This Week at Council
This week at City Council I put forward a motion to designate Tuesday, March 11th as a Day of Observance to commemorate those who have died of COVID-19 and to recognize the significant impacts of the pandemic.
March 11, 2025 is the 5th anniversary of the date when the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. For this reason I brought forward this motion to ask that we remember those who died and those who lost loved ones during that short period of time that forever changed so much about our individual and collective lives.
This motion comes as a result of a request from a Bay Ward resident who lost her mother due to Covid-19. She continues to wear the yellow heart that became associated with those grieving the loss of a loved one due to Covid-19 to remind us not to forget the many ways the pandemic impacted people all across the world.
As of January 2024, more than 80% of Canadians had been infected with Covid-19, and 60,871 had died. In Ottawa alone, we lost 1,302 people.
As a result of my motion, City Council has unanimously designated Tuesday, March 11, as a Day of Observance to commemorate those who have died of COVID-19 and to recognize the significant impacts of the pandemic.
On March 11th the flag in front of the City’s Heritage building will be flown at half-mast. This is a time for all us to reflect on the loss and suffering during this stressful time.
Here is a copy of the motion.
Covid-19 Remembrance Motion – 5th anniversary
WHEREAS on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the COVID[1]19 viral disease a pandemic, and
WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in its far-reaching impacts, including collective trauma, on individuals, families, children and vulnerable communities, and
WHEREAS the impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt in overburdened and under[1]resourced health care systems and a range of other public services that have still not fully recovered from the pandemic, and
WHEREAS as of January 2024, more than 80% of Canadians had been infected with COVID-19 and by September 2024, 60,871 Canadians had died from COVID[1]19, and
WHEREAS as of January 2024, 1,302 Ottawa residents had died due to COVID-19, not taking into account the number who are impacted where family died elsewhere nationally or internationally, and
WHEREAS the WHO has advised that global communities transition from COVID-19 emergency approach to a longer-term disease management approach, sustaining capacity for public health responses, community education and awareness based on emerging realities and risks, and
WHEREAS the leadership and front line workers at Ottawa Public Health, as well as health and social service agencies including hospitals across the City of Ottawa, worked tirelessly and effectively to guide the City of Ottawa through the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue to monitor and respond to a vast range of pandemic-related impacts, and
WHEREAS in March 2021, the Government of Canada designated March 11, 2021, as a National Day of Observance to commemorate the people who lost their lives and the significant impacts we have all felt because of COVID-19, and
WHEREAS March 11 will mark the fifth anniversary of the declaration of COVID-19 as a world-wide pandemic,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council join the federal government in designating March 11, 2025, as a Day of Observance to commemorate the people who lost their lives and the significant impacts we have all felt because of COVID-19,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 2025 Day of Observance of the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic be marked by a flag at half-mast in front of the Heritage Building at City Hall on March 11, 2025.
Community Services Committee
At Community Services committee I brought for forward two motions regarding the future of the Belltown Dome site and next steps.
- https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=224201
- https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=224202
Committee members asked questions on the current situation on site and both myself and city management responded that the Belltown Dome is in a unique situation and discussions need to be held on next steps for the site. The second motion was to draw attention for the need to identify locations for future ice pads in the Inner Urban Transect areas such as Bay Ward. The Queensview Bus Depot was identified as a potential site for a recreation complex in the Pinecrest/Queensview Secondary Plan. Both these motions passed at committee and will be forwarded to the City Council meeting on March 26th for a final vote.
Ottawa Community Housing
My role as Chair of the Board for Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) is a privilege and a rewarding opportunity to be part of Ottawa’s largest affordable housing provider with 15,000 units for over 32,000 residents. The exciting part is that OCH is building more affordable units across the city to meet the growing needs of our communities.
My thanks to Caroline Phillips for writing this profile. It was a pleasure to share my thoughts and experiences that brought me to this role.
OCH board chair Theresa Kavanagh: ‘I hear from mothers who want the same thing all mothers want – opportunities and success for their children’
You should know that when Ottawa Community Housing board chair Theresa Kavanagh wears her signature red lipstick, it’s more than a style choice – it’s a bold statement of confidence, determination and refusal to be overlooked.
Theresa is a community leader with moxy, whether she is running for political office or just plain running.
She has completed 21 marathons — including multiple Boston Marathons – along with Iron-distance, triathlons, cross-country ski races and full-on cycling tours. She even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in support of Christie Lake Kids.
