It is with great shock and sorrow that we learned about the events that occurred in Barrhaven this week. We mourn for the lives lost; our thoughts are with those who have been touched by this tragedy.
If you or someone you know is affected by these events and needs support, Ottawa Public Health has a list of resources that can help: OttawaPublicHealth.ca/StressfulEvents
International Women’s Day
On Wednesday, it was an honour to join my fellow council members in support of a motion brought by Councillors Ariel Troster and Theresa Kavanagh to officially declare March 8, 2024, to be International Women’s Day in the City of Ottawa. International Women’s Day is observed across the world. It is a day to recognize the cultural, political and economic contributions of women, and to push for greater inclusion, equality and respect for women.
The beginnings of International Women's Day can be traced back to the early twentieth century. It emerged from the activities of labour movements in North America and Europe, and reflected a growing call for women’s equal participation in society. International Women's Day first took place on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. That day, over a million women and men attended public events to show their support. Other countries began to observe and celebrate this day in the years that followed. The United Nations recognized 1975 as International Women's Year and began celebrating March 8 as International Women's Day.
This morning, Councillor Jessica Bradley hosted a breakfast celebrating International Women’s Day. My mother and I attended, along with Councillors Sean Devine and Riley Brockington.
Brantwood Park to get three-stream waste diversion receptacles
Since 2017, Solid Waste Services has conducted a program formerly called the Recycling in Parks Pilot, to inform the best way to roll-out a future comprehensive recycling program for City parks. The current pilot program includes the placement and signage of three-stream bins, designed to decrease contamination between streams and allow for ease of collection. The name of the pilot program has been changed from Recycling in Parks to Waste Diversion in Parks to reflect the potential to divert more than just recycling material.
As part of the 2024 budget process, Council approved the expansion of the Waste Diversion in Parks Pilot program. We are happy to announce that Brantwood Park is included in this expansion and will receive three-stream bins this year and into the future.
We'd like to see more parks in the ward receive the same in the future.
“Sort and Score” Virtual Waste Sorting Challenge
The City of Ottawa has launched a “Sort and Score” Virtual Waste Sorting Challenge, which promotes properly disposing of your waste and our Waste Explorer tool. All residents who take the sorting challenge will be entered into a draw to win a full festival pass to Bluesfest! Using the blue, black and green bin continues to be an easy way for residents to reduce their waste and our virtual waste sorting challenge is a fun way for residents to improve their sorting skills!
Take the virtual waste sorting challenge at: Ottawa.ca/sortandscore! May the odds be ever in your favour and your waste be diverted and reduced!
2024 CWBL WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
At the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (CWBL) Women’s National Championship, women and girls from across the country compete for the national title, celebrate female leaders and connect to an inclusive, supportive sport community. Wheelchair Basketball Canada has championed this event since 1990 and have been privileged to see current, future and past Paralympians leave a lasting legacy on the court. The 2024 CWBL Women’s National Championship will take place on March 22-24 at Collège La Cité in Ottawa. Fans and media are welcome to come and experience the speed and skill that makes wheelchair basketball a fan favourite and one of the most popular adaptive sports in the world.
Tournament format:
- 5v5 National Championship: Open to club and provincial teams (MAR 22-24)
- 3×3 Recreational: Open to all individuals and teams (MAR 23-24)
- Development Clinic: Open to all female participants (Mar 22)
For more info, please visit wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Road closure notice—Bank Street Southbound
Bank Street between Glen Avenue and Cameron Avenue is about to undergo watermain and sewer replacement. To properly conduct this work, Bank Street Southbound between Glen Avenue and Cameron Avenue will need to be closed. The road closure is scheduled to occur on Friday March 22 at 6:00 PM to Monday March 25 at 6:00 AM.
During this time, traffic will be reduced to a single northbound lane in the easternmost lane, adjacent the east sidewalk of Bank Street. Southbound passenger vehicles will be redirected to use Sunnyside Avenue, Bronson Avenue and Riverside Drive, while trucks will be detoured to use Catherine Street, Bronson Avenue and Riverside Drive; however, southbound OC Transpo services will be flagged through the work zone by paid duty police at the Sunnyside Avenue and Cameron Avenue intersections. In addition, as was the case with the previous work, “Construction – No Stopping – Tow Away Zone” signs will be installed on Bank Street between Glen Avenue to south of Ossington Street prior to the work and will be removed by City services shortly after completion.
