OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES 47
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
10:00 am
By Electronic
Participation
This Meeting was held through electronic participation in
accordance with Section 238 of the Municipal Act, 2001 as amended by the
COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020
The Council of
the City of Ottawa met on Wednesday, 27 January 2021, beginning at 10:00 AM. The
Mayor, Jim Watson, presided over the Zoom meeting from Andrew
S. Haydon Hall, with the remaining Members participating remotely by Zoom.
Mayor Watson led
Council in a moment of reflection.
Elder Claudette Commanda delivered an
Indigenous blessing to open the first City Council meeting of 2021.
All Members of
Council were present.
MOTION NO 47/1
Moved
by Councillor J. Sudds
Seconded by Councillor L. Dudas
BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor’s remarks[1] given at the City
Council meeting on January 27, 2021, be appended to the Minutes of today’s Council
meeting.
CARRIED
CONFIRMED
No declarations
of interest were filed.
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·
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AMO Policy Update – New COVID-19 Provincial Emergency
Declared, Updated COVID Modelling, and CA Working Group
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AMO Policy Update – New Lock Down Measures and New CSWB Plan
Deadline
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AMO Policy Update – Lockdown 2.0: Province-Wide Lockdown Starts
December 26, Communities Strategy and Enforcement, New School Protocols, Child
Care, and Small Business Grant
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AMO Policy Update – Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Sites, ESA
Termination and Severance Provisions Extension
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AMO Policy Update – Long-Term Care Staffing Plan,
Conservation Authorities Working Group, Poverty Reduction Strategy, and
Mental Health and Addiction Services Funding
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AMO Policy Update – Phase 2 ReStart Agreement Municipal
Funding
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AMO Policy Update – Social Services Relief Funding and
Vaccine Rollout Planning
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AMO Policy Update – New Stronger Public Health Measures
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AMO Policy Update – COVID-19 Municipal Financial Impacts,
Supportive Housing Expansion, COVID-19 Modelling and Emergency Orders
Extended, and Fall Legislative Session Adjourned
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No
regrets were filed.
MOTION NO 47/2
Moved
by Councillor D. Deans
Seconded by Councillor C. A. Meehan
That Built Heritage
Sub-Committee Report 18; Standing Committee on Environmental Protection, Water
and Waste Management Report 13; Planning Committee Reports 34 and
35; Transit Commission Report 8; and the reports from
the City Clerk entitled “Status Update – Council
Inquiries and Motions for the Period Ending January 22, 2021” and “Summary of
Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation
Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of December 9, 2020” be received and considered.
CARRIED
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POSTPONEMENTS AND DEFERRALS
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Deferred from the meeting of December 9, 2020
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. Approve the ByWard Market
Public Realm Plan, as described in this report and attached in Document 3.
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2. Direct staff from the
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department to evaluate the
existing governance of the public realm in the ByWard Market and report back
to Committee and Council in Q2 2021 with recommendations to improve place-making
operations and regulation, as described in this report.
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3. Direct staff to seek out
funding from other levels of government and through prioritization within the
2022 City’s capital program, to proceed with the detailed design phase for York
Street Flex Plaza (from Sussex Drive to ByWard Market Square), as described
in this report.
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4. Direct staff to undertake a
detailed transportation study for the Rideau-Sussex Node followed by a national
design competition, as described in this report, using funds available in the
2020 and 2021 public realm minor intervention account.
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5. Direct staff from Planning,
Infrastructure and Economic Development Department to initiate a Request for
Information in Q4 2021 to redevelop the municipal ByWard Garage (Parking Lot
04) at 70 Clarence, using funds from the 2021 public realm minor intervention
account, and to return to Finance and Economic Development Committee to present
its findings.
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6. Direct staff from Planning,
Infrastructure and Economic Development Department and Roads and Parking
Services to investigate partnerships according to the Parking Replacement
Strategy for ByWard Market, as described in this report.
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7. Direct staff from the
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department to immediately
launch a Working Group on economic recovery for the ByWard Market, as
described in this report, with group representation from the Mayor’s Office,
Ward Councillor’s office, Marchés d’Ottawa Markets Corporation, the ByWard
Market Business Improvement Area, the Lowertown Community Association, the
National Capital Commission and other key external stakeholders.
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CARRIED
DIRECTION TO STAFF: (Councillor S. Menard)
That staff be directed to bring a memorandum back to
Council in April 2021 on the status of the Downtown Wayfinding strategy and
consultation efforts being led by Ottawa Tourism, the City, Tourisme Outaouais,
and the National Capital Commission, particularly as it relates to signage for
restrooms in the core and the two new self-cleaning stand-alone units. Finding
the public washrooms that already exist downtown benefits both vulnerable
populations who need these essential services, and economic recovery in our
tourist and business districts. In concert with the update from the Human Needs
Taskforce on portable washrooms and a map-based data layer of public washrooms,
this memo should summarize planned efforts for 2021 and beyond to demonstrate progress
and momentum on accessible public washrooms.
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REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive this report for information.
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RECEIVED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. Approve the application to
alter the building at 540 Manor Avenue according to plans by O’Keefe Fiorenza
Design Group, dated August 24, 2020;
2. Approve the landscape design
for 540 Manor Avenue according to plans by James B. Lennox and Associates
Inc. dated November 2, 2020;
3. Delegate authority for minor
design changes to the General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure and Economic
Development Department;
4. Issue the heritage permit
with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. Approve the application to demolish
the existing detached garage and construct a new garage at 114 Stanley Avenue
in the same location on River Lane according to plans submitted by Mario
Poulin on October 20, 2020 conditional upon:
a. The Applicant salvaging
historic materials including wood cladding, windows, doors, and structural
beams prior to demolition and reuse wherever possible;
2. Delegate authority for minor
design changes to the General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure and Economic
Development Department; and
3. Issue the heritage permit
with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS:
That Council:
1. Receive the annual status
update on the Climate Change Master Plan, including the 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
inventories attached as Document 1 and updates on the eight priority actions
as summarized in this report;
2. Approve administrative amendments
to the Climate Change Master Plan attached as Document 2 and as outlined in
this report.
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CARRIED
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PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT 34
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
250 and 252 Hinchey Avenue to permit a three storey 16-unit apartment
building, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
1642 Merivale Road to permit a seven storey apartment building and a
single-storey restaurant, as detailed in Document 3.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
284 King Edward Avenue to change the zoning from Institutional to Traditional
Mainstreet, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
with Councillor M. Fleury dissenting.
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AGRICULTURE
AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council approve:
1. the work plan for a new
Comprehensive Zoning By-law, replacing By-law 2008-250, with the final draft
of the new Zoning By-law to be before Council for consideration by Q4 2024;
2. that a “Major Changes (Big
Moves & Quick Hits)” Report be submitted following adoption of the new
Official Plan in Q4 2021 that will:
a. outline staff’s findings and
recommendations on the form and structure of the proposed new Comprehensive
Zoning By-law;
b. describe the general nature
and scope of changes to the zoning regime that will need to be incorporated
into the new Zoning By-law to meet the needs of the council-approved Growth
Management Plan and new Official Plan policy directions;
c. lay out the course of work
and budget requirements for subsequent phases of the New Comprehensive Zoning
By-law project, including any necessary amendments to the work plan;
d. identify any opportunities for
amendments to Zoning By-law 2008-250 ("Quick Hits") that may practically
be undertaken in the immediate or short term to better implement critical
Official Plan directions while the full Comprehensive Zoning By-law is being
developed, including amendments to respond to development pressures or major policy
initiatives such as Inclusionary Zoning; and
3. the establishment of a
Council Sponsor Group to support and advocate for the new Zoning By-law
project as described in this report; and
4. that the Joint Committee of
Planning Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee be delegated
the authority to hold any statutory public meeting required for the
consideration leading to the enactment of the comprehensive zoning by-law.
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CARRIED
DIRECTION
TO STAFF: (Councillor C. A. Meehan)
That
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development staff, as part of the New
Zoning By-Law Proposed Workplan, be directed to:
- Review minimum front yard setbacks, in light of public concerns
on vehicles in driveways blocking sidewalks, as well as winter snow
storage; and
- Review side yard setbacks from roundabouts.
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AGRICULTURE
AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. approve amendments to the
Permanent Signs on Private Property By-law 2016-326, as detailed in Document
1; and
2. delegate authority to the
Chief Building Official and Legal Services to finalize and make minor changes
to the form of the amendments to the By-law in Document 1, to give effect to
the intent of Council.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council approve demolition control for the existing buildings
on the property subject to the following conditions:
1. the landscaping of the property
shall be finalized in accordance with conditions established by the General
Manager of Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development;
2. the registered Owner agrees
that, to the discretion of the General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure and Economic
Development Department, a replacement building must be substantially
completed within five years from the date of this approval and in default
thereof, the City Clerk shall enter on the collector’s roll the sum of $5,000
for each of the two residential dwellings to be demolished;
3. the registered Owner shall enter
into an Agreement with the City of Ottawa to include the foregoing conditions
and pay all costs associated with the registration of said Agreement; at such
time as a building permit is issued to redevelop the site and the replacement
building is in place, the Agreement will become null and void and will be
released upon request of the Owner; the Owner shall pay all costs associated
with the release of the Agreement;
4. the registered Owner agrees
that a demolition permit will not be issued and the buildings cannot be
demolished until such time that the Agreement referenced herein has been
executed and registered on title;
5. this approval is considered
null and void if the Agreement is not executed within one month of Council’s
approval.
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CARRIED
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PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT 35
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. approve the creation of a
Sponsors Group comprised of the following: The Chair of Planning, and
Councillors from Wards 11 and 15 representing high intensification areas;
2. direct staff in the
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department to consult with
the Councillor Sponsor’s group to develop and implement a workplan based on the
draft proposed in Document 1; and
3. approve that Section 37
continues to be applied until the adoption of the new Community Benefits
Charge By-law, or regulatory end date, whichever comes sooner.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 33
Maple Grove Road to permit two, three-storey apartment buildings, as detailed
in Document 2.
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CARRIED
with Councillor A. Hubley, T. Kavanagh, and C. A. Meehan dissenting.
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION, AS AMENDED
That Council sustain the development charge complaint in respect of
1325 Johnston Road and direct that the municipal development charges paid be
reimbursed.
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CARRIED
with Councillors R. Brockington, K. Egli, R. King, J. Leiper and C. McKenney
dissenting.
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TRANSIT COMMISSION REPORT 8
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive this report for information.
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RECEIVED
Item I on the
Bulk Consent Agenda was lifted from the Bulk Consent Agenda for consideration as
part of the regular Agenda.
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
114 Richmond Road to permit a temporary surface parking lot, as detailed in Document
2.
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Deferred
to the Council meeting of February 10th by the following motion:
MOTION NO 47/3
Moved
by Councillor J. Leiper
Seconded by Councillor J. Harder
WHEREAS the applicant wishes to have visitor parking
for a period of three years at 98 and 114 Richmond Road; and
WHEREAS zoning provisions and schedule considered by
Planning Committee to allow this visitor parking do not accurately reflect the
location of where it will be provided on the subject lands; and
WHEREAS the zoning provisions and schedule need additional work to
better reflect the location of the visitor parking; and
WHEREAS this will take time to address and ensure it is correct;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the rezoning report and corresponding
implementing by-law for 98 and 114 Richmond Road be deferred until the February
10, 2021 City Council meeting.
CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve a waiver to By-law 2009-095 - Parkland
Dedication By-law for the Zibi Ontario Development at 3 and 4 Booth Street;
• the waiver to be approved shall
not apply to an increase in development potential beyond what the zoning on the
subject lands would permit as of the day the waiver is granted by Council.
