By Brigitte Pellerin, Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed, April 9, 2022
Moving people safely and sustainably results in happier and healthier cities. We just have to do it.
Last weekend I went to Quebec City and Montreal and you know what I found in the provincial capital? Great examples of sustainable mobility and people-centred investments for Ottawa to follow — even if in one case it’s already kind of too late.
By Caitlin Coombes, Capital Current
Ecology Ottawa is urging the City of Ottawa to “rewild.”
The goal is to put a priority on the preservation of greenspace, plant of native vegetation in parks and on lawns and “naturalize” lands throughout the urban area.
...The environmental group wants local citizens to sign a petition and push local politicians to commit to the principles of rewilding. Signatories “urge council to take ambitious action to conserve and restore nature in Ottawa by making bold financial and political commitments to rewild our city.”
By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, April 3, 2022
...Bryan Chandler, chair of the Ottawa Markets board of directors, said the organization wants to see a community benefit in the new destination building.
“Right now, in the whole ByWard Market, there is no indoor community space. Everything is privately owned, so all the community space is outdoors,” Chandler said.
There could be activities like art exhibits and rotating events making use of a commercial kitchen, plus space for food vendors and artisans to set up inside during the winter, Chandler said.
By Tom Shoebridge, InsideOttawaValley, March 29, 2022
Earth Day is a perfect time to reflect on the wonderful natural gifts that we love in Lanark County, and the need to take immediate climate action to preserve them for future generations.
Transportation in this area is a huge source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) as the county, a microcosm of Canada, has lots of space and not many people but all have to travel. It presents a real challenge as transportation in a rural area like ours is necessary for work, social contacts, education and health.
Par ICI Radio Canada Ottawa Gatineau
Plusieurs milliers de litres d’eaux usées provenant des égouts de la Ville d’Ottawa se sont déversés dans la rivière des Outaouais.
...Après une enquête approfondie, il a été déterminé qu’une défaillance du joint entre le puits humide et le puits sec a permis aux eaux usées de s’échapper
, a expliqué la Ville.
Lisez l'article au complet icihttps://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1872446/deversement-eau-use-egout-ottawa-riviere-outaouais-mars-?cid=rg_il-reg_txt_inf_infolettre-matinale_ottawagatineau-2022-03-29_0.
By CBC News Ottawa, March 28, 2022
A sanitary sewage spill on March 20 resulted in about 42,000 litres of "dilute raw sewage" entering the Ottawa River, the city says.
..."After a thorough investigation, it was determined that a seal failure between the wet well and dry well allowed sewage to escape the process," the memo said..
...This sewage spill comes exactly four months after another, larger spill into the Ottawa River.
By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
E-scooters will return to Ottawa streets in 2022
Another season of rentable e-scooters is a go.
The majority of council approved an extension of the pilot program in 2022 to allow up to 900 e-scooters deployed by two providers, who will be determined after a competitive procurement process.
...Siding with McKenney and voting in opposition to a 2022 e-scooter season were councillors Carol Anne Meehan, Rawlson King, Diane Deans, Theresa Kavanagh, Jeff Leiper and Keith Egli.
By City News Ottawa, the Rob Snow Show,
The chair of Ottawa's transit commission says it is difficult to predict whether OC Transpo will run a budget deficit this year because there is no clear timeline yet on when federal public servants will return to offices downtown.
...The transit budget for this year was calculated based on a return of 82% of pre-pandemic ridership levels, but based on the first three months of the year Hubley thinks it's unlikely that level will be reached.
By CBC News Ottawa, March 22, 2022
Ottawa city staff have submitted their recommendations for the proposed nuclear waste facility at Chalk River to ensure the Ottawa River is protected from contamination.
In a memo dated March 10, staff outline 10 recommendations to ensure the safety of river, the primary source of drinking water for residents of Ottawa.
Par Natalie Tremblay, ICI Radio Canada Ottawa-Gatineau, le 22 mars 2022
Les Gatinois qui n’en pouvaient plus de devoir se procurer des sacs à ordures auprès de la Ville pour leurs déchets excédentaires seront heureux d’apprendre la fin de cette initiative.
Les élus ont voté en majorité, mardi, pour remplacer les sacs tarifés de surplus d’ordures par des étiquettes, un peu à l’image de ce qui se fait déjà dans d’autres grandes villes canadiennes comme Toronto et Calgary.
By Guy Quenneville, CBC News Ottawa, March 22, 2022
Driver Sheila Perry says she was coming back from the grocery store last Thursday when she witnessed the fatal collision that left a 43-year-old Ottawa cyclist dead.
...Perry said she was stopped at the north end of the intersection of North River Road and Donald Street when she saw a female cyclist wearing a purple helmet stopped on the west side, down from the Adàwe Crossing bridge and the Rideau Sports Centre.
..."This is more than just cycling. I think the [city] operations have to be reviewed," Perry said, adding that she hopes the grader's sightlines are also looked at.
By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Gas-powered lawn equipment, like exhaust-spewing, noisy leaf blowers, is on the outs in Ottawa’s municipal government.
On Tuesday, Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Rawlson King received majority support from council’s standing committee on environmental protection, water and waste management to start phasing out the gas-guzzling gear as soon as possible.
...City staff support the proposal. They plan to report back to council by the end of the year on a “green equipment plan” after seeing how battery-powered blowers, trimmers and small chainsaws fare in municipal operations between spring and fall.