What should Ottawa do about its garbage?

Plus, be prepared for traffic delays during race weekend

Good morning!

Greetings from my ongoing stay-at-home vacation! I’ve really lucked out weather wise and have been doing some easing around town on my bike. I have to say, reading a book by the river has a lot going for it. I even managed to get a much-needed haircut.

While I’ve missed you all, and am looking forward to getting back to the newsletter, this bit of time has been well worth it. I’ll be back full-time next week.

Until then Geoff has used his considerable talents to take the reins for today’s issue. He’s got stories about garbage, what to know about race weekend closures and some events you won’t want to miss this weekend.

Why don’t I leave you to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: 22 🌡️ 8 | 🌤

Saturday: 27 🌡️ 11 | ☀️

Sunday: 28 🌡️ 14 | ☀️

Monday: 27 🌡️ 12 | ☀️

CITY HALL

Trash time and misbehaving officials

It was a busy week at city council and we’ve got you covered on the latest stories:

What to do about Ottawa’s trash

No it wasn’t a bad debate, but city council did discuss the long-term planning around waste management.

Why it’s happening: Discussions around garbage have been steadily growing because of the proposed tag-a-bag policy, which would charge people for going over a set number of garbage bags each year, according to CTV.

  • Reminder: The bag tag system provides residents with 55 garbage tags for the year, with a cost of $3 per additional tag. Recycling and green bin waste would not be part of the tag system.

Coun. Allan Hubley expressed opposition to tagging, noting that in other communities, it did little to reduce the volume of trash, according to CityNews. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe did not officially say if he supports the tag model.

  • Two proponents of the tag system argued in the Ottawa Citizen that the tag system should be adopted as an incentive to reduce overall waste.

The problem: The Trail Road landfill will hit maximum capacity in 13 to 15 years. That may seem like a while off, but it’s estimated any new system will take up to 15 years to get going and cost $450 million. Yikes!

The options: Incineration is one option, but councillors expressed concerns about pollutants. That didn’t stop them from directing staff to explore it as an option, along with other solutions like waste-to-energy. The motion was approved unanimously, according to CTV.

What it means: Long-term planning is always a challenge in politics. The question is whether council does something about it now, or punts it down the road.

What to do with misbehaviour

What’s happening: Mayor Sutcliffe has been asked to deliver a message by council in support of provincial private members’ Bill 5, which would enact clear policies for removing councillors who violate workplace harassment and violence policies, according to CBC.

  • The motion was passed unanimously and Sutcliffe says he supports the bill.

Breaking it down: The bill includes a clear process for dealing with workplace harassment and violence policies that are broken. The integrity commissioner would investigate, and if the allegations were serious enough, a judicial review would occur, according to CBC.

  • The bill was brought in by Orléans Liberal MPP Stephen Blais, and was inspired by his time on Ottawa city council after incidents with former councillor Rick Chiarelli who was fined but never able to be removed for multiple workplace harassment violations.

Do you support the bag tag system?

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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🏠 $24.1 million: The amount the Ontario government has given Ottawa for a community housing project on Mikinak Road. It includes 271 homes for seniors, Indigenous people and those with disabilities. [CTV]

🗑 58%: The percentage of everything collected at Trail Road garbage dump that could be recycled or put into green bins. [Ottawa Citizen]

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TRAFFIC

Here’s what to know this race weekend

It’s the annual Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and you know what that means: road closures that put LRT delays to shame. We kid, of course! But here’s what you need to know to get around this weekend.

What’s happening: The races take place on Saturday at 2 pm and Sunday at 9 am. Both start at City Hall. It’s expected 31,000 people will participate in the race, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Expect road closures to start at 11am on Saturday and last until 6 pm Sunday. Parking restrictions will also be in place throughout the weekend. Vehicles in the Special Event No Stopping Zones will be towed.

What’s closed: A lot. Far too much to pack into one newsletter. But here are the roads that will be the most affected:

  • Multiple locations along Elgin, including Wellington, Lisgar and Metcalfe;

  • Colonel By Drive;

  • Queen Elizabeth Driveway between Somerset, Elgin and Preston;

And a big congrats to Wendell Lafave who is participating in his 200th race this weekend, according to CTV. Did we mention he’s 74 years old this year?

