Kelly: Considering several large files

It has been a very busy few weeks at City Hall and in the ward as we consider several large files.

Solid Waste Master Plan

This week at council, we passed the Solid Waste Master Plan. This plan takes steps to extend the life of the current Trail Road Waste Facility, recovers costs in a more equitable way, and will help plan for the future implementation of a waste-to-energy, mixed waste processing technology, or a new landfill.

I know many residents of West Carleton-March will be pleased to hear that Waste-to-Energy Incineration is being strongly considered by the City of Ottawa. Both staff and Councillors have taken time to visit incineration facilities in the Peel Region, and initial research on benefits and costs to the City of Ottawa for similar technology has begun.

As part of the creation of the SWMP, the City received input from residents on how they would like to see waste addressed and, as a result, has identified twenty-five “action suites” to encourage waste diversion, extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill Facility, and help determine the path forward for how we deal with solid waste in the City for years to come.

Wildlife Strategy

Last week, at a joint meeting between the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and the Environment and Climate Change Committee, Councillors received and passed a report from City Staff outlining the new Wildlife Strategy. In a city like Ottawa, with a large rural component and a growing outer suburban area, we must learn to respect and coexist with wildlife. I was initially unhappy with the staff report as I found it relied too heavily on maintaining the status quo. Several councillors, myself included, moved motions to amend and improve the report moving forward to make it more efficient and more affordable for Ottawa residents. I moved a motion to amend the report to ensure that we went beyond the status quo approach we have been implementing over the last decade, where we trap and kill beavers in the same locations year after year. This is not a cheap option. While this practice is necessary in approximately 25% of cases, we could save a lot of money and help maintain our important wetlands in many other cases. My motion directed staff to identify specific locations where alternative management practices, such as flow devices, will be used while maintaining our responsibilities under the Drainage Act. This motion was passed unanimously.
 
I am hopeful that my additions will encourage coexistence and creativity while also ensuring that property tax funds are not being used for programs that do not take advantage of the latest technology and understanding of wildlife management. Overall, I was very encouraged to see how councillors from all over the city came together to improve the wildlife strategy and was pleased to contribute to this positive outcome.

EPPS Committee

Last week at the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee meeting, we received the Ottawa Paramedic Services Annual Report. Back in 2011, the province decided it would no longer require municipalities to report their ambulance response times based on density of area. Prior to 2012, they reported two different response times, one for high-density and one for low-density (rural) areas. This provided a clear understanding of the differences in response times for different areas of the city. The City of Ottawa ended this practice when the province made this change.

Given 80 per cent of our city’s geography is made up of rural lands and that we regularly experience longer wait times than residents in urban and suburban areas, I thought it was time to make a change. I firmly believe that if we are not measuring something, we are unaware if we are, in fact, improving the service. I believe a fulsome understanding of the difference in response times could help lead to better insights on how to address these differences.

During this meeting, I moved a motion directing staff to provide both rural and non-rural ambulance response times moving forward and going back to 2019. Not only is this an issue that I continue to hear about from the community, but it was also one of the reasons I put my name on the ballot in 2022, as my family has been directly affected by a level zero event and Ottawa Paramedics’ ability to respond in rural areas. My motion was passed unanimously, and I look forward to seeing the data that comes as a result.

Water Rate Structure Review

On June 17th, the city held a public consultation session at the Kinburn Community Centre as a follow-up to a letter that went out to property owners on what staff referred to as a “Water Rate Structure Review.” This letter informed residents and property owners that staff were undertaking a review and that potential changes to how the city charges for stormwater management may be forthcoming.

The original charge was instituted before my time as Councillor, and I remember the strong feelings and resentment it caused among rural residents. Many at the meeting indicated they thought the meeting was just a formality, a box to tick as part of the process and, regardless of feedback, the city would make the proposed changes anyway. As a rural representative, I will do my utmost to make sure this is not the case. I can assure you that you have been heard and will take this moment to remind residents that while I recognize my limitations as a single vote at the council table, my promise was that my positions would be informed by the people I represent.

Sometimes, that can be challenging when there is no obvious consensus among residents. But in this case, it is very clear the approach this city is taking (and has taken) on stormwater charges is entirely inappropriate and unfair to rural property owners and agricultural operations. The feedback received in Ward 5 was very similar to the input heard in all the other rural wards in that the ditches in rural areas are almost entirely part of road infrastructure and used to be maintained as part of the roads budget, paid for out of the general tax base. This is where the rural councillors would like to end up, and that is what we will fight for. This is another example of how one policy doesn’t always work across a city such as Ottawa, which has such a large rural component. This is a reality I hope to have the City formally recognize as a result of the Rural Summit.

Update on Water Access in Constance Bay

Several weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that there are a number of public water access points in Constance Bay that have been blocked, encroached on, have become inaccessible, or even (in some cases) where adjacent property owners have removed the signs that indicate public water access.

I have arranged a tour of Constance Bay’s water access points next week and will be accompanied by City of Ottawa Right-of-Way, Bylaw Services, and a member of the city’s legal team.  We will be exploring the public water access points to identify locations that require attention to ensure all 39 access points, originally dedicated to the Constance Bay community, remain accessible to members of the community to ensure the long-standing tradition of water access for the people of Constance Bay.

Please feel free to reach out to my office via email in advance of next Thursday, July 4th, if you wish to highlight particular locations or issues, and we will be sure to take a look. Once we have evaluated the situation we will devise a plan of action to get these access points cleaned up and accessible. I will be sure to update the public on that plan.

Happy Canada Day!

As we head toward Canada Day, I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend, celebrating the big beautiful resilient country that is Canada. No country is without its challenges, and these are challenging times, but we still have much to be grateful for as Canadians.

I am grateful to live in an amazing community where we help and support each other during times of need; where we have dedicated volunteers and members of the community who work hard to put on events for our families; and where we can disagree on things but still be friends. And I am grateful to live in a place where all we have to do to realize how lucky we are is stop once in a while and look around at the beauty of West Carleton-March. Celebrate proudly, be safe, and have fun. 

As always, it’s a pleasure and honour to represent you.