February 2009


City offers several options for tunnel vision

Ottawa Sun, February 27, 2009
Scott Taylor

One of the largest, most expensive and ambitious transit projects in Ottawa history was put up for public scrutiny at City Hall last night when the prime consultants on the $830-million downtown Ottawa transit tunnel project presented several options for consideration.

The project is being designed to replace existing rapid transit bus routes with light rail between Tunney's Pasture and Blair Rd., including a tunnel between Booth St. and the University of Ottawa.

The 12-km rapid transit line will have 13 stations.

Dennis Hopper, project manager for consultants Delcan Corp., said the study is still in its infancy, but it's maturing quickly.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/02/27/8550466-sun.html

Study aims to find 'fresh approach' to improving interprovincial transit
Report looks at ways to integrate systems in Ottawa, Gatineau

Ottawa Citizen, February 26, 2009
Tom Spears

A million-dollar study on the integration of interprovincial public transit may usher in a new age of co-operation for Ottawa and Gatineau, who have been two solitudes in developing their transit infrastructure.

The study, which was commissioned by Ottawa, Gatineau and the National Capital Commission, will explore an overhaul of the inefficient links between the cities' downtowns.

"Up to now, we've lived in relatively benign indifference of each other," said Ottawa's transit committee chairman, Alex Cullen. "Both of us are encountering big-city issues with respect to transit. It requires a fresh approach to deal with it."

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/Study+aims+find+fresh+approach+improving+interprovincial+transit/1330035/story.html

Ottawa River protection group proposed
Clive Doucet wants committee to safeguard clean drinking water

Ottawa Sun, February 25, 2009
Derek Puddicombe

There may be some protection on the way for the Ottawa River.

Capital Coun. Clive Doucet has taken the first step towards creating a source water protection committee that would oversee the health and safety of Ottawa's main source of drinking water.

Doucet introduced his notice of motion at city council Wednesday afternoon and would like to see something in place by the end of May.

With more than one million people living along the banks of the river Doucet said it's "scary" that so many people depend on a sole source for their water needs.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/02/25/8533391.html

Harper not a fan of high-speed rail link between Que. and Ont.: McGuinty

Metro News, February 24, 2009
Maria Babbage

TORONTO - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is frowning on a proposal for a high-speed rail link between Ontario and Quebec that would boost the economy and help the environment, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday.

Without federal support, the proposed link between Windsor, Ont., and Quebec City may never get off the ground, McGuinty said.

"I continue to be a big fan of (the plan), as does (Quebec Premier) Jean Charest," McGuinty said.

"The prime minister is not as much of a fan on this score."

McGuinty didn't say what objections Harper may have to the proposed high-speed link, which has floated around for more than a decade.

http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa/canada/article/186820

Ontario promises 50,000 new jobs with Go Green policy
Switch to green jobs crucial for Ontario, McGuinty say

Toronto Star, February 23, 2009
Canadian Press

Ontario's Green Energy Act will create 50,000 new jobs in construction, trucking and engineering while laying the groundwork for developing projects more quickly, Energy Minister George Smitherman said today.

Architects, contractors and installers will see more opportunities as they're asked to retrofit buildings for energy efficiency, Smitherman added.

The legislation will also require inspectors to perform energy audits on all homes at the time of sale, seeks to cut red tape so projects can move ahead more quickly, and promises to issue permits within six months.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/591708

Montreal's fireplace ban comes up for vote

Montreal Gazette, February 22, 2009

Montreal is poised to become Canada's first major city to ban the installation of most new woods stoves and fireplaces.

But the proposed bylaw, a bid to cut air pollution that is to be introduced at city council Monday night, is not without opponents.

The Association des professionnels du chauffage, which represents manufacturers and retailers of wood stoves and fireplaces, is organizing a protest on the sidewalk outside city hall Monday morning. Protesters will set up 12 wood stoves they say burn efficiently by eliminating up to 90 per cent of the pollution that conventional stoves and fireplaces emit.

Hours later, environmental and health groups are to gather at city hall to applaud the initiative.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Technology/Montreal+fireplace+comes+vote/1317594/story.html

New spill in Ottawa River
City: 96,100 litres of 'suspended solids' discharged into river during maintenance work won't impact drinking water

Ottawa Sun, February 21, 2009
Derek Puddicombe

Untreated waste has once again spilled into the Ottawa River from a municipal water treatment facility.

The Sun has learned that for four hours on Thursday afternoon, wastewater containing almost three times the allowable amount of suspended solids was dumped into the river.

"Suspended solids" are small particles of solid pollutants that float on the surface of the water in sewage and in other effluent.

