Demolition by Neglect, transit compensation, shelter diversion, new zoning bylaw, and more!

Vacant, partially demolished and derelict for almost 20 years. A close runner-up would be the former school board building at 330 Gilmour – empty and falling apart for even longer, taking up a full block in between Metcalfe and O'Connor. I hear about these two buildings all the time from residents who want to see them fixed up and developed. And I share that desire.

At the last Built Heritage Committee, we received an update on properties on the Heritage Watch List, including the two I just mentioned. As many of you have seen, there has been some progress on Somerset House – this summer saw the first major concrete pour for the new foundation. Council approved the owner’s development application in 2023, and a building permit was issued in 2025. That said: the city doesn’t have the ability to force the owner to do the work faster, a reality that remains deeply frustrating to me and to the surrounding community.

At 330 Gilmour (which has been vacant for more than 25 years), city staff ordered the owner to install protective fencing to prevent debris from falling on the sidewalk and the owner is now required to do an assessment of the building’s condition to see what other work will be needed to protect public safety. The owner is Ashcroft Homes, a company that is currently facing bankruptcy proceedings. Ironically, the property was put up for sale just last week – we can only hope that a new owner will take better care of it.

In the Ottawa Citizen this week, I spoke out about the need for better tools to prevent developers from acquiring heritage properties and allowing them to rot. A Vacant Commercial Unit Tax could provide a financial disincentive to developers who are otherwise content to leave their properties vacant. It could also help fill some of the empty storefronts on Bank Street owned by landlords who would rather treat their properties as speculative investments than rent them to an up-and-coming business.

Councillor Stéphanie Plante tried to get traction from the province on this issue in 2024. At the time, the Ford government was not enthusiastic about the idea. But it’s clear that we need better tools to hold property owners accountable, and this is something that Councillor Plante and I will continue to push for, particularly in the urban core. Because derelict properties are certainly not contributing to the revitalization of downtown Ottawa. And Centretown deserves better.

Warmly,

Ariel

Councillor Troster with Ann, our office's new caseworker.

Welcome to Ann!

I am delighted to welcome Ann Van Welter to the Ward 14 team as our new Casework and Operations Lead. Ann’s most recent position was as the Assistant Manager of Programming at Shepherds of Good Hope. She brings years of front-line and customer service experience to the role. Ann will be helping residents navigate housing benefits and social supports, among many other things.

And a big thank you to Stan Kupferschmidt, who recently moved on from our office to work at another community agency.

You can reach Ann through the main inbox at [email protected].

Motion on transit compensation

During last week’s council meeting, two motions were put forward by Councillors Sean Devine and Shawn Menard, directing city staff to examine possible options for compensation for people who have been left in the cold due to the current bus shortage crisis and mechanical problems on the LRT. I will be supporting these motions and pushing for the city to treat the transit reliability crisis as a true emergency. You deserve much better service – something that was extra clear to me last week, when I ended up walking home rather than waiting 40 minutes for a bus.

New pedestrian and cycling bridge coming to Preston Street

At Planning and Housing Committee this week, we voted unanimously to replace a road that was originally going to connect Preston Street to Lebreton Flats with a pedestrian and cycling bridge. This is a win for active transportation and for traffic management in Little Italy and West Centretown. You can read more about this project and hear reaction from me and from local residents in this piece from CTV.

Shelter diversion works to prevent homelessness

This week The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa released the results of their Shelter Diversion Pilot. At the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter on King Edward, staff worked to help people seeking emergency shelter re-connect with friends and family to find housing. As a result of this concerted work, almost 1 in 4 people did not enter the shelter system, and the average length of stay for those who did end up staying in the emergency shelter was reduced from an average of 90 days to 11. I am excited about this work, which has to potential to help stop homelessness before it starts. Congratulations to everyone involved!

New zoning bylaw passed

After years of consultation, City Council unanimously passed Ottawa’s new zoning bylaw last week. I spoke out about the positive benefits of removing parking minimums and allowing density city-wide. You listen to my comments on the new zoning bylaw here.

When school’s out, City of Ottawa summer camps are in

Even though it’s snowy and cold, families are already planning for summer, looking for camps that are fun and close to home. City of Ottawa camps offer balanced activities led by trained staff in your neighbourhood, designed to keep children active, social and having fun.

We have camps to suit all interests at register.ottawa.ca like the Camp Ottawa series, Fun and Friends series, French camps, sports camps, science camps, art camps, martial arts camps, virtual camps and more.

View activities online as of Tuesday, February 3 and start registering at 9 pm on Thursday, February 26. In-person registration begins the day after online registration, during business hours at each recreation and cultural facility across the city.

Financial assistance is available through the Ottawa Hand in Hand program to help eligible residents participate in recreation and culture activities. The City also offers inclusive activities and accessible facilities to ensure residents of all abilities can take part in the summer fun.

Preparing for registration night

• If you’re a new user of our registration system, create an account at register.ottawa.ca.
• If you’re a returning user, sign in to make sure your account is still active.
• Enter or check that your account information is up to date, including family members and credit card details including expiration date.
• Create a wish list of your preferred activities so you can register quickly and have backup options ready in case your first choices fill up.
• Watch the tutorial video and read the FAQ resources for more detailed information as you get ready for registration night.

Upcoming registration dates

Spring activities

• Registration for swimming activities: February 10 at 9 pm
• Registration for all other activities: February 12 at 9 pm

Summer activities, PA Days, Before and After School Programs and winter camps

• Available online: May 5
• Registration for swimming activities: May 12 at 9 pm Registration for all other activities: May 14 at 9 pm

Community consultation on transitional housing for Black GBV survivors

Maama Watali is inviting Black and racialized women to join them for a panel discussion on making a difference in the lives of Black mothers.

This event is taking place on February 15 at Operation Come Home (150 Gloucester St) from 3:30pm - 5:00pm. To register, email [email protected]

Support Matthew House Ottawa’s expansion

Matthew House Ottawa’s Furniture Bank is preparing for a major expansion, which will significantly increase the number of refugee, newcomer, and low-income families supported in setting up safe, furnished homes.

Volunteers play a critical role in making this work possible, supporting day-to-day operations and helping ensure families are welcomed with dignity and care.

To support volunteer recruitment, a Volunteer Information Session will be held on February 7th, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Furniture Bank warehouse located at 700 Industrial Ave, Unit 1B (the last unit on the left side of the building).

The session will include an overview of volunteer roles, a tour of the warehouse, and an opportunity to learn more about the impact of the Furniture Bank.

To fill out the volunteer application in this link to receive details about the upcoming session, click here.