Latest news with #AllanHubley
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Canada Day festivities happening outside of downtown
For those looking to avoid the downtown Canada Day crowds, there is lots planned in the suburbs. CTV's Camille Wilson reports. While the main Canada Day celebrations will take place in the downtown core, there will be lots happening in other parts of the city. Barrhaven, Kanata and Orléans are all on the list of some of the biggest shows in the city. Kanata's festivities will be held at Walter Baker Park starting at 10:00 a.m. with a Canada Day Carnival running all day, 33 local businesses and a fireworks show at 10:00 p.m. 'Lots of activities for the families. We're going to have everything from bouncy castles for the kids, to the rides. We've got something I'm really proud of – the local marketplace, which will be all local businesses,' said Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley. The fireworks show is a one of the most popular parts of the day for families in Kanata. 'There's always a big show at night. We expect anywhere from 30,00 to 40,000 people to be on the hill,' said Hubley. Christine Smith is visiting her daughter and grandchildren from the U.K. and says she's looking forward to spending Canada Day with her family at Walter Baker Park. 'The first time I've been to this part for Canada Day. It'll just be interesting to see what we can find,' said Smith. Kanata resident Taryn Sommerville adds, 'I've lived in Kanata my whole life and every year we come to the fireworks here. We bring grandma and grandpa and all the cousins and we watch the fireworks. We just love it.' Barrhaven will also be hosting Canada Day festivities at Clarke Fields starting at 9 a.m. with a Midway carnival, live music and a 50/50 draw where you could win up to $10,000. 'Our food trucks will all be open. We've got 13 of them here this year. We've got a kids zone with all kinds of free games for the kids to play,' said Darrell Bartraw, president of Canada Day Barrhaven. There will be no parking on site but there will be shuttle busses running from the Independent grocer and Heart & Crown. The midway in Barrhaven will run until July 6. Orléans will be hosting Canada Day celebrations at Petrie Island. There will be a Children's Zone, land and river competitions, beach volleyball, an Ottawa Fire Services demonstration and more. There will be fireworks at 10 p.m. on the East Beach.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Can the City of Ottawa automatically notify residents about high water consumption? Councillor asks staff to investigate
An Ottawa councillor wants to know if the city can automatically notify residents about high water consumption, after an Ottawa man received a $1,500 water bill this spring. Coun. Allan Hubley brought an inquiry to council Wednesday afternoon, saying he heard Newstalk 580 CFRA's Bill Carroll discussing a CTV News Ottawa story about Paul Malouin's water bill. 'As many residents may not know this service exists until it is too late and they have already incurred high charges due to some sort of leak or malfunction and the alert system has the capability to notify users when usage exceeds average daily use or usage surpasses a certain threshold, why are we not automatically offering this service to taxpayers?' Hubley's inquiry said, noting many people are wondering why the city isn't automatically signing residents up for alerts for water usage. Malouin told CTV News Ottawa on Tuesday he was shocked to open the $1,547 water bill, more than 15 times higher than normal. The high two-month water bill was due to a silent leak in a toilet in his basement. Malouin said he became more frustrated when he was told by City of Ottawa staff he could have registered high-usage alerts for water consumption. According to the City of Ottawa, residents can register for consumption alerts by signing into their My Service Ottawa account and selecting 'alert subscription.' The system can notify users by email when usage is consistent over seven days, exceeds average daily use, or surpasses a set threshold. Residents can also track daily and hourly water use and compare past bills.' Deputy City Treasurer Joseph Muhuni said, 'homeowners are responsible for all water usage on their property.' Hubley is asking staff if high consumption alerts for water usage can be turned on for all City of Ottawa residential water accounts, with the option to opt out if a resident chooses. 'The public has a question as to why the city isn't automatically signing residents up for the high consumption alerts for water usage and allowing them to opt out of the service if they wish to, as many residents may not know the service exists until it is too late, and they have already incurred high charges due to some sort of leak or malfunction,' Hubley said at council. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says he is open the idea. 'I think it's a valid concern. If there is an opportunity for us to warn residents before that type of thing happens in the future, I'm certainly open to that. We just have to make sure we're complying with all the different rules that exist around contacting residents,' Sutcliffe told reporters. 'I know, for example, with anti-spam regulations and that sort of thing, you can't just have an email system where you email people and they opt out of it. You have to get their permission first.' With files from CTV News Ottawa's Dave Charbonneau
CBC
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Council votes to draft 'bubble bylaw' to curtail protests near 'vulnerable' sites
Ottawa city councillors voted on Friday to draft a bylaw creating 80-metre buffer zones to limit demonstrations around sites and facilities considered "vulnerable public infrastructure." If enacted, a so-called "bubble zone bylaw" could restrict protests near institutions such as schools, hospitals and places of worship. It would be aimed at preventing harassment and hate speech. A joint meeting of council's Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services and Public Works and Infrastructure committees voted 14-2 in favour of the motion, after Coun. Allan Hubley proposed modifications to Coun. David Hill's original draft. Hubley's modifications aimed to mitigate concerns that Hill's original motion contained terms such as "nuisance demonstration" and "intimidation" that were considered too subjective and risked giving police too much discretion in enforcing the bylaw. The amended motion proposed a more "narrowly tailored" bylaw to prohibit demonstrations "during operational hours or specific high-risk periods" within 80 metres of "vulnerable social infrastructure." The motion specifically exempts protests over labour disputes or negotiations, as well as demonstrations not specifically directed at a protected site. Embassies, city hall and Parliament would still be fair game for demonstrations, even if those buildings contain educational facilities, clinics or other care services. City entering 'area of risk,' councillor warns In bringing the motion, Hill