Latest news with #OttawaCity
CTV News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
A look inside the city of Ottawa's fleet vehicles
Families in Ottawa got a rare look inside some of the city's biggest and most intricate fleet vehicles in a unique twist on 'Doors Open Ottawa'. CTV's Camille Wilson reports.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Audit finds ‘disjointed' supportive housing programs and services in City of Ottawa
A 'siloed approach' to funding supportive housing from the upper levels of government is causing 'disjointed supportive housing programs and services' in the City of Ottawa that is not meeting the needs of clients, according to the auditor general. The Office of the Auditor General tabled an audit on the city's supportive housing program on Friday, finding the programs cannot meet the needs of residents 'without more coordination between capital, operating and health funding.' It also concludes the city has not established 'baseline standards' for service providers. According to the city, supportive housing is a 'community-based, person-centred model of providing affordable, transitional and permanent accommodation that provides a range of services and supports based on an individual's needs.' The City of Ottawa does not provide supportive housing, but administers funding from all levels of government to fund programs. The report says the City of Ottawa had $10.7 million in capital funding and $15.3 million in operating funding for supportive housing in 2024. Councillors on the audit committee were told the supportive housing audit concludes the 'city and service providers are spread thin in trying to meet the complex needs and challenges of their complex,' but there is a lack of funding for operational needs. 'The audit found that there are existing siloes between capital, operating and health-related funding to deliver supportive housing,' the audit says. 'The city receives capital funding from the federal and provincial governments; however, these levels of government do not provide additional operating funding tied to capital projects. The city is then left in a constant state of reactivity to try to find the operating funds to support this critical type of housing.' 'The audit also noted that given the current levels of operating funding and the discretion service providers have in selecting their clients, there are individuals with more complex needs who may remain homeless as supportive housing agencies are not able to support them.' Officials say the 'siloed approach to funding' is forcing 'disjointed supportive housing programs and services' that is not consistently meeting the needs of clients and puts greater pressure on other frontline services. The City of Ottawa estimates it needs $1.5 million a year of operating funding for every 50-unit supportive housing complex facility. 'The city is already stretched thin within available operating budgets, and it does not have the capacity to both continue funding existing supportive housing facilities and bring new ones online without additional funds,' the audit said. The Auditor General's Office also concludes the city has not established baseline standards for the 'provision of supports within supportive housing facilities, which has led to inconsistencies and varying formality across service providers.' Recommendations include defining an overall approach to supportive housing within the updated 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan, including establishing how supportive housing fits into the housing options. The auditor general is also recommending the city develop an integrated workplan to build and operate supportive housing and draft standards to govern the supportive housing processes. 'The audit has highlighted the importance of supportive housing as one of the mechanisms to end chronic homelessness,' the report said. 'The recommendations in this audit report should help to establish a more defined and intentional approach to the management of the supportive housing program and the evaluation of its outcomes.'
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Morning Rush: City to deploy 'Night Ambassadors'
Ottawa Watch Bill Carroll from the Morning Rush talks about the City of Ottawa deploying Night Ambassadors to the Byward Market this summer.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Ottawa's new system for dealing with parking ticket disputes now in effect
A parking ticket is seen on the windshield of a car in Ottawa, Ont. (CTV News Ottawa) Ottawa motorists no longer have to go to court to fight a parking ticket, as the city launches a new system to deal with ticket disputes. The City of Ottawa's new administrative penalty system launched Wednesday morning to manage and adjudicate parking ticket infractions. As of June 4, if you receive a parking ticket from Bylaw Services, the infraction will be administered through the new administrative penalty system. Under the system, drivers who receive a parking ticket can either pay the fine or request a review by the screening officer hired by the City of Ottawa. Following the decision by the screening officer, the offender can request a review by a hearing officer. Motorists will not have to go to the Provincial Offences Act court to challenge a parking ticket issued by Bylaw Services officers. Meantime, tickets issued on or before June 3 will be processed through the Provincial Offences Act court. The city says with the shift to an automated penalty system, it has made improvements to the process of applying for and renewing most on-street parking permits. You can visit to see if the permit you wish to apply for is affected by the change. CTV News Ottawa looks at what you need to know about the administrative penalty system. The city plans to expand the administrative penalty system to red light camera and photo radar camera tickets in the future. What is the administrative penalty system? The City of Ottawa says the administrative penalty system (APS) changes how 'certain bylaw violations are handled.' 'APS allows the City to manage the ticket review process independently without relying on the Provincial Offences Court.' What is the difference between the administrative penalty system and the Provincial Offences Act? Under the current Provincial Offences Act, parking, red light camera and photo radar camera tickets are handled in provincial courts. Provincial judges and staff manage the dispute process, and the city says there are 'long wait times' for ticket reviews. Under the APS, tickets will be handled by screening officers and hearing officers employed by the City of Ottawa. The city says the new system will be 'faster' and offer 'more flexible scheduling.' According to the city, the administrative penalty system will reduce the delays in the provincial court system, speed up ticket reviews and 'free up provincial court time for serious cases.' A city report last year said the new administrative penalty system will see disputes over tickets heard within a few weeks or months and lower municipal costs by 35 per cent. How does the system work? When you receive a parking ticket, you will have two options under the administrative penalty system. Pay the ticket online, by mail or at any Client Service Centre or Administrative Penalty System Service Centre Request a review of the ticket. Within 15 days of the ticket being issued, the vehicle owner can request a review with a city screening officer by completing a request form. When you submit a request for review with a city screening officer, the city says you should provide a written explanation and supporting documentation to demonstrate that either the offence was not committed or 'they are experiencing undue hardship.' Screening Review The screening review will be conducted by screening officers employed by the City of Ottawa. '(They) have been carefully trained to conduct the 'screening' review of the penalty by following standardized, consistent, and pre-established criteria in keeping with the bylaw that governs the APS program,' the city says. The screening officer has the authority to uphold, reduce, extend the time to pay the ticket, or cancel the penalty. 'This decision will be informed by the backup documentation from both the vehicle owner and the Parking Enforcement Officer,' the city says. Final review by a hearing officer The city says if a vehicle owner disagrees with the decision by the screening officer, they may request a final review with a hearing officer, who is appointed by council. The hearing officer will have 'previous experience' in the field of law, adjudication and/or in the interpretation and application of legislation, the city says. A request for a final review by a hearing officer must be submitted with 15 days of the initial screening review's decision date. 'An in-person hearing date and time will be issued to the vehicle owner,' the city says on its website. 'The hearing officer's decision to either uphold the penalty, reduce the penalty, extend the time to pay the penalty, or cancel the penalty is final. Neither the ticket holder nor the city can appeal the decision.' An in-person hearing will be held at the Provincial Offences Act and Administrative Penalty System Service Centre at the Mary Pitt Centre on Constellation Drive.
CTV News
01-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Car strikes front of Ottawa chiropractic clinic, causing damage
The front window of an Ottawa business after a car smashed through on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Scott Rook/CTV News Ottawa) A car drove into an Ottawa strip mall and caused damage to an Ottawa chiropractic clinic Sunday afternoon, an Ottawa city councillor says. Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr posted a photo showing the front of a business with a blown out front window. 'My understanding is that a car drove into the window of Simply Chiropractic at 1569 Alta Vista Drive. I will provide more info when available,' Carr said. An Ottawa paramedics spokesperson says they received a call reporting the incident at 12:11 p.m. Two people were in the car at the time, paramedics say. One person from inside the car was assessed at the scene, but no one was taken to hospital. No one inside was treated or taken to hospital, paramedics say.