The total amount of suspended solids that made it into the river was 72 mg per litre of water. It was discharged from the Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant from 1:55 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. The allowable amount is 25 mg/L.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/02/21/8472791-sun.html

Green law to restrict location of wind turbines, minister says

Toronto Star, February 20, 2009
Rob Ferguson

There's virtually no health danger posed by wind turbines, although Ontario's new "green energy" law would set province-wide guidelines on how close they can be to populated areas, says Energy Minister George Smitherman.

The law, to be introduced in the Legislature Monday, is aimed at bringing more renewable energy projects onto the grid as well as pushing conservation, including incentives to retrofit buildings to reduce electricity consumption, he told reporters.

Smitherman again took aim at opponents of a proposed Toronto Hydro project to put a string of wind turbines in Lake Ontario two to four kilometres off the Scarborough Bluffs, saying they are far enough away from homes not to be "impactful."

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/590474

City considering cuts to exemptions from downtown development charges
Updated bylaw due by July

Ottawa Citizen, February 19, 2009

OTTAWA - In a bid to find more funding for capital projects, the City of Ottawa may end the break on development charges for new residential units in the downtown.

Rob Mackay, director of sustainability services at the city, said the city has had to defer about $21 million worth of capital projects that would normally be paid for by development charges in the past five years. He said charges were not applied to a list of development projects that had been exempted and that city staff was recommending the list of exemptions be drastically trimmed. Only non-profit housing and building on contaminated land would be exempt.

This would mean that downtown residential developers would have to start paying development charges, as well as churches.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/City+considering+cuts+exemptions+from+downtown+development+charges/1308020/story.html

My Ottawa
A city planning expert takes on the challenge of designing our community

Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 2009
Alain Miguelez

I want to live in a city that revels in its urbanity. That's a city that finds its identity and has fun with it.

Ottawa should be impish about trying new things and ambitious about its place in the world. A community that knows the difference between modesty and self-effacement, and chooses the former over the latter.

I want a city that is made for walking. A city that never sleeps. I might want to sleep myself, but it wouldn't occur to me to stop others from enjoying the city at any time of day or night. I want to know that things are available even if I don't use them all the time, or ever. I want to live in a city where rapid transit is the fastest and most convenient way to travel. Those are all generalities. The true delight of any great city is in the details.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Entertainment/Ottawa/1300313/story.html

Doucet: Lansdowne Live a 'backroom deal'
Councillor pleads for reopening of design competition

Ottawa Sun, February 17, 2009
Derek Puddicombe

A city committee heard allegations Tuesday that the redevelopment plan for Lansdowne Park is being pushed through thanks to a "backroom deal."

Capital Coun. Clive Doucet made the comment today to the corporate services and economic development committee. He is angry at the cancellation of an international design competition to redevelop the park, in favour of a project presented to the city last fall by a local group headed by Ottawa 67's owner Jeff Hunt.

The Lansdowne Live plan -- proposed by Roger Greenberg of Minto, developers John Ruddy and Bill Shenkman, and Hunt -- includes a hotel, renovation of the outdoor football stadium, some residential development, an aquarium and sports fields. The consortium would spearhead the project, then have it leased back from the city for 30 years. The group also has been awarded a conditional Canadian Football League franchise to serve as the stadium's main tenant.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/02/17/8421686.html

'European cities have a lot to teach us:' Miller
Mayor brings home lessons on transit, green legislation from climate change forum

Toronto Star, February 16, 2009

"EUROPEAN CITIES have a lot to teach us about public transit. My hotel was on a square outside the railway station. All the streetcars came into the depot outside the station. There were no cars allowed except taxis. They had designated rights-of-way for their streetcars, which include whole streets that were streetcar only. There were buses there, including the bus to the airport.

"So when we were leaving, I left my hotel, walked across the square and got on the bus to the airport, and was at the airport in 15 minutes. Now, it's a smaller city with a population of 200,000.

"It was extraordinary. The train linked with the streetcar, linked with the taxi, linked with the bus. There were facilities for bikes ... They viewed this all as integrated. It's what we're trying to do through Transit City. It showed me it worked."

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/588152

Poll demands park Plan B
Majority of online voters want competition for Lansdowne redesign reopened

Ottawa Sun, February 15, 2009
Aedan Helmer

City council should consider more than one option for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park, according to an informal online survey conducted by the Glebe Community Association.

More than 2,600 people responded to the survey in November and December.

A majority of respondents -- about 62%, or 1,611 people -- think the competitive process should be reopened after Design Lansdowne public consultations were shelved months ago.

City council will consider a proposal from the Lansdowne Live group, led by Ottawa 67's owner Jeff Hunt. The group has been granted a conditional CFL franchise and wants to build retail space, a hotel and a world-class aquarium in the park.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2009/02/15/8396916-sun.html

Canada unveils organic-food standards
New certification process comes into effect June 30; 'It's a consumer's dream,' group say

Ottawa Citizen, February 14, 2009
Sarah Schmidt, Canwest News Service

The federal government unveiled yesterday new mandatory standards for organic foods and enforcement tools so inspectors can keep products falsely claiming to be organic off store shelves.

