Nussbaum: Here's the link between the health of democracy and the LRT delay

By Tobi Nussbaum, Ottawa Citizen, February 9, 2018

This week’s developments on the light-rail transit file have left me pondering questions about core roles and responsibilities in our democratic system.

Much ink has been spilled about the $1 million penalty that many residents and councillors, including me, had understood to be in play the minute the handover date moved beyond May 24, 2018.

It turns out the project agreement actually provided the contractor the ability to push the handover date as far back as a year later – with no penalty.

COMMENT: A million dollars matters

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, February 7, 2018

It’s not just Councillor Nussbaum who’s puzzled. Light rail is Ottawa’s biggest-ever municipal infrastructure project. It’s not so much the 6-month delay that’s a problem (delays seem to be the norm with massive civic projects). It’s the confusion over the contract that is really troubling.

  • Did councillors fully understand the contract they approved between the City of Ottawa and Rideau Transit Group (RTG)?  Were they fully advised by city staff about penalties and deadlines?  This reminds me a lot of the Orgaworld debacle from a few years ago.

Ottawa Buy Nothing groups bringing neighbours together

By CBC News Ottawa, February 9, 2018

Online "Buy Nothing" clubs are sprouting up all over, and they're much more than a place for people to swap free stuff — they've also become an important meeting place for neighbours.

Members of the Facebook groups post items they're looking to loan out or give away to people living nearby.

'I go for walks with my dog and I see people I've picked up from and I wave to them.' - Melissa Mate, Buy Nothing group administrator
"It's really more about meeting your neighbours and building your community than it is about the free stuff," local Buy Nothing group administrator Melissa Mate told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.

Ottawa city councillors want clarity around LRT contract

By CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2018

Ottawa city councillors want details around who's financially responsible for costs tied to the delay of the light rail transit project.

City officials said the LRT delivery date would be pushed back six months, from May to November 2018. Many councillors had believed that by not making its May 24 deadline, the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) would be obligated to pay the city $1 million.

City of Ottawa pilots pedestrian safety guard on snowplow

By CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2018

The City of Ottawa is piloting a new pedestrian safety guard on one of its snowplows this season and one city councillor hopes to see them on all large city vehicles once the pilot is complete.

In 2016 city staff rejected the idea of installing safety guards, but several weeks ago a private U.S-based company sent one to Ottawa for free.

Staff agreed to give it a try.

Kingston, Ont., signs 'Smart City' agreement with Bell

By CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2018

A southeastern Ontario city says it is teaming up with Bell Canada to implement new technology that will monitor certain municipal operations in what it's calling a "Smart City" program.

The project will collect and organize data from internet-connected items to help the city of Kingston, Ont., keep track of things like energy use.

A joint statement from Kingston and Bell says the project will help the city make better informed decisions on matters like municipal operations and infrastructure.

Ontario PC leadership rivals scrap carbon tax from platform

By Mike Crawley, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2018

All three candidates vying to replace Patrick Brown as Ontario Progressive Conservative leader are coming out against the carbon tax in their party's platform, leaving a $4-billion hole in their fiscal plan.

Caroline Mulroney announced she "will not support" the carbon tax Thursday morning, only three days after repeatedly defending it as a necessary evil. Christine Elliott also came out against the carbon tax Thursday, declaring that an online survey found 92 per cent opposition. Doug Ford was against it from the launch of his leadership campaign.

Brown put a carbon tax in the party platform, unveiled little more than two months ago. It is similar to the system in place in British Columbia. It would replace the cap-and-trade program introduced by Premier Kathleen Wynne's Liberal government, which requires industry to buy permits for greenhouse gas emissions.

Gatineau biofuel company makes history with Qantas

By Mario Carlucci, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2018

Local company Agrisoma Biosciences Inc. quietly made history last week when its bio jet fuel was used by Australian airline, Qantas, on a flight from the United States to Australia.

The Gatineau-based company developed the fuel from a mustard-like oilseed called carinata, and now plans to partner with the Australian airline for future production, according to company CEO and president, Steve Fabijanski.

"It's an airline that really understands that the future is going to be looking at sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint. And for them to get behind us and say, 'Let's get to work,' it's pretty cool for a smaller Canadian company to be swinging at that level."

Analysis Why did the city let the LRT consortium off the hook for $1M?

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2018

When it became clear the international consortium building Ottawa's $2-billion light rail system would not make its May 24 delivery date, there was every reason to expect the delay would cost them $1 million.

After all, the people of Ottawa have been hearing for ages about the $1 million in damages the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) would have to pay if it missed that deadline.

In a presentation given by OC Transpo boss John Manconi in December about the light rail timeline, one of the overhead slides plainly read: "The proponent is responsible for the delivery of the system on the date prescribed in the project agreement."

LRT running 6 months late

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, February 6, 2018

Ottawa's light rail network will open at the end of November 2018, six months after the consortium building it was supposed to hand over the keys, Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday.

The new timeline came as transit boss John Manconi and other senior city staff gave an update on the massive infrastructure project to the finance and economic development committee at City Hall.

City pushed to make new Albert-Slater juncture a landmark

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, February 6, 2018

A proposed reconstruction of the western juncture of Albert and Slater streets should have a goal of turning a dead zone into a gateway for the downtown core and a redeveloped LeBreton Flats, city planners have heard.

The city’s urban design review panel has completed a formal analysis of the city’s plan to change the major east-west streets after the Confederation Line LRT opens this year.

The independent peer-review panel has experts from outside of Ottawa City Hall, including some from outside Ottawa, to critique urban design proposals before the plans go to city council.

Reevely: Patrick Brown's final gift to his party is a bloodbath over carbon taxes

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, January 5, 2018

All the Progressive Conservative party’s leadership candidates are skeptical of carbon taxes, seeking support from party members who hate them even more, but their party is counting on billions of dollars in carbon-tax money to pay for its election promises.

They need the cash even more than the Liberals do. That’s an awkward position for a party of tax-fighters, and one Doug Ford, Christine Elliott and Caroline Mulroney somehow have to reconcile.

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