Budgets, budgets everywhere and lots of time to think

Good morning!

Hope everyone is ready for the Thanksgiving Day long weekend. Turkey, family, and perhaps a bit of sports are on offer. If the weekend is anywhere as nice as the week has been, it should make for a lovely time.

At this time of year, many families around the city are looking for a little extra help, especially with inflation what it is. You can help out by donating to the Ottawa Food Bank, which has been under extra pressure this year.

Let’s get to the newsletter.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: 11 🌡️ 0 | 🌧

Saturday: 11 🌡️ 7 | 🌤

Sunday: 13 🌡️ 4 | 🌦

Monday: 12 🌡️ 2 | ☁️

ELECTION

Budgets, bugets everywhere and lots of time to think

Sutcliffe’s plan: Mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe promised to reduce property tax increases to 2.5 percent in the first two years of his term. This would be lower increases than Jim Watson’s current three percent cap.

How he’d do it: His plan includes $35 million to $65 million in cuts, in part by the elimination of 200 positions at the city — 100 vacant positions, and 100 through attrition, finding efficiencies through a strategic budget review and the elimination of the use of consultants.

• You can read Sutcliffe’s fiscal plan here.

McKenney’s plan: Mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney promised to hold property tax increases to three percent per year. Their spending promises would amount to about $650 million, which they say can mostly be funded through the natural rise in city revenues.

• The city’s contingency fund has been overfilled by $205 million in recent years. McKenney would use $90 million of this money to fund a portion of their promises.

Paying for cycling: The $250-million plan to build 25 years of cycling infrastructure in four years would be paid for with green bonds.

Under McKenney, the city would also borrow $65 million to retrofit city buildings. The campaign expects that money to be paid back in eight years through lower energy costs.

Details, details: Without endorsing McKenney’s policies, former parliamentary budget officer and head of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at uOttawa Kevin Page said the plan sets a high bar for detail and transparency.

• “Key economic and fiscal assumptions, sources and uses of funds and debt sustainability considerations are clearly laid out. This high level of transparency promotes policy debate, accountability and trust,” Page said.

You can read McKenney’s fiscal plan here.

New poll: A new online poll by Nanos Research for CTV suggests McKenney leads Sutcliffe by five percentage points, 29 to 24. The poll suggests 35 percent of voters are still undecided.

• Explainer: How the new ‘strong mayor’ powers will work [CBC]

Voting today: Early voting begins today. If you received a voting card, it will have your voting location printed. Or you can use this city tool to find your polling place. (If you didn’t get a voting card in the mail, you can register at the ballot box!)

HOUSING

Real estate market continues to cool

What happened: Real estate sales in Ottawa dropped a whopping 33 percent last month compared to the year before. This year, there were 1,080 sales in September, down from 1,601 in 2021, the Ottawa Real Estate Board said.

• House sales were down 34 percent, and condo sales were down 27 percent.

“September’s lower sales performance reflects continued hesitancy among buyers as they watch interest rates rise and consider the speculation surrounding price trends,” Board president Penny Torontow said.

The good news: The number of new listed houses were up from last month, last year and rose above five-year average. Prices have also stabilized, and now show only modest year-over-year growth.

Office real estate: Meanwhile, the office vacancy rate remains high, particularly downtown. It rose to 10 percent, the highest its been in four years, according to the Ottawa Business Journal. It’s also the first time in four years the office market vacancy rate in the city slowed.

• Dig deeper: Will Ottawa’s downtown ever be the same? In a word, no. [Ottawa Citizen]

FALL

Leaves begin to turn across the region

What happened: The NCC’s Fall Rhapsody is in full swing. A weekend shuttle is running between the city and Gatineau Park every 15 to 20 minutes, with some of the best views of the changing fall foliage CTV reported.

• People from near and far flock to places like the Champlain Lookout, to see the stunning vistas of reds, yellows, and ambers.

Lookout reader contest: This season, we’re looking to see the best of fall around town from readers. Send us your fall photos over the next few weeks. We’ll pick our 10 favourites, and then let you, the readers, pick your favourite fall photo. Send your shots to [email protected] with the subject “Fall Photo Contest”!

