As you may already know, the Somerset West Community Health Centre was forced by the Ford government to shut its Supervised Consumption Site and its Safe Supply program, along with many other harm reduction initiatives, including needle exchanges.
And while the community health centre will soon re-open as a HART Hub, offering addiction treatment, frontline care and supportive housing, the closure of the only option for safe consumption has led to a dramatic increase in public drug use – something Councillor Jeff Leiper and I raised the alarm about when this provincial decision was first announced.
The second thing that is exacerbating the challenges in Chinatown is that fact that the Northwood Recovery clinic has moved from Hintonburg to Somerset West. The clinic administers Safe Supply – prescribed alternatives to street drugs that are an important component of addiction care. But residents in Chinatown have raised serious questions about the operation of this clinic, as people in Hintonburg did before them.
This week, newly elected MPP Catherine McKenney and I met with the Northwood Clinic, insisting that they follow similar wraparound and security protocols that the Somerset West Community Health Centre did when they were running a Safe Supply program. Representatives from the Chinatown BIA, the Dalhousie Community Association, the Ottawa Police, city staff and Councillor Jeff Leiper were also at this meeting.
The clinic itself has hired a security guard and a nurse and says they are actively committed to removing people from their programs if they engage in diversion of narcotics. But they do not have the same resources as a community health centre, or the same structure that ensures accountability to local residents.
The city does not have the power to shut down a health clinic that is operating within the bounds of provincial law. We are exploring how the Somerset West Community Health Centre can help provide wraparound supports nearby and are working with the Ottawa Police and community outreach teams to ensure that the area in the immediate vicinity of the clinic remains safe for the entire community.
But let me be clear: this is an example of the provincial government preventing a credible and accountable community health centre from running life-saving addiction programs, leaving a private clinic to fill in the gap.
And even if a clinic has the best of intentions, they will never have the same integrated resources as the Somerset West Community Health Centre. This is a structural problem created by the province, one that we will beg them to help us solve.
Catherine and I will keep you posted as our discussions with the clinic and the provincial government continue. In the meantime, if you want to express concerns about the impact of the supervised consumption site closure or the proliferation of private addiction clinics, you can email Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health and Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario directly.
Sincerely,
Ariel
Ariel with Councillor Laine Johnson at the city’s International Women’s Day breakfast earlier this month.
Response to school boundary changes
I sent a letter to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board this week, reflecting the concerns that Somerset Ward residents have flagged about the proposed elementary school board boundary changes.
I focused on the need to preserve safe walks and bike rides to school, particularly for children who live in Chinatown and currently attend Devonshire. I agree with MPP Catherine McKenney that the Board should consider moving the boundary for Devonshire from the LRT to Preston Street. After hearing from Elgin Street parents, I also forwarded on their concerns about having Centretown kids having to cross Bronson to get to a different school.
Thank you to all the parents who wrote to me about this issue, which I know is causing a lot of stress for many of you. I have no influence over this issue at the school board, but wanted to make sure I let the OCDSB know about your concerns.
267 O’Connor Public Meeting
Join Coun. Troster at 6pm on April 2nd for a public meeting for the resubmitted design plans for 267 O’Connor. The applicant is proposing two towers at 27 and 25 stories with a shared podium. There are several changes to the new designs from the previous iterations, including substantial changes to the proposed POPS/public space component. View the design here, and register for the public meeting here.
New Ways to Bus
Your bus route may change on April 27.
Please join OC Transpo for a New Ways to Bus information session for Somerset Ward:
- Monday, April 7 from 7:15 – 8:45 pm at the Jack Purcell Community Centre, Room 203
OC Transpo staff will be available to help you navigate your new daily routes, show you how to use the Travel Planner and answer your questions. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you there.
O’Connor bike lane extension is coming
The city has approved Phase 2 of the O’Connor Street Bikeway Project, to connect the existing O’Connor bike lanes north to Wellington St. Part A of this project will add a raised median separated bi-directional bikeway between the North side of Wellington Street and the North side of Sparks Street crossing. The work includes new concrete curbs, granite curb and unit paver modifications (north side of Wellington only), concrete median, sidewalk repairs/replacement, roadway asphalt resurfacing, intersection modifications, and traffic signal plant modifications. Construction is anticipated to start in June 2025 and be complete by August 2025.
Cleaning the Capital
We’ve had quite the winter, Ottawa – but spring is just around the corner! Twice a year, thousands of residents help keep our community spaces clean and green through Cleaning the Capital litter cleanup projects, and you can join them by registering for the spring 2025 campaign!
We are grateful for the commitment of many long-term volunteers who have continued to participate in cleanup projects every year. It is estimated that over 1.2 million kilograms of waste has been removed by more than 1.5 million volunteers since the campaign began in 1994. We encourage any residents interested in participating, including high school students looking to complete community involvement hours, to register now.