Cancelled: Public Consultation: 100 Riverdale
This event has been cancelled as an application for development is no longer forthcoming.
Parkways for People asks, “What are your ideas for Kichi Zībī Mīkan?”
Parkways For People invite you to join an online community discussion on the future of the Kichi Zībī Mīkan Parkway being held on Zoom Monday, March 18 at 7:30 pm.
A stimulating discussion is sure to follow short presentations by: Dr. Robert Zarr (connecting outdoor activity and our wellbeing); Dave Adams (speaking on the birth of urban trails and their stewardship); Sherry Wu (Ottawa Outdoor Gear Library); and the NCC (Parkways custodian).
Register today on Zoom: KZMtalk.eventbrite.ca.
Sunday March 17, an urban walk led by community member Siobhan Kirkland, will meet at Remic Rapids at 2:00 pm for a two-hour walk along the river path. No registration required.
Cleaning the Capital 2024 Spring Campaign
The long-awaited spring season is right around the corner and the Cleaning the Capital Spring Campaign will proceed with registration starting March 15, with cleanup projects taking place between April 15 and May 31.
Cleaning the Capital is a citywide cleanup that occurs in the spring and fall of every year, bringing Ottawa residents together as a community to help clean litter from our public spaces. Cleaning the Capital is an exciting opportunity for residents to show their civic pride and help maintain a beautiful city.
Cleaning the Capital registration information
Participants can register their cleanup projects by using the online form available at ottawa.ca/clean. New feature alert! The registration form populates an interactive map with pins that display the location, date, and time of all registered cleanup projects. Participants can choose from a variety of public spaces to clean, including green spaces and community parks, roadsides, shorelines, or even areas around bus stops. Cleanup kits, which include garbage bags and gloves, will be made available for pickup by registrants at one of ten City of Ottawa facilities across the city.
Key Spring Campaign Dates
March 15: Registration opens
April 15 to May 31: Cleaning the Capital Spring campaign
April 22: Earth Day 2024
May 3: Registration closes
June 15: Deadline to submit online cleanup reports
Your Capital Ward
Photo by Susan Cartwright
If you have a photo you’d like to share in an upcoming bulletin, please send it to [email protected], with the subject line Your Capital Ward. Please give us your name for attribution…or tell us if you’d rather not have your name shared.
Snow Plow Contractor Licensing Review
Did you know? Snow plow contractors in Ottawa must obtain an annual business licence!
Snow plow contractors are licensed by the City of Ottawa under the Licensing By-Law (By-law No. 2002-189, Schedule 4). This licensing category includes businesses that provide snow plowing or removal services on or from private property using a snow plow. City Council has directed staff to review the current regulations for snow plow contractors and report back with recommendations in the Fall of 2024.
Why is the City conducting a review of regulations on snow plow contractors?
The City of Ottawa periodically reviews by-laws to address emerging issues and ensure each by-law continues to meet the needs of the community. Council has directed City staff to review regulations related to snow plow contractors, including the following issues:
- Noise and nuisance;
- Illegal snow dumping on private and public property; and,
- Follow up on permanently allowing metal driveway markers.
For more information on the By-law Review Framework and the current by-laws under review, visit the City’s By-law Review webpage.
How can I get involved?
If you are a member of the public, you can complete the online survey and subscribe to our Engage Ottawa page for future updates.
I am a snow plow contractor and want to provide my input?
If you are a snow plow contractor, email [email protected] to receive additional information on industry-specific engagement opportunities and future updates.
Who are snow plow contractors under the Licensing By-law?
The City’s Licensing By-Law regulates several businesses in Ottawa, including snow plow contractors. Snow plow contractors include those who plow and/or remove snow from private property. Farmers who clear snow to help the community and people who use only shovels or manual snowblowers do not require a licence. For more information on regulations related to snow plow contractors, refer to Schedule 4 of the Licensing By-law.
I want to hire a snow plow company, how do I know if they are licensed?
