Municipalities pressure province for more support

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Good morning! 

I saw a sign the other day promoting pumpkin spice lattes. It’s a true sign that fall is near. I’m sure many parents are anxiously awaiting the return to school. It seems summer feels shorter every year. Hopefully, the weather will warm up so the last two weeks of summer count. 

The Association of Municipalities Ontario conference has just wrapped up in Ottawa. Many delegates said they were underwhelmed by the Doug Ford-led provincial government’s commitments that were made. 

And for our last story, a number of community groups are backing up Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s call for more upper-level financial support roll into the city.

Have a good weekend! 

— Charlie Senack, [email protected].

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WEATHER

Friday: 25 🌡️ 14 | ⛅

Saturday: 24 🌡️ 16 | ⛅

Sunday: 26 🌡️ 17 | ⛅

Monday: 26 🌡️ 17 | ⛅

PROVINCIAL POLITICS

Municipal officials urge Ontario to take over more responsibility at annual AMO Conference

What happened: Municipal and provincial politicians from across Ontario met in Ottawa this week for the annual Association of Municipalities Ontario Conference. It’s an opportunity for mayors and city councillors to speak with members of provincial parliament and cabinet ministers. Over 2,500 delegates were in attendance at the Shaw Centre. 

In his speech, Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke about the growth of the province, which he said could be as high as 850,000 new residents a year — roughly the size of Mississauga. 

“They also want to participate in our growing economy — an economy that’s added more than 800,000 new jobs since we came into office in 2018. With 160,000 new jobs added since the beginning of this year,” said Ford. “In recent years, Ontario’s economy has attracted tens of billions of dollars in the tech sector, $4 billion in life sciences, and more than $44 billion in electric vehicle and battery plants.”

Key issues on the table: One of the key issues elected officials kept bringing up was the need to invest more to combat homelessness. According to outdated stats, 1,340 Ottawa residents were without a home in 2021 compared to 7,347 people in Toronto that same year. AMO shared last week that 1,400 homelessness encampments were reported in Ontario last year, reported Global News. In Ottawa, city councillors have previously stated that people living on the streets are living in forests, under bridges and in parks. 

Experts have said it’s a problem that needs multiple solutions: more housing, affordable housing, addiction treatment, counselling, and other wrap-around support services. These can be costly for citys to cover when facing rising costs elsewhere on transit and infrastructure projects. 

• What they said: Outgoing AMO President Colin Best raised concerns over how a review needs to be done to determine what municipalities are obligated to provide compared to other levels of government. He said a “social and economic prosperity review” is needed, according to TVO. 

“They know what we all know, and they know what the current government very well knows,” said Best. “They know that the current arrangements are undermining the prosperity of your communities. They know that we are on an unstainable path to decline if changes are not forthcoming.”

The need for more funding: Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe met privately with Ford to again plead for more transit support, but no additional funding has been promised. Ontario Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said if they were to form government during the next election, they would upload costly matters and restore cost-sharing when it comes to transit.  

• “Right now, we’re asking Ontario municipalities to build 21st-century cities with 19th-century tools,” said Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

It was a sentiment echoed as well by NDP leader Marit Stiles. “Under my government, the province will pay its fair share … reversing downloads and cuts and making sure municipalities have permanent, sustainable funding you can count on,” she said. 

• When a ‘New Deal for Ottawa’ was reached in the spring, Ford did agree to take on the maintenance and rehabilitation of Highway 174 while a three-stage phased assessment of potential provincial ownership was underway. 

"When we upload the roads, really the biggest issue on roads and highways is the maintenance so we're providing $9 million in immediate funding for maintenance. This will free up much needed room in the city's capital budget to invest in local priorities while ensuring this highway is in good repair for long term to support Ottawa's economy. Nothing is more important than infrastructure,” said Ford according to CTV.

Closure of safe consumption sites: One of the biggest takeaways was that Ontario would force the closure of 10 safe consumption sites across the province, including the one at the Somerset West Community Health Centre in Ottawa. They can remain open until the end of March 2025, and will have the option to apply to be a HART Hub, which would not offer harm reduction services. 

