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Thursday, November 9 2023

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Today

❄️ Snow
High 3° Low -2°
🌞 6:52 am🌛4:40 pm

Tomorrow

🌧️ Light rain
High 4° Low -3°
🌞 6:54 am🌛4:38 pm

See the 8 day forecast at the ottawan weather

 

HELLO OTTAWA

Most people probably don’t think about the National Capital Commission’s annual public meeting but considering the Commission’s power over the look and feel over Ottawa and Gatineau, it’s worth paying attention.

Chairperson Maryse Gaudreault and chief executive officer Tobi Nussbaum will give their State of the Capital addresses, but after that Nussbaum and the vice-presidents will answer viewer questions.

Of course, it’s online only and questions will be vetted. You can either submit your question in advance, and if selected, you’ll be called upon or you can ask a question in the chat on the day.

The Commission’s annual public meeting is Tuesday, November 28 at 10:30 but advance questions will only be accepted at consultations@ncc-ccn.ca until November 20 at noon.

Meeting details. YouTube link.

We have declared the 96 award winners and runners-up in Restaurants, Shops + Services, Culture, Media, and People + Places. The results are unimpeachable.

Here are the people’s picks for the Best of Ottawa 2023.

– Martha and Darren

TODAY’S LINE UP

  •  Ottawa Stats
  •  City Hall Agenda
  •  What Ottawa is Talking About
  •  Events
  •  Deals of the Day

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OTTAWA STATS

    Number 

    • 3,062
    • – The number of residential units available for sale last month in Ottawa, up 16.7 per cent over last year and the highest number in five year. Conversely, 816 houses and condos were sold last month, down 2.7 per cent from last year. (Ted Raymond at CTV)

    Ottawans of the Day

    Quote 

    • “

    • If they have to drain the river, then the island and its birds are at risk

    • – President of the Outaouais Ornithologist Club, Jean-Marc Emery, on Québec’s plans to remove the Aylmer Hydro Ruins in the Ottawa River. Campaigners want to keep the 150 year-old ruins for environental and aesthetic reasons, the Québec transport department thinks the debris is dangerous. (Jennifer Prescott in Capital Current)

     

    Sports

    • 🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 6 – Toronto Maple Leafs 3 last night

    CITY HALL AGENDA

    What’s going on at City Hall.
     

    City Council will be discussing Lansdowne 2.0 and nothing else all week long. The previous joint committee meetings have been cancelled.. 

    Ottawa City Council – Special Meetings on Lansdowne

    • Thursday November 9 at 12:00 noon

    • Friday November 10 at 9:00 am

    • Saturday November 11 at 1:00 pm (if needed)

    • Sunday November 12 at 9:00 am (if needed)

    The meetings will all be carried on the City’s YouTube channel.

    The Ottawa Citizen is liveblogging today’s meeting.

    WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

    💸 Lansdowne 2.0

    •  City Council voted against putting off a decision until the City’s Auditor General has issued her report on Lansdowne 1.0.  New City manager Wendy Stephenson said staff had put in hours of work and it was unnecessary to wait because they will take the report into consideration when it comes in. 

      • Council also voted against developing a back-up plan in the event Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group defaults on its debt

      • Council voted against bringing back the green roof for the arena

      • Council voted against barring Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group from itself bidding on the rights to develop the two residential towers

      • Council voted against requiring any bidders to pay cash to create more greenspace like most other developments in Ottawa. This rule was not automatically required because the City is a partner, and doesn’t have to pay into the fund itself.

      • Council did approve investigating better transportation access to Lansdowne, asking Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group to consider building a roof on the North Stand, and increasing the City’s share of the sale of air rights to 25 per cent, a $6 million value. 

      (Ben Andrews at CBC)

    💰 City of Ottawa Budget

    •   City Council accepted the draft budget for next year for consideration. The budget did come in at Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s requested limit of a 2.5 per cent tax increase. (Arthur White-Crummey at CBC)

      While the tax increase was limited to 2.5 per cent, that restriction was not placed on service fees. The following list is part of the draft budget – they are not in effect unless and until the budget is approved.
    •  OC Transpo fare increases a single ride from $3.70 to $3.80 by card (2.5%). A one-day pass is now $11.75 (4.4%).
    •  Garbage user fees for a single family household increase $130 to $145 (11.5%). Landfill tipping fees go up 9.2%.
       
    •  The maximum on-street parking rates increase from from $4 to $4.50 (12.5%).
       
    •  City parking garages' hourly maximum rate increases $6 to $6.50 (8.3%). The daily limit is now $25 (4.2%).
       
    •  Local restaurants are hit with a doubling of fees for an outdoor patio, $7.54 per square metre to $15.27 per square metre.
       
    •  Spaying or neutering cats and dogs at the city-run clinic increases from $356 to $374 for a small dog (5%).
       
