Ward 7 - Bay

Spencer Radford

"OC Transpo's main focus seems to be on where riders currently go. I would change that with a city wide survey asking all residents, if you were to take OC Transpo, what would get you to take it, where would you go to and from, and at what times. I would also lower the transit fare and extend the transfer times to 2 hours, that information being included in the survey to help regain rider trust. 

More riders on OC means more funding into OC, which makes it easier to fund extra buses, drivers, and more. "

Theresa Kavanagh

"I am committed to improving public transit in this city. If re-elected, I will continue to press for and support measures that will make OC Transpo more reliable, affordable and accountable to riders and taxpayers. This includes advocating for fare freezes, specific improvements to increase route reliability, and better connections to major employment centres, like the DND Carling Campus, and other west end communities.

Making the transit system more affordable and reliable must be a priority for Council and I will work with my fellow councillors to come up with solutions that will improve the system and bring back transit riders. In February this year, I supported a motion passed by Council to direct OC Transpo to evaluate and report back to Council on potential models for a transit reliability and accountability framework. I'm also committed to making sure fares remain affordable for all Ottawa residents. Every year since I've been elected in 2018, I've successfully advocated for a fare freeze for Equipass and Community Pass holders, ensuring public transit remains affordable for people who need it most. I have also always supported efforts to limit fare increases for all residents."

Spencer Radford

"Zoning would probably be the biggest, setting up 15 minute communities so that residents can get groceries, eat out, see their dentist, and visit a park, all within walking distance of their home. 

I would also want testing done for safety for cyclists and pedestrians so we can determine which areas need the most support for those not using vehicles.  "

Theresa Kavanagh

"Being a regular cyclist means I have always advocated for improved cycling infrastructure in Bay Ward, and across Ottawa. Using multiple modes of transport also means I ensure the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are considered in planning decisions. For example, I am passionate about ensuring we have safe, convenient, active transportation routes to public transit stations, including the 7 new LRT stations that will be opening in Bay Ward with the Stage 2 West Extension.

I have always advocated for safe, accessible pedestrian and cyclist detours during construction, to ensure the needs of all road users are considered when the city plans construction projects. One of my proudest accomplishments as Councillor is ensuring every school in Bay Ward now has a sidewalk leading to it, so students and their families can safely walk to school. 

If re-elected, I will continue this important work, to ensure the City prioritizes the Active Transportation projects identified in the Transportation Master Plan, and keeps the safety of all road users in mind when making decisions."

Spencer Radford

"I believe that eventually, the urban boundary will need to be expanding. The city is growing, and we need the space to do so. Expanding the boundary is something we have to be careful about, thinking carefully about where the boundary extends, and what adverse effects there would be. 

Some points for expanding the urban boundary are:

• Increase space for Ottawa's population to grow.
• Start generating property taxes from more residences so the costs are spread out more.
• Bring more residential, industrial, and businesses.

I would not support expansion without a clear plan on how services and infrastructure would be developed. "

Theresa Kavanagh

"While intensification is preferable to expanding our city’s urban boundary, a balanced approach must be taken in order to ensure existing infrastructure, parks, and recreational facilities are maintained or upgraded to keep up with population growth. 

I made my position on expanding the urban boundary very clear with my opposition to the expensive and ill-thought out Tewin development last year. I would much rather see more housing built in existing neighbourhoods, near transit stations, rather than supporting further urban sprawl, and building more car-reliant communities with expensive infrastructure expansion. 

As a city, we need to ensure there is adequate housing at all ends of the income spectrum to support population growth. I will continue to advocate for sustainable growth within the urban boundary, and for housing to be built with the needs of residents at the forefront, not simply as an investment for private interests focused on maximizing profits at any cost. 

Non-profit housing partners are critical to getting family-sized housing units built in urban areas. We need to ensure that neighbourhoods within the Greenbelt are able to provide housing for families who want to live in vibrant, connected communities, rather than continuing to expand our urban boundary to build more housing developments in the outer suburbs."

Spencer Radford

"Build infrastructure right, and build it right the first time. Housing is incredibly important, but we cannot just build housing without making sure our infrastructure is adequate. 

