Community Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

15

Date:

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Time:

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

Location:

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

Present:

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

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

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

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in Community Services Committee Report 15.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Thursday, April 17, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

CSC Minutes 14 – Tuesday, February 25, 2025

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

CSC-2024-07 – Request for Information on Cash-in Lieu Projects

4.2

OCC 2024-15 – Park Signs

With the will of Committee, discussion of this item was permitted. Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, answered questions from the Committee. 

5.

Community and Social Services Department

5.1

2025 Update to Municipal Housing Allowance Programs and the Home for Good Housing Allowance Program

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-006 – City-wide

Kale Brown, Director, Housing answered questions from the Committee.

There were no written submissions on this item.

Kaite Burkholder Harris (Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa) spoke before the Committee and provided comments.

Following discussions, the Committee considered the report recommendation(s) as follows:

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That Community Services Committee recommend Council approve:

  1. The update to the housing allowance benefits framework, rules, eligibility and subsidy calculation of the municipally funded housing allowance programs under the City Homelessness Funding (CHF) program, in accordance with the framework outlined in this report;
  2. That eligible households for the municipal housing allowance benefits framework be limited to those experiencing homelessness for an interim period, pending confirmation of additional funding from upper levels of government, at which time the target population will revert back to include both low-income households or people experiencing homelessness, as was approved by council in 2021; and
  3. The update to the housing allowance framework, rules and subsidy calculation of the Home for Good program under the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP), in accordance with the framework outlined in this report.
  Carried

5.2

Community-led Green Initiatives and Garden Program

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-007 – City-wide

Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services, and Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, presented an overview of the report and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

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

• Olivia Davis letter and video recording received April 15
• Scott Clark email dated April 16
• Harry Fischer (Bel-Air Community Association and the Maitland Area Pollinator Project) email dated April 16
• Masuma Rustamzada and Kathy Vandergrift (Queensway Terrace North Community Garden) email received April 16
• Sharon Boddy (Friends of Hampton Park/Friends of Carlington Woods) email received April 17, 2025
• Geneviève Mollema (Greater Avalon Community Association) letter received April 21
• Dinah Robinson emails dated April 21 and 22
• Ron Ridley (Riverview Park Community Association) email dated April 22

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

• Kath Stevenson and Kate Veinot (Just Food) – slides on file
• Erica Shardlow (Community Action for Environmental Sustainability Ottawa) – slides on file
• Harry Fischer (Bel-Air Community Association and the Maitland Area Pollinator Project) – speaking notes and slides on file
• Janet Mark Wallace
• Adrian Di Giovanni
• Masuma Rustamzada (Queensway Terrace North Community Garden)
• Velvet LeClair (McNabb Park Community Garden)
• Lynne Patenaude (Ottawa-South Eco-action Network) – slide on file
• Rebecca Last (Michele Heights Community Gardens)
• Christine Johnson – slide on file
  

Staff accepted the direction to staff (M. Carr):

Through the Community-led Green Initiative and Gardens Program, staff from Recreation, Culture and Facility Services (RCFS) will assume responsibility from the Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) to lead the program and approve applications for community gardens.

To ensure a smooth transition, that RCFS staff be directed to create a centralized resource, or interdepartmental group, to support the Community-led Green Initiatives and Garden Program, to facilitate interdepartmental input, to maintain continuity of expertise during the transition from CSSD to RCFS, and to streamline decisions regarding community garden applications. In addition, that the removal of invasive species being undertaken as part of garden initiatives be incorporated into this program and be coordinated with the work underway within Public Works related to invasive species.

As part of this work, RCFS staff be directed to report back to the Community Services Committee after two application intake periods, or by Q4 2026, to share lessons learned during the transition period and provide an opportunity for feedback on the Community-led Green Initiatives and Garden Program.

Following discussions, the Committee considered the report recommendation(s) as follows:

• Report recommendation(s)

  The Community Services Committee recommend Council approve:

  1. Formalizing a City-wide mandate for a formal Community-led Green Initiatives and Garden Program, to be managed by the Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services, as further described in this report; and
  2. Delegating authority to the General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services, to develop and implement a program that integrates both community-led green initiatives and community gardens, as further described in this report; and
  3. Expanding the existing community gardens policy statement to recognize community-led green initiatives as valuable community activities that contribute to community development, civic participation, neighborhood revitalization, environmental awareness, and community wellbeing.
  Carried

5.3

Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan 2025-2029

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-002 – City-wide

Jason Sabourin, Director, Children’s Services, Tracy Gierman, Manager, Strategic Projects, and Nadine Jodoin, Coordinator, Strategic Support, presented an overview of the report and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

There were no submissions on this item.

Following discussions, the Committee considered the report recommendation(s) as follows:

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That Community Services Committee recommend that Council:

  1. Approve the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan 2025-2029 (Document 1) that establishes eight strategic priorities for the planning, management, and delivery of early learning and licensed child care programs and services and the Funding Policy Statements (Document 2) for 2025-2029.
  2. Delegate authority to the Director, Children’s Services, to manage and administer the budget as detailed in this report and allocate all funding according to the Funding Policy Statements for 2025-2029 in Document 2, provided such allocations are in accordance with Provincial guidelines, the strategic priorities in the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan 2025-2029, and are within approved budgets. 
  Carried

6.

Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department

6.1

Review of City of Ottawa Gymnasium Rental Pricing Structure

File No. ACS2025-RCF-GEN-0004 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee recommend Council approve the revised gymnasium rental pricing structure.

  Carried

7.

Councillors’ Items

7.1

Councillors T. Kavanagh and A. Hubley – Supporting Aging in Place through Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities

File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0049 – City-wide

Councillor T. Kavanagh presented an overview of the report.

Committee received a letter dated April 22 from the Council on Aging of Ottawa. A copy is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

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

• Colleen Taylor (The Olde Forge Community Resource Centre)
• Sharon Moon (Ambleside Oasis)
• Vincent DePaul (National Oasis Project, Queen’s University) – slides on file
• Jenny Brooks and Bonnie Schroeder (The Council on Aging of Ottawa)
• Lynne Davidson-Fournier (Alta Vista Community Association) – speaking notes and slides on file

Following discussions, the Committee considered the motion and report recommendation(s) as follows:

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee recommend that Council:

  1. Request that the Government of Canada develop a national strategy to better support Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) model in their programming to enable aging in place across the country; and
  2. Request that the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada establish long-term sustainable funding streams to support capital infrastructure and programming costs associated with Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities; and
  3. Request that the Province of Ontario explore opportunities streamline home care services in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in order to simplify older adults’ access to services and refine the current fragmented system; and
  4. Direct staff to incorporate into the upcoming Ottawa’s Older Adult Plan the collaboration with community partners to monitor and provide up to date information on the prevalence of apartment-based (“vertical”) and neighborhood-based (“horizontal”) NORCs in Ottawa to support infrastructure and program planning; and
  5. Direct staff to incorporate into the upcoming Ottawa’s Older Adult Plan the development of a NORC collaboration network with community partners to enhance community-based aging in place services.
  Carried as amended
• Motion No. CSC 2025-15-01
  Moved by T. Kavanagh

  WHEREAS Councillors T. Kavanagh and A. Hubley were both appointed as Council Liaisons for the Older Adults initiative and collaborated on this report;

  WHEREAS the City collaborated with stakeholders on the first Ottawa Oasis project, supporting its success;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the title of the report be amended to “Councillors T. Kavanagh and A. Hubley – Supporting Aging in Place through Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities;”

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the following paragraph in the “Discussion” section of the report be amended as follows:

  The first Ottawa Oasis project in the Ambleside Naturally Occurring Retirement Community is supported by a collaboration between the residents of Ambleside Condominiums, Queen’s University as the funders and researchers, Olde Forge Community Resource Centre as the on-site program provider and The Council on Aging of Ottawa as the advocate/champion. Since its inception in 2023, the program has demonstrated positive outcomes in social connection, nutrition, mental health and physical fitness, thereby supporting many older adults to age at home. The project has also provided access to community health supports for older adults without a primary physician. The success of the project has resulted in reduction in emergency room visits since has been implemented.

  Carried

8.

Office of the City Clerk

8.1

Status Update – Community Services Committee Inquiries and Motions for the period ending April 4, 2025

File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0052 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Community Services Committee receive this report for information.

  Received

9.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

10.

Information Previously Distributed

10.1

Response to Motion No. CSC2023-01-05 – Update for Q1 & Q2 2024

File No. ACS2025-CSS-GEN-005

10.2

Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Strategy

File No. ACS2025-RCF-GEN-0003

11.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

12.

Inquiries

12.1

CSC-2025-02 – Options for non-virtual ads for community centre programs

Submitted by Councillor A. Troster:

Many senior residents in Ottawa have expressed concerns about the way that city-owned Community Centre program information is dispersed and promoted to residents. Anecdotally, there was a wider range of methods for providing information to residents, such as through physical brochures, ongoing newsletters, and routine emails. Many of these options are no longer available. As most program information and registration now takes place on the City of Ottawa’s website, some residents are finding it increasingly difficult to access registration and information about available programming in their communities.  

Could staff please provide the following information: 

• What options for non-virtual program advertisement and registration are currently available to residents? 
• What can the City do to increase the non-virtual program advertisement and registration options offered to residents?

12.2

CSC-2025-03 – Shared use agreements impacting City and school venues

Submitted by Councillor A. Troster:

The City and various schools and school boards throughout the city hold shared use agreements. Can staff clarify:

1. How many of these agreements exist?
2. What kind of activities/spaces are restricted under shared use agreements?
3. How can relevant groups access and understand these agreements, especially in a context where they be users of a public park but are not signatories to an existing agreement?

12.3

CSC-2025-04 – Partnerships with local faith communities

Submitted by Chair L. Dudas on behalf of Councillor D. Hill:

Can staff please provide information on options for strategic partnerships with local faith communities to increase private childcare capacity options?

13.

Other Business

There was no other business.

14.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

The meeting adjourned at 2:15 pm.