
Councillor
Kavanagh and I will take this opportunity to launch the City’s Women and Gender
Equity Strategy.
It will also be a
first because – as part of governance in December – Council committed to
ensuring gender parity on its advisory committees and boards.
I’m pleased to
report that – through this year’s selection process – we are well on our way to
achieving 50/50 parity on the advisory committees and boards that have already
selected their members.
I look forward to
working with Councillor Kavanagh and the many women who will find a voice at
City Hall to ensure their perspectives can be heard by both Members of Council
and staff.
Nous faisons aussi des progrès constants pour offrir plus de
services à nos résidents et familles francophones dans tous les coins de la
ville.
L’an dernier, Sports et Loisirs ont établi un partenariat important
avec Retraite en Action pour offrir plus de programmes francophones aux aînés
dans l’ouest de la ville.
Cette année, je suis fier qu’ils commenceront à offrir nos
programmes et camps d’été francophones dans le secteur rural d’Ottawa, comme à
Osgoode et Metcalfe.
Et pour répondre aux besoins de cette communauté francophone qui
continue à grandir dans l’ouest de la ville, je suis heureux que nous verrons
l’ouverture de la Maison de la Francophonie cet automne
Grâce au travail acharné du Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de
l’Ontario, plusieurs groupes communautaires pourrons enfin desservir leur
clientèle dans ce carrefour francophone.
Et à l’hôtel de ville, les plaintes quant aux services en français
ont encore diminué l’an dernier – passant de 47 en 2017 à 34 en 2018 – une
baisse de plus de 27 pourcent.
Finally, I’m
pleased to announce that I will be recognizing the accomplishments of
distinguished individuals this year by presenting the Key to the City to:
·
Author,
lawyer and political activist Maureen McTeer;
·
Olympic
gold medalist and decorated figure skater Patrick Chan – who was born in
Ottawa;
·
Sue
Garvey, the Executive Director of Cornerstone Housing for Women;
·
former Premier Dalton McGuinty – Ontario’s
only Premier to represent Ottawa in the Legislature;
·
et le pionnier de la communauté
franco-ontarienne d’Ottawa - Ronald Caza.
I hope you will
join me to pay tribute to these most accomplished residents who have changed
the face of our city.
And indeed – our
city is evolving, and it’s changing for the better.
I am thankful
that we will have four years to work together to tackle these many challenges
and improve the lives of our residents.
I
know Ottawa’s future is bright.
I look forward to
working with all Members of Council throughout the course of this term to
continue this progress.
Let’s all work
together towards an even better Ottawa.
ANNEX B – ATTACHMENT TO HARDER/ MCKENNEY MOTION
January 2019
Ministry of
Municipal Affairs and Housing
Housingsupply@ontario.ca
Re: Response
to the Increasing Housing Supply in Ontario consultation
This document is a
response by the City of Ottawa to the consultation on Increasing Housing Supply
in Ontario.
As a preamble, the
City would like to note that many of the issues raised in the consultation to
date are not applicable to many municipalities outside of the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA). Historically, the Province has adopted new policies under the
Provincial Policy Statement that have not adequately acknowledged differing
conditions in other parts of Ontario. Likewise, we urge the Ministry to
carefully test any new policy initiatives to ensure that policies to aid
housing supply in the GTA do not create adverse conditions elsewhere in the
province.
In Ottawa, market priced housing remains affordable
in much of the city. The exception is in areas that are close to the core and
along our soon to open, or planned LRT line. For that reason, we are examining
the Inclusionary Zoning tool among other strategies to diversify the price
point of housing offerings in these areas.
Our response is
organized by the five consultation questions in the Consultation Document.
1.
Streamlining the Development Approval Process while
balancing competing interests and the broader public interest.
The City
acknowledges that it has room for improvement in three particular areas of
development approvals: site plan applications, subdivision approvals and
building permit approvals. The following are recommendations in these areas.
