Another week without LRT, picking a new councillor and lifted capacity limits: Five stories to watch in Ottawa this week
The Confederation Line LRT remains offline, restaurants and gyms can welcome more customers, and applications open for the appointment of a new city councillor.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca takes a look at five stories to watch in Ottawa this week.
Capacity limits lift
Restaurants in gyms in Ottawa will be able to return to full capacity this week as Ontario continues to gradually ease COVID-19 restrictions.
Starting Monday, Ontario is lifting capacity limits in the "vast majority of settings" where proof of vaccination is required, including restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, and indoor areas of sports and recreational facilities such as gyms.
This comes as COVID-19 case loads in Ottawa and the province show signs of decline. Ottawa's level of active COVID-19 was 242 cases on Sunday, down from more than 500 at the start of the month. The seven-day average for the city is also down by about 40 per cent from Oct. 1.
Vaccination rates continue to rise slowly, with Ottawa pushing to get 90 per cent of eligible residents fully vaccinated. As of Friday, 86 per cent of people born in or before 2009 had both shots.
People dine in at a restaurant in Ottawa's ByWard Market, as the region remains in the Orange-Restrict zone of the province's COVID-19 response framework, on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
New Kanata North Councillor
People interested in becoming the next city councillor for the vacant Kanata North seat will be able to submit their credentials to the city this week.
The ward councillor, Jenna Sudds, is now the Liberal MP for Kanata—Carleton. Councillors voted to appoint a new councillor for the ward rather than have a byelection. The municipality has the power to do either, and chose to appoint in this case in part due to the approaching budget consultations and in part due to the cost of a byelection, which wouldn't be held until the new year.
Applications open Monday and close at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29.
A special city council meeting will be held on Nov. 10 to appoint a new councillor.
Police board consultations
The Ottawa Police Services Board meets Monday as 2022 budget season ramps up.
Among the items on the agenda is a recent survey which suggested a majority of Ottawa residents support increasing the police service's budget.
When asked about their preference between increasing, decreasing and maintaining the Ottawa police budget at its current level, 51 per cent of respondents favoured increasing the budget in 2022, while 26 per cent recommended decreasing the budget in 2022. Sixteen per cent of respondents supported maintaining the budget at 2021 levels.
The survey drew criticism from some community groups, including the Ottawa Black Diaspora Coalition, the Coalition Against More Surveillance, the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, and Horizon Ottawa, which said BIPOC respondents and people with lower incomes were underrepresented in the responses.
While the respondents disagreed on funding, a significant majority said they would like to see a shifting of responsibilities.
Seventy-three per cent of respondents were in favour of shifting some responsibility from OPS to community services, and 70 per cent want to see increased investment by the city of Ottawa in programs and services addressing social issues.
The Police Services Board meets at 4 p.m. Monday, but Chief Peter Sloly and board chair Diane Deans will address reporters at 11:30 a.m.
Ottawa's Chief of Police Peter Sloly.
LRT remains offline
Ottawa is entering its sixth week without service on the Confederation Line LRT following a derailment on Sept. 19 near Tremblay Station.
Last week, the city's transit commission heard that a loose gearbox fell from the train that derailed because of a loose bolt.
The commission also heard details of the Rideau Transit Group's plan to restore service, which aimed to have up to seven trains and a spare ready for service by Nov. 1; however, the city manager noted that the plan must be verified by an independent firm named TRA, and trains must be tested before customers could return to the rails.
While the possibility of a Nov. 1 return to service has not been ruled out, the city expects service may not resume until later in November, setting up the possibility that the LRT will be offline for two full months before customers get back on board.
RTG said Alstom, the train manufacturer, is calling in workers from other projects in Ontario to temporarily bolster the workforce in Ottawa by up to 70 per cent in order to get service restored.
An OC Transpo O-Train is seen west of Tremblay LRT Station In Ottawa on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 after it derailed on Sunday. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Ottawa's new Official Plan
City council meets Wednesday to vote on Ottawa's new Official Plan, which will be the blueprint for future growth in the city for decades to come.
The city expects to have a population of more than 1.4 million by 2046 and more than two million by 2100.
Dozens of delegates spoke at lengthy meetings to discuss their concerns with outward growth, intensification and other issues, such as tree canopies and the height of buildings on certain streets.
The major goals of the plan include more growth by intensification than greenfield development, increased access to sustainable transportation, and a city that is resilient in the face of the climate emergency
Committees eventually approved the document, which is slated to be discussed at Wednesday's council meeting. Should it be approved, it will be sent to Ontario's minister of housing and municipal affairs.
Ottawa City Hall. (File photo)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.