Past Newsletters

September 2023 Newsletter

Dear Neighbour,

Summer is quickly coming to an end, kids are back in school, and the City of Ottawa is back to its full schedule of committee and Council meetings.

We’re looking at the City budget for 2024 (and, in truth, we’ve been looking at it since the 2023 budget was adopted) and I’ll have more about that soon. At the same time, we’re dealing with OC Transpo’s shortfall and trying to find ways to improve services to residents overall.

I am also seeing several development applications that have the potential to change the character of our neighbourhoods, while providing much needed housing (though little of it will be affordable). This requires a careful balancing of our community’s desires and needs and I will continue to consult with you. More about some of these projects can be found below.

If you find these newsletters helpful, please consider forwarding them to neighbours and others who live in College Ward. I’ve met several people who don’t know I send out a regular newsletter and it would be helpful if you could spread the word.

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you in the neighbourhood.

Laine

July 2023

Dear Neighbour,

We’re beginning to wrap up a busy legislative agenda at City Hall. We’ve recently seen important issues like garbage collection, gardening on the municipal right-of-way, Lansdowne Park, taxis for disabled residents, affordable housing, and more.

We’ll take a short break from meetings for the next few weeks, returning in August to carry on with the work of the City. But my team and I will continue to be available to assist with constituency matters throughout the summer.

I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy some warm weather and our beautiful College Ward parks. I know I’ll see many of you at the numerous community BBQs and other events and you’ll find opportunities to have your say in local issues below.

Have a great summer and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Laine

April 2023 Newsletter

Dear Neighbour,

Spring has finally arrived and we’re all glad to see it. We had a tough winter, with a lot of snow and road-wrecking freeze-thaw cycles. And not one, but TWO storms that knocked out power in many of our College Ward neighbourhoods.

In the aftermath of the recent ice storm, my Council colleagues will be meeting with Hydro Ottawa in the coming weeks. What will it take to make the system more resilient? Why do the same neighbourhoods often get restored last? How do we ensure we are sharing out the best information available?

I hope to have those answers soon and I know Hydro Ottawa is also interested in meeting with our neighbours to speak directly to residents.

At the same time, I was very impressed with how our community came together to help each other. I saw neighbours checking on neighbours, bringing food and offering candles and batteries. I saw people taking each other in. I saw youth on the street helping to clear branches and trees.

In the face of enormous challenges, our people were the most important resource.

And that’s what makes College Ward so great to live in!

I hope you have an enjoyable spring and that your gardens are filled with blooms. And if they are, please come take care of mine next! 😊

Warm regards,
Laine

January 2023 Newsletter

Dear Neighbour,

Winter’s first blasts raised some important issues for residents and for the City: how do we better prepare for power outages, freezing rain, and other weather that’s affecting our infrastructure?

December 2022 Newsletter

Welcome to the first edition of my College Ward newsletter. I plan to distribute news updates monthly, with occasional notes in between as important and time-sensitive issues come up.