·
The
City is proposing its own measures to reduce the timelines for site plan
approvals, and it expects those changes to improve our approval turnaround.
·
A
significant delay in the approval process of subdivisions is in the area of
engineering reviews. This is a complex part of the process, and the origin of
delays rests with both applicants and municipal reviewers. The Province could
improve this part of the process by the following:
o Setting
best practice standards for the review of engineering submissions that are
publicly available
o Adopt
limitations on liability for municipalities on reviewing the submissions of
qualified engineers
o Enable
a process of “reliance” on either external reviewers or Peer Reviewers using a
Letter of Assurance program, as is done in other jurisdictions, with appropriate
allocation of liability.
·
A
major problem in Ontario is a lack of qualified personnel in building
inspections. The City has struggled to recruit qualified staff. We recommend
that the Province work with the Chief Building Officials and the colleges to enhance
training programs to provide more candidates to local government. This should
include a program to retrain and certify employees from other building-related
industries.
·
The
“alternative solutions” process in Building Permit applications has added considerably
to workload in municipal governments. The City is open to exploring a Letter
of Assurance type program provided there are controls on submission
coordination by qualified professionals and adequate protections to public
health and safety.
·
The
Province could take steps to enable e-permitting for both planning applications
and building permit applications.
·
The
Province should set performance targets for response to municipal circulations
by provincial agencies.
·
The
Province should do a thorough review of the applicability of the Municipal
Class Environmental Assessment process as it applies to infrastructure in
approved plans of subdivision. The MEA process is overly general, time
consuming, costly, repetitive and not protective of the environment. It could
be replaced by a streamlined process that sets standards for minimum
environmental performance specifications within the Planning Act approvals
process. The Province needs to amend the legislation to remove exposure of
Schedule A projects to Part II Order requests, as was previously the case and
always intended by the Class EA process.
·
The
City has generally kept its zoning consistent with the Official Plan, and where
we do not, it is intended to facilitate the capture of community benefit through
Section 37 approvals. Section 37 is not always an effective method to capture
community benefit. The City is open to exploring an alternative methodology to
ensure that zoning is current with the OP, provided the Province could enable
an alternative and transparent mechanism to provide for community benefits.
2.
Addressing the restrictions on housing mix, to support
the “missing middle”, supporting transit-oriented development, and balancing
housing with the need for employment.
·
Mid-rise
housing is a highly desirable form of housing that integrates well with many
existing communities. The City of Ottawa’s planning policies are already
highly permissive of this form of housing in appropriate locations. However,
there has been no market response. The planning process is not the barrier,
rather it is the costs of construction. The Province needs to work closely
with the industry and Chief Building Officials to find ways to moderate the
costs of this form of housing.
·
Since
the 1970’s the Income Tax Act has undergone a number of revisions that have had
a progressively punitive effect on rental investors and discouraged purpose
rental housing investment, especially when compared to homeownership and
condominium development options. The Province, and Federal government, could
explore tax legislation to incentivize the construction of modest (i.e.,
missing middle scale) purpose built rental housing in our communities.
·
In
addition, the introduction of GST in the 1990’s (now HST) has also increased
the cost applied to rental housing. The Province could increase the provincial
portion of HST rebates for private sector builders on materials and labour used
to build affordable rental housing and request the same from the Federal
government. The Province could also consider waiving the land transfer tax and
eliminating or reducing capital taxation for purpose built affordable rental
housing.
·
Much
of the affordability issue in larger cities is driven by the lack of
availability and supply of larger units appropriate for households with
children in mid and high-rise buildings. Perhaps if municipal governments were
given the ability to require specific types of units (i.e., a minimum number of
3-bedroom apartments) in Zoning By-laws, this would help adjust land values and
the market response to infill development.
