February 7, 2025 Newsletter
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
October 6, 2023 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
The City continues to make capital investments in community housing.
Last week, the City’s Community Services Committee approved refinancing the mortgages of five Ottawa Community Housing properties, generating $41.3 million to be reinvested in capital repairs and energy efficiency improvements for community housing.
The mortgages would be renewed through Infrastructure Ontario at fixed, long-term rates of 4.67 per cent for 30 years. Since 2012, the City has refinanced 55 Ottawa Community Housing mortgages through Infrastructure Ontario, generating more than $168 million in capital funds for repairs to supplement other funding sources and ensure that Ottawa’s social housing stock moves towards a better state of repair.
Earlier in September, Council approved a 2023 capital spending plan for more than $75.7 million to create new affordable housing through partnerships with housing providers, stabilize projects under development and acquire a property for use as supportive housing. The funding includes about $66.6 million in 2023 funding commitments from all levels of government, plus an additional $9.1 million in reallocated City funds. Commitments include:
The 2023 spending plan will help fund new, permanent affordable housing units – bringing the total number of units in Ottawa either under development or in pre-development to 1,787. In addition, the report recommends a spending plan for the full term of Council, until 2026. Those commitments include:
In September, the City’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommended approval for the City to acquire 1245 Kilborn Place to serve as a future supportive housing community hub.
As a City, we will continue to work with senior levels of government to increase our investments in community housing, and as City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe, I will continue to pursue greater equity and affordability in housing within the Ward.
I attended the Canadian Mental Health Association's 70th anniversary open house event on Oct. 4 to acknowledge the need for mental health resources for all.
I attended the Enbridge Gas public consultation regarding the St. Laurent Pipeline Replacement Project on Oct. 3. Provide your views and input about the project at this link.
My thanks to Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs for meeting with me at City Hall on Oct. 3 to discuss Ward 13 and City policing and safety needs. I look forward to my ridealong through Ward 13 with the Chief in the coming weeks.
It was wonderful to celebrate and recognize the launch of Caribbean Heritage Month with a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at SAW Gallery on Oct. 1.
I attended the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day at Beechwood Cemetery on Sept. 30 led by the Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G), and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
I experienced an amazing Orange Shirt Day tour of downtown Ottawa led by the Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G) last weekend.
On Sept. 29, I visited the Otinichick: Taken multimedia touring exhibition addressing the legacy of the Indigenous residential schools, day schools, the 60s Scoop and failed child welfare policies at the Wabano Centre.
I enjoyed the butterfly open house last week at the Carleton University greenhouse as a proud Carleton University alumni. The Biology Butterfly Show continues until Oct. 8. Click here for details and to reserve your viewing timeslot.
I celebrated National Seniors Day on Sept. 29 with Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier, Ottawa-Vanier MPP Lucille Collard and Rideau-Vanier Councillor Stéphanie Plante to mark the establishment of the Ottawa-Vanier Seniors Council and the City’s Seniors Day proclamation with Council Liaisons for Older Adults, Kanata South Councillor Allan Hubley and Bay Councillor Theresa Kavanagh.
Final weekend for Beechwood Market
This Saturday, Oct. 7 marks the end of the season for the Beechwood Market. Drop by 9 am to 1 pm at the New Edinburgh Park Fieldhouse, 203 Stanley Avenue. The Farm Store at 1805 Gaspe Avenue in Manor Park will continue to operate Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Or shop online at www.ottstreetmarkets.ca.
Be Safe, Be Seen campaign - Drop by your local fire station for reflective bands and flashing lights
Throughout October 2023, Ottawa Fire Services will be distributing reflective bands and flashing lights at select fire stations throughout Ottawa. Please note that even within times listed below, should all station personnel be responding to an emergency call, items will be unavailable. Thank you for your understanding. On October 6, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30 from 4 to 6 pm, the following urban area stations in and nearby Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward 13 will be open to distribute the safety items:
Click here for more details.
Seniors' Information Fair - Oct. 11
The Gloucester 50+ Centre hosts a Seniors' Information Fair on Oct 11 from 9 am to noon at 4355 Halmont Drive. Admission is by a non-perishable donation for the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard. Please click here for details.
Upcoming sidewalk repair projects:
As part of the City of Ottawa’s annual infrastructure maintenance cycle, sidewalk repairs will begin in October 2023 shutdown for winter, and will continue until summer 2024. In the next few weeks, sidewalk repairs will occur in a number of wards across the city. In Rideau-Rockcliffe, work will occur at the following addresses:
What: Work will involve removal and replacement of concrete panels, iron adjustments. Increased noise levels to be expected in order to facilitate the work.
