Seventh week without LRT service and the end of daylight saving time: Five stories to watch this week

An Ottawa LRT car is on the track for the first time since the Sept. 19 derailment. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA -

The city of Ottawa releases the proposed 2022 municipal budget, unvaccinated Ottawa Hospital employees face unpaid suspension and it's time to fall back for the time change.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch in Ottawa this week.

2022 CITY OF OTTAWA BUDGET

Ottawa residents will get their first look this week at how the city plans to spend their tax dollars in 2022.

City staff will unveil the 2022 operating and capital budgets Wednesday morning, the last budget before the next municipal election on Oct. 24, 2022.

In July, council directed staff to develop the budget with a three per cent property tax increase in 2022. The budget would include a 4.5 per cent increase to the transit levy, while transit users would see a 2.5 per cent hike in fares.

A three per cent tax hike would cost the average urban homeowner an extra $119 more in 2022, while rural homeowners would see their tax bill go up $91.   User fees, garbage fees and water and sewer rates are also expected to increase in 2022.

The Ottawa Police Service will also table its 2022 budget Wednesday morning. The police services board directed staff to draft the operating budget that "assumes a zero per cent increase as its base." Staff would need to provide a detailed explanation of any additional funding beyond the zero per cent, including collective bargaining increases.

The Ottawa Public Health budget will be released Monday evening.

Council will finalize the budget on Dec. 8.

Ottawa City Hall. (File photo)

WAITING FOR THE LRT TRAIN

Monday was the date Rideau Transit Group set to resume transit service along the Confederation Line following this fall's derailment, but there's still no word on when transit service will resume as a seventh week of the shutdown begins.

The O-Train has been out of service since Sept. 19, when an LRT car derailed at Tremblay Station, damaging the train, the track and the infrastructure.

Rideau Transit Group had said LRT service could resume on Nov. 1 following the train derailment on Sept. 19. However, city staff anticipate that partial service would resume within the first two weeks of November.

Last Wednesday, RTG and OC Transpo began testing along the Confederation Line as part of the return to service plan.

Transit Services general manager Renée Amilcar said prior to the resumption of service, the entire system will undergo a "robust testing regime", focusing on three areas:

• Track and infrastructure
• Train testing
• Full system-wide tests

The city has promised independent consulting firm TRA will present details of the return-to-service plan to council and the media before service resumes, but no date has been set for the briefing.

Workers with Alstom and RTG watch as an LRT car moves along the Confederation Line on Oct. 27, 2021, near the spot where a train derailed on Sept. 19. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA HOSPITAL VACCINATION POLICY

Ottawa Hospital employees who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be placed on unpaid leave this week for violating the mandatory vaccination policy.

The Ottawa Hospital's mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy takes effect on Nov. 1, requiring all doctors, nurses and hospital staff to be fully vaccinated against novel coronavirus.

On Oct. 21, CTV News Ottawa reported more than 300 employees would be placed on unpaid leave for violating the policy as of Nov. 1. The hospital sent 189 letters to employees who hadn't received the vaccine, and 129 employees who received one dose of the vaccine, but did not have their second dose scheduled by Nov. 1.

The letter said employees would have to return all hospital property, including employee ID cards and keys.

Ninety-six per cent of hospital employees are fully vaccinated, above the city-wide rate of 86 per cent among those eligible.

File photo of The Ottawa Hospital. (CTV News Ottawa)

ONTARIO ECONOMIC OUTLOOK AND FISCAL REVIEW

Ontarians will receive an update on the province's economy and economic plans this week.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will release the Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, outlining the government's plan for COVID-19.

Bethlenfalvy has said the statement will focus on investments in health care and other ways the province continues to battle the pandemic.

The latest projection for the 2021-2022 deficit is $32.4 billion.

Queen's Park seen in August 2021. (Craig Wadman / CTV News)

TIME TO FALL BACK

Daylight saving time comes to an end next weekend, and an Ottawa MPP is hopeful it could be the last time we fall back.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, and the clocks go back one hour. It means evenings will be darker as the sun sets earlier.

The Ontario Legislature passed Jeremy Roberts private members bill last December, amending the Time Act to make the time now called daylight saving time the standard time year-round.

Under the bill, Ontario would move permanently to daylight time if Quebec and New York State pass similar legislation.

Earlier this month, Roberts sent a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, calling on Ontario's neighbour to end the bi-annual time change.

Daylight saving time 20201 ends on Nov. 7 and the time goes back one hour.

EVENTS HAPPENING IN OTTAWA THIS WEEK

Monday

Ottawa transportation committee meeting – 9:30 a.m.

Ottawa Board of Health meeting – 5 p.m.

Ottawa Senators at Chicago Blackhawks – 8 p.m. (TSN 1200)

Tuesday

Ottawa finance and economic development committee meeting – 9:30 a.m.

Ottawa Public Library Board meeting – 5 p.m.

Ottawa Senators at Minnesota Wild – 8 p.m. (TSN 1200 and TSN 5)

Wednesday

Ottawa Police Services Board meeting – 2022 budget presentation – 8:30 a.m.

Ottawa City Council meeting – 10 a.m.

Ottawa Transit Commission meeting – 11 a.m.

Thursday

Ottawa agriculture and rural affairs committee meeting – 10 a.m.

Ottawa Senators host Las Vegas Golden Knights – 7 p.m. (TSN 5 and TSN 1200)

Friday

Ottawa 67's host Peterborough Petes – 7 p.m. at TD Place (TSN 1200)

Saturday

Ottawa Senators host Tampa Bay Lightning – 2 p.m. (TSN 5 and TSN 1200)

Ottawa Redblacks host the Toronto Argos – 4 p.m. (TSN and TSN 1200)