Transit budget passes with $47 million in cuts

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A quick note: Due to some serious technical difficulties beyond our control, this one is arriving to most of you quite late. Apologies for that!

Good morning!

Some enterprising locals have put up an honest-to-god brass plaque in the style of commemorative City of Ottawa plaques to honour the Battle of Billings Bridge at the corner of Riverside and Bank where the protest took place.

It did not last long. Late yesterday, CTV said it had been pried loose. There’s nothing this city likes more than removing public reminders of its failures. But it may not have been the city; whoever took it down seems to have left their pry bar/garden tool(?) behind.

In any case, while it was up, it read: “This plaque commemorates the ordinary people who did something extraordinary when their leaders would not.”

It’s the kind of vandalism I’ve really got to admire. Getting a plaque made in the city’s own style is near-perfection. If I had one note: next time, make sure it’s square to the bridge before glueing it in place.

(Are you the one who did it? Email me here, I’d love to talk to you. Anonymity guaranteed!)

One last thing: For the next few weeks, the federal government will match donations to the Red Cross for relief efforts in the earthquake zone in Turkey and Syria. The devastation and the death toll are horrendous. You can donate here.

Let’s get to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: +2 🌡️ -8 | 🌧/❄️

Saturday: -5 🌡️ -6 | ☀️

Sunday: +1 🌡️ -6 | 🌤

Monday: 0 🌡️ -5 | ☁️

TRANSIT

Transit budget passes with big capital cuts

What happened: Cuts, to the tune of $47 million. That was the big bone of contention at the Transit Commission meeting discussing the new OC Transpo budget. Ultimately, the commission voted to approve the draft transit budget 8-1.

• Coun. Shawn Menard voted for the budget overall, but dissented on the $47 million. Coun. Riley Brockington who voted against the budget.

The total transit budget is $737 million, $567 million of that being operating expenses.

Where the cuts come from: City staff said they would be able to improve service while cutting the budget, because the cuts will come on the capital side — not out of operating expenses like salaries. More than 100 buses will be taken out of the fleet, many of them older, and the reduced maintenance will cover part of the cuts.

Brockington worried the proposed reductions in the city’s bus fleet would only further degrade service. “Do you personally believe that OC Transpo is right now providing reliable service to our customers?” he asked, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

According to a slide of the budget presentation posted by Horizon Ottawa, the other savings will come from:

• Reduced spending on detours caused by Stage 2 construction;

• Not needing to pay to transition the system to the LRT extension in the west because it’s behind schedule;

• Money approved in previous years for programs that hadn’t happened because of supply chain issues;

• And removing the temporary scaffolding at Hurdman and Tunney’s Pasture.

Cable troubles: Two stalled trains on the LRT system were caused by a buildup of ice, thanks to freezing rain, coupled with humid conditions above the unfrozen Rideau River, OC Transpo told the commission. Rescuing the stalled trains resulted in the overhead power system melting because of a further ice buildup, causing electrical arcing. The city is considering buying a diesel-powered rescue train to avoid similar issues in the future, CTV reported.

Hybrid passes: Moving on from their idea of physically sharing a monthly pass with someone to make commuting via transit a viable hybrid option, OC Transpo said it was considering possibilities for a hybrid pass, CBC reported.

The numbers: Ridership numbers are still well below what the city budgeted for. In December, there were only 5.1 million trips, only 57 percent of the anticipated 8.9 million. The city had predicted there would be more riders last month than there were in December 2019, at 8.3 million.

• This budget, the city is only hoping for 75 percent of pre-pandemic ridership by the end of the yar. Last year, they had aimed for 80 percent.

• The city is aiming for only 80 cancelled bus trips per day, down from 100-400 (depending on how bad the day) currently.

Forgotten subdivision: Residents of one Orléans subdivision feel abandoned by the transit service. A popular local route was removed in 2019 and a park-and-ride was abandoned, leaving residents stuck with poor options to get a bus, CBC reported. A five-minute drive for groceries can take more than an hour, and the 10-minute drive to the LRT takes about the same.

• Their only options are a milk run that ends early or a rush-hour bus that only stops along a dangerous road with no sidewalks.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🚨 21: The number of years a man had been driving without a licence before he was arrested this week. [CTV]

🏭 800: The number of workers being laid off by Canopy Growth. The cannabis company took over the old Smiths Falls Hershey factory and will now close it. [CTV]

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THE CANAL

Second weekend of Winterlude will be Canal-less, what if it doesn’t open at all?

Not cold: The NCC announced the Rideau Canal skateway will be closed again this weekend. We’re now more than a week past the all-time record for the Canal’s latest-ever opening. While the NCC said it is confident the ice will eventually open to skaters this year, but what if it’s not?

Getting warmer: This winter has been particularly warm. With the exception of only a few days, the temperature has been well above average. Across the province, the temperature has been 4-6 C above normal, CBC reported.

…Warmer: Most of February is expected to be above average, Environment Canada told the broadcaster. By the time temperatures come back down to seasonal averages, it will be later in the month when it may be too late for any significant freezing to take place. The Canal may never get cold enough.

Hot, red hot: Over the next decade, the city’s average temperature could rise 1.8 C, and by 2050 it could be 3.2 C warmer, according to a 2020 study by the city and the NCC. Winters could be five weeks shorter, and there will be more than a third fewer days below -10 C. All of that adds up to a Canal whose future as a skateway is in doubt.

