Residents who reach out to municipal government through letter-writing, phone calls or other means are often ignored. I want to change that.
In the early days of the not-for-profit organization Synapcity, senior leadership met with a senior municipal political leader to talk about our work.
The organization’s goal is to increase civic engagement between Ottawa residents and the city government. A sincere commitment to civic education and building authentic relationships between a city and its communities will improve public participation and help residents develop a voice that can meaningfully inform decisions in the city.
The elected politician’s answer was curt. “We don’t need more activists,” he said.
Since then, and especially since being elected the councillor for College ward, I have been standing up for informed public participation in decision-making. Residents who attempt to reach out through letter-writing, phone calls, meetings, social media and especially through protests, can too easily be dismissed as noisy or messy — undeserving of serious consideration.
Today, I seconded a motion by Mayor Sutcliffe to provide residents who are rebuilding after the July 1, 2026 flooding with relief from fees associated with construction.
WHEREAS the extreme weather events of July 1, August 10 and August 12, 2026,
caused significant disruption, property damage, and financial hardship for
residents across the city, impacting more than 6,500 properties; and
WHEREAS the City’s Revenue Services team has implemented temporary
administrative measures to support affected residents, including the suspension
of collection activities, a pause on interest accumulation and related late fees,
enhanced customer service accommodations, and account-level notifications for
impacted properties; and
Today, I tabled an Inquiry to ask for details about Inlet Control Devices, why they were installed in west end catch basins, how they're maintained, and whether they may have contributed to the July 1 flooding.
Inquiry:
Following the July 1, 2026 flooding of thousands of west end Ottawa homes,
businesses, and public facilities, and again after the flooding on August 10, 2026,
many residents noted that stormwater drainage through municipal catch basins
was inhibited by Inlet Control Devices (ICDs) which had been installed by the
City.
Several also noted that the ICDs were plugged with dirt and debris, completely
blocking the catch basin from draining storm water.
The apparent result of the ICDs, whether blocked or not, was to cause overland
flooding that entered homes.
Today, I moved a motion, seconded by Mayor Sutcliffe, to consult with weather experts to determine how College Ward and environs are being impacted by extreme weather so we can plan to improve our infrastructure and maintenance routines.
WHEREAS over the past several years, Nepean has suffered several extreme
weather events including the 2018 tornados; 2022 derecho; the 2023 ice storm;
the July 1, 2026 rainstorm and floods; and the August 12, 2026 windstorm; and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s Climate Projections for the National Capital
Region (2020) indicate that Ottawa is projected to see rising temperatures, more
rainfall and more extreme weather events; and
WHEREAS recent and historical weather patterns suggest that the affected areas
of Nepean may experience localized weather and climatic conditions that differ
from other parts of the city;
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa uses climate and weather reports when designing
its infrastructure standards, infrastructure maintenance routines and resident
support programs; and