insisted "common sense prevails." "What we're looking for is a made-in-Ottawa solution for Ottawa," he said. After the vote, Hill told CBC the ultimate goal is to introduce "a bubble zone bylaw that will help keep our community safe while allowing for peaceful protest." But Coun. Sean Devine, who alongside Coun. Jessica Bradley voted against the motion, said he worried the city had "chartered into an area of risk." "We may have also kind of cleaved away at some fundamental rights and freedoms," he told CBC after the vote. Devine said he's concerned "legitimate, grounded and reasonable protest" could be restricted by the bylaw. "Protest is dialogue, protest is exchange, and we need dialogue, we need exchange as a means of trying to bring about necessary change sometimes," the Knoxdale-Merivale councillor said. Devine, who was earlier outvoted in a separate motion to defer the plan, said he fears the city is rushing ahead unnecessarily. "We are not the experts on these kind of constitutional matters," he said. A lively debate The motion followed two days of lively debate and personal testimony from Ottawa residents, some strongly in favour and others strongly against the proposed bylaw Members of Ottawa's Jewish community spoke of feeling particularly under threat since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and Israel's military response, both of which have sparked demonstrations in Ottawa. Ted Cohen, the CEO of Hillel Lodge, a long-term care home on Broadview Avenue housing several Jewish residents including Holocaust survivors, described a loud protest outside a nearby Jewish community centre last fall. "Protesters arrived with signage, flags, banners, bullhorns, loudspeakers and drums. Most had their faces covered. The protest was loud, forceful and unrelenting," Cohen said, adding that speakers used during the demonstration were so powerful that vibrations could be felt inside the home. "Staff reported residents asking repeatedly, 'What's happening? Why are they yelling? Are we in danger?'" Cohen continued. He'd like demonstrations around nursing homes to face restrictions. At the same time, several people who urged councillors to vote against developing the bylaw invoked separate demonstrations last year targeting so-called "gender ideology" outside Nepean High School. Those demonstrations inspired counter-protests that participants and supporters said allowed them to feel safer and exercise their own Charter rights. If a bubble of 100 metres was imposed between protests and protected sites, as some have recommended, "I'm still going to be putting my body between these people and my children," said Katy de Sousa, a parent of a child attending school in the area. On the other hand, "if I cross to 99 metres, [there's a fear] I'm going to be slammed with a ticket that's going to change my livelihood," she said.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
City of Ottawa committee votes to draft ‘bubble zone' bylaw for protests and demonstrations
A City of Ottawa committee is directing staff to proceed with drafting a 'bubble bylaw' that would prohibit 'nuisance' protests and demonstrations near certain community spaces, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. After hearing from more than 40 public delegations in support and opposed to a proposed bylaw, councillors on the emergency preparedness and protective services committee and public works and infrastructure committee voted 14-2 in favour of proceeding with the development of a 'Vulnerable Infrastructure Bylaw.' The motion, introduced by coun. Allan Hubley, directs staff to develop a so-called 'bubble bylaw' within a nine-month timeline, incorporating the following considerations: Prohibition of nuisance demonstrations : 'The bylaw shall prohibit specific nuisance demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. : 'The bylaw shall prohibit specific nuisance demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. Time-limited protective zones : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' Protective distance : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance around vulnerable social infrastructure' and consider 'other means' to protect safe access including approval to erect barricades and close highways : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance around vulnerable social infrastructure' and consider 'other means' to protect safe access including approval to erect barricades and close highways Targeted application : Hubley's motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' : Hubley's motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' Labour/internal exemption : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' Offences and penalties: Staff are directed to include 'appropriate offences and penalties' in the bylaw. The motion says if the Ontario or federal government enacts legislation pertaining to vulnerable infrastructure, the city will report back with an analysis for legislation. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe expressed support for the 'bubble bylaw' earlier this week, saying he had been consulting with community representatives on how to implement a bylaw that would protect vulnerable spaces from harassment and intimidation. 'The message I've heard is that we need to take a very careful, balanced, and strategic approach to this issue. The community expects us to defend the right to protest while protecting vulnerable institutions and individuals from threats and intimidation,' Sutcliffe said. In a post on social media after the committee approved drafting a 'bubble zone' bylaw, Sutcliffe thanked community leaders who provided input and advice to the committee. 'I'm pleased to see a strong vote of support from members of the committee for proceeding with a balanced approach that will respect and protect the right to demonstrate and protest while ensuring that residents have access to important spaces such as schools, hospitals and places of worship,' Sutcliffe said. 'Thanks to all the councillors who collaborated on a solution that achieved a wide consensus.' Thank you to the many community leaders who provided input and advice over the past two days as a joint committee of city council considered a new bylaw to protect vulnerable social infrastructure. I'm pleased to see a strong vote of support from members of the committee for… — Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) May 16, 2025 Earlier this year, staff recommended council take a 'cautious approach' to drafting a bylaw and proposed a comprehensive review of a bylaw before moving forward. Staff also warned any bubble zone bylaw would be at risk of legal challenges. Vaughan's bubble bylaw restricts demonstrations within 100 metres or a 'reasonable distance' from a religious institution, school childcare centre, hospital or congregate care facility.' Protesters who violate the bylaw face fines of up to $100,000. Council must still approve the motion to direct staff to develop a bylaw for Ottawa. With files from CTV News Ottawa's William Eltherington
