Latest news with #Ottawans
Ottawa Citizen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Pellerin: What if OC Transpo had a strong, capable leader?
OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar is leaving next month, to become head of a new Quebec government transportation agency, Mobilité Infra Québec. It must be nice to be mobile. Unlike, say, Ottawans who rely (if that's the word) on transit for their everyday transportation needs. Article content I'm sure Amilcar thinks she did a great job in the last four years running our beleaguered system. And in fairness, it's not immediately clear whether she did any worse than her predecessor. Now that we've set the bar suitably low, let's turn our attention to the next person who'll occupy that chair. I thought I'd get the process started by outlining a few key elements of the job description. Article content Article content Article content The first qualification is to be an excellent driver who lives anywhere in the city that doesn't have a quick, reliable and direct bus route to work. That way, they'll be certain to never use the transit system they are nominally in charge of. Leave that to other people, you know? Article content A proven ability to demonstrate a strong allergy to success is also required. The good people of Ottawa have been training for a long time in how to react to one bitter transportation disappointment after another. It is not at all obvious to me they would survive sudden efficiency during their commute. Article content I don't just mean that we got used to hundreds of cancelled buses and trains that only run sporadically. It's also roads crawling with drivers who have abandoned the bus. And construction projects that are apparently designed to inflict maximum pain in the slowest, most drawn-out way possible. Your drive is made worse by the number of people who would prefer riding the proletarian chariot but gave up on it and are driving in front of you instead. Article content Article content Like the frog that's slowly getting used to warming water, Ottawa commuters have gotten used to a slow worsening of their transportation options. They know things aren't good. Article content Article content Imagine what would happen if we had the option of walking out of our home in the morning and hopping on a train or bus that goes to where we're going and shows up often enough that we don't even need to think about looking at the schedule. Mass apoplexy is what. Article content And then what if we could get to a hockey game or a show at Lansdowne or the Canadian Tire Centre from anywhere in the city in half an hour without having to bother with traffic, parking or the worry of drinking and driving? And the ride was comfortable, clean and fare-free?
Ottawa Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Kavanagh: Let's talk about a real Christmas market in the ByWard
In 2014, I moved back to Canada from the medieval city of York, settling in Ottawa. With the birth of my first daughter, I took paternity leave to savour those precious early years, a rare gift. It also gave me time to explore my new city. Article content Article content Having spent years in Europe, I had been captivated by the stunning Christmas markets. These gatherings, rich with history and atmosphere, transformed city squares into places of warmth and connection, alive with the scents of mulled wine, along with artisan crafts. As winter approached in Ottawa, I hoped to find that same festive energy. But aside from the twinkling lights in Confederation Park, the city felt largely unanimated, its historic streets quiet in the long, dark months. Article content Article content As someone who has spent a career bringing spaces to life, I felt that this was a call to action. I dreamed of creating a European-style holiday market for Ottawa, a place where families could make memories, where local businesses could thrive, and where the spirit of the season could come alive. Something akin to the Distillery District in Toronto, but with a distinctly Ottawa flair. Article content I dove into research, studying markets from across the globe, and developed what I called the National Holiday Festival. It was more than just a market; it was a statement about what Ottawa could be: a beacon of warmth in the cold, a place that Ottawans and visitors alike could come to love. Article content My first pitch was to the head of events for the city. In that meeting, I was handed blueprints for the then-unfinished Lansdowne Park, presented as the ideal site for the festival. I understood their excitement, but my heart was set on Sparks Street. Fresh from the United Kingdom, where pedestrian zones are cherished, I imagined transforming this historic stretch into a winter wonderland. Yet, the logistical challenges quickly became apparent. I was warned about the layers of government I would have to navigate, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was the right spot. I could picture it: the glow of lights reflecting off the old brick facades, the sound of carollers echoing down the street, the warmth of bustling market stalls cutting the winter chill. Article content Article content Still, I began to second-guess myself. I wandered over to the ByWard Market, where I stood on York Street, facing the silhouette of the parliamentary library. This was it: a historic, vibrant space, surrounded by small businesses, the heart of the city. It felt right. This was the heart I wanted to bring to life. Article content Article content That's when I met Mathieu Fleury, a city councillor with a deep passion for the Market's potential. He shared my vision for a revitalized Market and encouraged my bold idea to pedestrianize the area, despite skeptics insisting it couldn't be done. Article content I even took a self-funded trip to Toronto to meet with Canadian Tire executives, with the goal of securing a sponsorship. They were intrigued, particularly with the sesquicentennial approaching in 2017. Support seemed within reach, and I had a clear path forward. With Fleury's help, I secured critical support from local BIAs, feeling the finish line in sight.
