This week at Council the entire 2024 Draft Budget came to the table for discussion and debate.
Double the funding for affordable housing!
I am proud the motion I put forward, seconded by Councillor Dudas to increase the capital spending for Affordable Housing was carried unanimously, and the 2024 budget will now be increased to $30 million. This one-time funding will go a long way to help build more homes, and it will also signal to the Provincial and Federal governments that we are serious about the need to build more affordable housing in Ottawa, and that our priority for this term of Council is Housing. This investment is double the 2023 Affordable Housing budget, which was $15 million.
As the Chair of Ottawa Community Housing, I know too well of the need for affordable housing. Currently, OCH manages 15,000 units for 32,000 tenants with 12,000 residents still on the waiting list. Too many people are waiting far too long for affordable homes. There are projects that have just broken ground, but there are also shovel ready projects of 1,796 homes ready to be built, but without funding. We can’t wait any more, and the investment to build more affordable homes is a key part of reaching the City’s goal for everyone to have a home and helping to combat the ongoing rise in the cost of living. When rent accounts for the majority of each paycheck, this impacts other areas of life, and is directly correlated to the rise in food insecurity we are also seeing across the city.
I would like to thank the mayor and his office, City Staff, and give special thanks to Councillors Troster, Leiper, Dudas and Menard. We worked together to make this happen, and it is a important step forward.
New! Additional public toilets in Andrew Haydon and Britannia Parks!
For the Community and Social Services 2024 Draft Budget, I worked with Councillor Menard and City Staff to find a funding source to increase the number of portable toilets in each ward. Each ward can now add an additional public all-year round toilet. Access to public toilets is a public health issue, and we need to ensure people aren’t choosing to stay indoors due to lack of access to this very basic necessity.
I have heard from individuals and families about the need for all year public washroom access. I have also heard from schools that activities, such as enjoying the Britannia Winter Trails, is an activity that cannot be undertaken with school children because of lack of access to washrooms. It was important to me to ensure that people can get outside all year long and know there is a clean and safe public washroom available. One additional portable toilet will be placed in each of Andrew Haydon and Britannia Parks for 12 months of the year.
Ward 7: Budget 2024 Ward Investments
To see the full list of Budget 2024 project investments for Bay ward visit here.
Overall Budget Decisions
I voted for the overall 2024 Draft Budget overall, but I dissent on the Transit Budget and the Ottawa Police Budget as individual items.
In the Transit Budget discussions, I voted in favour of the motion brought by Councillors Bradley and Leiper to support a fare freeze for OC Transpo to be paid for via the Transit Levy. This lost, and we will see a 2.5% hike in transit fees. I am disappointed by this. Public Transit is a public service, funding a fee cap via a levy would not have impacted OC Transpo’s operations in any way, but would have helped residents daily who take the bus to get around Bay ward and the City.
I voted against the increase to the Ottawa Police Budget this year because I believe we need to be allocating more funds into other areas of the City’s budget, especially related to prevention. We heard from many organizations and City partners at the Community and Social Services Committee meeting for the 2024 Draft Budget, that their programming continues to be in jeopardy due to lack of funding and decreases in donations. I want to see more funding to be put into Community Services, and community partners for programming, like our libraries, community centers, places that offer youth the chance to participate in programming. I also look forward in 2024 to the city’s upcoming Pilot Project for a Mental Health response team that will relieve police officers from calls relating to persons experiencing mental health and substance abuse issues.
The Police budget did pass with an increase of 2.5% increase. I continue to respect the work of our Ottawa Police Service representatives in our community and will work closely with them on concerns from Bay Ward residents.
Other highlights specific to Bay Ward in the 2024 Budget include:
- $800,000.00 for the Connaught Street sidewalk
- $350,000 for the Clarenda Street sidewalk
- $75,000 for the Annual Traffic Calming Budget
- $2,400,000 for the Richmond Road Overpass on Bayshore Drive
- $100,000 for the design of the future replacement of the play structure and equipment at Frank Ryan Park
Other projects that will be ongoing through 2024 are sponsored through the “Cash-in-lieu” account for Bay ward:
- $324,500 for Britannia Park rink, equipment, storage and infrastructure
- $54,000 for the Britannia Park rock garden
- $253,877 for the new Community Building design feasibility for Frank Ryan Park
- $80,000 for the McKellar Park gazebo
- $53,000 for improvements to Kingsmere Park
As with all budgets, once we pass the draft, work begins on the next budget. I will be looking forward to talking to residents and hearing their priorities for 2025, and hearing from City Staff regarding projects that will support the growing density of the ward, and ensuring the neighbourhoods of Bay ward are vibrant places to live.