What’s next: Seven remaining sites located in Ontario will be allowed to stay in operation because they are not within 200 metres of schools or childcare facilities. 

A few dozen protesters demonstrated outside of the Shaw Centre where the conference was happening. They laid on the ground and held signs which read, “This is bad policy. People will die.” 

Former Overdose Prevention Ottawa worker Leila Attar told CBC she thought the policy change would displace people and push them back into alleys where they cannot be saved. 

• "I have watched our systems become decimated, and I've watched people literally die in our streets, and politicians are playing games with people's lives and this decision is going to kill people," said Attar.

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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

📸$26.6M: The amount of money Ottawa speed cameras brought in last year. [Ottawa Citizen]

🦟 2: The number of West Nile Virus cases confirmed in Ottawa. [Ottawa Citizen]

🚗 8: The number of people found in a five-seat vehicle that was pulled over for speeding 50 km/h over the speed limit. Two of the individuals were found in the trunk of the car. [CTV]

CITY HALL

Community groups stand with Mayor over fairness for Ottawa

Unity for a better city: More business groups are joining Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s plea for more federal and provincial funding. On Thursday afternoon the city issued a press release promoting the “broad coalition of prominent community organizations” that have officially endorsed the Fairness for Ottawa campaign. They include the following:

• Alliance to End Homelessness 

• Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres 

• Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association 

• Invest Ottawa 

• Kanata North Business Association 

• Ottawa Board of Trade
  Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas  

• Ottawa Community Housing 

• Ottawa Tourism 

• Regroupement des gens d’affaires 

• United Way Eastern Ontario

• Ottawa and District Labour Council

The issue: Sutcliffe is asking for more money to help avoid a potential seven percent tax hike to fund OC Transpo. Weeks ago, he held a press conference to say there was a $140 million gap caused by low ridership. The public service working remotely alone has caused a 38% decrease in trips travelled, totalling $36 million lost. 

In addition to better funding transit, the city also wants the federal government to pay more for its office buildings. The city has lost $100 million in revenue after the feds dropped the amount of property taxes it pays on government buildings in Ottawa, reported CTV.

In a statement, Sutcliffe said he was pleased to have the support of the business community.

• “I’m very pleased that these important organizations have joined the Fairness for Ottawa campaign,” he said. “They represent a diverse cross-section of interests in our city, including homelessness and housing, health and social services, economic development, small business, and tourism. Their strong support amplifies our urgent call for Ottawa to receive our fair share of support from other levels of government.”

THE AGENDA

💉 As monkeypox (also known as Mpox) continues to spread across Central Africa, Ottawa Public Health and MAX Ottawa are ramping up efforts to vaccinate people for the disease here in the Capital. Since January, at least 102 cases of clade 2 mpox have been confirmed in Ontario, mostly in Toronto. Ottawa has seen five cases this year, the most recent confirmed in May. [Ottawa Citizen]

💣 The RCMP is investigating after bomb threats were issued to Ottawa hospitals and Jewish organizations on Wednesday. About a dozen synagogues and Jewish community centres in Ottawa were sent the email, which according to a spokesperson at B'nai Brith Canada, contained messages stating attendees at the institutions didn’t deserve to live.  Police said the threat was low risk, but full sweeps of hospitals were conducted. [CTV]

☔️ The amount of rain Ottawa has received this year is having a negative impact on sports fields. As a result, some games have needed to be moved due to the muddy and wet conditions. In some cases, even injuries have been reported. [CTV]

🚌 The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority said they are short 13 drivers just two weeks before the school bell rings. It represents about one percent of the system or roughly 57 transportation trips. [CTV]   

🛍️ The Sparks Street BIA has announced plans to expand its boundaries beyond the traditional pedestrian mall into a broader part of the downtown core. The decision to pursue expansion was originally prompted by the pandemic, as well as the “Freedom Convoy” in 2022. The expansion will come into effect Jan. 1, 2025. [Ottawa Business Journal]

