Hi neighbour,
Thank you to everyone who braved the cold on Tuesday to attend a Remembrance Day Ceremony- whether it was at Britannia Park, Carlingwood, Westboro, or one of the many other events across Ottawa. It was my privilege to lay a wreath with Mayor Sutcliffe in Britannia Park, to honour veterans past and present, and their significant contributions to our community.
This week at City Council: Draft Budget 2026
At Council on Wednesday, the Draft Budget for 2026 was tabled, after several months of work and collaboration with City Council, staff, and residents from across Ottawa. Over the next few weeks, the draft budget for specific city services will be discussed at standing committees, and members of the public can share their views with committee members, before the budget comes back to Council for final approval on December 10th. Here are the dates for upcoming standing committees to discuss details of the draft budget:
- Planning and Housing Committee (Wednesday, November 19, at 9:30 am)
- Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services (Thursday, November 20 at 9:30 am)
- Transit Committee (Monday, November 24 at 9:30 am)
- Community Services Committee (Tuesday, November 25, at 9:30 am)
- Public Works Infrastructure Committee (Thursday, November 27, at 9:30 am)
- Police Service Board Policy and Governance (Monday, December 1 at 1:00 pm)
- Board of Health (Monday, December 1 at 5:00 pm)
- Ottawa Public Library Board (Tuesday, December 2 at 5:00 pm)
Understanding the Budget Process
This year, City staff have prepared a helpful Budget Magazine to demystify the budget process, and help residents engage and share their feedback. I appreciated the “Day in the Life” feature shining a light on the many ways city services impact our residents every day.
Highlights for Bay Ward in the Draft Budget
The city budget is still in draft form. However, I was heartened to see that investments are going to be made to improving connectivity for communities across Bay Ward, including the funding of the long-awaited resurfacing of Richmond Road between Bayshore and Pinecrest, and rebuilding the sidewalks on both sides of the road in that area. Residents have been waiting for this project to be completed for many years. There’s also funding for improving the reliability of the Route 11 bus, investing in parks, and resurfacing roads that have been awaiting much needed repairs for years. For a full breakdown of Bay Ward investments in next year’s budget, you can check out the Ward Summary sheet on our website.
On transit, while I remain concerned that fares will increase by around 2.5%, I was glad to see that the cost of the Community Pass and the Equipass will, again, not increase at all. This is a fare freeze that I have advocated for every year since I was elected. I’m encouraged by this move to ensure public transit remains affordable for the people in our city who need it most.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll continue to share updates and background for specific areas of the budget. If you have questions, or would like to see more information on a certain topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my team (bayward@ottawa.ca).
Bay Ward Coffee Chat: Thursday November 20, from 4:30-6:30 pm (Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre)
I hope you can join me for my next “Councillor’s Coffee Chat” on Thursday, November 20th at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre (102 Greenview Ave). Pop by anytime between 4:30 and 6:30 pm to ask questions, share your views, and meet some of your neighbours! City staff from By-Law and Planning will also be on hand to help answer questions.
Read on for more news and events in Bay Ward and across the city!
