City pledges to rebuild the public’s trust

Good morning!

As you likely saw in your inboxes yesterday, we’re looking to launch a new in-depth city hall newsletter in the new year. To celebrate, and give you a taste of what’s to come, today’s issue is chock full of municipal news after the first city council meeting, and some big new laws passed by the province.

Before we can launch a standalone city hall publication, we need your help. We need to sign up 150 new members to get this thing off the ground. So far we’ve already got 24 new members, but we’ve still got a ways to go.

If you’re already a yearly Insider Food member, you’ll get it for free, and if you’re a monthly member, be sure to reply to this email for a special upgrade.

Let’s get to that newsletter, shall we?

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: -1 🌡️ -10 | 🌤

Saturday: -6 🌡️ -8 | ☀️

Sunday: -5 🌡️ -12 | ❄️

Monday: -5 🌡️ -9 | ☀️

CITY HALL

Council works to restore trust in the city and the LRT, plus OC Transpo has huge budget hole

What happened: Newly appointed interim city manager Wendy Stephanson pledged to restore the public’s trust in the city after the devastating LRT Inquiry report, CTV reported. Steve Kanellakos, who Stephanson is replacing, was found to have “deliberately misled” council and the public about the state of the LRT.

• “Sometimes, it really takes somebody from the outside to point out where change is needed. … I recognize that council and the public's trust has been eroded over the light rail over a number of years,” Stephanson said.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also acknowledged the city needed to rebuild trust with the public, as well as council’s trust in city staff, after the multiple derailments and myriad other problems with the system and various coverups highlighted by the report. Sutcliffe said establishing a council subcommittee to directly oversee the LRT was a “first step” in rebuilding trust in the system, CBC reported.

• Need to catch up on all of the LRT inquiry report’s findings? Check out the Lookout’s guide to the LRT inquiry.

Cutting out the public: Members of the public will no longer be a part of the Transit Commission. For the last few terms, citizen commissioners have sat on the board that oversees OC Transpo, now only councillors will sit on the board. 

Coun. Jeff Leiper agreed with the proposal. “The more councillor eyes we have on transit who are required to be engaged day-to-day with the work of OC Transpo the better,” Leiper said according to CTV.

Former citizen commissioner Sara Wright-Gilbert said on Twitter she was disappointed to see council vote to eliminate the positions, and was unimpressed with comments many councillors made, including some she said she had worked well with in the past.

Budget hole: OC Transpo has a $22.2 million budget gap it’s hoping the province will fill. The transit system estimates it will finish the year with a deficit of $85.5 million, the Safe Restart Agreement, funded by the feds and the province, will cover $63 million, according to a memo from the city’s acting chief financial officer. It’s not clear whether additional funding will be available. 

In another memo, OC Transpo released its latest ridership figures that show there were 5.6 million trips on buses and the LRT in October, 3.3 million trips fewer than the 8.9 million the city estimated there would be. (And 4 million fewer than the 9.6 million riders in October 2019.)

• “During the 2022 Budget process, I repeatedly questioned the anticipated deficit, the revenue & ridership estimates for Transit and was told, ‘Now, now, don't worry, we will be covered off.’ In the final weeks of 2022, we are now told our funding is $[22.2] million off what was budgeted,” Coun. Riley Brockington tweeted.

The Lookout’s view: It’s going to take more than a subcommittee for council to get transit in workable shape. On top of the many oversight issues highlighted by the LRT inquiry, we have a massive problem with the transit budget.

Last year, the city ignored critics who said it was a fantasy to expect ridership numbers to be at or near pre-pandemic levels by now. But here we are at the end of the year 3.3 million trips short of the 8.9 million the city budgeted for. In the campaign Sutcliffe showed little interest in increasing the share of taxes that go to the transit budget. That would leave only increases in fares, or further cuts to an already underserviced system to keep transit going.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

💰 4.25%: The Bank of Canada set this as the key interest rate, hiking it 0.5 percentage points. The rate hasn’t been this high since January 2008, and may rise again. [CTV]

🍽️ $50,000: Ottawa chefs raised this much for the Shepherds of Good Hope at the annual fundraising Grinch Dinner. [OBJ]

PROVINCIAL ISSUES

Province passes stronger mayoral powers, protests for housing bill

What happened: The provincial government passed a number of controversial bills in a pre-Christmas break flurry including Bill 39 which expands the powers of the mayor, CTV reported. 

Stronger-er mayors: On top of previous powers, only recently passed, that gave Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and his counterpart in Toronto the ability to veto bylaws, the mayor can now pass bylaws with a vote of one-third of council plus one. That means laws could be passed with only nine out of 25 votes.

What it means for Ottawa: Sutcliffe said he wouldn’t use the new powers, and for the moment seems to have a council willing to work toward his goals, so it’s hard to see how they would be necessary. But we won’t know for sure until Sutcliffe is facing a losing situation.

Housing protests: Citizens and some councillors gathered outside the provincial court house to protest last week’s passage of Bill 23, the housing bill, CBC reported. The bill limits the city’s authority over development. 

The problem: At the root of the complaint from cities, including Ottawa, is the elimination of development charges for many types of new construction projects. Previously, those would be paid by the builder and cover the costs of services like sewers and waste, and also the building of libraries and community centres. 

• Ottawa city staff estimate the bill will cost the city $60 million every year by 2025, and will eliminate about one-quarter of development fees it collects.