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CARRIED
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PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT 35
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COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
1155 Joseph Cyr Street and 1082 Cyrville Road to permit a six-storey
mixed-use building, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
part of 1620 Maple Grove Road to permit back to-back townhouse dwellings, as
detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
1258 Marenger Street to change the maximum density, the required landscape
buffer and the rear yard setback, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
243 and 245 Hinchey Avenue to permit the proposed three-storey, 16-unit
low-rise apartment building, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
114 Isabella Street in order to accommodate the construction of a seven-storey
mixed use building, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
part of 54 Springbrook Drive to rezone the lands from Parks and Open Space
Subzone A (O1A) to Residential First Density Subzone H exception xxxx
(R1H[xxxx]) to permit five residential lots, as detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for
390 and 394 Bank Street to permit a nine-storey mixed-use building, as
detailed in Document 2.
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CARRIED
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REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve the Summaries of Oral and Written Public
Submissions for items considered at the City Council Meeting of December 9,
2020 that are subject to the ‘Explanation Requirements’ being the Planning
Act, subsections 17(23.1), 22(6.7), 34(10.10) and 34(18.1), as
applicable, as described in this report and attached as Document 1.
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CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/4
Moved
by Councillor D. Deans
Seconded by Councillor C. A. Meehan
That Built Heritage Sub-Committee Report 18; Standing Committee on
Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management Report 13; Planning
Committee Reports 34 and 35; Transit Commission Report 8; and the reports from the City Clerk entitled “Status Update – Council
Inquiries and Motions for the Period Ending January 22, 2021” and “Summary of Oral and Written Public
Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’
at the City Council Meeting of December 9, 2020”;
be received and adopted as amended.
CARRIED
MOTIONS
OF WHICH NOTICE HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY GIVEN
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MOTION NO 47/5
Moved by Councillor M. Fleury
Seconded by Councillor D. Deans
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa is committed to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS the City is planning to install 24 new
on-street electric vehicle charging stations at 12 stations across Ottawa; and
WHEREAS these stations are being installed as
part of street parking facility improvements and to increase uptake of electric
vehicles in Ottawa;
WHEREAS switching from gas and diesel to
electric vehicles is one of the most important actions required to meet
Ottawa’s target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 100 per cent by
2050; and
WHEREAS to meet this target, by 2030, 90 per
cent of new vehicles sold will have to be electric;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council
request that the Ottawa Police Services Board ask the Ottawa Police Services to
work with the City of Ottawa and its Partners Envari, an affiliate of Hydro
Ottawa, with support under the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program to
complete an assessment in 2021 to determine if an Electric Vehicle pilot project
can be implemented by the Ottawa Police Services where operationally feasible.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/6
Moved
by R. King
Seconded by Councillor J. Harder
WHEREAS on July 24, 2002, City Council approved, as amended, the
Commemorative Naming Policy; and
WHEREAS
in keeping with its powers set out in the Municipal
Act, 2001, Council may assign a commemorative name by resolution,
notwithstanding the provisions included in the Commemorative Naming Policy; and
WHEREAS
the Addressing By-law 2014-78 provides the regulatory framework for municipal
addressing in the City of Ottawa, where changes to existing street names are undertaken
primarily for public safety or wayfinding reasons, City Council may approve a
name change for other resolutions; and
WHEREAS Langevin Avenue, located in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward 13, was
named after Hector-Louis Langevin, one of the founding Fathers of the Confederation
who was also involved in the residential school system, where schools forcibly
removed Indigenous children from their families and undermined Indigenous identity
and culture; and
WHEREAS the residential school system has contributed to a general loss
of Indigenous language and culture and disrupted families for generations; and
WHEREAS in 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC),
whose mandate is to educate Canadians on the impacts of residential schools;
released its findings and 94 Calls to Action directed at all levels of government, the private sector and to Canadians
as a whole; and
WHEREAS through the City’s commitment to reconciliation, Council
approved in 2018 the City of Ottawa’s Reconciliation Action Plan, that addresses
the TRC Calls to Action; and
WHEREAS renaming public spaces respects the Principles of
Reconciliation, as laid out by the TRC, and in 2017, the Prime Minister of Canada
approved the renaming of Parliament’s Langevin Block to the Office of the Prime
Minister and Privy Council; and
WHEREAS in 2019 Council established the Anti-Racism Secretariat and
appointed Councillor Rawlson King as the Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural
Relations Initiatives to address systemic racism in our community; and
WHEREAS during the previous term of Council, the Ward Councillor and
his office generated a list of suitable replacement names for Langevin Avenue
in consultation with the community; and
WHEREAS William Commanda was an Algonquin elder, former Chief
of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, who spent years advocating forgiveness
and reconciliation; he was a carrier of the sacred wampum belts of the
Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation, and a wise and gifted traditional knowledge
keeper who promoted peace, harmony and racial equality for all people through
his vision and work: the Circle of all Nations; and
WHEREAS consultation on the name Commanda Way was done with the
residents of the street by the Councillor’s Office; and
WHEREAS implementation of the street renaming must be coordinated with
Canada Post;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve that Langevin Avenue,
located in Rideau-Rockcliffe, Ward 13, be renamed “Commanda Way”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council direct staff in the Addressing
and Signs Branch of Building Code Services work with the Ward Councillor to
implement the street name change in a timely manner while respecting the
timelines issued by Canada Post; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all costs related to the street renaming,
including name change fee, blade signs and post, notifications, along with any
subsequent unveiling, will be funded through the Councillor’s Office.
CARRIED
MOTIONS
REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE
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MOTION NO 47/7
Moved
by Councillor M. Luloff
Seconded by Councillor K. Egli
That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the
following motion, as the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law is set to expire
unless extended by Council at this meeting.
WHEREAS, on July 15, 2020, Council enacted the Temporary Mandatory
Mask By-law which requires the wearing of masks on
transit property and in enclosed public spaces, and that operators of such
spaces post signage notifying of the mask requirement and provide hand sanitizer,
all being reasonable, practicable and effective methods of limiting the spread
of COVID-19 for the health, safety and well-being of residents of the City of
Ottawa; and,
WHEREAS, the by-law includes exemptions to the mask requirement for
young children and persons with medical conditions precluding them from safely wearing
a mask; and,
WHEREAS, on August 26, 2020, Council approved amendments to the
by-law to expand the mask requirement to enclosed common areas of condominiums
and multi-unit residential buildings, and designated unenclosed public spaces
under delegated authority; and,
WHEREAS, the by-law is temporary in
nature and therefore contains a "sunset clause", meaning that Council
is required to renew the by-law if the need exists to extend its application
beyond the sunset date, based on public health advice and local epidemiological
circumstances; and,
WHEREAS, the by-law has been renewed periodically since its
enactment, including the most recent renewal on November 25, 2020, when Council
further extended the sunset date of the by-law to 12:01 a.m. the day after the first
regularly scheduled meeting of Council in 2021, unless it is extended by
Council; and,
WHEREAS, Ottawa continues to report cases of COVID-19 and the
Provincial government has identified Ottawa as an area needing greater restrictions
for re-opening due to COVID-19 cases; and,
WHEREAS, although the Provincial legislation governing re-opening
and other restrictions in response to COVID-19 were amended to include
mask-related regulations, those regulations exclude certain desirable provisions
of the City of Ottawa’s Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law; and,
WHEREAS, on that basis, and in the event that the Provincial
legislation concerning masking is repealed, but Ottawa continues to require the
protections provided by the by-law to limit the spread of COVID-19, it would be
prudent to further extend the effective period of the by-law;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council approve that the Temporary
Mandatory Mask By-law (2020-186, as amended) remain in effect until 12:01 a.m.
on April 29th, 2021, unless it is
extended by Council.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/8
Moved by Mayor J. Watson
Seconded by Councillor L. Dudas
That City the Rules of Procedure be suspended to
consider the following motion, as the need for hotel accommodations to self-isolate
healthcare and essential workers as well as members of the public during this
pandemic has been identified as an immediate need, and all efforts are being
made to reduce the cost.
WHEREAS on April 8, 2020 City Council approved an
exemption for health care workers and essential workers from paying the 4%
Municipal Accommodation Tax, when purchasing discounted hotel accommodations to
self-isolate within the City of Ottawa;
WHEREAS the Federal Government is providing
funding to the Ottawa Board of Health to coordinate temporary accommodations
for healthcare and essential workers, members of the public, and international
travelers who require temporary accommodations to self-isolate;
AND WHEREAS the Ottawa Board of Health entered into
a service agreement with a local hotel for accommodations and seeks an
exemption from the application of the Municipal Accommodation Tax for such
emergency services delivered through a service agreement with accommodation providers
in order to maximize the use of the emergency funding;
AND WHEREAS Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa
Gatineau Hotel Association support providing an exemption in such cases from
the application of the Municipal Accommodation Tax imposed through By-law 2019-252
(“MAT”);
AND WHEREAS given the current circumstances and
the ongoing requirements in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, Council has
determined that it is in the best interest of the City of Ottawa at this time
to exempt the service agreements entered into by the Ottawa Board of Health for
temporary accommodations from the application of the MAT;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council
exempt the accommodations purchased by the Ottawa Board of Health from the application
of the Municipal Accommodation Tax for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/9
Moved
by Councillor T. Kavanagh
Seconded by Mayor J. Watson
BE IT RESOLVED that Council suspend the Rules of
Procedure to permit the introduction of the following motion, in order to respond
in a timely manner to temporary regulations that are currently in place as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic and disproportionately affecting small
businesses:
WHEREAS on January 12, 2021, the Province of Ontario issued a
Stay-at-Home Order for all of Ontario, which came into force on January 14,
2021 and prohibits residents from leaving their place of residence except for
essential activities, including but not limited to shopping for essential items;
and
WHEREAS the Province has not defined what is considered an essential
item, so as not to limit access by residents to goods that may legitimately be
necessary for their health, well-being or safety; and
WHEREAS the Province has allowed discount stores and big-box
retailers that sell groceries to remain open, so long as members of the public are
able to maintain a physical distance of two metres physical from every other
person in the business or facility, and the number of persons occupying any place
of business that is open to the public does not exceed 25% of capacity at any
one time; and
WHEREAS allowing discount stores and big-box retailers to remain
open while offering non-essential products,
along with those considered essential, encourages residents to travel outside
their home and increases the number of contacts a person may have; and
WHEREAS the purpose of these Orders is to keep residents at home as
much as possible to stop the spread of COVID-19, prevent the hospital system
from becoming overwhelmed, and protect vulnerable populations and those who care
for them; and
WHEREAS allowing discount stores and big-box retailers that sell
groceries to continue to sell items that are not deemed essential creates an unlevel
playing field with our small business community, who are required to close or significantly restrict their services;
and
WHEREAS OCOBIA Chair Mark Kaluski sent a letter to Premier Ford on
January 19, 2021, requesting fairness for all retail businesses regarding the
sale of non-essential items; and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa has committed to supporting Ottawa’s
small business community through this pandemic;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Mayor
Watson, on behalf of City Council, write to the Premier of Ontario and the Ontario
Minister of Health to request that the Government of Ontario immediately apply the
same rules to small businesses that big box stores must adhere to, in
consultation with Public Health Authorities, and if the Government of Ontario
does not concur, that the Government of Ontario immediately require that discount
stores and big-box retailers:
1.
Limit in-person sales to grocery
and essential items only; and
2.
Restrict the sale of
non-essential items by cordoning off sales areas displaying non-essential
items; and
3.
