By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 2020
The draft 2021 budget for Ottawa’s municipal government will be released Wednesday, but the provincial budget on Thursday might provide a better indication of whether city hall can get through the year without making service cuts.
Mayor Jim Watson will table his 11th consecutive municipal budget during a special council meeting held by videoconference, kicking off a month-long review process by council’s committees, boards and the transit commission.
(...)Can council credibly respond to emergencies in housing and climate change?
City council has signalled priorities by declaring two emergencies: one related to climate change and another related to housing and homelessness.
Council last month unanimously approved a $57.4-billion plan to eliminate greenhouse gases over 30 years, the cornerstone of city hall’s response to council’s declaration of a climate change emergency.
(...)Several community groups have called on the city to spend $20 million next year to build affordable housing near transit stations, an ambitious request in a shaky budget year since the city has been targeting $15 million for new housing initiatives in previous year
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/release-of-2021-draft-budget-wednesday-could-reveal-citys-plan-b-if-government-bailout-stops