STORIES YOU MIGHT’VE MISSED

What’s closed for Thanksgiving: Most city services are closed Monday, with garbage and recycling days moving one day later. Parking regulations are in effect as usual, and OC Transpo is on a modified schedule. Para Transpo is on holiday service. Some recreation centres are open, on a modified schedule. [CBC]

Commanda Bridge delayed: The Chief William Commanda Bridge won’t be opening until at least next spring. Construction delays and a labour shortage put the project off schedule. The revamped rail bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau was supposed to open to cyclists and pedestrians this fall. [CBC]

Disclosing relationships: Council voted to have the integrity commissioner add rules to the code of conduct to have councillors disclose relationships with city staff. The commissioner is in the middle of a review of the code. [CTV]

Closer to an answer: The investigators looking into the deadly Eastway Tank explosion in January narrowed down the theories to just “a couple.” Six people were killed in the blast and ensuing fire. [CBC]

Ottawa Hospital looks to become smart: The Ottawa Hospital has partnered with international technology group Becton, Dickinson and Company, to improve four things: using antimicrobials only when necessary, developing AI tools to enhance decision-making, a new medication management strategy, and developing an integrated approach to chronic disease management. [Ottawa Citizen]

Two dead in Orléans shooting: Two men were killed in a shooting at an Orléans strip mall Wednesday night. No arrests have been made. A third man was injured, but has since been released from hospital. [CBC]

Doug Ford threatens back-to-work: Premier Doug Ford won’t rule out back-to-work legislation before teachers go on strike. Education support workers voted this week 96.5 percent for a strike mandate if talks break down. The two sides are far apart on wage increases. [CityNews]

WEEKEND GUIDE

Cinema, candlelight, and a fire truck pull

Capital Cinema Movie Night: The Lost Boys | Tonight | 6:25 pm | ByWard Building | A free screening in the Market of The Lost Boys.

MURMURATION | Tonight | 7 pm | St. Joseph’s Church | Free, registration required | The University of Ottawa Orchestra Playing Murmuration by Kelly-Marie Murphy, Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor Chopin and Symphony No. 8 in B minor by Schubert.

Ottawa Parent and Child Expo | Saturday and Sunday | 10 am | Nepean Sportsplex | $12.50 for a family of two in advance, and up | Activities, games, storytelling, everything you could want for a family day out. Best of all, meet Elmo and Cookie Monster.

Ottawa Fire Truck Pull | Saturday | 2 pm | Lansdowne Park | Come out and watch teams of firefighters and regular folks try and pull a firetruck 100 feet to raise money for Epilepsy Ottawa.

Art + Fall Showcase | Saturday | 4 pm to 7 pm | 67 Nicholas St. | Suggested donation of $10 | A night of diverse music, dance, performance art and visual art.

Candlelight: From Bach to The Beatles | Saturday | 7 pm and 9:15 pm | Knox Presbyterian Church | $30 to $60 | Under the glow of candlelight, get an unforgettable multi-sensory musical experience with the music of Bach and The Beatles.

Want our members-only list of upcoming food and drink events? You have to be an Insider member.

GIVEAWAY

100 bagels? Yes, 100 bagels

Due to popular demand, we’re doing another giveaway with Kettleman’s bagels.

We’re giving away a gift card worth 100 bagels. But don’t worry, you don’t have to buy all those bagels at once.

The contest closes Oct. 31. Head over to the contest page to enter.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The United Way Community Builder Awards were back in person for the first time since 2019. [Apt613]

• Spicy jeyuk pork stars at In’s Kitchen in Sandy Hill. And don’t miss the Suntofu with seafood.

• Becoming a crossing guard can be a great way to get into the workforce, and the Ottawa Safety Council is always looking to make diverse hires. [OBJ]

• The Pizza Safari is back with a fabulous New York slice from Le Bronx Pizza and other pies you’ll want to try.

• Reddit users helped a rural Ottawa man find his car in a downtown parking garage. [Reddit]

• Carlos the rabbit is looking for a new home. He’s social, curious, and friendly. [CityNews]

• If you were near the Meadowlands and Chesterton area at about noon on Sunday, an injured motorcyclist is looking for dash cam footage of his accident. [Reddit]

• Fill out this form to have your event or announcement featured in community highlights

TOP PHOTO

Hey, that’s progress. Reader Ron Dennis sent in this photo of the western extension of the LRT along Richmond Road, just past Woodroffe.

Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Lookout readers? Send it our way! We’re looking for fall photos right now, so reply to this email with those lovely colours.

OTTAWA GEOGUESSER

This week’s Ottawa GeoGuesser was what I thought a pretty easy one. But, I guess not everyone grew up in Barrhaven, listening to the national time signal at one o’clock. Anyway, big congrats to Lucas and Andrew who correctly guessed it was the CHU station on Greenbank Road.

It’s Friday, and that means the Ottawa Wordle. Play now.

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