🛒 A new ‘No Name’ version of the Loblaws grocery store is about to be piloted, and one of three locations is coming to Brockville. The grocery giant says it will be a “completely different” shopping experience with the store set to open in September. [CBC] 

👮🏼‍♀️ Ottawa Police are facing backlash after chasing and arresting the wrong Black man in Orleans this February. According to reports, police worried the man was carrying a weapon and were responding to a call concerning a homicide in Little Italy. Kane Niyondagara, the mistaken suspect, resisted arrest, police said, which resulted in police punching the victim. [CBC]

🏡 The Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after a home invasion was reported on Wolfe Island near Kingston. Officials said there is a possible risk to public safety after tenants of the home were assaulted by an unknown individual. [CTV]

EVENTS

✏️ Back 2 School Fun Day Run and BBQ, Saturday: Get ready to kick off the school year with a fun run and BBQ - it's gonna be a blast!  At Britannia Beach. Tickets are $22.63. 

🕺 Homo Phono Tegan & Sara Themed Dance Party, Saturday: Come hang and dance at The Grove before Tegan and Sara at Pride! Tea dance styles, sober & masked. With DJ del Pilar! At 78 Hinton Ave N #100. Tickets are $11.98.

🚶 Capital City Tour, Saturday: This tour is the perfect mix of the city’s main landmarks, its surprisingly seedy history, and some of the hottest spots locals love. At The National War Memorial, Wellington St. Free. 

📚 OSGC August Book Club, Saturday: We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz, Saturday: Join Ottawa Social Girl Club August Book Club where they will be discussing "We Were Never Here" by Andrea Bartz. At Wise Town Cafe, 329A Elgin St. Tickets are $5.00.

🏳️‍🌈 Pride Saturday Drag with Devona Coe, Kimmy Couture & Abysskiss, Saturday: Kimmy (CDR S3), Devona and Abysskiss serve you amazing live drag performances at Ottawa's Home for Drag. At the Ottawa Lookout Bar and Nightclub, 41 York St, 2nd Floor. Tickets are $17.31. 

🇬🇷 Ottawa Greek Festival, until Sunday: This annual festival showcases live Greek music, traditional dances, excellent Greek cuisine, language lessons, and demonstrations of all sorts! At 1315 Prince of Wales Drive. Free. 

🇮🇳 Indian Food Festival of Ottawa, until Sunday: This exciting event brings together the rapidly growing Indian food scene in Ottawa, showcasing a vibrant array of flavors from the diverse regions of India. At Clarke Fields Park, Barrhaven, 95 Houlahan St. Free. 

🍗 InterNations Ottawa Community BBQ event - Official event, Sunday: Join InterNations for a fun-filled Ottawa community BBQ event where you can meet new friends, enjoy delicious food, and make lasting memories. At Andrew Hayden Park, 3127 Carling Ave. Tickets are $17.31.

FOOD UPDATE

What happened this week in food

🍷(Insiders) Are you a wine lover looking for a different cultural taste? Try out this Lebanese offering you can find in Gatineau.

🍦 With the warmer weather returning you need to visit Love & Electric Microcreamery located on Wellington Street West. It is run by the same owners who opened Britannia’s wildly popular Beach Coners. 

🥗 Vegan dieters can oftentimes find it hard to find a healthy fast food alternative. Odd Burger thinks it has all the answers. 

🇪🇸 Craving great Spanish food? La Barrica has isles of fine Iberian products. 

🇹🇷 (Insiders) Looking for a cultural dinner experience? Check out Memories of Azra, the Turkish restaurant Ottawa needed.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Softball is becoming a thriving sport in Carp. [CTV]

• The Goulbourn Museum is looking for the public's help identifying people in an old photograph. [Sittsville Central]

• Manotick is getting ready for the annual Allan Haan Soapbox Derby and Picnic in the Park. [Manotick Messenger]

• 51 years ago a railway strike led to the most 'explosive' alcohol-fuelled 'rampage' on Parliament Hill. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Here is a look at Capital Pride festivities taking place in Ottawa this weekend. [Ottawa Citizen]

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