THE AGENDA

🏥 CHEO president and CEO Alex Munter was approached earlier this month about becoming Ottawa’s city manager, but he said he plans to stay at the hospital. [CTV]

🌡 Ottawa is getting a Rex block for the next few days, which is a weather term for extended weather with warm and dry conditions. [CTV]

🛣 Vanishing paint lines may be vanishing less often now that the city has a new paint truck that uses methyl methacrylate to make road lines last three to four times longer. [CBC]

🛫 Bad news for Ottawa frequent flyers — YOW was not included in the new program to reduce wait times at airports. [CBC]

🏫 The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is raising money to pay for a new playground in Carlington, after the old one was deemed unsafe and torn down. [CTV]

⚖️ A Gatineau man faces almost a dozen charges after a shooting on May 17, including possessing a firearm and aggravated assault. [CTV]

WEEKEND GUIDE

Arts

European Union Short Film Festival, Saturday and Sunday: Tenth annual film festival with works from the EU, including short dramas, documentaries, animation and experimental films. At the Ottawa Art Gallery, 50 Mackenzie King Br. Free to attend.

Music

Mozart Great Mass in C Minor and Exsultate Jubilate, Saturday 8 pm: Three philharmonic choirs join together, along with guest soloists. Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St. Tickets $38.61.

Food

Kanata RibFest and Poutine, Friday to Sunday: Ribs and poutine? What’s not to love? Come stuff your face full of pork and chips and listen to some music. 400 March Rd. Learn more.

Kids/Family

Family Fun Weekend, Saturday and Sunday: Banking can be fun, come by this kids event to learn more about savings, crafts and see the museum’s artifacts. At the Bank of Canada Museum, 30 Bank St. Free to attend.

Market

Parking Lot Pop-Up — Little Italy, Sunday 8 am: Join over 25 vendors selling food and local goods at this family-friendly event, along with a live DJ. 298 Preston St. Free to attend.

ByWard Night Market, Saturday 5 pm: Eat, drink, dance and listen to music at the monthly event, filled with local vendors and street feed. ByWard Market. Free to attend

Culture

44th Annual Traditional Pow Wow, Saturday and Sunday: Experience the true meaning of Indigenous culture, including performances from dancers, drummers, singers and try traditional food. Canadian Police College Campus, 1 Sandridge Rd. Free to attend.

Other

Great Glebe Garage Sale, Saturday 8 am: Pickup some second-hand goods at the ever-popular garage sale, with some proceeds going to the Ottawa Food Banks. Throughout the Glebe. Free to attend.

OTTAWA FOOD

Ralf Joneikies/Ottawa Lookout

Every week our team at Capital Eats scours Ottawa for the best places to eat, drinks to try and events to attend. Here’s a breakdown of all the biggest stories.

(Insiders) 🇯🇵 Sometimes, it’s hard to find good sake in Ottawa, but these two are worth trying.

(Insiders) 🇵🇹 Portuguese plus seafood is a winning combo at this restaurant. Plus the seafood portion sizes for this one dish are extravagant.

(Insiders) 🍣 This new Kanata-based sushi restaurant is worth the drive. The family-owned spot knows what they’re doing.

If you want to access these stories, become a member today.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
  • OC Transpo is looking to fill over 500 jobs. [CTV]

  • A YouTuber has created a video showing 100 years of the Ottawa hospital construction site with photos and drone coverage. [YouTube]

  • If you’re interested in volunteering, Meals on Wheels is looking for helpers to deliver meals around town. [CTV]

  • And Ottawa Bluesfest is also looking for volunteers!

  • You could win a fitness membership if you sign up for waste collection reminders from the city.

TOP PHOTO
Tulips

Janet

Thanks to Lookout reader Janet who snapped these beautiful photos from the Tulip festival.

Do you have a photo you’d like to share with the Lookout community? Send it in!

GAME TIME

Congrats to Ron, Mary-Martha Hale, Devin Baines, Jeannine, Gord and many others who guessed Wednesday’s OttawaGuesser was Colonel By Drive at the Flora Foot bridge.

Today’s Wordle may be too easy, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. Guess the answer now.

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