·
The
impact of short term rental accommodation in residential buildings and
neighbourhoods, specifically Airbnb, could be hindering access to available
housing supply making it very difficult for modest income households to find
appropriate housing. The impact of Airbnb and other types of services should be
examined by the province as its impact on local housing supply and
affordability has yet to be determined.
·
The
provincial government should increase and continue to fund capital affordable
housing initiatives and programs that create more
housing, of the types and sizes people need, and that make both home ownership
and renting more affordable and give people more choice.
3.
Lowering the costs of developing new housing while
ensuring funds are available for growth-related infrastructure and ensuring an
adequate supply of serviced land.
·
The
City of Ottawa does not support the concept of narrowing the Development
Charges legislation to eliminate its use for water, wastewater or stormwater
infrastructure. These charges are a very modest component of our DCs. In
contrast, should these charges be forced to be paid for through water rates,
the increase per household would be significant.
·
The
Province should work closely with school boards to develop standards for less
land-intensive urban forms of new school construction. The City of Ottawa has
attempted to have this conversation for several years through our Building
Better Smarter Suburbs project. We have experienced considerable resistance
from some school boards who feel their space needs are driven by provincial
funding formulae.
·
The
City of Ottawa, as well as other municipal jurisdictions, already provide
development charge exemptions or grants to cover development charges for
affordable rental housing. It is important to note that it has been our
experience that a broad exemption of development charges for housing will not
improve affordability and choice as, much of the costs for housing, borne by
purchasers, are driven by supply and demand in the market.
·
The
City of Ottawa, as well as other municipal jurisdictions have adopted a New
Multi-Residential Tax Ratio for new rental housing that is equal to the
residential tax ratio, as an incentive for private developers to build new
rental housing. As part of the December 2016 Economic Outlook, the Province of
Ontario expressed concerns about the higher property tax burden for
multi-residential class and its effect on housing affordability. In response to
these concerns, the Province announced it would undertake a review of the
property taxation of multi-residential and in the meantime, issue a regulation
to freeze the tax burden on this class for 2017. In March 2017 the province
released the regulation which reduced the maximum ratio to from 2.74 to 2.0,
pending a review of the Multi-Residential class. The City’s ratio falls below
this provincially mandated maximum ratio, meaning property tax rates and taxes
are less. In Toronto, the ratio was 2.7 prior to the freeze.
4.
Addressing Challenges in the Rental Housing sector and
encouraging homeowners to create legal second units to expand the rental
supply.
·
The
City of Ottawa has proactively enabled legal second housing units and coach
house.
5.
Encouraging Innovation in the building industry and
creative building ideas to improve the quality of the community.
·
The
City would be happy to participate in discussing this matter with the
construction industry.
·
The
City will note however, that there are very limited tools for municipalities to
address urban design issues in the Planning Act, notwithstanding that the
Province has identified Urban Design as a Provincial Interest in the Provincial
Policy Statement. Many of the disputes between communities and new development
projects could be resolved with context-sensitive design. The City would like
new tools in our tool box to enable us to work through these issues.
·
It
is important to note that many innovative building methods used by both the
private and not for profit sectors have been advanced through government funded
affordable housing developments. For example, in Ottawa the first multi-
residential Passive Housing certified apartment in Canada was constructed by a
local not for profit agency (Ottawa Salus) funded by all three levels of
government. This has resulted in the training of private sector consultants,
architects, engineers and builders/contractors in Passive House design and
construction and facilitating innovation in the housing industry. Other
examples include the use of geothermal exchange systems in multi residential
buildings, varying types of LEED certification and more recently Net Zero
buildings.
While we appreciate that the intent of this
consultation process is to address maintaining the affordability of market
priced housing, there is another issue that needs further exploration. We need
new strategies to get vulnerable people into market housing so that we have
complete and inclusive communities. We hope the Province will delve into this
issue further, and we welcome the opportunity to be part of that discussion.
Please do not
hesitate to contact us should you require additional information or if you
would like our participation in any working groups on particular issues.
Yours truly,