Climate & Environment
This year, the budget shows promising growth for priorities such as the Climate Change Master Plan, as well as other mitigation and adaptation initiatives planned throughout the city. Budget 2025 also provides an updated Climate Change Lens Capital Budget analysis which identified 22 capital budget requests as having moderate or major climate contributions that go beyond business-as-usual. This totals more than $375 million of new investments spanning projects such as:
- Zero-emission bus fleet acquisition,
- Converting city fleets to lower-emission vehicles,
- The Energy Management and Investment Strategy,
- Actions from the Solid Waste Master Plan, and
- Bike infrastructure, among others.
Of the $260.2 million in the Environment and Climate Change Committee budget, $33.9 million of capital investments will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while $14.9 million of capital investments will contribute to building resiliency.
Highlights of this budget include:
- $14.4 million for tree and forest maintenance,
- $1.9 million for tree planting programs,
- $2.8 million in energy-management investments, and
- $2 million for natural-area acquisitions, including funds to secure and conserve important greenspaces and environmental lands.
The city will also invest $361 million in the City’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, and a further $37.1M for waste management.
These important investments, which address the practical day-to-day needs of Ottawa residents while making progress on the climate crisis, are wins worth celebrating.
We are also happy to report that, at our request, budget 2025 includes an additional $1 million for the Climate Change Master Plan, bringing total funding for 2025 to $6 million. An additional $1.5 million in unspent funds from past years will be added for a total spending plan of $7.5 million for the Climate Change Master Plan in 2025.
Of the Climate Change Master Plan budget, $500,000 will be allocated to the important work of the Forestry department in carrying out the proactive tree planting in the right of way (ROW) program approved by Council in June. The remainder of the funding will be used to seize on opportunities such as:
- Emergency back-up generators at fire stations and emergency reception centres to ensure ongoing service during power outages;
- Hydro vault upgrades and other initiatives to increase electrical capacity at City Facilities;
- Solar rooftop installations at municipal facilities; and
- EV charging infrastructure; and more.
This progress is promising. At the same time, we need more. We need to see continued growth in both budget and capacity for staff to be able to mitigate and adapt to the climate emergency which we urged Council to declare back in 2019. The climate crisis demands urgent action, and I hope to see a great deal of progress from the City in the year ahead.
Parks
Thanks to advocacy from our office, the city is also investing in new and renewed parks, recreation, and cultural facilities and services. These investments include:
- $12 million to build 35 new parks City-wide,
- $450,000 to support free drop-in activities for children and youth,
- $100,000 for improvements to outdoor sports courts, and
- $50,000 for minor improvements to sports fields.
Our office also successfully led the call for:
- $140,000 to extend operating hours of wading pools, outdoor pools, and beaches,
- $50,000 to extend bathroom service hours at park and recreation facilities across the city, and
- a $2.4 million increase in funding for parks maintenance, including $350,000 for park repair projects.
We were pleased to have brought these motions to Council in 2024 and now to see them come to fruition in budget 2025. Parks and greenspaces are major contributors to quality-of-life for residents across Ottawa, and while these budget wins reflect that reality, so much more is needed. Looking ahead to 2025, the Capital Ward team remains committed to seeing more improvements, repairs, and expansions to parks in the ward and beyond.
Ward 17 Highlights
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Over $28M for integrated road sewer watermain construction
- $1.25M Bronson Ave Renewal (First to Rideau Canal): The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $275K, Water - $516K, Sanitary Sewers - $182K and Development Charges - $27K.
- $1.14M Chamberlain & Isabella Renewal: The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $356K, Water - $493K, Sanitary Sewers - $566K and Development Charges - $85K.
- $525K Pretoria Ave (Metcalfe-Bank) Renewal: The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $170K and Sanitary Sewers - $355K.
- $7.296M Ella St - Ralph St Renewal: The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $1,163K, Water - $3,675K and Sanitary Sewers - $2,458K.
- $10.5M Clarey – Regent – Morris – Monk – Melgund – Thornton Renewal: The project includes $105K in funding for Public Art. The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $1,657K, Water - $4,295K, Sanitary Sewers - $2,274K and Storm Sewers - $2,274K.
- $1.5M Cameron Ave - Seneca St Renewal: The funding request is comprised of: Roads - $256K, Water - $613K, Sanitary Sewers - $334K and Storm Sewers - $297K.
- $6.8M for a new community centre in Old Ottawa East
- $1.9M for a new park at Greystone Village Forecourt
- $1.9M for Heron Park Fieldhouse replacement and expansion
- $1.5M towards a new indoor major aquatic facility
- $1.4M for stormwater collection design on Chamberlain Ave
- $1.3M for Hurdman Bridge Water Pumping Station
- $462K for exterior repairs at Glebe Community Centre
- $250K to renew the Percy St cycle track
- $237K for a new park on Carling Ave
- $87.5K for road safety measures
- $27K for an accessible washroom at the Glebe Community Centre