Only sell non-essential
items via online sales or curbside pickup.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/10
Moved
by Councillor E. El-Chantiry
Seconded by Mayor J. Watson
That
the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the following Motion, in order to expand the Winter City Grant Program to support additional
projects as part of the City’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
WHEREAS the
COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and is causing significant economic
impacts across the world and locally in Ottawa; and
WHEREAS on March 17, 2020, an emergency related
to the COVID-19 outbreak was declared in the whole of the Province of Ontario,
pursuant to Section 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act,
as set out in Order in Council 518/2020; and
WHEREAS at its meeting of October 14th,
2020, Council directed that: “Right of Way, Heritage and Urban Design Services
and Roads and Parking Services present to Transportation Committee at their
November meeting a winter patio strategy after further consultation with
OCOBIA, and a best practice review of the efforts of other winter cities”; and
WHEREAS Council approved on November 4th,
2020, a recommendation that funding in the amount of $150,000 from the PIED
2020 Public Realm Intervention Capital Account be made available to BIAs and registered
business associations via a grant program for small capital improvements in the
public realm that can bolster economic activity during the winter months; and
WHEREAS the Winter City Grant Program criteria and application
process was developed and provided to BIAs and registered business associations
on November 17th, 2020 with the program providing up to 75% of
eligible project costs up to a maximum of $25,000; and
WHEREAS nineteen (19) applications were received and reviewed
through a jury process with seven (7) projects identified to receive grant
funding from the approved $150,000 funding envelope; and
WHEREAS expanding the Winter City Grant Program would permit more
public realm projects to be funded and further support Ottawa’s main street businesses,
public realm beautification and visitor experience;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve that $50,000 be added
to expand the Winter City Grant Program to support
additional projects from applications already received, with the additional
funds allocated from the COVID-19 Economic Recovery account (112139) within
the existing 2021 Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development budget.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/11
Moved by Councillor M. Luloff
Seconded by Councillor J. Harder
BE IT RESOLVED that Council suspend the Rules of Procedure, to consider the following motion
to authorize a joint meeting of the
Planning Committee and Community and Protective Services Committee as the next
Council meeting is on February 10, 2021 and this would not provide sufficient
time for the associated legislative processes, public notification and agenda
publication.
WHEREAS, as directed by Council in
November 2019 as part of the Report on Rental Accommodation Study and
Regulatory Regime (ACS2019-EPS-GEN-0015), the
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department (PIED) and the Emergency
and Protective Services Department (EPS) have worked closely to develop
recommendations to Council on Short-Term Rentals, culminating in two separate
reports, namely Report ACS-2021-EPS-PPD-0001 – Short-Term Rental Regulations
(EPS), and Report ACS2021-PIE-EDP-0005 Zoning By-Law Amendments to Permit the
Short-Term Rental of Residential Dwelling Units City-Wide (PIED), which
includes recommended Zoning By-law Amendments;
WHEREAS staff recommend both reports be considered jointly to enable
staff to speak to the inter-relationship between the recommendations of both
reports;
WHEREAS staff propose a Joint Planning Committee and Community and
Protective Services Committee meeting; and
WHEREAS the recommendations of either given report may not be within
the specific Terms of Reference of one or the other committees if presented in
a stand-alone report but are nonetheless interrelated;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council
delegate authority to a Joint Planning Committee and Community and Protective Services
Committee Meeting to consider the Short-Term Rental reports from both PIED and
EPS; and
BE IT FURTHER Resolved that the Joint
Planning Committee and Community and Protective Services Committee Meeting be
designated as a public meeting for the purposes of the Planning Act.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/12
Moved by Councillor C. Kitts
Seconded by Councillor J. Harder
WHEREAS Council approved By-law No. 2019-307 on September 11, 2019
amending the zoning for the lands municipally known as 252 Aquaview Drive and
2165 Tenth Line Road to permit a subdivision development; and
WHEREAS By-law No 2019-307 established urban exception 2579 which
provides a minimum corner side yard setback of 3m; and
WHEREAS the Owner has applied to the Committee of Adjustment for a
minor variance from exception 2579 in respect of Block 85 on Registered Plan
4M-1665 to reduce the minimum corner side yard setback from 3m to 1.6m; and
WHEREAS the Planning Act restricts an
applicant from requesting a minor variance prior to the second anniversary of the
day on which a by-law for the subject lands was amended without the approval of
Council; and
WHEREAS Planning Staff have reviewed the application and have no concerns with
the request for minor variance;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Rules of Procedure be suspended to
permit the introduction of the following motion:
WHEREAS under the Planning Act, Section 45(1.4) Council may
declare by resolution that an application for minor variance is permitted; and
WHEREAS Planning staff have no concerns with the submission of an
application for minor variance to the Committee of Adjustment in respect of
Block 85 on Plan 4M-1665, being the Avalon Aquaview subdivision in Ward 19;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that an application for minor variance in respect
of Block 85 on Plan 4M-1665 seeking a reduced corner side yard setback is
permitted to be brought before the Committee of Adjustment in advance of
September 11, 2021.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/13
Moved
by Councillor M. Fleury
Seconded by Councillor R. King
That the Rules of Procedure
be suspended to consider the following Motion, in order that the property
owner, an affordable housing provider, may address these issues as soon as
possible and access provincial funding for a redevelopment.
WHEREAS the building at 256 St. Denis Street is in an advanced state
of disrepair after suffering two fires in the last 7 months; and
WHEREAS there are neighbourhood concerns related to criminal
activity the property; and
WHEREAS given the dilapidated condition of the building and the community’s
concerns it would be in the public interest to demolish the building; and
WHEREAS there is currently no building permit application for a replacement
building;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve demolition control for
the existing building on the property subject to the following conditions;
1.
That until the time of the
construction of the first replacement building, the registered Owner shall
landscape the property to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Planning Infrastructure and Economic Development. The
registered Owner shall prohibit the use of the property for other interim uses
and maintain the property in accordance with the Property Standards By-law;
2.
The landscaping
of the property shall be finalized in collaboration with City staff;
3.
The Owner shall
pay one hundred percent securities to the City for the value of landscaping the
property, with the securities to be released once these works are completed;
4.
The Owner agrees
that to the discretion of the General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure and
Economic Development Department, a replacement building must be substantially
completed within five years from the date of this approval and in default
thereof, the City Clerk shall enter on the collector’s roll the sum of $5,000
for the residential dwelling to be demolished;
5.
The registered
Owner shall enter into an Agreement with the City of Ottawa to include the foregoing
conditions and pay all costs associated with the registration of said Agreement.
At such time as a building permit is issued to redevelop the site and the
replacement building is in place, the Agreement will become null and void and
will be released upon request of the Owner. The Owner shall pay all costs
associated with the release of the agreement;
6.
The Owner agrees
that a demolition permit will not be issued and the building cannot be
demolished until such time that the agreement referenced herein has been
executed and registered on title;
7.
This approval is
considered null and void if the Agreement is not executed within six months of
Council’s approval.
CARRIED
MOTION NO 47/14
Moved by Mayor
J. Watson
Seconded by Councillor M. Luloff
That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to
consider the following motion in order to allow staff to meet the January 31.
2021 provincial deadline to commit funding under the Social Service Relief
WHEREAS on April 1, 2020, the Ministry of Municipal
Affairs and Housing committed $13.2 million, under the Social Services Relief
Fund, to the City of Ottawa for the purpose of assisting with the COVID-19 response;
and
WHEREAS in August 2020, the Ministry increased
the City’s allocation by $17.8 million to further assist with the mitigation of
ongoing risks for vulnerable people, to encourage long-term housing-based solutions
to homelessness post-COVID-19 and to enhance rent assistance for households in
rent arrears due to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS the City received a third allocation on
December 15, 2020, in the amount of $12 million on the condition that the funds
be committed by January 31, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the
second and third tranches of funding, which account for $29.9 million of the
total $43.1 million allocated to date, permits capital costs as a new area of
eligible expenses, with the objective to:
1. provide longer-term
housing-based solutions to homelessness post-Covid-19 outbreak,
2. better
address the needs and to encourage movement toward client service models that
are innovative, and seek to support client and organizational readiness in
preparation for potential future outbreaks or emergencies; and
3. change
the physical design of congregate care settings such as emergency shelters, to
permit elements such as physical distancing and self-contained bedrooms and
washrooms; and
WHEREAS since April 2020, staff have allocated, through
open, fair and transparent processes, approximately $30 million towards operating
funds to the qualifying sector to assist with immediate and ongoing needs to
respond to the pandemic; and
WHEREAS on July 15, 2020, Council approved a 10
Year Housing and Homelessness Plan with targets to create between 5,700 to 8,500
new affordable housing options over the next ten years; and
WHEREAS staff identified needs and opportunities
for the second and third tranches of funding and considers it to be in the best
interest of the City that approximately $11.3M from the second and third
tranches be allocated to capital projects; and
WHEREAS the
capital projects must be acquired/built/renovated within the next 11 months, and
ready for use/occupancy by December 31, 2021; and
WHEREAS staff
are recommending the following four capital projects (the “Capital Projects”),
which meet the program objectives, align with the goals set out in the 10 Year
Housing and Homelessness Plan, and can be ready for use/occupancy by December
31, 2021:
a)
St. Luke’s Table at 760 Somerset Street West (Ward 14)– $150,000
towards the renovation of the existing day program space at St. Luke’s Anglican
Church, to create three new showers, a laundry facilities, and the relocation
of washrooms in order address a critical service gap which has been exacerbated
by the increase in unsheltered homelessness resulting from the pandemic;
b)
Ottawa Mission – 92 Florence Street – (Ward 14) $700,000 towards
the purchase and a full renovation to the interior of the existing rooming
house (8 units), including new and upgraded plumbing, electrical and windows;
c)
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH)– 3380 Jockvale Road (Ward
3)- $4,000,000, which amount will supplement the Rapid Housing Initiative funding
earmarked for the project to maximize the investment on the site for the
creation of modular housing for low income families (32 total units); and
d)
Up to $6,500,000 for a fourth capital project (Ward 16),
currently being negotiated, which will serve to preserve existing affordable
supportive housing stock (50 plus beds) and make modifications to better meet physical
distancing goals;
WHEREAS the Capital Projects, which utilize
provincial funding, will not create any new operating pressures on the City’s budget;
and
WHEREAS the provincial SSRF Guidelines require Capital
Projects to be approved by City Council; and
WHEREAS the
timelines established by the Ministry to meet the program requirements are
extremely aggressive, and staff are recommending the approval and delegated
authority necessary to achieve the January 31, 2021 deadline to ensure funds
are not reallocated within the province; and
WHEREAS 3380
Jockvale was declared surplus to City requirements and transferred to the
Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation (OCLDC) by City Council on
November 9, 2017; and
WHEREAS 3380 Jockvale has a 2020
estimated value of $1,600,000; and
WHEREAS the Jockvale
project recommended in this motion is on a portion of City-owned land and staff
are recommending that the portion of the property (see Sketch on Document 1[2]) be leased to Ottawa
Community Housing Corporation for nominal consideration and for a term of 20 years
to meet provincial timelines and requirements, and that staff report back with
an option to purchase proposal in late 2021 when the portion of the property
can be severed and transferred to OCH;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that City Council:
1.
Approve the recommended Capital Projects;
and
2.
Delegate the authority to the Director,
Housing Services to select the 4th capital project, the recipient
and the amount of the funding to be allocated, based on the project, their
capacity, experience and interest to own and operate the affordable housing
units to be owned and operated; and
3.
Delegate the authority to the Director,
Housing Services, to negotiate and enter into on behalf of the City, contribution
agreements and/or related agreement(s) and amendments with the selected
recipients to allocate the capital funding under the SSRF on such terms and
conditions as are required to meet or exceed the provincial requirements and which
are satisfactory to Director, Housing Services, in consultation with Legal
Services; and
4.
Delegate the authority to the Director,
Housing Services to make changes to the list of recommended Capital Projects
and allocated funding amounts in the event the province does not approve the
proposed investments or a project is determined not viable, on the condition
that the alternate project(s) aligns with the goals of the 10 Year Housing and
Homelessness Plan; and
5.