Ottawa Citizen
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
King Charles' visit brought out these noteworthy names in Ottawa
Thousands of Ottawans welcomed King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, to Ottawa on their historic royal visit to tour the capital and open Parliament. Article content Article content Scott is a Canadian Olympian soccer player from Winnipeg. She won gold in the Tokyo 2020 Games and is also a two-time bronze medallist from London 2012 and Rio 2016. Scott currently plays for the Canadian national team and Ottawa Rapid FC. Article content Phillips was a member of the Ottawa Senators for 17 seasons as a defenceman. Article content Scott and Phillips were the designated hockey captains who participated in a ceremonial puck drop with the King at Lansdowne Park on May 26. Article content Over 70 years ago, 50 girls from across Canada were in attendance to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. After being nominated by their high schools, the teenagers were taken on a seven-week tour of the United Kingdom for a life-changing trip. Article content Article content On Monday, they were on the grounds of Rideau Hall to greet Charles and Camilla. Article content Also in attendance was Douglas Arrowsmith, a Canadian film director. Article content Article content As Charles and Camilla stepped off a Royal Canadian Air Force plane, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, were there to greet the Royals after their journey from London. This was the first of many photo ops throughout the two-day visit. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Ottawa Citizen
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa City Hall rolling out 'hostile' new security measures
Article content Tom Ledgley, a coordinator with local advocacy group Horizon Ottawa, called the new security measures extremely problematic and hostile because it is a barrier for residents who want to make their voices heard in council chambers or with their councillors. Article content In an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, Ledgley said the measures give the impression that the city does not want to be scrutinized in a public forum. Article content '(City staff) are not coming out with really strong evidence for why this is necessary. To us, it really sends a bad message at a particularly bad time. It's telling folks that they're not welcome and discouraging people from showing up to city hall in person to do things like deliver delegations,' Ledgley said. Article content The advocate also called the new security measures 'invasive,' especially for people from communities which have been historically marginalized by law enforcement. These communities already face a lot of barriers trying to make their voices heard in council chambers, he said. Article content Article content 'A lot of these people are the ones that we really should be hearing from at these public meetings, and these people are going to especially be the ones who are discouraged from showing up,' Ledgley added. Article content 'When you tell people that there's going to be extra security and we're putting them through metal detectors, it gives the impression that (the city is) trying to find something they're doing wrong. That can be really stressful for people.' Article content Article content But most importantly, Ledgley said Ottawans will be losing a public space. City Hall was designed by famed architect Raymond Moriyama to be open and spacious, drawing in thousands of people weekly. Around 35,000 people pass through the building each week, and another 1,000 people work in the building. Article content On any given day, high schoolers can be seen walking through the halls to grab food and snacks during lunch break. Tourists and visitors often stop and admire the art installations inside the building. Others are grabbing coffee in the cafe or getting paperwork sorted at the Service Ontario office inside. Article content 'I don't speak on behalf of every resident of the city, but to me, that feels really hostile. I just really don't like that feeling walking in there (with the enhanced security measures),' Ledgley said.
Ottawa Citizen
16-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Pellerin: Ontario's new housing bill won't reduce homelessness
Article content A new noise bylaw will make it easier for Ottawans to whoop it up a little louder, and I suppose that's good. But it won't prompt those of us who are waiting for visible progress in the fight against homelessness and housing unaffordability to scream for joy. Recent news reports have us quietly optimistic at best. Article content Article content When the provincial government introduced a bill Monday to speed up new housing construction by lowering fees for developers, I immediately called Ottawa housing expert Carolyn Whitzman, author of the fantastic book Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisis, to see what she thought. Article content Article content A nothingburger, she said, as we chatted by phone Tuesday morning, each watching our own TV to see who would be appointed federal housing minister. Article content When he announced the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 in Vaughanon Monday, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack said the bill aimed to make it 'more affordable to build and buy a home in Ontario.' The legislation does that by limiting municipal studies into new developments and speeding up the approval process for minor variances. Article content Given that the devil is always in the details, I went looking into the text of the bill for some kind of definition of 'minor' variances. It's on page 9, where it says minor variances are small changes to zoning bylaws. Jeez, thanks. Article content Those small changes currently have to be approved by a committee after a four-stage process. Under the new legislation, the minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing will have the power to allow variations to be permitted 'as-of-right' and thus greatly reduce 'barriers for development.' Article content Article content In addition, the legislation will 'streamline' development charges, prevent municipalities from imposing standards that go beyond the provincial building code and – ah, yes – limit the number of affordable units that municipalities can require in a given development. No wonder Ottawa home builders are happy. Article content Article content I don't want homebuilders miserable but theirs is not the only happiness we should pursue. Article content As Whitzman points out, reducing red tape and development charges will do nothing for people who are homeless or in danger of becoming so. 'In general people don't move from an encampment to a subdivision in Markham,' she says. 'If you're talking about the housing crisis, it needs to be broken down in terms of who needs what housing, where and at what cost.' Article content In addition to happy for-profit developers, we need a whole bunch of new non-market housing, co-ops, supportive housing and all manner of affordable homes for those whose household income is less than six figures. Remember, affordable housing shouldn't cost you more than 30 per cent of your household's gross income. If that number is $50,000, then your housing shouldn't cost you more than $15,000 a year, or $1,250 a month. Good luck finding that in Ottawa unless you're prepared to share a one-bedroom apartment with someone else.
