Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Wellington Street to reopen to vehicles later this year

By Laura Glowacki, CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2023

Ottawa city councillors voted in favour of reopening Wellington Street to vehicles Wednesday with a motion that leaves the door open to making the downtown roadway pedestrian-only for special events as soon as this summer.

City councillors voted to take down the concrete barricades "as soon as is operationally feasible" but no sooner than March 1. Capital Coun. Shawn Menard and Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Jessica Bradley dissented.

...While Wednesday's motion paves the way for the return of vehicular traffic, it also includes a plan explore temporary closures on the street for special events as soon as this summer, as well as a plan to add a temporary bike lane between Sussex Drive and Lyon Street. City staff said the lane would use painted lines and flex stakes. 

Find the whole article here.

Le conseil municipal d’Ottawa approuve la réouverture de la rue Wellington

Par Mama Afou, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa Gatineau, le 8 février 2023

Les conseillers municipaux de la Ville d'Ottawa ont approuvé la réouverture de la rue Wellington lors d’une réunion du conseil mercredi matin. L’artère principale, située devant le parlement, devrait être accessible aux automobilistes d’ici quatre à huit semaines.

...De plus, les conseillers ont aussi approuvé l’installation d’une voie cyclable délimitée par des poteaux flexibles pour encourager le transport actif.

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

Ottawa’s Greenbelt is federally owned but not federally protected

by Joy Spear-chief Morris, The Narwhal, February 1, 2023

Wrapping around the city of Ottawa is a horseshoe-shaped green space taking up 20,000 hectares of land. Known as the Ottawa Greenbelt, it’s been managed by the National Capital Commission, a federal Crown corporation, since the 1950s.

...“The climate and ecosystem services that an area like the Greenbelt provides are huge for a city like Ottawa in terms of flood mitigation or drought mitigation, climate resiliency in terms of adapting to any number of things and just temperature regulation,” John McDonnell, executive director for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ottawa Valley Chapter, said.

Find the whole article here.

Dreessen: Wellington Street — it's time to think beyond the vehicles

By Toon Dreesen, Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed, January 31, 2023

It has been a year since protestors took over Ottawa’s downtown core, rendering streets impassible and fundamentally shifting how we think about public space in our core. Restaurants and small businesses, already hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, are attempting to rebrand the downtown area as SoPa (South of Parliament) and, like residents, gird against possible future protests.

The downtown is no stranger to throngs of people taking over the streets. But unlike the response to a joyous event, like Canada Day or the short-lived visit of La Machine, we need different actions when the intent is less joyous. We need to prepare so our city functions not only as a place for people who live here, but as a place for people to gather, to celebrate, to mourn and, yes, to protest.

Find the whole article here.

City committee recommends revised timeline for developing a new zoning by-law for Ottawa

By City News, January 31, 2023

The City of Ottawa's planning and housing committee recommended the approval of a revised timeframe for developing a new zoning by-law for Ottawa.

Under the revised timelines, staff would deliver the final draft of the new by-law to council six months later than initially planned – in Q4 of 2025 instead of Q2 that year. The first and second drafts would also be delayed by six months, with plans for release in Q1 2024 and Q1 2025. The public would have significant opportunities to provide input for each draft.

The additional time is needed because the provincial government took longer than anticipated to approve the City’s new Official Plan,... would also give staff time to consider complexities introduced through Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act and the Act’s potential impacts on the new zoning by-law.

Find the whole article here.

Le Comité des transports d’Ottawa favorable à la réouverture de la rue Wellington

Par Maude Ouellet, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa-Gatineau, le 26 janvier 2023

Le Comité des transports d’Ottawa s’est prononcé en faveur de la réouverture de la rue Wellington, jeudi matin, quelques jours à peine avant le premier anniversaire des manifestations antimesures sanitaires qui ont paralysé la capitale pendant des semaines.

La motion, adoptée à l’unanimité, ne prévoit pas de réouverture avant le 1^er mars et elle doit encore être approuvée par le conseil municipal.

