Ottawa Councillor asked to apologize over comments made about OC Transpo GM

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Good morning! 

It’s the last full week before Christmas. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this too, but I’ve found the malls have been abnormally quiet for this time of year. I’m happy to report that I’ve finished most of my shopping. 

There is a big divide happening at City Hall right now over comments River ward Coun. Riley Brockington made about OC Transpo general manager René Amilcar. We explore both sides of the heated debate. 

Meanwhile the Ontario legislature is on recess until March, but there are mounting rumours a provincial election will be called before then. Two Ottawa MPPs who aren’t seeking re-election have given their final goodbyes. 

On Wednesday stay tuned for a feel good story from us about a new butterfly exhibit. For our Insider members our apologies for not sending out an exclusive story about HART Hubs the weekend. I was feeling a bit under the weather but I promise you will be getting it in your inbox next weekend. 

Let’s get to the news of the day!

— Charlie Senack, managing editor 

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X: @Charlie_Senack

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WEATHER

Monday: 2 🌡️ 2 | ☁️

Tuesday: 4 🌡️ 1 | 🌧️

Wednesday: 3 🌡️ -2 | 🌨️

CITY HALL

Did Coun. Riley Brockington’s comments go too far?

River ward Coun. Riley Brockington is continuing to face wrath for calling out the head of OC Transpo during Wednesday's council meeting, but some of his colleagues are also coming to his defence. 

What happened: On Wednesday council passed the 2025 budget which lacks any meaningful investment in transit. Brockington said he felt it did not include any support to fix the chronically late buses which his residents frequently complain about. Recent statistics show one in four buses on less frequent routes don't show up within five minutes of their scheduled time. 

During the meeting, Brockington asked city manager Wendy Stephanson if she developed the “personal work objectives and assess” OC Transpo general manager René Amilcar at the end of year on performance. Stephanson replied yes. After continuing questioning the mayor interjected and asked the conversation to stay on the topic of the budget. After the meeting Amilcar called it a “personal attack.” 

Brockington now says he disagrees with that assumption and said it’s “unfortunate.” 

• "I support Madame Amilcar in her role as general manager. I want her to perform well," said Brockington according to CTV. "But I need to give her the resources that she needs for the transit system to run as effectively as it can be and for bus reliability to be better and I've raised that consistently.”

Calls for an apology: Both Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower (who also chairs the transit commission) and Beacon-Hill Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney said Brockington should apologize for his comments. 

But some are coming to his defence: The Lookout spoke to a number of councillors off the record who had mixed views of the interaction. One said they left the room due to the uncomfortableness it caused, whereas another said the River ward representative said what many were feeling. Another councillor said they agreed with what was asked but felt it should have been done behind closed doors. 

On X, Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine defended Brockington. He said “too much has been made” about how the questions were received, but not enough about what was being asked. 

• “Sure, the questions might have been better suited for Transit Commission, and yes, the questions were pointed directly at leadership, but questions about accountability of senior leadership and who holds who accountable are critical, especially when we're not getting results,” said Devine. “To focus on these questions as a "personal attack" is to divert attention away from the problem at hand.”

Devine went on to say Brockington is a “rare voice” around the council table and said there is a lot to look into when it comes to how OC Transpo reports performance metrics. 

Progress being made: Mayor Sutcliffe has been adamant in stressing that progress is being made. In an interview with the Lookout last month, he said the city is increasing its transit budget by 11 per cent this year and noted the expanded light rail systems will also improve service. That

That however doesn’t account for the reduction of 75,000 fewer service hours that will be coming when ‘New Ways to Bus’ is implemented in the spring. Many routes are changing to accommodate the Trillium and Confederation light rail expansions and to help a $120 million deficit OC Transpo is facing. 

Thought-bubble: What council likes to focus on is about 62,000 hours are being added through the O-Train. That won't help bus users, however, and whatever way you want to try and spin this, it’s still fewer public transit hours. 

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NUMBERS

👮🏼‍♀️ 20%: The pay raise Ottawa Police are getting under a new agreement. [CTV] 

🚗 1,500: The number of vehicles stolen in Ottawa so far this year. Gloucester-Southgate and Bay wards are the two hot spots for vehicle thefts. [CTV]

🐎 8: The number of people hurt in a horse-drawn wagon ride gone wrong in Brockville. [CBC]

🚔 16%: The increase in Ottawa Police RIDE checks leading to impaired charges. [Ottawa Citizen]

PROVINCIAL

Two Ottawa representatives say farewell ahead of possible early provincial election

Is an early provincial election coming? There is mounting speculation that a provincial election could be called without the next few months, perhaps because Ontario Premier Doug Ford wants one before voters head to the polls federally in October 2025. That federal election will almost certainly see a change in leadership, with the Conservatives showing a huge advantage over the current Liberal-led government. 

