McKenney pledges to extend beach, pool and library hours, invest in social services
Ottawa mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney says they would open libraries on Sundays and keep beaches and pools open longer if elected mayor.
It’s part of what McKenney calls their plan to build a healthier city.
“As Mayor, I will make our city a healthier place to live, with the municipal services you need,” said McKenney in a news release Tuesday. “Access to libraries on Sundays, pools when you need them, and crucial social services will help make Ottawa a healthy and vibrant city.”
The city is currently facing a lifeguard shortage. This fall, 11 per cent of city aquatics programs were cancelled because of the shortage.
McKenney said they would solve the lifeguard shortage by encouraging young people to become lifeguards.
“When summer rolls around every year, people ask for greater access to outdoor pools and beaches in Ottawa, but the reality is that our city doesn’t have enough lifeguards. As Mayor, I’ll fix this by helping youth who are facing financial barriers become lifeguards, in order to keep our pools open longer and help youth find meaningful employment,” said McKenney.
McKenney also said they would spend an extra $500,000 per year to support social services. The Somerset Ward councillor seeking the mayor’s seat said this funding would also help with their previously announced plan to end chronic homelessness in four years.
The municipal election is Oct. 24. There are 14 candidates running for mayor. Two advance voting days will be held on Oct. 7 and 14 ahead of election day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.