    •  Snow dumping at city facilities increases to $272.80 for semi-sized vehicles (15%).
       
    •  The City's hotel tax rises from four per cent to five per cent (25%).
       
    •  Planning applications fees increase to $114,645 for the largest subdivisions (17%).
       
    •  A distinctive tree cutting permit increases to $174 (7.4%). If you’re cutting down the tree for development, the increase is 27 per cent.
       
    •  The fee for a road cut permit fee increases to $296 per street segment (7.6%).

      CTV caught a few more increases:

      • Fees at City of Ottawa recreation centres and museums are up but held at 2.5 per cent.

      • Marriage licences are up only two per cent, to $182. There is a new $3 addition to the $159.20 fee to get married at the stately City Hall and if you want to get married as City Hall staff want to go home on Friday and Saturday, it’s up $4.66 to $238.75.

      • Death is now 90 cents more expensive, with a one per cent increase of a death certificate to $51. 
       

    🚨 Ottawa Police Service Budget

    •  The Ottawa Police Service has proposed a $13.4 million increase over last year, within the 2.5% limit. Last year’s increase was $15.2 million. The Service expects to be able to hire 25 more officers and fill 40 vacant positions. (Joseph Tunney at CBC)

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    MORE FROM THE OTTAWAN

    EVENTS

    The event submission form seems to be broken. Email your events to us at ‘events@theottawan.com’ while we fix it.

     

    Today


    Tomorrow

    •  Expect the usual Friday night good times at Friday Swing Dance, presented by the Ottawa Swing Dance Society. Don’t know the moves? Come early for a the hour-long lesson at the start of the night. 174 Wilbrod St.
    •  If Salsa is more your jam, check out Rahim Salsa Friday at St. John’s Parish Hall, 275 Elgin St.
    •  Crave Food & Wine Festival returns with two days of some of the city’s finest food and drink, plus a series of masterclasses with top chefs, mixologists, and wine makers. November 10 and 11 at Shaw Centre.
    •  Studio Space Ottawa will be opening its doors to the public on November 10 and 11 (Friday and Saturday) for the 3rd Annual Open Studio + Art Sale. See how the artists work and perhaps buy yourself a piece of locally crafted art in the disciplines of painting, drawing, textile, mixed media, photography, sculpture, installation, metalwork, or ceramic.
    •  Today is the deadline to complete the Ottawa Public Library’s Survey. The OPL wants to know what Ottawans think, feel, and know about its services. In exchange for 10 to 15 minutes of your time (and your email address), the OPL will enter you into a draw to win one of 100 $50 Visa gift cards.
    •  The revival of The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time is an opportunity to witness the final chapter of Walter Borden’s long-running one man show that reflects upon the life of a Black homosexual man. Until tomorrow (November 11) at the Azrieli Studio, the National Arts Centre.
    •  Les Grands Ballets Canadiens perform Cinderella with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Until Saturday in Southam Hall.
    •  Shop for clothes, crafts, Diwali knickknacks and delicious food at Diwali Mela today and Saturday at Nepean Sportsplex.
    •  Explore the work of 26 artists potters, and ceramicists at 260 Fingers, the exhibition and sale at the Glebe Community Centre. Tonight from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and tomorrow from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
    •  Do some Friday night festive shopping at the Gloucester Night Market, every week until December 22.

      Gigs
    •  Y2K Prom Dance Party. Berlin
       
    •  Parabolus - Complete Tool Experience. Overflow Brewing Company
       
    •  Cloud of Rock. Irene’s Pub & Restaurant
       
    •  Pony Girl, Louella. Club SAW
       
    •  Kataklysm, Echoes from Beyond, Hatred Reigns, ASFTW. Brass Monkey
       
    •  Indie Rock Night with The Escape Society, the Andy Kaufmans, Nate Silva. Rainbow Bistro
       
    •  Rube & Rake. Art House
       
    •  Dom Louis. Mavericks


    Saturday

    Note that most Ottawa businesses will be closed until 12:30 pm to observe Remembrance Day.

    Just Announced / Now Booking

    DEALS OF THE DAY

    Miik is having a pre-Black Friday sale, with some items up to 60% off. The sale expires at midnight tonight.

    Sophie Grace’s Black Friday sale starts now, with everything site wide 30% off (including sale items).

    BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

    Andrew King, well known for his great history writings at Ottawa Rewind, is trying to answer the ongoing question: would it be cheaper to drive to Ogdensburg, NY and buy groceries there? In a like-for-like grocery list, he found that, in Canadian dollars, he would spend $75.44 in the US vs. $76.04 here. And that doesn’t include gas or tolls. 

    RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL

     

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    THE END

    the ottawan is written and edited every work day by Martha and Darren.

    Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email to us at hello@theottawan.com. We read every single comment. 

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