Regardless of the politics at play, Ottawa area MPP’s who aren’t seeking re-election had their chance to say goodbye. 

Because the Ontario legislature is being recessed until March 3, 2025, Ottawa Centre MPP offered a farewell speech on Dec. 10. The two-term provincial representative who beat the Liberal’s Yasir Naqvi in 2018 is now running federally for the NDP in the same riding. At Queen’s Park, he used a few minutes to urge people “not to give up on each other.” 

• “We are living in a time when it is easy to dehumanize. People and opinions are discarded at the click of a button. The online algorithms of social media do not bring us together. More often than not, they are designed to tear us apart,” said Harden. “We need lively debate, but not at the expense of others. We can be hard on issues, but soft on people. We need a politics that is more welcoming and hospitable.”

You can read Harden’s full remarks here. 

It will be a close federal fight: Coincidentally, Harden will be going up against Naqvi again, who is now the current MP for Ottawa Centre. Harden said Indigenous reconciliation and environmentalism would be top priorities if elected. He said Canadians have watched in horror as parts of British Columbia and Alberta have faced extensive wildfires. Naqvi said a part of his platform is to ensure women’s rights alongside those of LGBTQ2S+ folk are protected. 

Naqvi has acknowledged it will be a tough campaign, but one he’s ready for. The Ottawa Centre MP would not say if it’s time for Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau to be replaced, and said his party needs to brand itself as the option for Canadians. 

• “We need to make life easier for people, especially with the cost of living. Even though interest rates and inflation are coming down, we have to realize rent and cost of groceries has gone up,” admitted Naqvi. “Healthcare is mostly a provincial issue, but people talk to me about how they don’t have access to a family doctor or there are people who have healthcare backgrounds in another country and can’t practice in Canada. We need to fix that.” 

Former councillor now NDP candidate: Catherine McKenney, the former Somerset ward councillor who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022, has been declared as the provincial NDP candidate in Ottawa Centre. McKenney said she’s running to bring more affordable housing to the area, fix the homelessness emergency, and built better schools, according to the Kitchissippi Times. 

Another goodbye: After almost two decades, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod said her farewell to the Ontario legislature in late October. MacLeod first announced earlier this year that she’d be seeking re-election, then abruptly announced she changed her mind but would stay on until the end of the term.

During a speech at a Sprung structure rally this fall, MacLeod said she would keep serving the residents of Nepean until the end of February, which was puzzling to many since no election date has been called. A provincial election doesn’t need to be held until June 4, 2026. 

• “I want to say in my last statement here in the legislature my deepest appreciation to each of you. Each and every single one of you I look at and you’ve given me a story, you’ve given me life. And despite what you might think when I’m in question period I do look at each one of you with deep admiration and affection,” said an emotional MacLeod. “Even when you may have been my harshest critique and that usually came from this side.”

It’s unclear who will now run as the Progressive Conservative candidate in Nepean. MacLeod-backed Jay Chadha, who unsuccessfully ran for Barrhaven city council in 2022 put his name forward, but then announced he was withdrawing for personal reasons. 

Change in the outskirts: In the neighbouring riding of Carleton, former Osgoode Coun. George Darouze is running for the Progressive Conservatives. The very blue rural riding is currently held by independent MPP Goldie Ghamari who was ousted from the PC caucus earlier this year. 

JOBS

1. Clinical care leader at the Ottawa Hospital 

2. Senior associate of data and analytics at Deloitte 

3. Dining room server at Amica Senior Lifestyles 

4. On-call school crossing guard at Ottawa Safety Council 

5. Manager of labour relations at Hydro Ottawa 

Local jobs are selected by the Lookout team and are not paid ads, unless specifically noted.

THE AGENDA

🛝 There are over 200 play structures across the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and about one in 10 is reaching the end of its usable life in the next five years. That is a problem due to rising costs and the fact that parent councils are usually the ones who need to fundraise for replacements. A new long-term plan will now have that work done by the OCDSB facilities department. Costs for a new play area have doubled from about $70,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic to around $125,000 now. [Ottawa Citizen]

🎓 Ontario Colleges are warning of potential strike action, and that could impact students at Algonquin College.  The College Employer Council (CEC), the bargaining agent for Ontario’s 24 colleges, said OPSEU’s demands “ignore the stark reality faced by Ontario colleges, who are projected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years due to a combination of declining enrolment and higher cost.” [Algonquin College]

📬 It is back to work for Canada Post workers. The mail service is being ordered back to their jobs after being at an “impasse” with the union. Canada Post said it has agreed to implement a five per cent increase for now, retroactive the day after its collective agreement expired. [CBC]