If you are hiring a snow plow company, ask them for proof of their City-issued licence before signing the contract. You can also verify that a contractor is licensed by referring to the City’s approved list of snow plow contractors.
In addition, don't forget to look for an orange plate in the rear window of the snow-clearing vehicle as the contractor must also register each vehicle they are using for the season.
You can report unlicensed snow plow contractors by contacting 3-1-1 online or by phone.
Ottawa Public Health Update—Future of Health and Wellness Speaker Series March 15, 2024
On behalf of Ottawa Public Health, in partnership with Algonquin College, we would like to invite you and your network to a moderated panel discussion on Friday, March 15, as part of the Future of Health and Wellness Speaker Series.
A multidisciplinary panel, moderated by Claude Brulé, President of Algonquin College, will discuss the importance of children’s early years and the well-being of families in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Positive infant and early childhood development are key drivers for lifelong health and well-being. Many families are still experiencing the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, with delayed child development and a reported increase in depression, anxiety and stress in parents. Early childhood development, through preventive education and community services, plays a critical role in supporting the health of parents and children. Investments in children’s well-being contribute to the overall health and prosperity of our society and can pay real dividends.
This event will be offered in a hybrid setting for your convenience. If you would like to attend in person, we will be meeting at Algonquin College, at the Ottawa Campus in Nawapon (C100). Doors will be open at 7:30 am for networking and a light breakfast will be available. Panel discussion is scheduled from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. Please click here to RSVP.
Panelists include:
- Dr. Robin C. Williams, Canadian Pediatric Society, Early Years Task Force, former Medical Officer of Health for Ontario’s Niagara Region. Dr. Williams is a retired paediatrician and public health physician who is widely recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for her contributions to the area of children’s health and welfare. Dr Williams currently chairs the Early Years Task Force for the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Medical Advisory committee for the Canadian Children Literacy Foundation.
- Dr. Josephine B. Etowa, Professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing. Dr. Etowa is a professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing. Dr. Etowa’s research program is grounded in the area of inequity in health and health care as well as maternal-newborn health. As the lead investigator for the COVID-19 ACB Provider Project, her work highlighted the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African, Caribbean, and Black communities and the unintended consequences of current health care practices on those communities.
- Dr. Nicole Racine, Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Racine is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Racine holds a Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. Her research program examines the impact of early childhood adversity on mental health and wellbeing, risk and resilience processes, and what prevention and intervention strategies break cycles of risk across generations.
Please click here to RSVP.
Civic Events Funding Now Open
Community Funding Civic Events Funding is now open for applications.
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 population;
- Promote community well-being by welcoming all community members or priority groups; and
- Promote equity and inclusion.
Priority populations are those specified in the Community Funding Framework Policy Statement, including Francophones, immigrants, Indigenous people, 2SLGBTQ+ community members, older adults, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, racialized people, rural residents, women and youth. Priority neighbourhoods, are those defined by the Neighbourhood Equity Index.
For more information and to apply, please visit Ottawa.ca.
- Deadline for application: Thursday March 28, 2024, at 5:00pm.
- Total funding envelope: $50,000
- Maximum funding per agency: $3,000
- Applicants are advised of the results on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
All applications will be assessed through an allocation process. An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends on the allocation committee’s final evaluation and the funding available in the envelope.
Spring Preparedness Operations Update
With record breaking highs in the Capital over the past couple of weeks, melting snow, rain in the forecast and daylight savings time, everyone is looking forward to spring. Winter isn’t over yet, and the Roads and Parking Services team is working hard on balancing winter operations and preparing for spring maintenance activities.
Street sweeping typically begins as early as the weather will allow, which means temperatures must be above freezing consistently during the day and overnight before operations can fully begin. When the temperature drops below zero, the water we use on the road can form into ice, creating dangerous conditions. These operations are an essential part of cleaning up the transportation network and the team has started preparing and testing equipment as well as developing operational plans. As soon as the temperature consistently remains above zero, crews will be ready, and operations will begin. It’s not time yet, but soon! Stay tuned for more information coming your way next week.