The mandatory regulation and certification of organic products, to come into force on June 30, were immediately praised by the industry.

"It's a consumer's dream. When they see an organic claim out in the marketplace, it has a very strict definition, the government is behind it, and everybody is meeting the same standards," said Matthew Holmes, managing director of the Organic Trade Association in Canada, representing players from producers to retailers.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Entertainment/Canada+unveils+organic+food+standards/1289542/story.html

Ottawa given 3 choices for new interprovincial bridge

CBC News, February 13, 2009

Ottawa's National Capital Commission is looking at three possible routes Ottawa and Gatineau residents could take to cross the river that runs between them.

One site - Kettle Island - was already being considered for Ottawa's new interprovincial bridge.

But the NCC has put two more sites into the running so they can be put through the required environmental assessment process.

Those sites are further east on Lower Duck Island.

And that has many of the residents of the Kettle Island community relieved.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/02/13/ot-090213-kettleisland.html

City revises bus rider incentives
Measures done to end confusion after rancorous debate

Ottawa Citizen, February 12, 2009, page C1
Jake Rupert and Patrick Dare

Ottawa Council held a rancorous debate over incentives to lure riders back onto the transit system yesterday, initially failing to endorse an advertised series of measures, then approving a revised package at the end of a 12-hour meeting.

Despite advertising incentives to lure back transit riders after the 53-day OC Transpo strike, city council failed to endorse those moves in the early part of the meeting, but then acted when it became clear that the public would be horribly confused by the lack of clear decision-making.

The package approved late last night means that December regular pass holders may purchase March passes for 40 per cent of the regular price, and that December Express pass holders may purchase April and May passes at a discount, Ecopass customers will get similarly discounted passes and people who use cash and tickets will see fares reduced by 50 per cent for the rest of February.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/City+revises+rider+incentives/1281277/story.html

No more free rides if taxes up: O'Brien

Metro News, February 11, 2009
Tim Wieclawski

Mayor Larry O'Brien won't be supporting any motions to extend free transit service for riders, if it means property taxpayers will end up paying for it in the long run.

On Monday, city staff predicted OC Transpo would have a $13.4-million deficit in order to offer free service to all passengers until the end of February, make December passes valid for March and suspend EcoPass deductions until the end of April.

But extending free transit service would substantially increase a burden that could end up being passed on to taxpayers, O'Brien said yesterday.

"We really have to be careful about this, because we really will not see what that number truly is, until the end of the fiscal year," he said.

http://www.metronews.ca/ottawa/local/article/180096

Transit spending plan shows shift from buses to trains

Ottawa Citizen, February 10, 2009
Jake Rupert

City transit staff have tabled a draft of a 10-year, $3.8-billion capital spending plan with council that sees the municipality slowly withdraw funds from buses and shift spending to light rail.

The plan was tabled at a meeting of the transit committee yesterday afternoon. It will be debated by council later this month.

The plan assumes the federal and provincial governments will contribute a third of the cost of building Phase 1 of the city's light-rail system, which is expected to cost $2 billion over 10 years to build, in today's dollars.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/Transit+spending+plan+shows+shift+from+buses+trains/1272000/story.html

Will firms bankroll recycling?
Draft report by Ontario waste firm says producers should pay full cost of processing items they create

Toronto Star, February 9, 2009
Moira Welsh

Within five years, Ontario taxpayers will no longer be paying for half of the blue box program if a draft plan to have producers pay the full cost of recycling the items they create is approved.

Waste Diversion Ontario, the corporation that manages Ontario's recycling programs, worked with industries and municipalities to come up with a plan for Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen's directive that the producers pay the full cost of recycling.

Called extended producer responsibility, it means that the producers of drink bottles, cardboard packages, paper and pop cans will ultimately create less packaging problems for the environment if they are forced to bear the full cost of recycling them.

http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/584525

Corporate World Should Pay Recycling Costs: Report

CFRA, February 8, 2008
Josh Pringle

A new report recommends the corporate world pick up the cost of Ontario's recycling program.

The Waste Diversion Ontario report for the Ontario Government recommends the province give companies five years notice to prepare for a new arrangement to cover the cost of the program.

Currently Ontario's blue bin program is split 50-50 between municipalities and Stewardship Ontario.

Stakeholders told Waste Diversion Ontario they believe packaging would become more environmentally friendly if companies are fully responsible for recycling costs.

http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=62968

Cost of transit strike to city will 'shock,' Cullen says
Millions saved by not operating buses will be offset by cost of bringing them back

Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 2009
Jake Rupert

The strike that idled Ottawa buses for 53 days, inconvenienced thousands of people and cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars probably won't save the city much, a council committee is set to hear next week.

