Seniors transit passes set to go up 60 per cent instead of 120.

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Good Morning! 

Winter lovers will be happy to hear that the Canadian Meteorological Centre is forecasting that about 25 centimetres of snow will fall in Ottawa over the next 10 days. But don’t get too excited: the forecast, as we know, can change in an instant. As many of you know, I am not a winter fan, and I am praying to the weather gods that this will not be wrong. A green Christmas used to bother me as a kid; now I want them. 

Ottawa’s seniors have had their voices heard and their transit passes will not be going up 120 per cent as initially planned. But the increase is still steep and it’s unclear if it will be enough to encourage councillors to support the transit budget. We will find out more later today, but in today's newsletter, we share what we know so far. 

Earlier this year I connected with a tree advocacy group in Hunt Club who were devastated to see the loss of their urban forest for development. Since we have many new Lookout readers, I thought I would share it again. 

Enjoy the start of the week!

— Charlie Senack, managing editor 

[email protected] 

X: @Charlie_Senack

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign up for free.

WEATHER

Monday: 4 🌡️ -1 | ☁️

Tuesday: 7 🌡️ 1 | 🌧️🌨️

Wednesday: 4 🌡️ -1 | 🌧️🌨️

CITY HALL

Seniors transit passes will now go up 60 per cent. Is it still too much?

Backtracking again: It looks like Ottawa seniors will now only need to pay a 60 per cent increase for their monthly transit pass instead of an 120 per cent increase which was initially proposed. 

The proposed new monthly fee of $78.50 will be discussed at the transit commission meeting today, reported the Ottawa Citizen. The current fee is $49 a month — much lower than what it costs for a seniors pass elsewhere. The city says they are trying to get on par. 

• “We've all heard feedback from the community about proposed changes to transit fares included in the draft 2025 budget," said Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe in a memo to councillors obtained by CTV. “The members of the Long-Range Financial Plan Working Group on Transit (Councillors (Jeff) Leiper, (Glen) Gower, (Tim) Tierney and I) have continued to work together to respond to that input."

Free transit would continue to be offered to seniors on Wednesdays. 

Where are the savings coming from? Monday’s motion will direct city staff to offset the $820,000 reduction in seniors' fare revenue by reducing the contribution to the Transit Capital Reserve in 2025.

Will it be enough? Councillors the Lookout spoke to when the city announced seniors’ fares would be $108 a month said they were unlikely to vote for the transit budget in its current form. While this helps ease the burden for older transit users, there are still lots of concerns over cuts for teens. 

• While no reductions to service are part of the cuts, the youth pass for 13 to 19-year-olds is being eliminated altogether. 

The city now says they will again explore the idea of making changes to prices for college and university students. The 2025 draft budget included a jump in the one-semester price for passes to $240.52, up $11.45 from what they’d currently pay. 

Impact to students: The U-Pass is charged to most students at Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, Saint Paul University and Algonquin College. It currently costs $229 a semester. 

Both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University student unions say the current U-Pass agreement is a legally binding agreement which states increases can be no more than 2.5 per cent. The current increase is five per cent. 

• “It's definitely disheartening that the City of Ottawa seems to be taking out their financial mismanagement on people who depend on public transit in Ottawa and who are vulnerable," said University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSO) president Delphine Robitaille in an interview with CBC. 

UOttawa considering opting out: The student union at the University of Ottawa says it will consider pulling its participation from the U-Pass program if the hike is passed with the budget at council on Dec. 11. 

• "The UOSU will be auditing student satisfaction with the U-Pass program and will reconsider the program’s continuation if OC Transpo continues to deprioritize services for our members, who collectively contribute $20 million annually to its budget," said the letter signed by UOSU president Delphine Robitaille and UOSU advocacy commissioner Alexandra Stratas.

Ottawa's U-Pass program is already among the most expensive student transit passes in the country. Councillors Shawn Menard, Laine Johnson and Stéphanie Plante, have sent a letter to the post-secondary institutions expressing solidarity.

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OTTAWA JOBS

1. On-call crossing guard at the Ottawa Safety Council 

2. Executive coordinator at Habitat for Humanity 

3. Grocery shopper and delivery driver at Uber 

4. Receptionist at Mercedes-Benz Downtown Ottawa location 

5. Public relations lead at Stantec 

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

THE AGENDA

🎤 Catherine McKenney has been announced as the Ontario NDP candidate for Ottawa Centre. The former two-term city councillor ran unsuccessfully for Mayor in 2022. The seat is currently held by NDP MPP Joel Harden, who is now running federally in the riding. An election can occur no later than June 4, 2026, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford has hinted it could be sooner. [Ottawa Citizen]

🚴 The family of an Ottawa cyclist who was killed while riding his bicycle near Ottawa's Bridlewood neighbourhood in Kanata on Sept. 26 is demanding answers. According to police, 65-year-old Karl Mann was hurt under “unknown circumstances.” The deadly injuries Mann sustained have not been declared the result of a collision, including a hit-and-run. Ivestigators are searching for the driver of an SUV who "may have crucial information.” It’s also possible the cyclist suffered a “medical incident” before getting injured. [CBC]

📣 Pat King has been found guilty of five charges for his role in Freedom Trucker Convoy. Crown prosecutor Moiz Karimjee told the court he's seeking a significant penalty for King. A mischief conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Sentencing is expected to occur on Jan. 16, 2025. [CBC]