🛒 The Westboro Regional Food Bank and The Parkdale Food Centre are facing record demand. The Westboro food aid service says they are giving groceries to upwards of 100 people a day, three times a week. Meanwhile the food provider in Wellington West says upwards of 1,650 people use their Mino’Weesini Grocery Program each month. It costs about $18,000 a month to run. [Kitchissippi Times]

🍺 The popular Prescott bar and restaurant on Preston Street is celebrating its 90th anniversary with some changes. General manager Trever Proulx said they have recently opened Par-Tee Putt in the basement, which has 18 themed miniput holes including Beetlejuice, Family Guy, Jaws, and Pokémon. The longtime Little Italy establishment is known for its meatball subs and square pizzas. [Kitchissippi Times]

👔 Some federal public servants in Ottawa are waiting nearly an hour each morning for a coveted spot in one of the city's suburban co-working spaces to prevent the need to work downtown. Each site is "equipped with modern tools and technology, such as Wi-Fi and video-conferencing services, for increased efficiency.f" An Orleans location has room for 684 workers. [CBC]

🛷 It looks like the popular Mooney’s Bay sledding hill might not open again this year. The news comes after the city approved spending $150,000 to fund an external engineering and landscaping feasibility analysis to determine what could be done to make the hill safe. River ward Coun Riley Brockington said the city is struggling to find an engineering firm that can do the work. The city has a total of 70 areas designated for sleeping. [CTV]

⚖️ The family of a man killed in a workplace incident is disappointed by the owner's absence in court. Southgate's Carpets pleaded guilty to workplace safety violations leading to the death of Ron Hill. The company was fined $100,000 plus a 25 per cent victim surcharge over workplace safety violations. [CBC]

📄 A new bill has been designed which could remove councillors from elected office due to misconduct, but some advocates say it falls short. If passed, a complaint would need to go through various hands’ approval before then needing to receive unanimous support from council. Somerset ward Coun. Ariel Troster, who supported a similar bill in the past, worries this could "reignite the old boys' club." [CBC]

👮‍♂️ Ottawa Police are investigating after a body was found in the Rideau River near the intersection of King Edward Avenue and Sussex Drive Sunday afternoon. Ottawa Fire was initially called to the site for an ice rescue mission but it was called off. The person's name or age has not been identified. [CTV]

🔥 A fire in the east end over the weekend damaged a Montanas restaurant. The same night crews also battled a blaze on the 1900 block of St. Laurent Boulevard, near the Elmvale Acres Shopping Mall. There were no injuries in either case. [CTV]

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EVENTS

Alight at Night | Upper Canada Village, 13740 County Rd. 2, Morrisburg | Now until Jan. 4 | Explore nearly one million lights in a magical winter wonderland featuring carriage rides, BeaverTails, and festive charm | Tickets $17

A Celtic Christmas Celebration | National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin St | Dec. 18 | Experience a captivating blend of Celtic Christmas traditions to celebrate the season with lively tunes and cherished songs that are sure to inspire a sing-along | Tickets $30

Ottawa Kwanzaa Celebration | Blu Legacy Convention Centre, 3750 North Bowesville Rd | Dec. 28 | The Ottawa Kwanzaa celebration will include a dynamic showcase of cultural dancers, drumming, singing, music and authentic African and Caribbean cuisine | Free

Holiday Stroll | Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm | Saturdays and Sundays in December | Explore over 2 km of illuminated forest trails, and dazzling Christmas displays | Tickets $13+

Alight at Night | 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg | Dec 19–23 | Experience the magic of a 19th-century village illuminated by over a million lights | Tickets $17

All of My Favourite Things Artisan Market Series | 55 ByWard Market Square | Dec. 21 | Discover handcrafted treasures from local artisans and creators in a festive outdoor and indoor market experience | Free

Family Discovery Day at Nordik Spa-Nature | Nordik Spa-Nature, 16 Nordik Road, Chelsea | Dec 24 | Escape the holiday rush and relax with the whole family, open to children aged 8 to 15, with specific supervision guidelines | Tickets $98

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Christmas comedy took to the stage at Ottawa’s Little Theatre. [Capital Current]

• Tell Air Canada unpaid work is unfair. [Sponsored]

• The Ottawa Public Library’s memory cafe is helping people with dementia. [Capital Current]

• Doing some last-minute Christmas shopping? Here are nine Westboro businesses to check out. [Kitchissippi Times]

• The Ottawa Mission served up its Christmas feast over the weekend. A record 17,800 meals were distributed. [CTV]

• Families with sick kids got to enjoy a private shopping spree at Toys ‘R’ Us. [CTV]

• Check out this Rockland Christmas light display raising funds for CHEO. [CTV]

PHOTO OF THE DAY