Registration is open until Friday, May 2. You can choose from a variety of places to clean up, including community parks and greenspaces, shorelines, roadsides, or even areas around bus stops.
Looking to join others to help keep your neighbourhood beautiful? Check out the online interactive map for cleanups happening near you.
Starter cleanup kits are available upon request. To learn more about the campaign or to register your project, visit ottawa.ca/clean.
Nominate a Centretown Drain Hero!
Blocked storm drains and catch basins are a key cause of spring flooding as the snow melts and the spring rains come in, but any resident can help stop it! If you know someone – a friend, neighbour, or family member – in Centretown who does a great job looking out for blocked drains, we have a fun new initiative to recognize them.
Inspired by a neighbour on Gilmour, you can now request a “Centretown Drain Hero” certificate for friends and neighbours who do a great job of clearing catch basins by emailing [email protected] .
Minto Park Sale Registration
It’s that time of year! We’re excited to announce that this year’s Minto Park Sale will be held on June 7, from 9am to 3pm at Minto Park. The Sale is a beloved Centretown tradition, and we’re pleased to bring it back for this year. The annual no yard, yard sale is a great opportunity to bring out all your odds and sods and see if they can find new life with another neighbour.
To fill out a request for a table, please fill out the form below. If you have difficulty filling out the form, or are unable to do so, please reach out to us at [email protected] . Please note that tables will be booked on a first come first serve basis. FILLING OUT THE FORM DOES NOT GUARANTEE A TABLE SPACE – you will receive a follow up email with more information, and to confirm your space. If there is sufficient interest, we will open up a wait list. The link to sign up is below:
Minto Park Sale Signup
VOscars Volunteer Awards: nominations now open
Nominations are now open for the 2025 VOscars Volunteer Awards! Each year, Volunteer Ottawa gives you a chance to pay tribute to people and organizations making a difference in our community. Give the gift of recognition by submitting a nomination in one of seven award categories by May 30, 2025. And please share the submission with your nominee to let them know how much their generosity is noticed and appreciated.
YMCA summer neighbourhood day camps are coming to Centretown!
Looking for an exciting, close-to-home summer experience? YMCA Neighbourhood Day Camps offer unforgettable adventures for kids aged 4 to 12! Held at Glashan Public School, the Taggart Family Y on Argyle and Connaught Public School in Hintonburg, campers will enjoy sports, local park visits, splash pads, and themed weeks with special guests and field trips. Whether your child loves animals, science, the arts, or cars and planes, there’s a theme for everyone.
For a more immersive outdoor adventure, YMCA Camp Otonabee is just ten minutes north of Kanata! This 30-acre camp offers day and overnight programs, out-tripping, and leadership experiences for youth aged 4 to 16. Daily bus transportation is provided from several Ottawa neighbourhoods.
Camps range from $256 to $340 per week, with financial assistance available.
Give your child a summer of fun, learning, and friendship! Learn more.
Civic events funding available
The city’s civic events funding is used to deliver family-friendly events in local Ottawa communities and priority neighbourhoods that:
- Promote neighbours meeting neighbours in their local, geographic community
- Include multiple activities and attractions designed to appeal to residents of a specific priority neighbourhood or priority populations
- Promote community well-being by welcoming all community members or priority groups
- Promote equity and inclusion
Civic Events Funding prioritizes events that are directed towards the priority populations specified in the Community Funding Framework Policy Statement, including Francophones, immigrants, Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQQIA+ community members, older adults, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, racialized people, rural residents, women, and youth.
For more information and to apply, please visit Ottawa.ca.
- Deadline for application: Wednesday April 2, 2025, at 4:00 pm
- Funding available: $50,000
- Maximum funding per agency: $3,000
- Applicants are advised of the results on Wednesday, April 30, 2025
CineHearts fundraising movie night
This event is organized in collaboration with the Heart & Stroke Foundation, dedicated to raising funds for heart health and stroke prevention initiatives.
📅 Date: March 24
⏰ Time: 4:30 - 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe St.
🎥 Movie: Gulliver’s Travels (1939)
Any support through donations would go a long way in making a difference.
Sons of Scotland at National Tartan Day and VE Day
On Sunday, April 6, the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band of Ottawa will host its 17th annual National Tartan Day celebration on Parliament Hill from 12 to 1:30 pm –- and the day features massed pipes and drums, Scottish dancing, and so much more. Come out in your tartans and be counted!
On Saturday, May 3, the band will host a very special event to mark VE Day 80 in Ottawa. In partnership with the Canadian War Museum, the day begins with a reception in their foyer, and then 80 pipers will line Wellington Street and play a tune of their choosing starting at 3 pm. At 5:30, the pipers will meet the drum corps at the National War Memorial to play traditional pipe band music to honour the day. They welcome you to sign up to play and come along and join us for this very important day in Canadian history.
More information.
