October
2002
Experts tell us that in the next 20 years, our City will be home to 400,000 new residents, 190,000 new homes, 300,000 new jobs and 200,000 new cars and trucks. Ottawa is charting a new course to manage these changes, a process which began with the Smart Growth Summit in June 2001.
The current step in the Ottawa 20/20 process is the launch of a series of public consultation workshops that have been designed to enable residents, community groups and other stakeholders to express their ideas, ask questions and gain information on the City’s new Official Plan. These workshops will take place until November 4th in locations around the City. River Ward residents are invited to attend a local workshop October 22nd, at the Carleton Heights Community Centre, 1665 Apeldoorn Ave., from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Topics to be discussed cover a broad spectrum including increased traffic, greenspace, local arts and heritage, and access to amenities and services. The feedback received in these workshops will be incorporated into the development of the City’s new Official Plan and related Human Services Plan, Arts and Heritage Plan, Economic Strategy and Corporate Strategic Plan.
We’re looking at another property tax freeze and meeting the City’s amalgamation target as a result of 2003 Budget directions approved by Council in late July. Since the new City was formed, $53 million in amalgamation savings have been identified and incorporated in the base budget. Service levels have been maintained and enhanced. We asked staff to investigate a number of options in order to meet the tax rate target including long-range operational plans and reviewing user fees, charges and/or service levels.
Significant investments in public safety, transit and transportation, health, social housing, libraries, recreation, rural servicing initiatives and water and sewer infrastructure are among the major initiatives funded in 2001 and 2002 budgets. Contributions to reserve funds totalled $341 million over those two years as well.
Public consultation on the 2003 Budget got underway in May and lasted until mid-June. The 2003 Draft Capital and Operating Budgets are scheduled to be tabled on November 13th with community consultation continuing from Nov. 14 to Dec. 6, 2002. Standing committees will review the budget from Dec. 9 to 17, with City Council’s review slated for January 31st, 2003.
It was my distinct honour and pleasure to help celebrate the opening of the City’s 13th Community Service Centre Sept. 5th with the many people who helped make this centre a reality. That evening helped recognize the significant achievement of the centre’s new home in the Hunt Club Shopping Centre at 3320 Paul Anka Dr.
The HCRCSC will provide a variety of services, programs and workshops for residents of Hunt Club and Riverside Park. These communities have, until now, been without access to social services and programs available in other areas in the City. A needs assessment showed that high immigrant, senior populations and families in these communities could benefit from access to programs and resources.
On the occasion of the opening of Ottawa’ newest resource centre, I was pleased to offer my personal best wishes to the Hunt Club Riverside Community Services Centre Board of Directors, who include: Maria McRae, Pamela McDonald, Nancy Seaby, Lynda Barrett, Laura Clark, Juno Eapen, Flo Ladds, Sonya Laing, Pat Thurlow and Kelli Tonner, as well as centre staff and volunteers for continued success. All of these people truly do live up to the Centre’s motto of “Community Serving Community.”
Full details on the by-law will be available on the City’s website at www.ottawa.ca .
In an effort to determine the best way to reduce the use of pesticides on private properties, several public consultations sessions were scheduled across the City. This series of discussions capped a summer-long education campaign initiated by the City. In the past several months, the campaign has raised awareness of the potential health and environmental risks associated with the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides, and has encouraged residents to reduce use and consider alternative greening options for their lawns and gardens.
Four options are being proposed for consideration. The first is to continue the City’s existing public awareness and education campaign on pesticide reduction. Option two centres on enhancing the awareness campaign and includes a public/private outreach program. The third option incorporates the elements contained in either Option 1 or 2, but also examines the idea of industry self-regulation through voluntary compliance of predetermined standards. The final option seeks the public’s views on municipal regulation, such as a pesticides bylaw.
If you did not attend a public consultation session, there is still an opportunity to make your views known. I welcome your input on this subject and encourage you to write, call or e-mail me directly.
The Community Environmental Grant Program (CEPGP) has a submission deadline of October 18th. Non-profit organizations and community groups are invited to submit a project proposal in writing no later than 4 p.m. that day.
Information packages are available on the City’s website (www.ottawa.ca ) under “City Services/Grants,” at the City’s Client Services Centres, or by contacting Sarah Desjardins, program coordinator at 580-2424, ext. 22792.
CEPGP was created to help the City meet its environmental objectives in the areas of water efficiency, solid waste diversion, wastewater, the water environment, sustainable development and broader climate issues.
Applications
are also now being accepted for the 2003 Community Grant Program for Health,
Recreation and Social Services. Funding guidelines, including proposal outline
and application form, are now available for community agencies, groups and
associations at City Libraries, as well as at Ottawa City Hall, located at 110
Laurier Ave. West. The application package is also accessible through the City
of Ottawa’s website. The deadline for submission is November 15th at
4:30 p.m.
This fall, as children returned to school, the City launched its first School Zone Traffic Awareness Campaign, designed to enhance the safety of those who walk to school.
Steady growth in the City, combined with increased traffic and more children on the roads, has prompted us to focus on larger, more comprehensive traffic safety programs around schools. Educating children and providing them with the knowledge they require in order to better understand traffic is an integral part of the safety program. That, combined with enforcement, which will focus on driver behaviour, and an engineering plan addressing issues such as signs, signal timing, crossing guards and other traffic management tools.
This program has been launched at 10 schools through the new City of Ottawa, and may expand if it is found successful.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment is teaming up with local municipalities, including Ottawa, to do the most thorough groundwater study ever undertaken in this area. The study will cover 25,000 square kilometres, including Rideau River watershed.
The goal of the study is to learn more about how groundwater works, including the quantity and quality of regional systems and their susceptibility to contamination. The results of the study will provide recommendations for an updated groundwater management and protection policy that can then be used by City Planning staff.
The City, along with other participating municipalities and counties, will help share in the funding of this study.