Why: The City of Ottawa will be repairing sidewalk as preventative maintenance aimed at extending the City's sidewalk network lifecycle.
When: This work is expected to start in October 2023 and completion is anticipated by fall 2023. The road will remain open to traffic with lane closures expected. Traffic control personnel will direct traffic through the site.
Where: Work will occur at various locations across the city. The sidewalks will be repaired during the day and evening and will involve minor lane interruptions. Weekend work is anticipated for all locations and traffic interruptions may also be experienced due to flagging operations.
Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the Contractor, D-Squared Construction Ltd. to complete the work.
For more information please visit the project webpage here.
October is Children’s Vision Health Month and OPH has plenty of vision health promotion activities happening now and throughout the year. OPH has a role to highlight the importance of eye health and encourage parents to take their children and youth to a local optometrist. This month, close to 20,000 vision health postcards will be distributed to junior and senior kindergarten students in 225 schools across Ottawa. Factsheets will be distributed to schools and posted on strategic school bulletin boards. This information will help parents, teachers and school staff identify students who might have vision problems, and how to make an appointment with an optometrist. On Thursday, Oct. 19, Dr. Joshua Smith will be the guest optometrist for a Vision Health Day on the Parenting in Ottawa Facebook page. We will share information addressing Amblyopia (lazy eye), the use of drops for children and OHIP eye exam coverage. Check out the Parenting in Ottawa Facebook page on Oct. 19 to join in the discussion. Remember, if you have children aged 19 years and younger, a valid OHIP card will cover the cost of a full examination with an optometrist. Book an appointment today!
In June 2022, Council directed staff to consult with the public on amending the Tree Protection By-law to reduce the size of Distinctive Trees in the suburban area of Ottawa from 50 to 30 cm in diameter measured at breast height. This change would bring the tree by-law permitting rules for the suburbs in line with those for the inner urban area of Ottawa. We are requesting your input through a survey available on Engage Ottawa, which will be available until Oct. 10. For more information on the City’s Tree Protection By-law, please visit www.ottawa.ca/treebylaw. Thank you in advance for your continued support and care of the City’s trees and forests!
Antisemitism is very much alive, thriving in Canada as it is around the world. It manifests not only in the streets but also in the virtual world. It’s time to show that we have seen enough, heard enough, and had enough. We need to face it, and we need to fight it. Join hundreds of members from the Canadian Jewish community and its allies on October 16 and 17 at the Shaw Centre for Antisemitism: Face It, Fight It, organized by CIJA, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, and Jewish Federations across Canada. At the conference, we will unite our voices and empower ourselves to show up, speak up, and step up against Jew-hatred. Join engaging panel discussions about antisemitism, online hate, activism, and politics with a wide array of experts, including many opportunities to network with community members, thought leaders, ethnic and faith community leaders, and public office holders. Learn more and register at www.fightit.ca.
Blood and plasma donors needed
There are not enough blood and plasma donors in Ottawa to ensure patient need will keep being met long-term. Please book a same-day donation appointment and help make a difference. Patients can’t wait. If you are unable to donate today, consider donating in the days and weeks to come. Please book your appointment as soon as possible with Canadian Blood Services at blood.ca.
When buying and selling items, here are some other safety tips to consider:
The Ottawa Police Services Board wants your input on its Draft Strategic Plan!
At a special meeting on October 6, the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) presented its Draft Strategic Plan for the Ottawa Police Service (OPS). The plan will guide the priorities for the OPS over the next three years. As part of the OPSB and Service’s commitment to continuous community engagement, and following initial community outreach, the OPSB is now looking to re-engage residents and other stakeholders to ensure the draft strategic plan and priorities are reflective of the feedback previously received. Please take a moment to provide your feedback by completing this survey. The deadline to complete the survey is October 16, 2023. The feedback will be incorporated into the final strategic plan, to be considered by the Board for approval at its November 27 regular meeting. The survey is being released in English and French. If you wish to obtain a copy of the survey in a different language that you can send to us by mail once completed, please email [email protected].
The Ottawa Police Service’s Fraud Unit is warning residents to proceed cautiously with any door-to-door contractor sales after receiving an increase in the number of reports from residents. The high-pressure sales pitch typically is for very expensive work, including foundation repair, which can cost upwards of $100,000. Money is asked for upfront, and in most cases the work is started but never completed, leaving the homeowner to foot the bill to clean up and complete the job. If you need help determining whether something is a scam or not, you can always contact our partners at Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario by dialling 2-1-1. Click here for details.
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
January 24, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.