Along with infrastructure, ensuring that the city puts a lot of thought into increasing the number of trees for shade, cooling, and because we should be caring for our planet. "

Theresa Kavanagh

"Climate change means we need to make our city’s infrastructure far more resilient against the impacts of increasingly frequent severe weather events. I have long advocated for greater investment to repair or replace aging stormwater and sewer infrastructure in Ottawa’s older neighbourhoods, including many in Bay Ward. In the aftermath of the Canada Day storm this year, I brought an inquiry to City Council to explore supports available for tenants of multi-residential buildings in the aftermath of extreme weather events, and I worked with other Councillors in impacted wards to demand a thorough investigation of the storm and its impacts, including recommendations for improving stormwater infrastructure to make our city more resilient to extreme weather events. We need to use every tool at our disposal to protect residents, and to mitigate the impact of severe weather events. 

This includes:

• Expanding existing programs like the Residential Protective Plumbing Program, Compassionate Grant, and Rain Ready; 
• Expanding the City’s AC pilot to get affordable cooling options in the homes of vulnerable residents;
• Partnering with organizations to improve education, emergency preparedness, and community support; and  
• Making efforts to preserve and expand the City’s tree canopy, preserving green space, and investing in urban design initiatives like “sponge parks”, permeable parking lots, and other sustainable ways to mitigate the impacts of flooding and heavy rain."

Spencer Radford

"I’d protect mature trees while expanding planting on streets, in parks, and around public facilities. New planting should focus on neighbourhoods with less canopy and greater summer heat. I’d also support proper maintenance and replacement so newly planted trees survive and grow."

Theresa Kavanagh

"Preserving and expanding our tree canopy is critical to protecting neighbourhoods from the impact of extreme heat, and will also help in reducing our City’s greenhouse gas emissions. I support the City’s Plant Your Place! Program that provides free trees to residents across Ottawa. If re-elected, I will push for the expansion of this program, and will also work with city staff to ensure the program is well communicated, particularly in areas identified for priority tree-planting, like Bayshore. 

I will also support initiatives to plant more trees in public spaces, including medians, parks (with more tiny forest initiatives), and the city right of way (through the Trees in Trust program). In addition to planting more trees through partnerships with organizations like Ecology Ottawa and community associations, we also need to ensure that mature trees are protected, even as more housing gets built. When the city was developing a new zoning by-law, I successfully advocated for design rules that protect existing mature trees, and expand the urban tree canopy. As a member of the City’s Planning and Housing committee, I have always pushed developers to preserve existing tree canopy in future developments and to plant more trees to benefit residents for generations to come."

Spencer Radford

"Taking walks around my community, I've noticed a few parks that have many garbage bins, but no recycling, or compost bins. Residents use parks all across the city, and if they don't have the correct spot to put their items, generally most will just place things into the garbage. 

To promote a circular economy, I would try to connect with the artists of Ottawa, school boards, youth centres and libraries. Ottawa has many groups of residents who could use materials over and over again, whether that be repainting over a canvas, using materials to make an egg drop challenge, or making small decorations as gifts for parents. Bigger projects can involve using materials to make temporary shelters for the homeless population or putting together little libraries. Other things can be dropped off to a depot where construction workers, city staff, and residents could come collect parts they might be able to use, even if someone else didn't find a use for it."

Theresa Kavanagh

"As Councillor for Bay Ward, I supported the City’s Solid Waste Master Plan, including the implementation of the 3-bag limit to reduce household garbage, and to encourage residents to recycle and use their green bin. This is just the start. I support the efforts to roll out green bin collection in Multi-Unit Residential Buildings, and initiatives to divert more waste from landfills. I have been a strong supporter of the City’s Repair Cafe series. These free workshops teach residents how to repair and maintain small appliances, rather than throwing them out. If re-elected, I will advocate for an expansion of these Repair Cafe programs to neighbourhoods across the city. The city also needs to do more to expand textile recycling and clothing swap initiatives, as this is a major source of landfill waste with a huge, untapped opportunity for greater reuse. I also welcomed the return of the city-wide “Giveaway Weekends”, and would love to see these happening more frequently across Ottawa."

Spencer Radford

"Ottawa will not reach net zero through one policy alone. It will take progress on transit, buildings, waste, tree canopy, land use and energy use working together. I would support regular public reporting on whether emissions are actually falling, and if Ottawa starts falling behind, Council should adjust its approach rather than waiting until 2050."

Theresa Kavanagh

"There’s so much we can do to ensure we reach our emissions reduction commitments, but I’ll focus on three main areas: 

1. Retrofitting existing public buildings
Many older city buildings (libraries, office buildings, community centres, and arenas) are several decades old, and investments are needed to retrofit these buildings to reduce emissions. I would also like to see partnerships with external organizations to better use public spaces to support sustainability, like gardens or community centres or library rooftops (the green roof on the City’s new main library, Adisoke, is a good example, but we can do more). 

