Ward 10 – Gloucester-Southgate – Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Ecology Ottawa asked all candidates in the 2014 municipal election a series of questions on important environmental issues.

Complete Streets:

Many Ottawa streets are dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians and too many neighbourhoods lack affordable and convenient public transportation options. Badly designed streets discourage active and healthy lifestyles and limit transportation choices. In 2013, City Council adopted a Complete Streets policy that will put more emphasis on designing streets for all ages, abilities and users (pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, as well as cars).

Candidate *indicates incumbent	If elected, will you commit to prioritizing pedestrian, cycling and affordable public transit infrastructure over automobile infrastructure in meeting the future growth in travel demand in the urban area?	If elected, will you work to ensure that all new roads and road renewal projects integrate Complete Streets principles?	The City's new transportation master plan increases funding for cycling infrastructure but delays many investments for over 15 years. If elected, will you work to increase the overall level of investment and accelerate the pace of implementation?
Rodaina Chahrour
Diane Deans *
Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
George Marko
Lilly Obina
Brad Pye	YES - Yes, to a degree - the people in my Ward predominately use cars - getting around may be easier in the urban core but may not be the best idea for those in the suburbs.	NO - No, the Complete Street process is a vague idea without concrete markers determined by the province. I've spoken with numerous people both at the city level and province who can not offer a clear and definitive explanation of what a complete street is. We need a much better and more effective discussion if we are to speak seriously about this idea of "complete streets"	YES - Yes, but not at the determent of new automobile infrastructure. These should be done side by side. In fact, if we take a serious approach to cycling, we unmarry it from the roadways, giving cycling its own independent network.
Mohamed Roble	YES – If elected, I will stand 100% behind any and all initiatives committed to prioritizing pedestrian, cycling and affordable public transit infrastructure over automobile infrastructure both in my ward and across Ottawa.	YES	YES

Climate Change:

About 75 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from activities that occur in cities, and municipalities have direct or indirect control over about half of these emissions. In 2014 the City of Ottawa adopted a new Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan.

Candidate *indicates incumbent	Do you agree that human-induced climate change is an urgent issue and all levels of government have a role to play in helping to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions?	If elected, will you push for the full implementation of the City of Ottawa’s Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan, including items identified in the plan for the 2015 budget?	The Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan establishes the modest goal of reducing Ottawa’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent per capita by 2024, but leaves open a lot of space for new initiatives to emerge in the coming years. If elected, will you push for actions aimed at surpassing the current goal?
Rodaina Chahrour
Diane Deans *
Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
George Marko
Lilly Obina
Brad Pye	YES	NO - No, at least not at this point. I am not knowledgable about and would need time to review Ottawa's Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan.	NO
Mohamed Roble	YES - If elected, I will promote the use of car-pooling and public transport to curb green house gas emissions.	YES	YES

Clean Water and Healthy Watersheds:

Every time it rains, a cocktail of contaminants (including bacteria, chemicals, fuels and heavy metals) washes off our streets and runs straight into our rivers and streams via the underground storm-sewer system. Ecology Ottawa wants the City of Ottawa to follow-through on its commitment to develop a Water Environment Strategy that improves stormwater management, invests in green infrastructure, reduces flooding, protects our streams, and makes it safer to swim and fish in our rivers.

Candidate *indicates incumbent	The City of Ottawa is developing a Water Environment Strategy that will provide a framework for action to promote clean drinking water, reduce the toxins going into our rivers, and protect communities and streams from flooding associated with severe weather. If elected, will you support the development of a strong strategy and prioritize the investments necessary to realize the strategy’s goals?	The April 2014 Ontario Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) instructs planning authorities to promote green infrastructure measures (such as parklands, stormwater systems, wetlands, street trees, urban forests, natural channels, permeable surfaces, and green roofs) in order to reduce costs, protect ecosystems and adapt to extreme weather events. If elected, will you prioritize green infrastructure in addressing the City of Ottawa’s water management needs?	The production of clean water for public consumption has been falling over the past decade in Ottawa (ie., we are using less water). Between 2004 and 2013, the amount of clean water produced and used inside Ottawa fell from over 125,000 million litres to about 100,000 million litres (not including private wells). If elected will you commit to continuing this trend by prioritizing water conservation measures that reduce usage by 3 percent per year?
Rodaina Chahrour
Diane Deans *
Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
George Marko
Lilly Obina
Brad Pye	YES - To be clear however, I believe this begins first with the Province. We at the municipal level - but so much of the water resources and mandate for changes fall under Provincial and Federal regulation. We as a council should be more active and vocal on this issue.	YES - Yes this should be the case with the caveat - where 'greening' any city service can be done at cost/or below other alternative the more environmentally conscious alternative should be chosen.	YES - Seems reasonable.
Mohamed Roble	YES - If elected, I will work closely with local NGO's and local community associations promoting environmental protection and building awareness around pressing issues and concerns.	YES - If elected, I will support more green initiatives both locally in my ward (Ward 10 - Gloucester-Southgate) as well as addressing green infrastructure in City Hall.	YES - If elected, I will be committed to prioritizing both clean water and water conservation as one of my environmental platforms to be raised in City Hall.

Healthy Urban Trees:

Candidate*indicates incumbent	The Emerald Ash Borer infestation is killing millions of trees across Ottawa, including about 25 percent of the trees in the urban area. In response, organizations and individuals, including the City of Ottawa, are coming together to set the collective goal of planting a million trees in our nation’s capital as part of our contribution to Canada's 150 birthday celebration in 2017. If elected, will you support and prioritize investments towards this goal?	The City of Ottawa has announced its intention to develop a new Forest Management Strategy. If elected, will you support the development of a strong strategy and the investments necessary to realize the strategy’s goals?
Rodaina Chahrour
Diane Deans *
Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
George Marko
Lilly Obina
Brad Pye	YES	YES - I said yes, but with the caveat that I would like to see what the Forest Management Strategy looks like first before committing 100%. The issue here is that some of the public spaces within the NCC Greenbelt have been handed over to the City for daily management - some of these places are forests and may not maintain their integrity under a new strategy.
Mohamed Roble	YES - If elected, I will promote and build awareness around planting trees across Ottawa.	YES - If elected, I will include a Forest Management Strategy into my environmental platform.

Proposed Oil Pipeline Threatens Ottawa Water and Communities:

TransCanada wants to move more than a million barrels a day of tar sands oil through the City of Ottawa and across the World Heritage Rideau River on its way to export terminals in eastern Canada. The proposed “Energy East” pipeline puts communities and waterways in danger all along the pipeline route.

Candidate*indicates incumbent	Do you think the City of Ottawa should conduct a thorough and independent assessment of the risks and costs that the proposed Energy East pipeline poses to the health of Ottawa's communities and water?	Would you oppose the Energy East Pipeline if it was demonstrated that it threatened the health of Ottawa's water, climate and communities?	Should the City of Ottawa intervene in the National Energy Board review of the proposed Energy East pipeline in order to ensure that the interests of the people of Ottawa are well represented?
Rodaina Chahrour
Diane Deans *
Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
George Marko
Lilly Obina
Brad Pye	YES	NO - No, I would call on Energy East Pipeline to bring the project up to limits to ensure public safety and health before the pipeline went ahead.	YES - Ottawa - as a city has a moral obligation to be involved in the consultation and project evaluation process.
Mohamed Roble	YES	YES	YES

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