Her journey to leadership wasn’t a straight path. Theresa arrived in Ottawa in 1982 as a young mother and housewife, feeling isolated in an unfamiliar city. Searching for connection, she started volunteering at Carleton University’s campus radio station, CKCU.
Later, she became involved in politics, back when Ed Broadbent was leader of the NDP. Despite being new to politics, she was encouraged to run for the seat in Ottawa West. She lost, but gained valuable experience, leading to a role on Parliament Hill working for MPs and, later, in the NDP whip’s office.
By the early 2000s, with her two sons grown, she discovered a world beyond politics through long-distance running. The discipline of training helped her to navigate a difficult period in her life, including her marital breakdown. “I met some amazing people,” she said of the friendships she formed along the way.
In 2010, Theresa returned to politics, winning a seat as a local school board trustee. The position was an opportunity to learn more about her local communities. She ran for city councillor in Bay Ward in 2018, which includes communities such as Britannia, Bayshore, Carlingwood and Foster Farm.
After being elected, Theresa became the first City Council Liaison on Women and Gender Equity, advocating for gender equality and supporting women and gender-diverse individuals. During her current term in office, Theresa serves as City Council Co-Liaison for Older Adults, recognizing the unique challenges faced by seniors. “We need to be their families sometimes, and watch out for each other,” she says.
Given her deep community involvement, joining the Ottawa Community Housing board felt like a natural fit. Theresa first served on OCH’s Client Services Committee before proudly becoming board chair in 2022. In this role, she leads the board of directors in reviewing, providing oversight and voting on items that enhance existing housing and properties, create welcoming communities for tenants, and support the development of new affordable housing initiatives.
As Ottawa’s largest social housing provider — and the second largest in Ontario — OCH serves more than 33,000 tenants across 15,000 rental homes in over 160 communities. Theresa understands the organization’s critical role in addressing the housing crisis. OCH has 868 new affordable homes in development and is looking for ways to expand further.
“There’s a backlog of people waiting for affordable housing, and I want to be part of the solution,” she said. “We need to grow, but it’s about finding the right balance — moving forward while learning from the past, and embracing change to build not just housing, but strong, healthy communities.”
Theresa Kavanagh often travels around her neighbourhood by bike. Photo by Caroline Phillips
OCH is reimagining urban living through mixed-housing neighbourhoods that provide community, inclusivity, and improved quality of life for all residents. Under Stéphane Giguère’s leadership, the organization has sought out new opportunities and innovative partnerships, such as integrating OCH affordable housing apartments at Common at Zibi — an ambitious new mixed-use waterfront community owned by DREAM, a private developer.
OCH is also embracing sustainable building practices, incorporating solar energy, heat pumps, and zero-emission technologies, aligning with the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Master plan.
Theresa is a strong supporter of OCH’s Complex Care Housing strategy which aims to better support tenants facing mental health challenges, substance use, and other issues to help prevent hospitalization, incarceration, or homelessness.
Her dedication to social equity is rooted in her own upbringing. She was one of six children raised in Hamilton by an Irish-born father who worked as a unionized steelworker at Stelco, often taking extra shifts to provide for his family. Her British mother worked in wartime factories assembling Lancaster Bombers before immigrating to Canada.
Theresa, a university graduate, remains committed to education and community support. She is a member of the advisory board with Pathways to Education, a program run by the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre that provides free tutoring to high school students to help them overcome barriers and graduate successfully. She also takes the time to visit OCH neighbourhoods throughout the city, meeting tenants and listening to their stories.
“I’ve learned so much,” she said “I hear from mothers who want the same thing all mothers want – opportunities and success for their children. There’s a wealth of talent in our communities.”
My Ottawa Citizen Op-ed
First of all congratulations to all candidates who put their name forward in the provincial election. My office looks forward to working with our local representative MPP Chandra Pasma who will be representing the residents of Bay Ward. This week I wrote an op-ed that was published in the Ottawa Citizen on what to ask candidates during the campaign. These questions equally apply to all the newly elected provincial representatives. As a City Councillor and Board Chair of Ottawa Community Housing, I hope to see substantive measures to help end the housing crisis and aid those who are struggling with food insecurity. Again, my sincerest thanks to all who participated in the provincial election.
See my op-ed here: https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/candidates-help-people-in-need
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