When the strike began in December, the city said it would save about $3 million a week in fuel costs and salaries. Those savings are now being offset by the costs of getting the system running again. In fact, transit committee chairman Alex Cullen said he expects some councillors will be in "shock" when the final numbers are tabled at a special committee meeting Monday.

The staff report, which was delayed several times during the strike, will outline the overall financial impact of the stoppage on the city government.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Cost+transit+strike+city+will+shock+Cullen+says/1263210/story.html

McGuinty pushes green hookups

Ottawa Sun, February 6, 2009
Laura Czekaj

The province's plan to implement a "smart" electricity grid to accommodate renewable energy will generate more than just green power -- it's also expected to generate jobs.

Plans to modernize the power-generating system to handle more smaller renewable power sources will be incorporated into the Green Energy Act, which will make its debut before the Ontario legislature later this month, Premier Dalton McGuinty said in a speech to the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce yesterday.

"Our intention is to unleash an explosion of new, green energy, and create more than 50,000 jobs over the next three years," McGuinty said.

The act is expected to spark a rise in renewable energy production and to make it easier for power plants working with wind turbines, solar panels and biofuel to hook into the energy transmission system.

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2009/02/06/8285716-sun.html

Radioactive sewage deemed no threat
Common medical isotope found in biosolids shipped from Ottawa

Ottawa Citizen, February 5, 2009, page C1
Jake Rupert

Preliminary tests show the radioactive material found recently in biosolids from Ottawa's sewage treatment plant is a common medical material that poses no risk to the health of the public or environment, says the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The federal agency provided help to the city as soon as low, but unacceptable, levels of radiation were found in four loads of biosolids from the plant recently.

In a statement released yesterday, the council said "early indications are that the detected radioactivity is iodine-131, a commonly used medical isotope.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Radioactive+sewage+deemed+threat/1254523/story.html

Province set to help curb urban sprawl, McGuinty says
City's plan to set aside 850 hectares for new development raises concern

Ottawa Citizen, February 4, 2009, page C1
Lee Greenberg

The province is willing to help the City of Ottawa curb sprawl, especially if Ontario laws are getting in the way of that goal, Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday.

"If there are specific concerns there, we would be only too pleased to look at those," Mr. McGuinty said, following the release Monday of the city's proposed changes to its official land-use plan.

The plan looks 22 years ahead and is reviewed every five.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Homes/Province+help+curb+urban+sprawl+McGuinty+says/1250965/story.html

Bigger suburbs inevitable
City staff propose huge expansion

Ottawa Citizen, February 3, 2009
Randall Denley

Ever since the new city of Ottawa was formed, councillors have been telling us that the urban boundary is sacrosanct. By sheer political will and the magic of intensification, they would hold the line on the boundary and stop the suburbs' inexorable march to the horizon.

Based on the suburban sprawl plan city staff presented yesterday, you can kiss that concept goodbye. The only holding of the line proposed here is what's required to pick it up and move it. What is being presented as a kind of artful tweaking of the urban boundary is actually the second-largest expansion of the urban area in the last 20 years. Naturally, developers say it's not enough.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Bigger+suburbs+inevitable/1246496/story.html

Editorial: Budget misses going green

Ottawa Citizen, February 2, 2009

Ottawa's residential neighbourhoods will have some shiny new decks and driveways to show off if the $3-billion home renovation tax credit announced in this week's federal budget works the way it is intended to. That will provide a temporary bump to the local economy.

That is a good thing. But it is not good enough when you consider how much more the money could easily have done.

The renovation tax credit represents a missed opportunity to make Canadian homes more energy efficient and to support the green technology that would help them do that. The failure to target the budget stimulus to such projects suggests the federal Conservatives have a long way to go before they really start thinking green.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/Budget+misses+going+green/1242972/story.html

Référendum sur le projet domiciliaire et le changement de zonage
Un vote des plus serrés sur Chelsea Creek

Le Droit, le 1 février 2009
Catherine Lamontagne

Les citoyens de Chelsea ont voté en faveur du changement au règlement de lotissement pour la réalisation du projet domiciliaire Chelsea Creek mais les résultats concernant le changement de zonage étaient toujours non-officiels, hier.

À l'occasion d'un référendum demandé par le conseil municipal de Chelsea, les personnes dont le domicile est situé à proximité du projet domiciliaire ont voté hier pour le changement au règlement de lotissement, avec 41 voix favorables, et seulement 39 voix contre.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/gatineau-outaouais/200902/01/01-823096-un-vote-des-plus-serres-sur-chelsea-creek.php