2. Improving public transit/zero-emission buses 
We, as a city, cannot expect to make gains in reducing greenhouse gas emissions without having a strong transit system. Prioritizing and investing in affordable, reliable public transit is essential to meeting our emission-reduction targets. I’m happy with the city’s investment in zero-emission buses, and am looking forward to more of the transit fleet, and city vehicles, being replaced with zero-emission vehicles in the coming years. 

3. Building more sustainable housing 
Finally, we need to look at how the housing that’s being built across the city can help us meet our GHG reduction targets. While legislation introduced by the Ontario provincial government over the past few years has significantly curtailed the authority of municipalities to control many aspects of development, making it difficult to enforce sustainable building requirements on private developers, there’s still an opportunity for the city to invest in sustainable housing through not-for-profit builders. As chair of Ottawa Community Housing (OCH), I’m proud of the organization’s commitment to reducing their emissions by 96% by 2040. OCH and its affordable housing arm, ARRIV Properties currently have about 1,000 homes under construction across Ottawa,  and about 1,100 more homes in the design and development stage which means nearing shovels in the ground. All of these homes are designed to the passive house standard, reducing heating and cooling energy use by up to 90%.

Investing in not-for-profit housing developers, particularly with the city’s municipal housing corporation Ottawa Community Housing, is a fiscally responsible way to ensure affordable housing gets built across the city."

Spencer Radford

"Ottawa cannot control fossil fuel production across Canada, but we can control how much we use as a city and set a good example for other cities to follow. 

I would support moving city vehicles and buildings toward electricity, improving transit so residents have alternatives to driving, and expanding our tree canopy to absorb more carbon dioxide. The city should also regularly measure its progress and adjust its plans if we are falling behind our commitments."

Theresa Kavanagh

"As mentioned in my answer above, there’s a lot that our city can do to ensure we meet our commitments. I supported the city’s investment in zero-emission buses, and will push for a greater expansion of zero-emission vehicles in the city’s fleet, including maintenance and emergency service vehicles. I will also push for more sustainable heating and cooling solutions in city-owned buildings, and in new affordable housing developments across Ottawa. The City also needs to expand their Better Homes Ottawa rebate program, to encourage more residents to install heat pumps, and other improvements to make properties across the city less reliant on fossil fuels."

Spencer Radford

"I would support protecting Ottawa’s existing natural areas while restoring damaged habitats and expanding connections between greenspaces. As the city grows, development decisions should make sure to avoid unnecessarily removing important natural areas."

Theresa Kavanagh

"Living in Bay Ward, we are spoiled by the many scenic trails, parks and beaches that make up our beautiful part of the city. As Councillor for this area, I am committed to ensuring we protect this space and ensure our aquatic, terrestrial and aerial spaces are preserved to allow for plants, animals and birds to flourish. I am also happy to support community gardens across Ottawa, as well as initiatives that encourage local food production, and aim to reduce food waste, including food sharing programs with local growers and the Ottawa Public Library. 

The City’s Official Plan includes a set of policies aimed at preserving Ottawa’s natural heritage system and greenspaces, most of which provide habitat for pollinators. It also includes policies promoting the use of native plant species in landscaping, for both public and private projects, which supports native pollinators and contributes to biodiversity."

Spencer Radford

"I would encourage more hands on opportunities for residents to take part in ecological projects, including tree planting programs with schools and youth centres, community gardens, cleanups and projects through libraries and community associations. I would also make sure residents have meaningful opportunities to provide input before major environmental decisions are made."

Theresa Kavanagh

"I firmly believe in the adage “nothing about us, without us” and as Councillor, I have always worked to ensure the perspectives of Bay Ward residents are taken into account in every policy decision City Council makes. If re-elected, I will continue to work with partners like Ecology Ottawa to expand opportunities for public engagement related to infrastructure, planning, or other City policy development. I will push for improvements to be made to the way the city communicates with residents, to ensure more plain language, and a greater understanding of the public consultation process so residents can ensure their voice is heard in a meaningful way during the consultation process."

Spencer Radford

(No response provided)

Theresa Kavanagh

"I want to thank Ecology Ottawa, and all its members for your tireless advocacy and work to make Ottawa a more sustainable city for generations to come. We’ve accomplished a lot in the last term of Council to make our city greener and more resilient, but there’s much more we can do. With climate change bringing more frequent extreme weather events, we need to use every resource available to ensure our city is investing in parks, active transportation, public transit, and more sustainable infrastructure to ensure Ottawa remains a liveable city for everyone."