🛌 The City of Ottawa says 600 asylum seekers are taking up beds in local shelters, strengthening their plea for Sprung structures to be built. Over the weekend, more demonstrations were held at the Nepean Sportsplex where one of the tent-like facilities is slated to be built. Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante has called the protests “politically charged” and is raising concerns over another demonstration being held Thursday, which is asking for email addresses and phone numbers. [CTV]

⚖️ The City of Ottawa’s integrity commissioner has recommended an official reprimand against Coun. Clarke Kelly. It comes after the West Carleton-March representative had a heated exchange with staff at a daycare on multiple occasions. The report released on Nov. 20 said that Kelly was “aggressive” and amounted to bullying and intimidation of the staff of the daycare, including the owner. The rural ward councillor has expressed regret for his actions and said he was pleased the report also found that he never directed profanities at the children. It will be up to council to decide his punishment, which could include a dock in pay. [Ottawa Citizen]

🇵🇸 Five people have been charged after a pro-Palestinian protest occured in Downtown Ottawa on Nov. 18. The group allegedly blocked a downtown street during a demonstration “and were advised by the Police Liaison Team members multiple times that they would need to limit their demonstration to the sidewalk and not obstruct traffic.” Demonstrators did not comply, police said. [Ottawa Citizen]

🐕‍🦺 An Orleans man is calling for changes after his dog was attacked by another dog.  Kevin Frost said his service guide dog Woody was injured by an off-leash German Shepherd. Ottawa Bylaw officers issued charges to the pets owner, but not for the bite. [CTV]

👮🏼‍♀️ A woman who was charged in a fatal Vanier stabbing was also previously accused of stabbing her husband. According to the CBC, Elianne Assinewa, 58, stabbed her then-husband, James Raymond Assinewai, numerous times during a 2011 domestic dispute in Fort Covington, N.Y. In the latest incident, she has been charged with second-degree murder. [CBC]

COMMUNITY

What was lost when the Hunt Club Forest was felled

For over half a century commuters who drove down Hunt Club Road were welcomed by the sights of towering pine trees which lined the street near Paul Anka Drive and Paul Benoit Driveway. 

The trees were planted in the 1960s to one day be used as lumber for utility poles, but their fate never came. Over the decades they became a beacon in the community, a place where children built forts and parents walked their dogs.  

In June 2021 community members were first altered to the news that the trees would be cut down to pave way for a parking lot to be used by a nearby car dealership, reported the CBC. 

But those plans were axed just weeks before the matter was to go before the city’s planning committee. A spokesperson for the Otto’s BMW dealership said it put the application on hold “as they continue to review the matter — ensuring the appropriate measures in regards to community and environmental processes,” reported the Ottawa Citizen. 

It was hoped that would mean a saved forest, but that wasn’t the case. The Lookout caught up with the community activists to see what their plans are from here.

EVENTS

European Union Film Festival | Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa | Now until Nov. 30 | 27 films from EU member states plus a special documentary from Ukraine | Ticket $15

Giving Tuesday Lunch Special at Chef Ric's | 384 Rideau Street | Tuesday, December 3 | 11 am - 2 pm | Enjoy a special green-themed lunch for only $6.99, symbolizing hope and renewal. Proceeds support The Ottawa Mission. Make an additional donation to receive a free cupcake! | Learn more [Sponsored]

Trans-Siberian Orchestra | Canadian Tire Centre | Nov. 27, 7:39 pm | A dazzling holiday rock opera, The Lost Christmas Eve, returns with pyrotechnics, lasers, and fan favourites | Tickets $49

Las Migas | Babs Asper Theatre | Nov. 28, 7:30 pm | Celebrating 20 years, the Latin Grammy-winning flamenco group showcases their album Rumberas, blending Catalan, Cuban, and flamenco rumba | Tickets $34

Stanley’s Christmas Village & Holiday Stroll | Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm | Dec. 1, 5:00 pm | Explore festive activities, a magical Christmas village, and holiday strolls perfect for families and kids | Tickets $17

Downtown Carleton Place Santa Claus Parade | Carleton Place High School | Nov. 30, 5:00 pm | Celebrate the season with a festive parade featuring floats, music, and community spirit | Free

613 Christmas Market | The Fieldhouse at Carleton University | Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 10 am | Explore a massive 40,000 sq. ft. holiday marketplace featuring 200 curated vendors offering handcrafted, vintage, and bespoke gifts and more | Free

Carp Christmas Market | CARP Farmers' Market | Nov. 29-30 | Enjoy festive shopping with 60+ local vendors, an international food court, live music, and visits from Santa | Free

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OTTAWA NEWS QUIZ

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Have you wondered why some street lights in Ottawa are turning purple? [CBC]

• Ottawa’s racialized and low-income communities have fewer trees. Find out why. [CBC]

• The city declared Nov. 24 as Serenity Renewal for Families Day, named after the organization which is celebrating its 41st anniversary. [CTV]

• An Indigenous boy is donating hair to cancer patients and raising money for Kemptville hospital. [CTV]

• Here are some tips on how to winterize your home. [CTV]

• Here are some upcoming theatre performances at the Gladstone Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre Company. [Kitchissippi Times]

• Many remarkable people were recognized for their achievements at the annual CHEO gala as the hospital looks ahead to the future. [Ottawa Business Journal]