January 22 Newsletter 2021

January 22, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Seeking community feedback 

Ottawa Public Health (OPH), in collaboration with the City of Ottawa, are continuing to hear from residents about their ideas, thoughts, perceptions, and understanding of current COVID-19 recommendations. This week a new COVID-19 survey was launched. 

This phase of engagement is focused on COVID-19 vaccines in Ottawa. Phase 5 of our engagement strategy has been launched, with a new survey available on Engage Ottawa in English or Participons Ottawa in French. It is important that the City of Ottawa and OPH continue to receive feedback from those in our community. Please share this engagement opportunity widely with your constituents.   

Since May 2020, the City of Ottawa and OPH have completed four separate public surveys to gather feedback from the individuals on their experiences during the pandemic. The full reports are available here: 

• Phase 1- What We Heard report
• Phase 2 – What We Heard report
• Phase 3 – What We Heard report
• NEW: Phase 4 What We Heard report

This feedback is incredibly valuable as it is taken into account in the City’s and OPH planning. Information provided by residents will continue to help OPH and the City of Ottawa meet our community’s needs and expectations. 

Update on the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination in Ottawa 

As noted in a memo distributed on Monday, January 18, the City's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), in collaboration with OPH, the Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and other health care partners are working together to vaccinate eligible residents against COVID-19 as quickly as possible and in accordance with the Provincial framework. 

As of January 15, 2021, the first dose of the vaccine has been made available to residents, workers and essential caregivers in all 28 long-term care homes (LTCH), with over 92% of all LTCH residents having now received their first dose.  

In the coming weeks, the focus will be to administer second doses to those who have already received their first dose of the vaccine. The timeline for completion is dependent on the supply of vaccine the city receives from the Province. 

Given the planning assumptions relating to timelines and availability of vaccines and the roles of various partners and stakeholders, OPH and the City’s EOC are collaborating to do all that we can to ensure Ottawa residents who want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will be able to access it as quickly and efficiently as possible. The total amount of vaccine that will be distributed to the City of Ottawa and precise delivery dates are not yet known. These decisions are made by the Province and subject to vaccine availability from the federal government. 

OPH is continuously updating available information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines on our website. If you have questions such as “how does mRNA vaccines work? or “What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?”, please visit OPH’s website for updates to the Frequently Asked Questions regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID Safe Ottawa Experiences

Check out these ways to experience the city virtually and spend time outdoors safely. Please always reference the websites or social media accounts of each attraction or business for more detailed information, as circumstances can change at any time, and consult Ottawa Tourism’s visiting Ottawa safely during COVID-19 page for information on the most recent COVID-19 regulations.

Here are just some of the activities and experiences available in the region as of Thursday, January 21:

• The Canadian Museum of Nature continues to upload interesting and educational videos to their YouTube channel, teaching the public about animals, the environment, and more with the help of experts from around the country. FREE!
• Watch Canadian theatre videos on demand with the National Arts Centre’s Grand Acts of Theatre initiative which brings together Canadian theatre companies and makes recorded theatre from earlier this year available online. FREE!
• Get out and about at one of Ottawa’s winter trails! Search by activity type, difficulty level, and duration on the National Capital Commission’s interactive trail map to find a trail near you. Be sure to track your outdoor activity online with the #WinterCapital Challenge where residents register online to track and share their progress online, and can sign up to receive a medal at the end of the challenge.
• Show your love for Ottawa restaurants by ordering take out or a meal kit from one of your favourite spots. From shawarma to pizza to pho to burgers and more, there is something for everyone in Ottawa’s vibrant foodie scene! Check out the Ottawa Tourism website for great suggestions.
• There are new regulations at City of Ottawa skating rinks to ensure physical distancing. Reservations are now available for 45-minute blocks during peak hours at the City Hall Rink of Dreams, Lansdowne Park Skating Court, Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink of Dreams, and Ben Franklin Place Skating Rink. A maximum capacity of 25 people applies to these rinks, community outdoor rinks, and sledding hills at all times, but the activities remain FREE!
• Check out Ottawa Tourism’s list of virtual tours, exhibitions, activities and performances for fun ideas to enjoy your favourite spaces from home, like the Virtual National Gallery of Canada. Most activities areFREE!
• The Bicycle Film Festival Ottawa continues until Sunday, January 24 with virtual screenings of short films from around the world.
• The Bytown Museum launches the Beyond Bytown Virtual Lecture Series with Beyond Bytown: LGBTQIA2+ History in Ottawa this Wednesday, January 27. FREE!

Find out more great activities to do in and around Ottawa on the Ottawa Insider Blog!

Help shape the City’s anti-racism work

City of Ottawa’s Anti-Racism Secretariat has released a survey to give residents the opportunity to help shape its work.

