Hi neighbour,
Hope you had a great week! It was another busy one with committee meetings at City Hall, and community meetings here in Bay Ward. Thanks to everyone who came out to the Accora Village 2050 Open House last night, as well as to all residents who stopped by my informal coffee chat on Thursday morning. It’s always great to chat with you and hear your concerns firsthand, as well as your ideas for how to make this city better for all residents. Here’s a quick look at some of the files I’ve been working on this week:
City Hall Updates: Environment and Climate Change Committee, and new Growth Projections
On Tuesday at the Environment and Climate Change Committee, we approved the creation of a new funding stream in the Community Environmental Projects Grant Program (CEPGP) to support community‑led waste avoidance, reduction, and reuse projects. Starting this year, this new stream will provide up to $102,000 each year, doubling the total annual funding available to community environmental initiatives across Ottawa. This new funding will support local organizations interested in community projects to reduce waste, and promote repair and reuse. The upcoming Repair Café at Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre this Saturday is an example of the kind of community events and workshops that could be funded through this new stream. Also at Committee, I was happy to celebrate the work of city employees who have made significant contributions toward a greener and more sustainable municipality, with the Environmental Excellence Awards. You can read more about the award recipients in the ‘City News’ section. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!
City of Ottawa Growth Forecasts to 2051
On Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, we adopted an updated growth forecast for the City of Ottawa. According to the forecast, the city’s population is projected to increase from approximately 1.2 million in 2024 to 1.7 million residents by 2051. This isn’t news for anyone around the Council table- we’ve known for years that our city is seeing unprecedented growth. As a city, we need to ensure there is adequate housing, at all ends of the income spectrum to support this growth. These projections further underscore the need to invest in sustainable infrastructure, including ensuring older neighbourhoods (like those in Bay Ward) have the parks, recreational facilities, and reliable, accessible transit and active transportation needed to support further intensification.
Reminder: Grandeur Park Open House Tonight! Friday, February 20, 6-8 pm
Finally, a quick reminder that tonight at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, city staff will be hosting an Open House to hear feedback from residents about the future plans for Grandeur Park. Hope to see you there!
Read the full newsletter for more news and events across Bay Ward.
