Latest news with #RileyBrockington
CBC
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
City plans to take on debt to cover billions in infrastructure repairs
Some city councillors are worried about how much debt the city may take on over the next decade to maintain everything it owns, from water pipes to roads to the nozzles on fire hoses. At a finance committee meeting Tuesday, councillors discussed two reports: one that takes stock of the condition of all the city's assets and a second that lays out a plan for how the city will pay to repair and renew a portion of them. One of the reports shows a whopping $10.8-billion gap over 10 years between how much money the city needs to maintain things like roads and rec centres — and the funding it is currently able to spend. "It's just such a large number to wrap your head around how we're going to finance this," Coun. Riley Brockington said. According to the report, that gap is driven by factors felt in municipalities across the province, such as the effects of climate change and the rising costs of construction. City staff also laid out a plan for how it will fund infrastructure work it pays for through water bill revenue. The plan for work paid for through property taxes is expected in the fall. Neither plan has been updated since 2017. Councillors approved the city's plan to maintain Ottawa's aging water infrastructure by taking on new debt and increasing water rates, an approach staff described as "prudent" but that some councillors and advocates slammed as short-sighted. "Given the massive amounts of debt that we are loading on, is there not a message here to get back to basics?" Coun. Shawn Menard asked at the meeting. Raise rates, issue debt Water infrastructure is just one chunk — though a big one — of what the city owns. The city needs $4.8 billion over the next decade to address "priority needs" in its water, wastewater and stormwater services. Nearly all of that money will go to repairs, with a sliver set aside for new projects. But the city is short on funds. It has to drum up $169 million more each year for the next 10 years. It plans to do it by charging more for water service and taking on more than $1.7 billion in new debt. Water rates are now set to increase by five per cent per year, or about five dollars per month for the average household. 'Good debt,' mayor says Staff say the approach is sound financial management. "We knew this was coming ... for quite some time," said Cyril Rogers, the city's chief financial officer. "If you look at our reserve balances, we've been actually investing, investing. Saving, saving, saving." City staff don't expect the approach to exceed the city's self-imposed threshold for spending to service its debt until 2030. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said investments in necessary infrastructure count as "good debt." "If we were using debt to cover our operating expenses, that would not be ideal. But if we're using debt to pay for assets that we will use over decades, then that's a responsible way to approach things," he said. 'Sunsetting' properties Residents who spoke at the meeting were unconvinced. James Murchison, a representative of the non-profit group Strong Towns Ottawa, called the level of deferred maintenance a "tsunami." Carolyn Mackenzie, a member of the Glebe Community Association, said she felt the city's approach fails to "meet the moment." And Neil Saravanamuttoo, executive director of CitySHAPES, said in an interview he thinks people should be "very concerned" about the funding gap. He worries the city will eventually be forced to hike property taxes or close some facilities altogether to raise the money needed. The reports were approved at committee and will go to full council on June 11.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Paid evening parking in ByWard Market, ‘bubble bylaw': Here's what happened at Ottawa City Council
The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with developing a 'bubble bylaw,' and will charge motorists for evening parking in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe. Here is a look at what was approved during Wednesday's council meeting. Evening paid parking in the ByWard Market, Little Italy Drivers will need to pay for on-street paid parking during the evenings in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe, despite a last minute push to hit the brakes on paid evening parking in the market area. Council approved a plan to extend paid parking at on-street parking spots in busy areas until 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Under the plan, on-street paid parking hours will be extended to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday in the ByWard Market and Little Italy South, and to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday in parts of the Glebe. The changes will be rolled out on Sept. 2. Councillor Riley Brockington, seconded by coun. Stephanie Plante, introduced a motion to exclude the ByWard Market area from a plan to charge motorists for parking between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 'Do you believe the ByWard Market needs special treatment? I think the answer is yes,' Brockington told council. 'We are putting in the necessary time, effort and energy to rebuild our market, a cherished destination within our city. What I'm suggesting is increasing times where we demand the public pay for parking, this is not the time to do it. Let's rebuild the market first, can revisit it, but this is not the time.' Brockington's motion was defeated 21 to 2. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he respects where the idea of Brockington's motion is coming from but couldn't support it. 'If you look at strong and vibrant neighborhoods throughout North America, many of them have metered parking throughout the evening, throughout the weekends and those neighbourhoods and those business districts are thriving and successful,' Sutcliffe said. 'Introducing longer hours for paid parking in any area of the city is not necessarily going to be the make it or break it thing for that area of the city.' Ottawa parking A parking sign in Ottawa's ByWard Market. Staff are recommending extending parking hours to 9 p.m. on weekday and weekend evenings. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) 'Bubble Bylaw' Council has directed staff to draft a new 'bubble bylaw,' to prohibit protests and demonstrations within 80 metres of places of worship, schools and hospitals. Councillors voted 21 to 3 to proceed with a 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw. Councillors Jessica Bradley, Sean Devine, and Shawn Menard voted against the motion. 'What this motion in front of city council is doing is stifling dissent. It's clamping down on peaceful demonstrations it might disagree with,' Menard said Wednesday morning. Under the plan, staff will have nine months to draft a proposed bylaw for councillors to vote on. 'This is not an easy issue, and I appreciate the rights and values that, to some extent, are being pitted against each other,' Sutcliffe said during the council meeting. 'But I actually think this is a great example of how democracy can and should work. The solution before us is balanced and thoughtful, it is careful and precise, it is principled and prudent. It aligns with what's happening in other communities and at other levels of government. It responds to the legitimate concerns and worries of many of our residents.' The motion wants the 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw to incorporate the following: Prohibition of demonstrations near vulnerable social infrastructure : 'The bylaw shall prohibit demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. : 'The bylaw shall prohibit demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. Time-limited protective zones : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' The motion adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' The motion adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' Protective distance : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. Targeted application : The motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' : The motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' Labour/internal exemption : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' Scope of government-owned infrastructure: The motion recommends the bylaw exclude embassies, Ottawa City Hall and Parliament of Canada buildings. 'The bylaw shall apply to government-owned property only where the primary function of the building or facility is to provide medical care, education, or long-term care or congregate care services,' the motion said. New rules for festivals, events, demonstrations The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with new rules for festivals and events, as it looks to shake the image as the town that fun forgot. Council approved a new Special Events Bylaw and a Highway Events Bylaw, which will regulate events indoors, outdoors and on roadways. The new rules provide flexibility for noise exemptions beyond 11 p.m. when events are impacted by 'unforeseen factors' like severe weather, cut the red tape for bars and restaurants and venues to host after-hours events between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Under the new bylaw, licensed food trucks or mobile vendors would not need additional permits to participate in a block party or street festival.
CBC
12-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
City pledges to counter U.S. tariffs while keeping projects on track
Social Sharing Ottawa is working in "lockstep" with the province and other municipalities as tariffs are poised to strike local industries at a time when the city is focused on the upcoming construction season, city staff told councillors on Wednesday. Council unanimously passed a motion calling on staff to monitor and mitigate the local impact of a potential Canada-U.S. trade war. "I believe Canada will be confronted with multiple layers of economic crisis that we have not seen since the depression of the 1930s," warned River Coun. Riley Brockington. "[U.S. President Donald] Trump's justification for the tariffs are unfounded and his lack of any sound economic policy is dangerous, not only for the countries he threatens like Canada, but his own people, his own industries and economies across America." A 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian aluminum and steel imports is set to take effect March 12. That's on top of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods that has been delayed until March 4, while the U.S. negotiates border security agreements with Canada and Mexico. Cyril Rogers, the city's chief financial officer, told councillors that "quite a bit of work" has been done on the file in the last week, including getting assurances from Supply Ontario that cities will be kept in the loop on strategies moving forward. "As we go into the deep dive of the construction season and tenders right now, we're keeping a close pulse [on infrastructure]," said Rogers. Escalating costs feared At least 90 per cent of the city's contracts for goods and services are already penned with companies in the National Capital Region, he said. But some materials used by those companies still have to cross the border. "We spend billions of dollars in any one year on a capital budget," said Coun. Steve Desroches. "[The construction industry] is going to make decisions about where they source and what they purchase." Desroches said the city needs to know how companies will respond to tariffs to ensure bids remain competitive and projects aren't put at risk when materials such as steel can't be sourced. "Just ... saying 'buy Canadian,' we might not be satisfied with the bids that come back, as much as we want to be patriotic and help the cause, if it's going to balloon projects to the point of being unaffordable," Desroches said. Staff have pledged to provide a more detailed response on how the city will deal with the situation in the next week, followed by periodic updates afterward. 'A lifeline' The motion also called on Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to work with his counterpart in Gatineau on a campaign to break down interprovincial trade barriers, an effort the pair began last week. The city's efforts to counter tariffs are already getting a warm reception from members of the local business community. "We are delighted to see the mayor of Ottawa take leadership of regional initiatives to stimulate purchasing here," said Pascale de Montigny Gauthier, CEO of Regroupement des gens d'affaires de la capitale nationale, which represents francophone businesses in the National Capital Region. "In view of an anticipated economic collapse, the gesture is viewed as a lifeline," she said.
