Council finalizes the 2022 Ottawa budget and addressing overcrowding at Findlay Creek school: Five stories to watch this week
The race to get COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of Ottawa children continues and the city of Ottawa finalizes its 2022 budget.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch this week.
COVID-19 IN OTTAWA
As COVID-19 cases rise in Ottawa, the race to get COVID-19 vaccine doses into the arms of children will continue this week.
Ottawa Public Health reported 414 active cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the highest number of active cases since Oct. 10 (432). The seven-day average number of cases is 45.6.
The rise in cases comes as health officials keep an eye on the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern in Canada. There are currently four cases of the Omicron variant in Ottawa.
Meantime, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues in Ottawa, with community clinics, neighbourhood vaccination hubs and after-school pop-up clinics offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children.
As of Friday, 25 per cent of youth aged 5 to 11 in Ottawa had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
2022 CITY OF OTTAWA BUDGET FINALIZED
On Wednesday, Council will finalize the city of Ottawa's plans to spend your property tax dollars next year.
The 2022 city of Ottawa draft budget proposed a three per cent property tax hike, which would add an extra $119 to the average property tax bill.
The Transit Commission approved an average 2.5 per cent hike in transit fares in 2022, but the fare hike will not kick-in until Rideau Transit Maintenance has 15 trains running for one month.
All eyes will be on how council handles the Ottawa Police Service budget.
Police Chief Peter Sloly initially requested a 2.86 per cent increase in the 2022 budget, equaling an extra $14 million in spending next year. The Ottawa Police Services Board approved a 2 per cent increase in the budget, giving police an extra $11.45 million in funding.
A motion from Coun. Rawlson King cut $2.65 million from the planned budget, with $600,000 coming from reserve funds and $2 million to be found through efficiencies.
The 2022 budget also includes an increase in water and sewer rates and garbage fees, along with new funding for road resurfacing and affordable housing.
LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT
As the Confederation Line begins a second week with 11 trains running on the 12.5 kilometre line, construction on Stage 2 of the LRT project will be front and centre this week.
The Finance and Economic Development Committee will vote Tuesday on a motion from coun. Carol Anne Meehan, seconded by coun. Diane Deans, asking for a side-by-side comparison of Stage 1 and Stage 2.
The motion asks the city manager and director of rail construction immediately initiate and provide as soon as available a detailed side-by-side comparison of the challenges faced on the Confederation Line with the technical design of the Trillium Line (Bayview station to Riverside South).
If approved, the city manager and director of rail construction would also engage in a "peer review" of the strategy for the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of the Trillium Line by the TransitNEXT.
In the motion, Meehan notes the Stage 2 Trillium Line "appears to be behind schedule with an unknown completion date."
The O-Train travels on snow covered tracks along the Trillium Line in Ottawa. (Photo by Sebastien Artaud of Unsplash)
FULL SCHOOL IN FINDLAY CREEK
Ottawa's public school board will begin consultations this week on a plan to alleviate overcrowding at a four-year-old school in Findlay Creek.
Vimy Ridge Public School on Kelly Farm Drive opened in 2017 with a capacity of 674 pupil spaces. As of Oct. 29, 1,081 students were enrolled at the school, with 17 portables set up to accommodate students.
Staff recommend redirecting Grade 7 and 8 students to Steve MacLean Public School until a new school is built in the area.
A final decision on the interim accommodation measures will made by the Ottawa Carleton District School Board in February.
Last week, the Ontario government announced $13.2 million in funding for a new Catholic elementary school in Findlay Creek. The school, with 507 spaces for elementary students, will open its doors in September 2024.
An advisory council is discussing stopping the playing of the national anthem at OCDSB schools (Colton Praill/CTV News Ottawa)
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
With less than three weeks until Christmas, the clock is ticking to send your holiday packages through the mail.
Canada Post says the deadline to send a regular parcel across Canada is Thurs. Dec. 9. The deadline to send regular parcels regionally is Dec. 15 and locally on Dec. 20.
The deadline to send packages locally, regionally and nationally with Canada Post's Priority is Dec. 21.
Mail boxes are seen at Canada Post's main plant in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, May 9, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
EVENTS IN OTTAWA THIS WEEK
Monday
Ottawa Planning Committee meeting – 9:30 a.m.
Temporary COVID-19 Assessment Clinic opens at the Fringewood Community Centre in Stittsville
Ottawa Senators at New Jersey Devils – 7 p.m. (TSN 5 and TSN 1200)
Tuesday
Ottawa Finance and Economic Development Committee meeting – 9:30 a.m.
Ottawa Senators host the New York Islanders – 7 p.m. (TSN 5 and TSN 1200)
Wednesday
Ottawa City Council meeting – 10 a.m.
Christmas Lights Across Canada begins on Parliament Hill and in downtown Ottawa
Friday
The Ottawa Cup – pickleball
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.