Direct the Director, Housing Services, to
inform local Councillors in advance of any changes to the outlined Capital
Projects including advance notification of the fourth capital project once
committed, and to work with local Councillors on communication and community
engagement; and
6.
Direct City staff to prioritize and
expedite the review of any development applications for the recommended Capital
Projects, and identify ways to expedite the necessary building and planning
approvals; and
7.
Delegate the authority to Director, Housing
Services, to negotiate and enter into any agreements with the non-profit
housing providers selected, for any operating funding that may be available to
the Director, Housing Services, on terms and conditions agreed to by the
Director, Housing Services and in a form approved by Legal Services; and
8.
Delegate the authority to Director,
Housing Services, to execute, on behalf of the City, any security or financing
documents required to secure the funding being advanced and required by the
non-profit housing providers, including any postponement, confirmation of
status, discharge or consent documents where and when required during the term
of the contribution agreement, as required by normal business practices, to the
Director, Housing Services, provided that such documents do not give rise to
financial obligations on the part of the City that have not been previously approved
by City Council; and
9.
Authorize the transfer of the portion of
the land at 3380 Jockvale to Housing Services for a future disposal to OCH; and
10.
Delegate the
authority to the Director, Housing Services and the Director, Corporate Real
Estate Office, to lease the portion of the land at 3380 Jockvale Road, shown as
Parcel 1 in Document 1, to Ottawa Community Housing Corporation, for a 20 year
term and for nominal consideration, in order for OCH to have an interest in the
property, as required pursuant to the SSRF and Rapid Housing Initiative funding
sources; and
11.
Direct the Director, Housing Services to report
back in late 2021 with a proposed Option to Purchase for the portion of the
property at 3380 Jockvale, when the land can be severed and transferred to OCH.
CARRIED
MOTION
Moved
by Councillor C. McKenney
Seconded by Councillor J. Leiper
WHEREAS the building at 131 Balsam
Street is in an advanced state of disrepair due
to a fire at the property; and
WHEREAS given the dilapidated condition of the building and the
community’s safety concerns it would be in the public interest to demolish the
building; and
WHEREAS there is currently no building permit application for a
replacement building;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council approve demolition control for
the existing building on the property subject to the following conditions;
1. That until the time of the construction of the replacement
building, the registered Owner shall landscape the property to the satisfaction
of the General Manager of Planning Infrastructure and Economic Development. The registered Owner shall prohibit the use of the property
for other interim uses and maintain the property in accordance with the
Property Standards By-law;
2. The landscaping of the property shall be
finalized in collaboration with City staff;
3. The Owner shall pay one hundred percent
securities to the City for the value of landscaping the property, with the
securities to be released once these works are completed;
4. The Owner agrees that to the discretion of
the General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development
Department, a replacement building must be substantially completed within five
years from the date of this approval and in default thereof, the City Clerk
shall enter on the collector’s roll the sum of $5,000 for the residential dwelling
to be demolished;
5. The registered Owner shall enter into an
Agreement with the City of Ottawa to include the foregoing conditions and pay
all costs associated with the registration of said Agreement. At such time as
a building permit is issued to redevelop the site and the replacement building
is in place, the Agreement will become null and void and will be released upon
request of the Owner. The Owner shall pay all costs associated with the release
of the agreement;
6. The Owner agrees that a demolition permit will
not be issued, and the building cannot be demolished until such time that the
agreement referenced herein has been executed and registered on title;
7. This approval is considered null and void
if the Agreement is not executed within six months of Council’s approval.
MOTION
Moved by Councillor R. Brockington
Seconded by Councillor T. Kavanagh
WHEREAS Mooney’s Bay Park, located in River Ward, along the Rideau
River, is one of the most visited City of Ottawa park; and
WHEREAS, Mooney’s Bay Park offers a number of amenities and
attractions that draw visitors in every season, including the Mooney’s Bay Hill
(the Hill), an attraction popular for tobogganing; and
WHEREAS, the 25-person cap for toboggan hills and ice rinks, as imposed
by Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health, has not been respected on the Hill this
winter, part of a requirement to social distance to reduce the risk of COVID-19
transmission; and
WHEREAS, a 2017 safety audit of the Hill was conducted and
concluded that The Hill poses a number of safety issues and was subsequently
removed from the City’s sanctioned toboggan hill list; and
WHEREAS, on January 21, 2021, the City of Ottawa closed the Hill
for toboggan use; and
WHEREAS, a significant amount of communications from the public has
been received by the local Councillor’s office in support of finding a solution
to open the Hill, respecting health and safety protocols,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff in Recreation, Cultural and
Facility Services be directed to assess the safety issues associated with
tobogganing at Mooney’s Bay Hill and identify options that would assist in
mitigating risks to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks Recreation
and Cultural Services, to permit tobogganing on site.
MOTION NO 47/15
Moved
by Councillor D. Deans
Seconded by Councillor C. A. Meehan
That
the by-laws listed on the Agenda under Motion to Introduce By-laws, Three
Readings, be read and passed, with the exception of the by-law listed as By-law
“UU” (A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to
temporarily change the zoning of the lands known municipally as 114 Richmond
Road), as the associated item has been deferred; and
That
the following by-law be read and passed, in
accordance with the Motion approved at today’s meeting:
- A
by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2020-186 respecting
expiry of the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law.
CARRIED
BY-LAWS
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THREE READINGS
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2021-3. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish ward boundaries and Council
composition and to repeal By-law No. 2005-302, as amended, and By-law No. 2005-534.
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2021-4.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law 2007-268
respecting fees and charges for public transit services.
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2021-5.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish the
position and duties of Auditor General of the City of Ottawa, including
statutory powers, and to repeal By-law No. 2013-375, as amended.
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2021-6.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
the position and duties of City Manager of the City of Ottawa, including statutory
powers.
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2021-7.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
the position and duties of Integrity Commissioner of the City of Ottawa,
including statutory powers.
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2021-8.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2020-360 respecting the delegation of authority, to correct typographical
errors in Schedule “H”.
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2021-9.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2012-309 respecting a lobbyist registry and the position and duties of
the Lobbyist Registrar.
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2021-10.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2018-400 respecting a code of conduct for Members of Council.
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2021-11.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2018-399 respecting a code of conduct for members of local boards.
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2021-12.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2018-401 respecting a code of conduct for citizen members of the Built
Heritage Sub-Committee.
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2021-13. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish fees and charges for services,
activities and information provided by Revenue Services of the Finance
Services Department and to repeal By-law No. 2020-17.
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2021-14.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-499 respecting fire routes.
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2021-15.
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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2021-16.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
fees and charges in the Building Code Services Branch for agency letters and
to repeal By-law 2020-7.
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2021-17.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2020-9 respecting the naming of private roads and highways and the
numbering of buildings and lots.
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2021-18.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
2003-69, respecting fees for compliance reports in the Building Code Services
Branch, and to repeal By-law 2020-11
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2021-19.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2015-85 respecting fees for enclosures for privately-owned outdoor pools.
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2021-20.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2020-8 to address fees relating to the prohibition, inspection and remediation
of buildings used for marijuana grow operations.
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2021-21.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2014-220 respecting the fees for building applications and permits, and
to repeal By-law No. 2020-10.
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2021-22.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
2016-326 respecting fees for permanent signs on private property and to
repeal By-law 2020-12.
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2021-23.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to appoint
Councillors to act in place of the Mayor and to repeal By-law No. 2014-440
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2021-24.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to govern the
proceedings of the Council and its Committees and to repeal By-law No. 2019-8
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2021-25.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2019-44 governing the proceedings of its Advisory Committees.
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2021-26.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa amending By-law
No. 50 of 2000 respecting the procurement of goods, services and construction
for the City of Ottawa
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2021-27.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to impose fees
for planning applications and to repeal By-law No. 2015-96.
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2021-28.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2010-115 to amend fees for services and activities of the Corporate Real
Estate Office.
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2021-29.
A By-law of the City of Ottawa to provide for
amendments to the existing Simpson Municipal Drain in Lots 24 and 25, Concession
IX, Lot 24 , Concession X and Lots 23 and 24, Concession XI, Cumberland Ward,
former Township of Cumberland, Lot 1 Concession IX Cumberland Ward, Former
Township of Gloucester, Lot 1 Concessions X and XI Osgoode Ward, Former
Township of Osgoode in the City of Ottawa and to repeal By-law No. 1542 and
By-law No. 49-86.
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2021-30.
A By-law of the City of Ottawa to provide for
the addition of Branch No. 4 to the existing Wilson-Johnston Municipal Drain
in Lot 25, Concession X, Cumberland Ward, former Township of Cumberland in the
City of Ottawa.
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2021-31.
A By-law of the City of Ottawa to provide for amendments
to the existing John Taylor Municipal Drain in Lots 5 and 6, Concession VIII,
Rideau-Goulbourn Ward, former Township of Rideau in the City of Ottawa.
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2021-32.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at voie Sora Way on Plan 4M-1594, as being
exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2021-33.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at chemin Miikana Road on Plan 4M-1671, as being exempt from Part
Lot Control.
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2021-34.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at 552 Booth Street (405, 556, 558, 562 and 568 Rochester
Street and 550, 552, 562 and 568 Booth Street) as being exempt from Part Lot
Control.
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2021-35.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish certain
lands as common and public highway and assume them for public use (chemin Andromeda
Road, avenue Hermes Avenue, avenue Solarium Avenue and avenue Brian Good
Avenue).
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2021-36.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-445 with respect to road cut fees.
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2021-37.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-446 respecting fees for encroachments.
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2021-38.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-447 respecting fees for private approaches.
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2021-39.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-497 respecting permit fees for over-dimensional vehicles.
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2021-40.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2003-520 respecting the fees for certain signs and advertising devices on
City roads.
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2021-41.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2017-92 respecting fees for ROW patios on City highways.
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2021-42.
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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2021-43.
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 250 and
252 Hinchey Avenue.
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2021-44.
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 284 King
Edward Avenue.
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2021-45.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of part of the lands known municipally as
1620 Maple Grove Road.
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2021-46.
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 1155
Joseph Cyr Street and 1082 Cyrville Road.
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2021-47.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of part of the lands known municipally as
54 Springbrook Drive.
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2021-48.
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 1258 Marenger
Street.
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2021-49.
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 114
Isabella Street.
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2021-50.
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 390 and 394
Bank Street.
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2021-51.
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 33 Maple
Grove Road.
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2021-52.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2008-250 to remove the holding symbol from part of the lands known municipally
as 4788 Albion Road.
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2021-53.
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
552 Booth Street.
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2021-54.
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 1642 Merivale
Road.
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|
2021-55.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law
No. 2020-186 respecting expiry of the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law.
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2021-56.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at mews Aglish Mews, hauteurs Ballyhale Heights, croissant
Caltra Crescent, voie Drumlish Lane, voie Edenderry Way, cour Finglas Court,
cour Maynooth Court, cour Lixnaw Court, ruelle Oranmore Lane, and avenue
Robin Easey Avenue on Plan 4M-1670, as being exempt from Part Lot Control.
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2021-57.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish
the Rural Transit Areas within the City of Ottawa and to repeal By-law No.
2015-169.
|
|
2021-58.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish the
Urban Transit Area within the City of Ottawa and to repeal By-law No. 2015-168.
|
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2021-59.
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 243 and
245 Hinchey Avenue.
|
|
2021-60.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at voie Lanceleaf Way on Plan 4M-1587 as being exempt from Part
Lot Control.
|
|
2021-61.
A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate
certain lands at 360 Haliburton Heights as being exempt from Part Lot Control
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MOTION NO 47/16
Moved
by Councillor D. Deans
Seconded by Councillor C. A. Meehan
That the following by-law
be read and passed:
To confirm the proceedings of the Council meeting of January 27, 2021.
CARRIED
Council adjourned
the meeting at 1:06 pm.