The soft touch: Premier Doug Ford took the “diplomatic” approach to mayors who pushed back against the housing bill in particular:

• “We have a few mayors that don't want to play in the sandbox,” Ford said according to CBC. “We want to work collaboratively, cooperatively with you, but we need [you] to get on board and start moving forward and stop the whining and complaining that I hear day in and day out.”

The problem: At the root of the complaint from cities, including Ottawa, is the elimination of development charges for many types of new construction projects. Previously, those would be paid by the builder and cover the costs of services like sewers and waste, and also the building of libraries and community centres. 

• Ottawa city staff estimate the bill will cost the city $60 million every year by 2025, and will eliminate about one-quarter of development fees it collects.

THE AGENDA

🚓 Ottawa police Supt. Mark Patterson was charged with sexual assault and breach of trust. He had been suspended with pay since June over misconduct allegations. [CBC]

💰 People in Ottawa are starting to have to change their spending habits as interest rate hikes begin to hit their mortgage bills. [CTV]

🏢 Workers in the federal public service are expected to be ordered back into the office two or three days a week. It’s not clear when the order will be announced, or when it will take effect. [Policy Options] 

🔥 A sleeping cabin in Kingston for vulnerable residents burned down. Injuries were only minor. [CBC]

🔒Mooney’s Bay Hill will stay closed to tobogganers this winter, after a council motion failed 11-12 to direct staff to find a way to make it safe. [CTV]

EVENTS

Winter markets, choir performances, and a chance to roller skate

Arts

Pique, Saturday 2pm: An artistic event with live music, dj sets, art installations, and an art market, spread across the multiple floors of the Arts Court at 2 Daily Ave. Tickets start at $20.

Diefenbunker Artist-in-Residence Exhibition, Saturday and Sunday 1 pm: Meet artist Christos Pantieras for a guided walkthrough of his exhibition Justin Case: The Enemy Within, an installation that explores the LGBT Purge in the federal government. Included in a general admission pass to the museum, starts at $17.50.

Music

Capital City Chorus Holiday Harmony, Saturday 2 pm and 7 pm: Head on out to the Arlington Woods Church at 225 McClellan Rd. for one of two performances of seasonal favourites performed by one of several quartets. Tickets $20.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons & Gloria with choir, Friday 8 pm: A night of Vivaldi featuring Alexandre Da Costa and Michel Brousseau, at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St. Tickets start at $38.

Sports

Social Rollerskating Quad Session, Friday 9 pm: An all-ages, all-levels roller skating event. At Carleton U’s Norm Fenn Gym. Tickets starting at $9.

Kids/Family

Pibòn Festival of winter until Sunday: A winter festival with a night market, indigenous culture and food, live music performances, and activities including caribou antler crafting and paint night.  At Mādahòkì Farm, 4420, W Hunt Club Rd. Admission is free, register for workshops and parking.

Market

Signatures Christmas Craft Sale, until Sunday: The EY Centre near the airport is host to more than 150 artists and artisans from across the country. Gifts of all sorts available from hand-blown glass to hand-knit mittens. Tickets start at $5. 

613Flea Holiday Market, Friday 5 pm: There’s always something new at the city’s biggest flea market, now in full holiday mode. More than 100 vendors from vintage clothing to food, and so much more at the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne. Admission is free.

Ottawa Guild of Potters Holiday Sale, Friday-Sunday: Get a one-of-a-kind mug for yourself, or that special someone on your list. More than mugs, there will be all sorts of functional and decorative items for sale at the Lansdowne Horticulture Building Free admission.

Afrotecture Holiday Pop-up, Saturday 12 pm: Artisans from the African diaspora with home decor products, bath and body, baby, food, and plenty more. Located at 1805 Gaspé Ave. Admission is free.

RESTAURANTS

Food and drink industry lifted up by return of holiday parties

What happened: Restaurants and caterers have seen the return of holiday parties, to the point some are overwhelmed, CBC reported. Many in the food industry have been booking parties midweek since November, and some have parties stretching into January because demand is so high.

• “We've had to cancel on so many clients because we do not have availability … We just cannot fit everything in,” one caterer told CBC.

Changing pattern: Some businesses are deciding to have slightly smaller affairs by department or team, rather than huge parties with the whole team.

What to try this weekend: Head over to Capital Eats to check out the latest restaurant reviews by our food editor Ralf.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Riviera is the only Ottawa spot to make it on OpenTable’s 100 best restaurants in Canada. [CTV]

• The Rink of Dreams on the front lawn of City Hall is now open.

• (Members only) Our food editor has great recommendations for ramen and more next time you’re in Toronto…

• …and now you can return to the city by bus as Red Arrow has opened a new Ottawa-Toronto daily bus route. [CTV]

• A woman in Cornwall won $800,000 in The Bigger Spin lottery game. The best part? She got to go to Toronto to spin a big wheel (and win money, we guess). [CTV]

• Starting in February, Porter Airlines will offer a new route with direct flights to Tornto’s Pearson Airport.

• Want to have your announcement featured? Contact our partnership team for more info.

TOP PHOTO

This photo of Greenbank and Baseline taken by Reddit user geetchoubey really takes me back to my younger suburban days. Something oddly peaceful about an empty street on a wet night.

Have a photo you’d like to share with the Lookout community? Send it our way! We love running reader photos.

OTTAWAGUESSER

Congrats to Mike and Chelsea, who both knew this week’s OttawaGuesser was on Blair Road, next to old Gloucester City Hall.

Today’s Ottawa Wordle is pretty straightforward, so no hints. Play now!

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