By Shawn Menard, Ottawa Citizen, December 18, 2018
As I knocked on doors and met with residents during this year’s municipal election campaign, one thing became clear: The people of Ottawa want a new direction for our city, a new vision. This wasn’t a superficial desire of change merely for the sake of change; this was a clear articulation of resident desires to move forward and make sure Ottawa is the city it can and should be.
Residents of our city are thoughtful. They are engaged. They care about what kind of city we live in and what kind of city we need to be. They understand that we need to be an inclusive and welcoming city that provides opportunities for all residents. They understand that we need a city built on sustainability and that we need to combat the greatest threat we face: irreversible climate change.
What we are seeing in Ottawa has the makings of a new urbanism, one that is very much our own and that is tailored to the needs of a culturally and geographically diverse city.
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/menard-ottawa-could-pioneer-a-new-urbanism-if-we-let-it