_______________________________
_______________________________
CITY
CLERK MAYOR
State of the City Address
Mayor Jim Watson
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
I want to start
by thanking Elder Claudette Commanda for offering such a thoughtful Algonquin prayer
and blessing to guide us in our deliberations and decisions throughout the
coming year.
Migwetch,
Claudette.
Claudette’s ancestors
have been stewards of this land for over 6,000 years – and we should look to
their steadfast commitment to protecting nature and our waterways as a guiding
light in our decision-making.
I very much value
our relationship with our surrounding Algonquin communities – Pikwakanagan and
Kitigan Zibi – as well as with all First Nation, Métis and Inuit residents of
Ottawa.
I’m very pleased
that Grand Chiefs Verna Polson and Lisa Robinson, and Chiefs Dylan Whiteduck
and Wendy Jocko are able to join us virtually this year.
We’ve had the honour
of welcoming our Algonquin partners at City Hall in previous years – and I look
forward to hosting them once again when it’s safe to do so.
This year, my
State of the City Address revolves around the theme of resilience and
determination.
And looking back
at 2020, I know it’s a year we’ll never forget.
We won’t forget
the hardship, the sacrifices, the loneliness, the loss of life and the anxiety
we all went through – here in Ottawa and right around the world.
But let’s remind
ourselves that it was also a year where we were forced to slow down, spend more
time with our family, rediscover our backyards and the natural beauty our city
has to offer.
In a sense, COVID
helped us put things in perspective.
We were suddenly
reminded of what exactly is important in life – and it brought out the best in
many of our residents.
Entrepreneurs
across the city reinvented their businesses from one day to the next – many
redirecting their manufacturing capacity to fighting COVID-19.
I visited
Alexandre Cloutier and his team at InnovaTools in Councillor Kitts’ ward, who
pivoted from a shop producing home construction equipment into an innovative business
in rural Ottawa producing see-through face shields that are being tested by the
RCMP.
North of 7
Distillery on St. Laurent Boulevard quickly went from producing spirits to hand
sanitizer.
The micro distillery
produced about 500 bottles of hand sanitizer a day, which was wonderful news
for our frontline workers and those working in long-term care and retirement homes.
And I am very
impressed by the initiative shown by all these local companies.
We also saw on
full display the generosity of so many residents in our community, as they came
forward to help complete strangers make it through these difficult times.
Following
an urgent appeal from Dr. Anna-Theresa Lobos at CHEO for PPE for frontline
healthcare workers, Darcy Walsh from Edelman Canada reached out to a number of
community players including HP Canada’s President and CEO Mary Ann Yule.
Working
together, the team developed a made-in-Ontario innovative face shield that
received approval from Health Canada.
The
Shielding Heroes Campaign ended up raising over $400,000 to produce
75,000 face shields that were shipped to hospitals throughout Eastern Ontario during
a critical three-month period.
Others like
Khalid Elgazzar and his team at Conquer COVID-19 held critical PPE
drives in the early days of the pandemic to ensure that frontline healthcare
workers and our vulnerable residents had access to masks.
It’s
also the work of residents like Véronique Stolzman – a local small business owner
in Orléans – who had to close her spa and shifted her focus to supporting the
community.
In
addition to starting a FaceBook support group for Orléans residents, she raised
funds and worked with St-Hubert restaurant to provide meals for medical staff at
The Ottawa Hospital’s General campus – and at Montfort Hospital.
It
was residents mobilizing behind groups like Nepean Neighbours – who paired-up volunteers
with residents needing help getting groceries and medication, dog walking, and
picking up pet supplies while they were in isolation.
It
was local chefs like Joe Thottungal of Thali and Coconut Lagoon, Adam Vettorel
of North and Navy, Tim Stock of Thyme and Again, and Patrick Garland of Absinthe,
who provided meals to homeless residents and low-income families.
And
as the pandemic went on and food was in short order for many families, some
went above and beyond to support the Ottawa Food Bank – which is still helping
more households than ever.
In
early April, I had a conversation about these pressing needs with Harley
Finkelstein from Shopify and Michael Maidment from the Ottawa Food Bank.
We
decided to share our chat on Twitter, and Harley and his wife Lindsay generously
committed to donating $1 for every retweet of our conversation, up to $10,000.
The
campaign went viral and helped us raise over $300,000 in 48 hours to feed those
going hungry in our community.
We
received donations from all over the world – including from the hip-hop group
Wu-Tang Clan, which only amplified the success of the campaign going forward.
Looking back at
all these acts of kindness, I hope we will also remember them when we think of the
year that was 2020.
Beyond the
generosity of our residents and businesses, our City team stepped up in a
significant way to help our community during this pandemic.
Under the
impressive leadership of Dr. Etches and Chair Keith Egli, Ottawa Public Health
has been at the forefront of our fight against COVID-19 since the very start of
this pandemic.
For over ten
months, her team at OPH has innovated and stayed on top of the science to
provide sage guidance to residents, institutions and business owners, so
everyone could do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A big thank you
to Dr. Etches and her entire team for doing everything necessary to keep our
community safe during this pandemic.
I also want to take
the opportunity to thank all the health professionals that have taken care of
our elderly and sick residents since the beginning of the pandemic.
All the doctors,
nurses, personal support workers who have worked tirelessly and for countless
hours in our hospitals and Long-Term Care homes.
I also want to recognize
the unsung heroes of the pandemic – the bus drivers, Bylaw officers, paramedics,
police officers, firefighters, our staff in Water Services, the janitors and
cleaners in essential buildings, and the clerks at the grocery store.
They all made
sure that our city’s essential services were maintained while most of us were asked
to stay home.
And in a show of solidarity with our healthcare and frontline
workers, I have asked that the Ottawa 2017 cauldron in front of City Hall be
lit up every night over the next three months.
In partnership
with Enbridge, we will reignite this beautiful flame as a thank you to our
essential workers and as a light at the end of the tunnel, providing hope and
optimism to our community.
Thanks to the
guidance and leadership of City Manager Steve Kanellakos and his talented
Senior Leadership Team, the City responded quickly to the pandemic in support
of our partners and our residents.
We put in place
the Human Needs Task Force to ensure we could respond to the needs of our most
vulnerable residents and the social services sector that supports them – and I
believe we did that very successfully.
In the early days
of the pandemic, we distributed over 400,000 disposable and cloth masks to
residents who needed them.
We provided our
partner agencies with more than $82 million to deal with COVID-related cost increases
– $57 million of which went to the safe reopening and operation of childcare and
Early ON centres.
The rest of these
transfers include:
- $16
million to 130 social services and housing partners towards PPE and
additional cleaning
- $800,000
for COVID renovations; and
- $5
million in supports to other social service agencies – including $1.4
million specifically for those serving our Indigenous residents.
Overall, our
housing and social service partners received $183 million from the City in 2020:
$101 in ongoing operational funding, and $82 million in COVID-specific funding.
Working with our
partners, we have now conducted over 7,000 wellness visits to residents who are
isolated or more at-risk – providing food baskets, masks and mental health referrals
along the way.
We have opened
three respite centres with access to bathrooms, showers and other supports for
residents in the shelter system – Tom Brown Arena, St. Paul’s and Bernard Grandmaître
– and they now serve an average of 210 clients daily.
Because of
physical distancing rules and corresponding capacity restrictions, we have set
up a number of physical distancing and isolation centres for our residents in
the shelter system – with over 160 currently using those spaces.
As cases continue
to rise in our community, these centres are more important than ever – and
that’s why we will soon open a physical distancing centre at the Ottawa Jail
Hostel, close to the many wrap-around services these residents currently use.
Over the next few
weeks, the centre will serve to isolate COVID-positive residents from the
shelter system, while there is a need.
After these first
few weeks, the facility will help us address the overcrowding in the men’s
shelter system and will enable appropriate physical distancing while supporting
our most at-risk residents through the colder winter months.
This initiative also
helps to ensure the survival of the youth hostel through the pandemic.
Facing a mounting
housing crisis in the face of COVID-19, our City staff and three non-profit partner
agencies responded enthusiastically this fall to the federal government’s launch
of a Rapid Housing Initiative.
Ottawa was
allocated $32 million as part of this program, which will allow us to fund four
projects and 109 new supportive housing units – both in the core and in the
suburbs.
As an example,
this funding will allow the Shepperds of Good Hope to go forward with a 40-unit
residence with a new kitchen and a drop-in program at 216 Murray Street – while
Hope Living in Kanata, their residence for people aged 55+, will be able to add
eight new fully-accessible rooms.
This is of course
in addition to the City’s ongoing investments in affordable housing – and
thanks to historic yearly investment of $15 million, the City will break ground
on another 250 new supportive and affordable housing units in 2021.
This brings the
City’s total investment in affordable and supportive housing to $47 million in
2021 – which will allow us to deliver 359 units.
And I would be
remiss not to mention the federal government’s announcement in September of its
single largest investment in affordable housing – thanks to a mortgage of $168
million from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to Ottawa Community
Housing.
This historic financing announcement will enable Ottawa
Community Housing to finally develop Gladstone Village and its 700 new
affordable housing units.
I want to thank
the federal government – Ministers Hussen, McKenna and Fortier – for their help
with this project and their outstanding contributions to affordable housing in
our city.
Given these
investments, the City has a pipeline of 1,282 units – which are at various
stages of planning and development.
But with the help of our partners, we are on track to
deliver 694 new units during this Term of Council – which will be the largest
number of affordable housing units ever built in the City’s history.
As we know, the
private sector also plays a key role in the affordability of housing and in
ensuring that Ottawa maintains a good mix of housing options for our residents.
And I’m pleased
that many of the new projects coming forward are along our existing and future
LRT lines, which is exactly the kind of transit-oriented development we have
been seeking from the industry.
These projects
help us achieve the kind of growth and density we want to see in existing
neighbourhoods while reducing the reliance of residents on cars.
And to ensure
transit remains affordable for our low-income residents, I’m proud that we
froze the cost of the EquiPass and the Community Pass for the third consecutive
year as part of Budget 2021 – which is an additional investment of $185,000 in
affordable transit.
This is all good
news for the sustainable growth of our city, good news for the environment and good
news for our future transit ridership.
And it’s in line
with the important conversations that are taking place right now in our
community and at Planning Committee on the new Official Plan, which will
determine how our city will grow over the next 25 years.
As part of that
consultation and policy development process, we know we will see more
intensification in existing core neighbourhoods and suburbs, creating 15-minute
walkable communities that are supported by all the required amenities and
services.
The O-Train and
the transit-oriented development it is spurring fits right into this sustainable
growth and helps us battle urban sprawl.
In 2020, the work
started at Albert and Queen, where a surface parking lot and a two-storey
building will make way for two towers that will soon connect 588 residential
units directly into Lyon Station.
Significant
progress was also made on a 25-storey building at the former Trailhead site on
Scott Street, which will offer 279 rental units within steps of the future
Westboro Station.
This year, construction
will begin at 900 Albert, where two residential towers with a direct connection
to the Bayview Station platform will provide over 1,200 units – along with over
1,000 bike parking stalls.
Work will also
start at LeBreton Flats East on five residential towers that will deliver 1,600
units next to Pimisi Station and our future Central Public Library, on which we
will break ground this fall.
And I’m proud that
we will deliver the first Net Zero Carbon library in Canada, thanks to an important
investment secured by Minister Catherine McKenna.
I also want to thank
Councillors Tierney and Luloff for their support and leadership at the Ottawa
Public Library board over the years – they were both instrumental in getting
this project to where it is today.
But this flurry
of development activity is not limited to downtown – with many projects already
starting construction or being proposed for much farther out along the Stage 2
LRT corridor.
In the west-end,
the owners of the Bayshore Shopping Centre have brought forward plans for two
towers on that site – a project that will deliver 500 rental units a stone’s
throw away from the future Bayshore Station.
