Hi neighbour,
It’s been just over 3 weeks now since the Canada Day storm, and for many of us, the difficult work of navigating insurance claims, mold remediation, and restoration work is only just beginning. My team and I are here to support you with the information and resources you need as you deal with the aftermath.
Moving forward, I am committed to advocating for infrastructure investments that will make our communities more resilient in the face of these increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Last week at Council, we passed a motion asking for a detailed, neighbourhood by neighbourhood analysis of the aftermath of the extreme weather event, and proposed mitigation measures and improvements that can be made. I’ve also been working with my colleagues on Council, City staff, and our MPP Chandra Pasma to advocate for all impacted neighbourhoods to be included in the province’s eligibility map for Disaster Recovery Assistance. I sent a letter to Premier Ford last Friday, and encourage residents to reach out directly to the Premier’s Office (premier@ontario.ca), and to the DRAO program (disasterassistance@ontario.ca) to share their concerns.
I hope you’re all taking some time to take care of yourselves and each other in this difficult time- whether that’s reaching out to a neighbour, friend, or family member for support, attending one of the Recovery Information Sessions, or taking time to get outside and enjoy some of Bay Ward’s beautiful parks, beaches and trails. Please know that you’re all constantly in my thoughts, and I’ll never stop fighting for you.
This week’s newsletter contains some updates on flood resources, and other news and events from across the City. I hope you find this information helpful, and as always, if there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to reach out (bayward@ottawa.ca).
The City’s Transportation and Mobility Strategy and Action Plan, and the Federal Return to Office Mandate
Last week at Council, staff presented a Transportation and Mobility Action Plan, outlining how the city will improve transit, traffic management and communications for commuters this fall. I welcome parts of this plan, especially:
- federal funding for a sidewalk on Moodie Drive to improve connectivity between transit stations and the DND Carling Campus
- a new express connection from Tunney’s Pasture to DND Carling Campus during peak periods, with some trips extending to the Kanata North business park
- additional trips on the 74 and 75 from Barrhaven and 61, 62 and 63 in Kanata will be extended to connect directly to Gatineau.
- increased frequency on Line 1 service during peak and off peak periods
However, like many of you, I have concerns with the media reports regarding an advertising campaign to encourage public servants to stay downtown after work hours, in order to alleviate congestion. While this represents a small portion of the communications strategy, I will advocate for that funding to be spent on improving transit frequency, reliability, and communications about travel information so people can get to and from their workplaces as quickly as possible.
I’ve already made my position on return to office mandates clear: I believe we should focus on the work an employee is doing, not where they are doing that work. Hybrid work is an effective way to build workplace culture (with a few in-office days a week), while also giving people the flexibility to work right in their neighbourhood, reducing congestion on our streets, saving time on commutes, and contributing to vibrant, sustainable “15 minute neighbourhoods” across our city. I encourage residents to support local businesses right here in Bay Ward, particularly those that have been impacted by ongoing LRT construction.
While we can’t control the choices the federal government makes in terms of their workforce, I support the city’s efforts to improve transit options and frequency so people can get to and from their workplaces as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Read the full newsletter for more flood-recovery resources, and news and events across Bay Ward.