... Le député fédéral d’Ottawa-Centre, Yasir Naqvi, est aussi d’avis que la rue Wellington ne devrait pas rouvrir à la circulation automobile. 'Je reste déterminé à voir la rue Wellington fermée aux véhicules et repensée comme un espace piétonnier. '

Lisez l'article au complet ici.

City of Ottawa committee votes to reopen Wellington Street

By Michael Woods, CTV News Ottawa, Janaury 26, 2023

A year after the 'Freedom Convoy' protest shut down Wellington Street, a city of Ottawa committee has voted to reopen it to cars for now.

The city's transportation committee voted unanimously to reopen the street to traffic "as soon as it is operationally feasible," but no sooner than March 1. The vote is subject to approval by city council.

..."There is no reason to return Wellington to cars, and there's every reason to leave it open for people," William van Geest of Ecology Ottawa told councillors.

Find the whole article here.

Cardozo: Be visionary for Wellington Street — and act now

Senator Andrew Cardozo, Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance the national capital and to be visionary in a way that highlights our national iconic buildings with pride.

This is not the time to reopen Wellington Street to vehicular traffic. Rather we should start turning it into an enticing people place — now. This does not have to be complicated. A facelift can literally start within days. Here are just some ideas.

Find the whole article here.

More units, no exclusionary zoning for affordable housing in Ottawa

Interview with Brandon Bay, City News, Sam Laprade Show, January 26, 2023

...Bay says his organization is focusing on eliminating exclusionary zoning, the practice of restricting the types of housing allowed to be built in particular neighbourhoods, historically used to keep renters, lower-income and racialized communities out of certain areas.

According to Make Housing Affordable, nearly half of Ottawa is zoned as R1, meaning only single family homes can be built, leading to more urban sprawl and ballooning housing prices.

Find the whole article here.

 

Troster: Let’s make Wellington Street a place for people

By Ariel Troster, Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed, January 25, 2023

...On the matter of what to do about Wellington in the short term, my inbox is divided. People who primarily walk or cycle for transportation are thrilled to have the open space. Businesses on Sparks, Bank and Elgin streets are frustrated about their inability to receive deliveries. And seniors who live in the north part of Centretown say the road closure is making it harder for personal support workers and family members to get to their homes.

While I support a pedestrianized future for Wellington Street, one that befits the importance of the House of Commons and other significant buildings, the status quo is not working. We need a solution to the additional congestion that the closure has created within the core, and we need some resources dedicated to making the space welcoming. This could include dedicated recreation funding, or money to existing festivals and Business Improvement Associations to extend their programming onto Wellington.

Find the whole article here.

OC Transpo will get 100 fewer electric buses for $1B price tag

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa

...At the time, the city was presented with the sudden promise of federal funding, and made plans to buy 450 zero-emission electric buses by 2027 for $986 million. 

At a news conference at an OC Transpo garage last week after funding was secured, however, federal officials announced they would help pay for 350 buses. 

Richard Holder, the City of Ottawa's director of engineering services, explained that was what the city could afford given the funding it was allocated and the shorter timeframe of the federal Zero-Emission Transit Fund, with projects eligible to March 2026. It's possible that fund could be extended and the city might be able to tap into it again, he noted.

Find the whole article here.

Pedestrians on Wellington want barricades to stay, others say scrap 'em

By Guy Quenneville, CBC News Ottawa, January 23, 2023

As Lisa Craig strolled along Wellington Street Saturday, she embraced the calm, car-free atmosphere.

"I've enjoyed wandering quite safely with no cars out on the roads," said Craig, who was visiting the nation's capital from St. Catharines, Ont.

Barricades have kept vehicles off the street in front of Parliament Hill ever since police cleared out the last of the Freedom Convoy protesters in February 2022.

But in a few days, city council's transportation committee will discuss whether to remove the barricades and reopen the area to vehicles.

Find the whole article here.