In the east-end,
developers will break ground on three towers at the corner of Ogilvie and
Cummings, which will offer 850 rental units and 175 hotel rooms a few hundred
metres away from Cyrville Station.
Construction will
also start this year on a 397-unit retirement home at 211 Centrum – across the
street from Place d’Orléans and its future LRT station.
All this construction
activity helped us sustain our local economy and thousands of good jobs throughout
this pandemic – and our staff in Planning, Infrastructure and Economic
Development played a pivotal role in making sure we didn’t skip a beat on that
front.
In 2020, the City
issued 2.6% more building permits than the year before – and the value of those
permits increased by 20%, from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $4 billion last year.
As we all know, not
many sectors were that lucky, and the pain was felt particularly hard by our
small business owners and the tens of thousands of employees they support across
the city.
We know small
businesses are the backbone of our local economy – and they inject a lot of
life and vibrancy into our neighbourhoods.
Tourism, hospitality
and retail were some of the hardest hit sectors of our local economy – and it
will take years to build back to where we were before.
But working with our
Economic Partners Task Force – under the leadership of Councillors El-Chantiry
and Dudas – we acted quickly to roll out a number of measures to help small
businesses make it through the last 10 months.
Under the City’s
Property Tax Hardship Deferral Program, we extended tax deadlines for 1,900
property owners – both residents and small businesses – who needed a bit of
breathing room.
As the first wave
of the virus was slowing down and our economy was getting ready to reopen, our
Business Reopening Toolkit received more than 17,500 visits and was downloaded
over 1,400 times by small businesses wanting to make sure they were reopening
safely.
In May, we also launched the Recovery Stream of the
Innovation Pilot Program, in order to help local companies test products and
technologies that could help us in our fight against COVID-19.
We received 47
applications – and five projects were selected to be piloted within City services
or partner organizations.
In-it-Live, a
Kanata-based company who helps community organizations with a volunteer
management solution, has expanded from one foodbank to four – and they now have
several new opportunities in their pipeline.
Last summer, we
expanded opportunities for restaurants and stores to do business outside, where
customers typically felt safer.
Under the Patio
Innovation Program, approximately 350 patios and cafés sprung up around the
city – roughly 260 more than in 2019.
We also had seven
road closures in place for the purpose of expanding patios – and these provided
approximately 500 paying seats to those benefitting restaurants and their very
happy customers.
Another investment
made by our Economic Development team that yielded impressive results in 2020 was
a grant to the Ottawa Chinese Community Services Centre to deliver the Women
Information Technology Teleworkers program.
The program was
designed to overcome barriers of internationally-trained IT professionals who
were not using their skills because they needed to stay home to care for their
children.
The pandemic
changed this dynamic considerably, and the program launched in April after bringing
many employers on board.
So far, 24 of the
38 immigrant women in the group have been hired and can work from home as web
developers, network architects, business analysts and user experience
designers, just to name a few.
This initiative
would not have launched without the support of the City – and I couldn’t be
happier that we were able to make a difference for this group of talented
immigrant women.
We’re also
working with business leaders at OCOBIA, the Ottawa Board of Trade and the RGA to
advocate on behalf of small businesses with the provincial and federal
governments.
Following a
letter issued by OCOBIA Chair Mark Kaluski last week, Councillor Kavanagh and I
will bring forward a motion today asking the Province to ensure there’s a level
playing field among businesses facing closures during this lockdown.
It is absolutely
unfair to ask small businesses to shut their doors while Costco’s and Walmart’s
across the city are completely accessible to customers because they sell
groceries.
These big-box
stores should be cordoning off their non-essential goods sections to respect
the spirit of the current pandemic measures – and I hope you will all support
this plea to Premier Ford.
We know that
Ottawa’s economy typically weathers the storm better than other Canadian cities
– and that was no different throughout this crisis.
Thanks to the presence
of the federal government and a tech industry which played a key role supporting
workers at home during this pandemic, Ottawa’s unemployment rate stood at 6.7%
in December – the lowest rate amongst Canada’s six largest cities, and only one
of two cities under 10%.
But we have still
lost tens of thousands of jobs – and ‘’for lease’’ signs are more noticeable in
every part of the city.
I want us to
return quickly to a thriving economy and the 4.3% unemployment rate our city
enjoyed before the pandemic.
And we’re
currently working with our many economic development partners to make sure that
the recovery is as strong as it can be.
With the
vaccination campaign underway, now’s the time to plan how our economy can
rebound solidly once most of us have been vaccinated and life returns to
normal.
We know people
will want to travel; they will seek out the adventures and experiences they have
missed.
Festivals,
concerts and good meals in restaurants with loved ones – all the good things
that make life worth living.
Companies will
seek out investment opportunities in projects that are green and sustainable to
ensure that we rebuild our communities better.
We need to start
looking at policy changes, investments or community-building projects that will
help us get there.
That’s why on
February 9, I will host an Economic
Rebound
Roundtable with leaders in important sectors of our economy – so we can
identify those key opportunities for our economy and chart a course of action
for our city’s rebound.
This discussion will
determine our priorities over the coming months and will feed into the City’s
new Economic Development Strategy, which will be presented to FEDCO this fall.
The private
sector will without a doubt play a key role in the rebound – and there’s
already some great projects that will help strengthen employment in our city in
the coming months.
The second Amazon
fulfilment centre – the largest construction project in the city’s history – is
currently taking shape in Barrhaven.
It’s providing
jobs to 500 construction workers on site – and the project will create up to
1,500 full-time jobs starting this fall.
Not far from that
site, construction is progressing rapidly on the Advanced Building Innovation Company
– or ABIC – which will create 300 full-time jobs starting this spring.
This A.I.-enabled
facility will transform the way residential homes are fabricated, transported
and assembled in our region – while dramatically reducing the amount of waste
generated in the process.
ABIC is an
exciting and innovative project and I very much look forward to the economic
and environmental benefits it will generate for our region.
After taking a
pause due to COVID, the Ottawa Film Office and TriBro Studios are currently on
track to break ground later this year on Ottawa’s new soundstage campus and creative
hub.
This is of course
contingent on COVID-19 restrictions and their potential impact on the
construction sector…
But once it gets
off the ground, this exciting cultural facility will create hundreds of jobs
and support the growth of Ottawa’s film, TV and animation sectors…
And I want to
thank Councillor Cloutier for his support of this great project and his ongoing
work with the Ottawa Film Office.
Our infrastructure
needs to keep up in order to support this flurry of economic activity in the
south-end – and thanks to Councillor Harder’s leadership and advocacy, the City
is now working with the provincial government on the EA for a new interchange
at the 416 and Barnsdale Road.
This new
infrastructure would ensure that residents and businesses have the capacity to
easily connect in and out of the 416 – a crucial economic corridor for moving
goods and services across Ontario.
Throughout the
pandemic, Invest Ottawa has continued to support our local entrepreneurs and innovators
– and as part of its Digital Main Street future-proofing program, the team
helped over 400 small businesses get online quickly to generate new revenues.
In the first
three quarters of 2020, the Invest Ottawa team helped attract $398 million in
investments and facilitated 990 new jobs in our region.
I’m pleased to
announce that Councillor Sudds will be joining the Invest Ottawa Board of
Directors in the coming months – and I know that with her background and
expertise, she will help advance IO’s efforts to grow our tech sector and our
local economy by supporting the next generation of local innovators and
entrepreneurs.
Despite some ups
and downs in our knowledge-based economy this past year, our tech sector and
its talent pool remain almost unsurpassed – primarily on the strength of the
tech community in Kanata North.
According to
CBRE, Ottawa retained the number one spot for the highest concentration of tech
talent per capita among 50 markets across North America – coming in at 11.3%,
ahead of San Francisco’s 10.5%, which includes Silicon Valley.
Invest Ottawa has
leveraged this deep pool of talent and technology companies to launch the
world-class living labs that have become Area X.O and the Smart Farm at the
NCC’s Research Farm.
Councillor Harder
has for many years championed the vision for Ottawa’s Smart Farm.
She has been
laser-focused on the need to increase the global food production by 50 to 70
percent by 2050 – so we can manage to feed the projected nine billion
inhabitants of our planet.
The Smart Farm
helps producers collect and analyze data in real-time to make decisions that
will maximize their crop yields and their return on investment.
In an article on
November 3rd, the Globe & Mail described the facility as ‘’a one-of-a-kind
farm […] set to change the agri-tech landscape.’’
So far, 20
innovators and companies have used the Smart Farm to improve their research and
technology.
And I’m very
pleased to say that in its first year, the crop yields achieved at the Smart
Farm were approximately 17% higher than on neighbouring farms – and their production costs were also well below average, which helps put more
money into the pocket of local farmers.
Our economic development
partners are certainly doing a lot to maintain Ottawa’s reputation as a world-class
city for technology and innovation.
And our friends
at Ottawa Tourism are also in full swing to keep up the momentum and our reputation
as an impressive host city – and they are making sure we have a solid pipeline
of major events for when things get back to normal.
Although 24 major
events were cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic, many like the Canadian
Curling Club Championships, the Bingham Cup and the Canoe Kayak Sprint National
Championships have already been rescheduled to take place in Ottawa.
Thanks to
continued funding from the City, the Major Events Office has continued to bid
on large-scale sporting events and conferences in support of Ottawa’s rebound –
and we have had some very positive announcements in 2020.
These include the
CP Women’s Open at the Hunt Club next year, as well as Canada’s very first
Valour Games – a version of the Invictus Games geared towards Canadian veterans
– and the 2026 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships, which will be held at
TD Place.
As our tourism partners
very well know, Lansdowne Park in Councillor Menard’s ward is a crucial asset for
us to attract large-scale sporting and cultural events to the nation’s capital.
It has been in
the past – attracting events like the NHL Heritage Classic, the Grey Cup, Guns
N’ Roses, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Brier and City Folk – and I know it
will again in the future.
Were it not for
the pandemic, we would have seen the arrival of three new sports teams at TD
Place in 2020 – in addition to our beloved RedBlacks and 67’s.
The Atletico Ottawa
soccer team – an affiliate to the Atletico Madrid – was supposed to make its
debut at TD Place this past summer, as were the Ottawa BlackJacks professional basketball
team and the Ottawa Aces professional rugby team.
I know these new teams
are thrilled to be finding a home at TD Place – and I look forward to visiting Lansdowne
Park to see them play in our city.
In addition to
this activity by our economic development partners, I want to make it clear
that we at the City have not taken our foot off the gas either – knowing full
well that we must always continue to build and plan for the future.
The opening of
the Confederation Line was a momentous event in our city’s history – and it
propelled Ottawa into a new era as well as another league of world-class
cities.
In response to
the many issues we encountered in the first year of the system, we have held
RTG’s feet to the fire to significantly improve the reliability of the system
for our transit users – and although more progress is needed, they are on the
right track and service has indeed improved.
Right across the
city, we can witness the progress being made on the construction of Stage 2 LRT,
which will bring the benefits of rail service to communities farther south, east
and west.
But we are not
stopping there – and this fall, we completed the planning for Stage 3 LRT with
the adoption of the Barrhaven Extension EA, following the approval of the
Kanata-Stittsville EA in 2019.
I know that
Councillors Meehan, Harder, Egli and Moffatt in the south, as well as
Councillors Hubley, Sudds, Gower and El-Chantiry in the west – are looking
forward to the City bringing Stage 3 LRT to their communities.
So far I’ve had
very positive discussions with elected officials at the provincial and federal
levels on the funding of Stage 3.
But with the EAs
now approved, we will engage this year in a more formal and coordinated
advocacy campaign to appeal to our provincial and federal partners.
We also worked
with our partners in Gatineau on their plans to see a tram connect Gatineau’s
west-end to downtown Ottawa – a system that would link our two downtowns and
serve customers on both sides of the river.