This winter has been one that Ottawa has never seen, with only 108 centimetres of snow so far, 117 millimeters of rainfall, 63 freeze-thaw cycles and unseasonably warmer temperatures, the team has been able to steadily work on potholes.
Since January, pothole crews have been working on temporary repairs, over 500 crews have been assigned and filled over 28,500 potholes! This is an increase of 38% compared to last year where the number of potholes filled between January 1 and February 28, 2023, was 17,503.
Potholes are formed when water (from rain or melted snow and ice) seeps into small cracks or holes in the road. As temperatures drop, the water under the road freezes and expands pushing up on the road above, creating larger cracks – when the temperature rises above zero, the water evaporates and leaves an open space under the road. The weight of cars and trucks travelling over these weak spots breaks the asphalt, resulting in potholes.
Potholes are filled by cleaning the hole of debris and water, then packing it with asphalt and rolling or pounding it down. At this time of year, some potholes in high traffic areas may need to be refilled more than once. This happens because water works its way back into the hole preventing the asphalt from forming an adhesive bond with the pavement.
In winter, conditions are not ideal for pothole repairs. The unstable conditions, including ice and water in the holes, as well as the cold temperatures and frequent freeze / thaw cycles, prevents the patch from adhering as well to the roadway making the repair temporary. Products that staff use to repair potholes during the winter months are Cold Patch and Warm Mix asphalt.
Cold Patch asphalt is a blended asphalt material which can be stored for extended periods of time. It can be used in all temperatures, does not require special equipment to compact and can be applied directly to the roadway without heating.
Warm Mix asphalt can be used year-round and produced at a lower temperature using different adhesives in the mix. Once the material is heated, the adhesives become thinner allowing improved workability and flow. The material can be manually compacted with a tamper, or shaped and compacted with power plate tampers or rollers.
Rain Ready Ottawa
Launched in 2021, Rain Ready Ottawa (RRO) is a pilot program to encourage and support Ottawans in taking action to reduce the harmful impacts of rainfall and stormwater runoff.
Many of Ottawa’s older urban areas were developed without thinking about managing the impacts of runoff on local watercourses. Buildings, streets and parking lots don’t absorb stormwater like natural areas do. When rain falls on these surfaces, it moves quickly into storm sewers as stormwater runoff that drains straight into our streams and rivers, picking up pollutants along the way. This can cause problems like:
- Poor water quality in creeks and rivers
- Increased risks of flooding and erosion
- Habitat degradation
- Beach closures
Likewise, poor stormwater management around your home can cause damage to your foundation and other parts of your property.
The City of Ottawa has undertaken stormwater retrofit studies for two parts of Ottawa and is planning on doing more. These completed retrofit studies, called the Pinecrest Creek/ Westboro and Eastern Subwatersheds Stormwater Retrofit Studies, are part of the Council approved Ottawa River Action Plan (ORAP) and are RRO’s priority retrofit areas. ORAP seeks to reduce the impacts of stormwater on the Ottawa River and its watershed. Both plans identified that stormwater management projects on residential properties can be an important part of the solution to reduce the harmful impacts of stormwater runoff on local waterways. To achieve this, Ottawans will collectively need to install thousands of stormwater management projects on their own properties.
These include:
- Downspout redirections away from storm drains and to permeable surfaces.
- Installation of rain barrels to capture and store stormwater.
- Installation of rain gardens and soakaway pits to encourage on-site stormwater absorption.
- Installation of permeable pavements to reduce impermeable hardscapes and encourage on-site stormwater absorption.
To learn more about Rain Ready Ottawa and the projects it supports, visit ottawa.ca/rain.
Protecting the health of the Ottawa River watershed will need everyone to take action. Projects both big and small can make a difference and help improve the health of our waterways and reduce the harmful impacts of stormwater runoff.
The Rain Ready Ottawa pilot is currently undergoing a review to identify recommendations for an extended or permanent program. The review is considering:
- How to tell more people about Rain Ready Ottawa.
- How to best support Ottawans in undertaking stormwater management projects through education and rebates.
- What kind of engagement activities would benefit Ottawans the most.
- How the City can work better with landscaping companies to get projects in the ground.
- What areas would benefit most from improved residential stormwater management.