The survey is open to all residents and will help determine the immediate needs within the six priority areas identified in past consultation – employment equity, housing, governance, economic development, health outcomes and youth development – all of which are within the City’s jurisdiction.

The survey also asks residents how the secretariat can address systemic racism, and how they would like to engage and collaborate with the secretariat toward the goal of ensuring a safe and equitable city for everyone.

Residents can access the survey on the secretariat’s Engage Ottawa page.

The Anti-Racism Secretariat will also host a series of virtual public engagement sessions with diverse communities of racialized residents to plan targeted actions and inform the six priority areas.

The first phase of engagement will be for communities most targeted by hate crimes in Ottawa, which include the Black, Indigenous, Asian, Jewish and Muslim communities. Once these communities have had the opportunity to participate, additional engagement sessions will be scheduled to ensure all residents can be heard.

To register for one of following engagement sessions, please visit the secretariat’s Engage Ottawa page:

• Anglophone African Caribbean Black residents: Wednesday, January 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
• Francophone African Caribbean Black residents: Friday, January 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
• Asian residents: Wednesday, February 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
• Jewish residents: Monday, February 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
• Muslim residents: Friday, February 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
• Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) residents: date to be determined

City wants your input on what features should be in your parks and recreation centres

The City needs your feedback and input to help develop its 10-year Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan. The plan will go to Community and Protective Services Committee and Council for approval in October 2021.

The online survey is now live on Engage.Ottawa.ca until February 5, 2021. Ontario government legislation requires the City to develop this plan so that we can continue to request that park land is dedicated in new communities at the highest possible rate instead of the minimum provision as allowed by Planning Act.

The survey asks about the type of park and recreation facilities that you and your family use and what amenities you think are important for our City parks and facilities. The development of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan will help meet the future needs of our growing community over the next decade.

Virtual public engagement sessions are also planned in February and more information will be provided in the coming weeks.

Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: Have Your Say

Everyone has a role to play in safety and well-being, and we want your feedback to continue to develop Ottawa’s Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan. When we work effectively together as a community, we can address common priorities to ensure Ottawa is a safe, healthy, and vibrant community.

On October 28, 2020, City Council approved six local priorities that will be the focus of Ottawa’s first CSWB Plan: discrimination, marginalization & racism, financial security & poverty reduction, gender-based violence & violence against women, housing, integrated & simpler systems, and mental well-being.

The City is offering multiple engagement opportunities from January 18 to February 28 and we want your ideas!

This phase of community engagement will focus on gathering more detailed feedback to set strategic objectives, strategies and actions on each of the priorities. Details are available on the CSWB webpage and here is how you can participate:

• Register to attend a City-led virtual community conversation meeting where you will discuss one of the CSWB priorities in a facilitated virtual session.
• Participate in the CSWB online survey.
• Join the conversation and add your suggestions to the online virtual forum.
• Drop a pin and leave a comment on the online map feature. The City is gathering input of where residents and stakeholders experience gaps in services related to the CSWB priorities.
• Host your own virtual meeting in your community using the CSWB Community Toolkit

Growth Management Strategy Update

Last week the City's Growth Management Strategy report was released.

It is the City’s goal to grow in a way that minimizes the need to expand the urban boundary, making the most efficient use of the urban land we already have.

For intensification, the approved scenario requires 51 per cent of new dwellings to be in existing, built-up areas. The intensification target rises to 60 per cent by 2046.  In May 2020, Council approved a 25-year balanced scenario for growth based on the accommodation of at least 51 per cent of overall residential growth through regeneration over the 25-year term of the Plan.

Key to achieving these targets is encouraging more and new types of dwelling options suitable for families within the built-up area and ensuring that Ottawa’s existing neighbourhoods have the necessary public amenities such as parks, cultural facilities and access to transit.

The City will continue to monitor its progress towards achieving these intensification targets through its Annual Development Report.

I encourage you to share your feedback to the [email protected] inbox, as this is where formal feedback on both the strategy and the draft New Official Plan is being tracked and addressed by the planning team.

You are welcome to provide comments on the Growth Management Strategy directly to the joint meeting of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs and Planning Committees, on Monday, January 25. You can submit written comments by email or by calling the Committee Coordinator to have your comments transcribed. Both written and oral comments are given equal consideration by the committee.

You may also register as a public delegation, by calling or emailing the Committee Coordinator, to provide oral comments during the meeting, using Zoom. Delegations must include name, telephone number and email address. Registration is required so the Coordinator can provide Zoom meeting information to the speaker.

Street Closure Notice

On: Columbus Avenue

From: Quill Street

To: Edith Avenue

Duration: Monday, 8 February 2021 to Thursday, 11 February 2021