Possible skating solutions: One Carelton researcher told CBC he was working with the NCC to use different technologies to extend the skating season like a slush cannon to build ice and a “thermosyphon” to cool the water below the surface. But, Shawn Kenney told the broadcaster that because of the length of the Canal the only real solution is long periods of cold weather.

THE AGENDA

📖 Supporters of a drag storytime event at the NAC greatly outnumbered protestors of the Capital Pride event. Four people protesting the event were arrested. [CTV]

🚨 Three men have been charged with murder in the death of physiotherapist Kyle Andrades. [CTV]

👮‍♂️ Ottawa police may begin wearing body cameras in the near future, which could help improve police accountability. [CBC]

⚖️ Parents of students at St. John Catholic High School are only now hearing about a sex abuse case against a teacher at the school, six months after the regulatory body deemed the allegations credible. [CBC]

🚛 Ottawa police failed to share information until the last minute with the city, leaving the city unprepared for the protests. [CTV]

😷 The latest COVID subvariant, dubbed “kraken” because of how contagious it is, is now the dominant strain in the city. It’s expected cases will increase in the coming weeks. [Ottawa Citizen]

🚧 City council voted to officially reopen Wellington Street to cars, with the addition of a bike lane. The street wouldn’t open until at least March 1. [CTV]

EVENTS

Your weekend guide

Music

Passionately Romantic, tonight 7 pm: The uOttawa Orchestra plays a series of Romantic Era pieces at St. Joseph’s Church, 147 Wilbrod St. Tickets are free.

Songs for Murdered Sisters, tonight 8 pm: A production of a new piece of music conceived by baritone singer Joshua Hopkins in honour of his murdered sister, Nathalie Warmerdam, and Anastasia Kuzyk and Carol Culleton, the three victims of a 2015 Ottawa Valley triple murder. (Read a preview in the Ottawa Citizen here.) With words by Margaret Atwood and music by Jake Heggie. At the NAC. Tickets start at $29.

Alex Moxon Quartet, tonight 8 pm: Born in Ottawa, the virtuoso Edmonton blues guitarist comes to the Red Bird at 1165 Bank St. Tickets $20.

Tony Yayo, Saturday 8 pm: The founding member of G-Unit rolls into town, featuring Peter Jackson and plenty of opening acts. At the Brass Money, 250 Greenbank Rd. Tickets start at $40.

Sports

BOC Let's Move: Cross-Country Skiing, Sunday 1 pm: An introduction to cross-country skiing. Tickets include all the equipment you need and basic technique and tips from staff at Kanata Nordic Ski Club, 411 Corkstown Rd. Tickets start at $17.

Family

Winterlude, until Feb. 20: The city’s winter festival continues for a second weekend. There may not be an open Canal, but there is still a tug of war, the Chinook Slide, an obstacle course for toddlers, and the Ice Hogs are on walkabout — and that’s just at Jacques-Cartier Park. Most events are free.

Market

Ramadan Delights Annual Bazaar, Saturday 11 am: An annual one-stop shop for Ramadan essentials, plus 30 vendors with cuisine for all tastes. Giveaways and competitions, plus plenty for the kids. At the Infinity Convention Centre, 2901 Gibford Dr. Admission is free.

Culture

Sugar Sammy, Saturday 9:30 pm: The Montreal comedian comes to Gatineau for one night of his bilingual show. At the Museum of History. Tickets $55.

CAPITAL EATS

What happened this week in food

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.

🍻 Ralf returned to one of his favourite west-end breweries to talk with the brewmaster about his history working in German breweries, and what makes those beers special.

🍲 While there, he met the man who runs the Vietnamese kitchen at the brewery, and delighted at some of the best spring rolls in the city.

🥇 For Insiders, he’s got an in-depth recap of last weekend’s Canadian Culinary Championship, which saw one of Ottawa’s rising stars take first place.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Lookout Reader, and Ottawa resident, Colin Guthrie is one of the finalists in the upcoming New Yorker caption contest #836. Vote before Feb. 19! (His caption is good, we promise.) [The New Yorker]

• Find answers to all your electric vehicle questions at the EV Experience event - Febuary 15th from 6-7pm at Impact Hub Ottawa.*

• The city paused snowbank removal overnight because of freezing rain, and hope to get going again tonight. [Twitter]

• This sweet cat Fraya is looking to be adopted. She was found sleeping in a BBQ in December, and has since had all her vet visits. [Reddit]

• Can’t make it to Winterlude? This YouTuber walked the length of Sparks to each ice sculpture and read their plaques before the weather turned ugly. [YouTube]

• Ottawa Redblacks defensive back Antoine Pruneau announced he would be retiring after eight seasons with the team. [CityNews]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Contact our partnership team for more info.

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TOP PHOTO

Today’s photo comes from reader Aadil Naik, who decided the -41 windchill made for perfect convertible conditions. “Arguably one of the more fun things I did this winter. It was less fun trying to put the top back up, as it had frozen,” he said.

Have a photo you’d like to share? Send it in, we love running reader photos.

OTTAWA GAMES

Congrats to Angela, Gord, Adam, Patti and Colin, the first five of many of you who knew the OttawaGuesser was of the Civic Hospital along Parkdale. Great work to everyone who got it right!

Can you get this week’s Ottawa Wordle? Play now.

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