Budget season is in full swing at City Hall and will be the focus of our work in the Ward 14 office until the final vote on December 11.
What happens between now and then is a series of committee meetings to closely examine each element of the budget. If you want to share your opinion at any of these meetings, you can sign up to speak.
What has been in the news a lot are the proposed changes to the OC Transpo budget, particularly transit passes for seniors. When I first caught wind of the city’s intention to raise seniors’ monthly fees by 120%, I made a video expressing my commitment to fight these changes and other increases to fares.
I am also worried about the potential end to free transit for 11- and 12-year-olds, and higher fares for university students. While the Mayor is now indicating that there will be changes to the proposed new transit fares for seniors, there has not been any movement yet on the other proposed increases.
Public transit is a public service and should be paid for primarily through the city-wide tax levy. We do not charge tolls for roads that not used by everyone in the city. Placing the burden so heavily on transit users amounts to an extra tax on low-income people in our city who have no other way to get around. I will be making these points at the Transit Commission meeting on Monday, November 25th. You can watch the meeting on YouTube or join us at City Hall.
And now for some good budget news. After years of advocacy by my office and by the Gotta Go! Campaign, Centretown has been allocated funding to install two public, self-cleaning bathrooms. These types of facilities are widely used in Europe and have been installed with great success in both Montreal and Waterloo. You can watch a video from Montreal to see how they work.
I have heard so many stories from residents about how a lack of public bathrooms decreases our quality of life in Centretown – from parents who can’t bring their kids to the park without a nearby toilet, to business owners finding human refuse in alleyways, to people experiencing homelessness who have nowhere else to go. Once the city budget has passed, our office will be reaching out to the community to help us decide where we should put these new toilets. I am so pleased to see this basic human need finally recognized and properly resourced in downtown Ottawa.
Thank you to everyone who emailed our office, participated in our virtual budget consultation and plan to come to make presentations at city budget committees. We need all your voices to help us build a better city.
Warmly,
Ariel
Councillor Troster with Councillors Carr, Plante and Dudas at the rally for refugees
Rally for refugees sends message of welcome
I was thrilled to join Refugee 613, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and councillors from all over the city, at a rally to support refugees and newcomers last weekend. The vibe was overwhelmingly positive, and it reinforced the fact that Ottawa is a welcoming and compassionate city.
If you want to learn more about the proposal for new Refugee Reception Centres in suburban communities, you can check out the Q and A on the Engage Ottawa site. These new centres will provide integrated services, settlement support and rapid rehousing for asylum seekers.
There is a lot of disinformation circulating right now. I made a video that helps dispel some myths about this initiative. Please help spread the facts – these centres are nothing to fear and will provide a more humane landing pad for people seeking safety and a new life in Ottawa.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe with Councillors at the rally for refugees
Update on James Street trees
Our office is hearing a lot from residents concerned about the possible loss of mature trees on James Street, as part of the sewer replacement and road resurfacing process. We met with city staff to discuss resident feedback, and specifically to push for better tree retention. As a result of that meeting, I’m pleased to share two immediate follow up items.
I asked that staff commit to an onsite review with an eye toward maximizing tree retention. They’ll be conducting that review over the coming weeks. As well, in response to feedback about the proposed ramp style sidewalks, we’ve asked staff to investigate revising the design to traditional sidewalks with the same 1.8m width. My office will reach out when we have more information to share, and we thank residents for caring so much about trees in Centretown.
Remembering Robert Smythe
I was so sad to hear that Robert Smythe passed away. A long-time community volunteer and local historian, Smythe wrote fascinating articles for the Centretown Buzz. He also worked for many years as an assistant to former Somerset Ward councillor Diane Holmes. You can read more about Robert and his incredible contributions in the Centretown Buzz. My sincere condolences to everyone who knew and loved Robert.
Heritage protection for 66 Queen Street
This month’s Heritage Committee meeting was especially entertaining. We officially designated 66 Queen Street as a heritage building, and Jack Hanna from the Centretown Community Association gave us quite the history lesson!
He brought a sleeping bag manufactured before WW2 that was sold by the Woods company. The building at 66 Queen Street was originally constructed as a warehouse and factory for the Woods Manufacturing Company in the early 1900s, and it was soon after converted into offices and residences.
The building was designed by architect James Mather and demonstrates the Romanesque Revival architectural style.
I love learning about Ottawa’s history through Heritage Committee. Thank you to the CCA and Heritage Ottawa for your advocacy to get this building designated.
Councillors King, Troster and Plante with one of the original sleeping bags manufactured at 66 Queen Street
Mayor’s 22nd Annual Christmas Celebration
Date: Saturday, December 7
Time: 3 to 6 pm
Location: Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West
Admission: Donation to the Ottawa Food Bank
Celebrate the festive season in the fresh outdoors and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus who will arrive from the North Pole and be housed in their very own outdoor cabin. Roast marshmallows around a campfire, enjoy hot chocolate, taffy on snow, horse-drawn wagon rides.
Bring your skates! The Rink of Dreams opens (weather permitting) for the skating season on Saturday, December 7.
Don’t miss the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Marion Dewar Plaza at 5 pm.
You can indulge in delicious BeaverTails for only $2, with all proceeds raised going directly to the Ottawa Food Bank! Purchase your Christmas tree, wreath or potted tree at the event, with $5 from the sale of each item donated to the Ottawa Food Bank.
The fun continues inside with live entertainment in Jean Pigott Place.
Full details can be found on the event webpage.
13th annual international dinner fundraiser for The Door Youth Centre
The Door Youth Centre has been a friendly spot for youth aged 12-18 and a staple in the community for 28 years! Through our supervised educational, recreational and social programs, youth can realize their full potential and be active, contributing members of society. We started hosting our Annual International Dinner in 2012 as a way to acquaint people to The Door and to raise funds to support our everyday operations.
We will be having a silent auction and the centre's youth will be performing as well.
Date: Wednesday, November 27th
Time: 6:00pm
Purchase tickets online here.
In Ottawa, we are currently losing 31 affordable apartments for every one that we build.
Last week I shared a video talking about the misinformation being spread about proposed newcomer reception centres in suburban Ottawa.
A city is made up of its people. And what we choose to fund tells us who we are.