That’s still many
years away, but in the meantime, we have continued to invest in our roads and to
deliver new complete streets that improve our active transportation network.
Last year, we
officially reopened Elgin Street in Councillor McKenney’s ward, which has been
completely transformed into a pedestrian destination thanks to its impressive
sidewalks and flex spots for new patios.
In December, we
also reopened Rideau Street to cars and buses in Councillor Fleury’s ward – and
once the project if fully completed in the spring, it will offer segregated
cycling lanes and new greenery, as well as a renewed William Street for pedestrians.
Out in the
west-end, we officially opened phase 1 of the Kanata South Link in Councillor
Hubley’s ward – a full year ahead of schedule.
This important new
corridor will provide a smooth connection for many Kanata and Stittsville residents
out to the 416.
In 2020,
construction started on the renewal of Montreal Road, which will also feature
bike lanes and help with the revitalization of Montreal Road and Vanier.
We also broke
ground on the widening of Strandherd Drive, which is much needed to support the
rapid growth of our population in the south-end of the city.
These investments
in road renewal, complete streets and segregated bike lanes are making our roads
safer for all users – in addition to the many other initiatives being delivered
under our Road Safety Action Plan.
In 2021, the City
of Ottawa will spend a total of $37.8 million on road safety measures and
initiatives, compared to $25 million in 2019.
Our red-light
camera program has led to a reduction of 50% in serious T-bone collisions at
those intersections – and our 2021 Budget will allow us to install another 10
red-light cameras this year.
Last year, the
City launched the Automated Speed Enforcement pilot program, which was one of
my campaign commitments to reduce speeding in school zones and enhance safety for
children in our community.
After designating
eight Community Safety Zones where fines would double for speeding infractions,
staff initially rolled out four cameras, to which two more were added at the
end of December.
In the coming weeks,
another two cameras will be installed – for a total of eight cameras covering
all eight Community Safety Zones.
So far, approximately
47,000 tickets have been issued since mid-July, along with $2.5 million in
revenue collected as of early December – which will be reinvested into road
safety measures, including priority intersection improvements.
Staff have also observed
a reduction in operating speeds and greater compliance with the posted speed
limits – which is the kind of behavioural changes we want to see from drivers
as part of this program.
Staff are always
seeking opportunities to improve the safety of our road network for all users.
This year, they will
be undertaking the detailed design of three high-volume intersections
identified in the 2020 study, as well as three rural skewed intersections identified
for improvement in the Road Safety Action Plan.
We will also be
making improvements to the cycle track on Laurier Avenue West, which will
include a protected intersection at Elgin and Laurier – and the free-flow
channel at the Jeanne d’Arc interchange is being removed and re-designed as
part of Stage 2 LRT project.
Just before the holidays,
we leveraged the Investing in Canada Program’s COVID-19 Resilience Stream to make
significant progress on many important projects that support both our social
and transportation infrastructure.
Ottawa’s $20.1
million allotment will help us deliver:
- A new
clubhouse for the Boys & Girls Club of Ottawa, which will benefit community
members in Ottawa south, represented by Councillors Deans, Brockington and
Cloutier
- The expansion
of the Beacon Hill North Community Centre in Councillor Tierney’s ward
- $1.2
million invested in upgrades at shelters
- $1.5
million in energy efficiency upgrades at City facilities
- $950,000
in repairs to the historic ByWard Market building
- 13
Wi-Fi projects at community centres across the city
- 19
MUPs, bike facilities and sidewalk projects
- 12
PXOs and pedestrian signals; and
- 8
picnic areas in parks
In 2021, we will also
finish renovating the Blackburn Hamlet Arena in Councillor Dudas’ ward, which
will reopen to the public in June after a significant upgrade to make it more
accessible to all residents.
We are also
investing in other parks and facilities across the city this year, including:
•
Laroche Park in Councillor Leiper’s community;
•
the Corkery Community Building expansion in Councillor El-Chantiry’s ward;
•
the Cobble Hill Park redevelopment and expansion in Councillor Harder’s ward;
•
Riverchase Park in Councillor Sudds’ community; and
•
The Riverain Park redevelopment in Councillor Fleury’s ward, just to name a
few.
I’m also proud
that we have managed to deliver a number of new bridges to connect our communities.
In the last few
years alone, we have delivered the Adawe Crossing over the Rideau River, the
Flora Footbridge over the Rideau Canal, and the Jackie Holzman Bridge over the
417.
This year, the City
will be transforming the Prince of Wales Bridge into an interprovincial active
transportation corridor – where residents will be able to walk, cycle and
cross-country ski.
This historic bridge
linking Ottawa to Gatineau was built in 1880 and was last used for rail traffic
in 2001.
A few decades
from now, the bridge will no doubt serve as a secondary rail link bringing
Gatineau residents to LeBreton Flats or to the Ottawa Airport…
But in the
meantime – and with the certainty now that the STO tram project will cross the
river using the Portage Bridge – the time has come for the Prince of Wales
Bridge to provide active transportation benefits to our residents.
In the beginning,
this bridge unfortunately served as a corridor to extract and transport natural
resources from the land of the Algonquins.
That reality is
part of Canada’s dark colonial past – one that we must recognize if we want to
engage in meaningful Reconciliation with our Indigenous partners.
I read Randy
Boswell’s column in the Citizen attentively during the holidays, and I agree
with him that this bridge crossing the Ottawa River – which has been deemed
sacred by the Algonquin People for thousands of years – should bare an
Indigenous name.
The renaming of
the Prince of Wales Bridge will serve as an important symbol of Reconciliation between
our nations.
And I’m pleased
to announce that following initial discussions with our Algonquin partners, I
will be seeking your support to rename the bridge the Chief William Commanda
Bridge.
William Commanda served
as Chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation from 1951 to 1970.
He was an
Algonquin elder, a spiritual leader, a promoter of environmental stewardship
and a great bridge builder between our nations.
For his dedication
and outstanding service to his people, William Commanda was awarded the Order
of Canada in 2008.
I could not think
of a more fitting name for this great bridge that crosses the Kitchissippi – the
Algonquin name for the sacred Ottawa River.
I am committed to
advancing this dialogue over the coming months with the goal of reopening it as
the Chief William Commanda Bridge later this year or early next year.
In addition to
these investments in our infrastructure and the good jobs they sustain, the
City’s Economic Development team will of course play a key role in our rebound
– and we still have a number of initiatives we’re working to deliver.
Before the
holidays, we launched the Winter City Grant Program to help BIAs and Business
Associations deliver small capital improvements to beautify or animate our
commercial main streets.
The program
received 19 applications, but the initial $150,000 in funding will only allow
us to support six projects, which include:
- Kanata
North’s Outdoor Community Ice Rink for both tech workers and residents;
- Wellington
West’s improvements to the LRT gateway into their business district; and
- the
Market’s repurposing of giant B-Y-W-A-R-D letters into a series of six unique
benches that will improve the public realm and visitor experience.
The other three
projects are in the Glebe, Downtown Rideau and Quartier Vanier.
But so we can do
more, staff have also identified an additional $50,000 that can be reprofiled from
existing 2021 Economic Development funding.
Councillor
El-Chantiry and I will be bringing forward a motion later today that will allow
us to fund another six projects in business areas across the city.
I hope we can
count on your support to deliver these six additional projects in Carp,
Chinatown, Stittsville, Westboro, Manotick and on Elgin Street.
The Economic
Development team is also in the process of reviewing its CIP roll-out strategy
– and as part of that exercise, they will be coming back to FEDCO this spring
with a plan for a new integrated Orléans CIP that leverages our investment in
Stage 2 LRT.
I know our east-end
councillors are looking forward to promoting this new CIP and showcasing their
community as an ideal place to invest and do business.
We also have
strategies to guide our investments in some of our assets that support the
tourism industry – like the Sparks Street and ByWard Market Public Realm plans.
I know our plans
for the ByWard Market and Sparks Street will dictate some of the City’s
infrastructure investments over the next five to 10 years – but how can we work
with our partners to deliver on this faster or better?
We have to
explore and seize all opportunities – just like we did with Ottawa 2017.
We started planning
those celebrations in 2012 – five years before Canada’s 150th
birthday – and that’s the reason those celebrations were such a success for our
city and our tourism industry.
I believe we have
a similar opportunity in 2027 – and that’s why I’m announcing today the
creation of an Organizing Committee that I will chair to plan the celebrations
of the 200th anniversary of the ByWard Market – just six years from
now.
As we all know,
the ByWard Market was created by Colonel John By as he was spearheading the
construction of the Rideau Canal – when Ottawa was a very different kind of place.
But what hasn’t
changed is that the ByWard Market remains a major draw for visitors to our
city, and a symbol of Ottawa’s thriving agricultural industry – both past and present.
I believe that if
we start to plan now, we can land on an exciting plan and find the funds to
deliver programming that will help us attract more visitors to the nation’s
capital – helping hotels, restaurants and businesses flourish along the way.
And who knows: following
the rebound of our tourism industry over the next few years, 2027 might be the
year to bring back La Machine to amaze thousands of residents and families in
the ByWard Market.
In the meantime,
I’ve been quite encouraged with the new leadership at Ottawa Markets – and I
want to thank Zach Dayler, Board chair Bryan Chandler, the whole board of
directors and the staff team for the good work they have done over the last
year to lay the foundation for a strong rebound once the pandemic is over.
I’m particularly
impressed with Ottawa Markets’ new Farmers First policy – which is a direction
I have encouraged for some time.
Although a number
of new farmers markets have sprung up across the city in recent years, we need
to once again attract farmers and local producers to the Parkdale and ByWard
Markets – where it all started.
This Farmers
First approach will help us do just that by offering free stalls to new farmers
and giving incentives for local producers – and I’m pleased that the City will
help support these efforts.
And that’s just
one of the ways the City is supporting our rural communities.
In March, Council
approved the City’s very first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which highlights
many actions and measures to encourage investment and job-creation in our rural
areas.
As part of this
strategy, the City is currently working with its partners to conduct an
inventory and mapping of all our agri-food assets, which will help identify and
support new business opportunities in rural Ottawa.
In a few weeks,
we will be launching the Rural Business Toolkit – a one-stop shop for investors
and business owners containing all the programs and tools that can help them
grow their business and create jobs in rural Ottawa.
And I want to
thank Councillors El-Chantiry, Kitts, Darouze and Moffatt for their advocacy of
these initiatives supporting our rural residents and business owners.
Last
summer, we worked with Ottawa Tourism to launch the Rural Cycling and Tourism
Campaign.
At
a time when many residents were opting for staycations, we encouraged them to
rediscover the beauty and charm of our four rural wards, while supporting their
restaurants and businesses.
Included
in the campaign were self-guided cycling routes, sample day itineraries, and a
photo contest that received almost 1,400 entries.
The
promotional video for the campaign received over 21,000 views – making it
Ottawa Tourism’s second-most-viewed IGTV video ever.
And
once the stay-at-home order has been lifted, we will work with Ottawa Tourism
on a similar Winter Rural Tourism Campaign, which I know will once again
benefit our rural businesses.
I
suspect part of that winter campaign will include snowmobiling; but George –
please don’t invite me.
At
the core of the rural tourism offering are our cherished rural fairs –
Carp, Metcalfe, Navan, Richmond and the Capital Fair – which were unfortunately
not able to take place last year.
This broke the running
streak for these longstanding rural events – with the Carp Fair postponing its
157th edition to 2021.
Given
their importance to our rural villages and their contributions to the
agricultural societies, I’m proud that the City’s Rural Affairs Office was able
to provide each fair with a $15,000 grant to help them make it through 2020.
And
I’m pleased to say that, if the rural fairs cannot be held this summer and fall,
the City will once again be there to support them.
I
want to thank our rural Councillors for their advocacy and support on this –
and I very much look forward to celebrating with them when our rural fairs are back
in action this summer or next.
I
think it’s important for Ottawa’s cultural events to know that the City – which
is often one of their major funders – has their back during this pandemic.
I’m
proud that our cultural funding has continued to flow to these festivals and
special events in 2020 and 2021 – and I want to assure them that we will
continue to do so going forward.
That’s
the only way we can ensure that these great events – from Bluesfest to Capital
Pride and the International Writers Festival – can rebound and thrive once
we’ve received the vaccine and the pandemic is over.
And
the same can be said of our funding to the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition,
which reassigned $25,000 of City funding last year to assist 50 artists in need
with $500 grants, as they pivoted to online performances.
Councillor
Leiper played a key role in the development of our Music Strategy – and I know
he has been very supportive of OMIC’s efforts in the last few years.
We also have a
great relationship with our partners in the Francophone community – and Lise
Sarazin and the RGA play a central role in our efforts.
We are working
together on a number of joint projects – and I believe the RGA helps us better
serve our business community.
I also believe
the City is getting better every year at providing quality programs and
services to our Francophone residents.
And I am proud to
report that in 2020, we received only 32 complaints, a decrease of 24 percent
from the 42 complaints we received in 2019.
I’m
also proud that we have continued to advance social programs and initiatives that
help us make Ottawa a more inclusive, livable and welcoming city.
As
we know, Indigenous Peoples, Black, Asian and other racialized residents have
disproportionately been – and continue to be – the victims of violence, racist
graffiti, racial slurs, and they’re constantly excluded from employment
opportunities and discriminated against in the workplace.
The
City has a leadership role to play in addressing systemic racism in our
community – and that’s why last year, we created the Anti-Racism
Secretariat and appointed the City’s very first Council Liaison on Anti-Racism
and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives.
And I want to
thank Councillor King for accepting to serve in that role.
In 2020, the City
hired its very first Anti-Racism Specialist to advance this work from within
and across all City departments.
Since
the establishment of the Secretariat, some of the progress made includes:
- Initiating the creation of an Anti-Racism Advisory Table;
- Launching a social media awareness campaign to condemn
anti-Asian racism;
- Launching the gender and race equity baseline study – together
with the Women and Gender Equity Specialist; and
- Creating the “Coping with Racial Stress” pilot project for
youth with the Neighbourhood Ambassador Program.
In a few weeks, a
new Director of Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, and
Social Development Services will join the City team – a new position and a new internal
structure that will allow us to better coordinate our efforts.
I am confident
that the team will build on the work that is underway at the Somali Community Table
since 2016, as well as deliver progress for our racialized communities with
respect to employment equity, housing, economic development, health outcomes
and youth development.
Councillor
King’s appointment follows that of Councillor Kavanagh in 2019 as the
City’s first Council Liaison on Women and Gender Equity.
On that front,
the Women and Gender Equity Strategy is being finalized and will be presented
to CPSC and Council in the coming months.
The strategy will
guide the City in applying the gender lens to all the work we do, steering us towards
a more equitable workplace and community.
Chief Sloly and
his team at the Ottawa Police are also playing a key role in rebuilding relationships
and trust within our racialized communities – and that starts with the makeup
of our police service itself.
I’m proud that
this commitment to diversity is reflected in the Service’s recent graduating
class of 96 recruits – which included 32 women, 31 racialized men and three
Indigenous new officers.
In 2020, our
community experienced a decline in violent crime – and I’d like to share a few
encouraging stats with you.
Homicides were down
40% to just eight cases, which were all solved by our women and men in uniform.
Shootings were
down nearly 40% – and our officers recovered a record number of guns, taking
105 firearms off our streets.
OPS officers
administered Naloxone 115 times, saving the lives of 103 residents struggling
with addiction.
Thanks to the
efforts of Councillors El-Chantiry and Deans at the head of the Police Board, Chief
Sloly has reinstated the Neighbourhood Policing Program, which helps our officers
forge lasting and meaningful relationships with residents and community
partners in at-risk neighbourhoods.
In 2019, three Neighbourhood
Resource Teams were deployed in Vanier/Overbrook; Heron Gate/South Ottawa; and
Carlington/Caldwell.
Due to their
success, the program was expanded to three more neighbourhoods last year: the
ByWard Market/Lowertown in May – and Centretown and Bayshore in the fall.
Under this model,
the officers are dedicated exclusively to their assigned neighbourhoods for a
minimum of two years, where they work with local residents, schools, not-for-profit
organizations, business associations and City staff to better understand and
address crime and its underlying socio-economic issues.
Adequate mental
health response – as well as anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism training –
are at the core of these programs.
And at the Ottawa
Police Services Board on Monday, Chief Sloly tabled a plan to engage with the
community on how OPS can better support the safety and well-being of residents with
mental health challenges, including how officers respond to people in mental
health crisis.
Another social
issue I’d like to raise attention to this year – and especially as COVID-19 remains
in our community – is the epidemic of loneliness that faces so many residents –
young and old.
A
recent Angus Reid survey found that close to half of Canadians describe
themselves as sometimes or often lonely and longing for company.
And
it’s been acknowledged in research that profound loneliness can shorten someone’s
life by as many as 15 years – and that it has similar effects as obesity or
smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The
problem is so severe that medical researchers are now developing medication to
try to address these issues.
But
I believe there are things we could contemplate as a society to address this
chronic loneliness that so many of our residents are struggling with.
For
example in Britain, doctors have started issuing social prescriptions – like
dance, cooking and art classes.
On
a personal note, I have found the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders to be a
challenge as a single person.
As
someone who enjoys meeting and spending time with people, the isolation and at
times loneliness can be a real challenge.
Over
the next few weeks, I would ask everyone to take a moment to think of those in
their social network and see if there’s an old friend or family member they
haven’t spoken to in a while.
And
if there is: make some time and pick up the phone.
Give
them five or ten minutes of your time; have a quick chat and make their day.
Every
week, I try to call five or six different seniors I know just to say hello and
see how they are doing.
I
hope it is of some help to my senior friends, as I know it is helpful for me.
During
the pandemic, I also managed to keep occupied and connected with our community
by hosting over 50 virtual class visits.
I’ve
always enjoyed visiting schools and chatting with engaged students – and I often
found it was an enjoyable part of my day that brought some sense of normalcy.
I
believe the students appreciated our discussions as well.
In
one of the thank you notes I received from Natalie Paquette, a teacher at Henry
Larsen Elementary, she wrote:
‘’Your
visit brought some joy and excitement to our class in the midst of a difficult
school year in which the students are constantly hearing about what they can’t
do.
I
overheard one student say – ‘’He must think we’re important because he visited us!’’
– so thank you for making them feel important.’’
These
kids often relayed to me what they were doing to pass the time during COVID –
and much of that was doing activities outside with their family.
They
visited a lot of parks and were reminded of how beautiful and green Ottawa truly
is.
I
was quite proud to tell them how we’re investing in the environment to ensure Ottawa
remains a green, sustainable and livable city for future generations – and I
want to thank Councillor Moffatt for his stewardship of these environmental
initiatives over the last few years.
Last
September, the Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel – the jewel in the crown of the
Ottawa River Action Plan – was finally put into service to protect the health
of this great river.
This
$232 million project will play a crucial role in reducing stormwater overflow
from going directly into the Ottawa River – helping us keep our water clean,
our fish healthy and our beaches open.
As
an added benefit, it will also help address possible basement flooding in low-lying
areas in Centretown and the Glebe.
I’m
also proud that on January 1 of this year, our new and strengthened Tree Bylaw
came into effect.
One
of our city’s greatest assets is our tree canopy.
It
makes Ottawa a green and enjoyable city – and that’s what differentiates us from
many other large cities around North America.
As
I promised last year, the new by-law includes stricter fines to discourage the
illegal removal of trees.
We
have also modified the criteria of a distinctive tree in the inner urban area –
which is now defined by having a smaller 30-centimetre diameter rather than the
previous 50 centimetres.
This
year, the City is completing an inventory of spaces available for tree planting
in our urban areas.
Staff
will then use that map to prioritize new planting locations, which will help us
achieve our long-term canopy cover target of 40% – helping us protect this
great asset for generations to come.
During
the State of the City Address last year, I announced I would give the Key to
the City to a number of accomplished Canadians who have had an impact on our
city and its image on the national and international scene.
I
know the recipients were looking forward to their Key to the City ceremony,
which we had to cancel due to COVID-19.
I’m
hoping we will be able to host these in 2021 – and as a reminder, the
recipients are:
- Accomplished
golfer and three-time Canadian Press female athlete of the year: Brooke
Henderson;
- Former
Governor General, veteran journalist and global ambassador for La
Francophonie: Michaëlle Jean;
- TSN
sportscaster and proud Carleton University journalism graduate: James
Duthie;
- and
last but not least, the Ottawa Citizen, an organization that has been
providing news coverage in the nation’s capital for 175 years – the
longest continuing local business in Ottawa today.
Although a
ceremony could not be held, we nonetheless awarded the Order of Ottawa to 15 outstanding
and deserving residents, who are:
- Reverend Doctor Anthony Bailey
- Donald Ross Bradley
- Dale Craig
- Dr. Rouba Fattal
- Sylvio A. Gravel
- Paul Hindo
- Barry J. Hobin
- Barbara MacKinnon
- Fiona McKean
- Bob Monette
- David H. O'Malley
- Bruce G. Roney
- Bharat Rudra
- Vineet Srivastava; and
- Joe M. Thottungal
Jean-Sorphia
Guillaume will also be awarded the Brian Kilrea Award for Excellence in Coaching,
which recognizes the contributions of an amateur coach who exemplifies
leadership and commitment.
These residents
have all left their mark in our community – in sectors like academia, medicine,
community activism and business – and I look forward to celebrating their achievements
at a ceremony later this year.
And
I look to later this year with a sense of cautious optimism – because I dare to
think that 2021 will end on a much better note than it began.
Ottawa’s
own Spartan Bioscience received approval from Health Canada a few days ago for
its COVID-19 rapid test kit.
I’m
hopeful that rapid testing will help us better control the pandemic, as well as
reopen our economy in the coming months.
With
our vaccination campaign now underway, there is in fact a light at the end of the
tunnel; the tunnel of this pandemic we have all been facing for close to a year
now.
Based
on the guidance of our federal and provincial partners, I’m hopeful that most
members of our community will have been vaccinated by the end of the summer.
This
vaccine roll-out campaign is a monumental community effort – and I want to
thank all the partners that are involved.
Thanks
to our hospitals for their leadership; Ottawa Public Health, as well as our
very own paramedics – who are lending a hand and managed to vaccinate in record
time all the residents, workers and primary caregivers at Ottawa’s 28 Long-Term
Care homes.
And
I’ll read an excerpt of a note sent by David Eggett, chair of the Board of
Directors at Osgoode Care Centre in Councillor Darouze’s ward, to Paramedic
Chief Pierre Poirier about their impact in our community – and I quote:
‘’Comments I
received were that the teams were very well organized, efficient, fast and
gentle. The latter is particularly key in dealing with long-term care community
residents. I was told that there was a 101-year-old resident who NEVER wants to
so much as take a pill, so a vaccine seemed unlikely.
One of the
paramedics asked to be able to talk to her – and lo and behold – was able to
coax her into receiving the vaccine!”
It
warms my heart to know our staff is making this kind of a difference in the lives
of our residents – and I look forward to hearing of many more moments like
these, as the vaccination campaign progresses in our community.
I
encourage all our residents to remain hopeful and kind; to take good care of
each other and of yourselves, while we make it through this home stretch of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
I
hope that by the time I deliver the State of the City Address next January,
things will have returned to normal for most of us – and that we will once
again be a healthy and thriving city as we were merely a year ago.
Let’s
have faith.
I
know we will get through this together.