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Should Ottawa tow all vehicles from streets during winter parking bans? City staff say no
Should Ottawa tow all vehicles from streets during winter parking bans? City staff say no

CTV News

time13-06-2025

  • Automotive
  • CTV News

Should Ottawa tow all vehicles from streets during winter parking bans? City staff say no

A ticket is tucked under the windshield wiper of a vehicle buried in snow that is parked illegally during a winter parking ban in Ottawa on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (CTV News Ottawa) City of Ottawa staff are burying the idea of towing vehicles from city streets during winter parking bans, saying there would be insufficient space in impound lots and a lack of staff and towing resources to tow all vehicles. Bylaw Services officers issued 10,678 parking tickets for failing to observe winter weather parking bans between Feb. 12 and 18. That resulted in more than $1.1 million in fines. The City of Ottawa issues parking bans to allow crews to clear snow during heavy snowfall events, and only vehicles with an on-street parking permit are permitted to park on city streets. Barrhaven Coun. David Hill asked staff what would it cost if 'a more aggressive policy was taken to proactively tow vehicles' that are currently fined for violating parking bans during snowstorms. In response to Hill's inquiry for the emergency preparedness and protective services committee, staff said that for 'various reasons,' it would not be recommended to implement a policy to proactively tow all vehicles violating a winter weather parking ban. Staff say there would be a lack of available tow trucks because collisions are treated as a priority for towing companies over an illegally parked vehicle. The City of Ottawa contracts towing services to private companies. 'Based on the number of parking tickets issued during the Winter Weather Parking Bans in February 2025, there would be insufficient space in the designated impound lot in the east end of the city to store all impounded vehicles,' staff said. 'Further, significant time would be lost physically moving vehicles from their current location to the impound lot and then returning to the area where tows would be required.' The report notes a Bylaw officer would be required to remain at the scene until each vehicle is towed, 'which further delays Bylaw and Regulatory Services' response to subsequent illegal parked vehicles.' Other issues flagged by the staff include: On-street parking permits : Staff say it would be necessary to 'rescind' the policy allowing vehicles with on-street parking permits to park on streets during winter weather parking bans. : Staff say it would be necessary to 'rescind' the policy allowing vehicles with on-street parking permits to park on streets during winter weather parking bans. Resourcing and scale : 'Due to the vast scale of the operations and geographic size of the city there would not be sufficient resources, both within RPS and BLRS, to provide adequate coverage of the city if a towing model were to be implemented,' staff said. : 'Due to the vast scale of the operations and geographic size of the city there would not be sufficient resources, both within RPS and BLRS, to provide adequate coverage of the city if a towing model were to be implemented,' staff said. Liability to the city : 'Each time a vehicle is towed, particularly in adverse weather conditions, there is a risk of accidental damage. This increases the risk of liability and claims to the city,' the report said. : 'Each time a vehicle is towed, particularly in adverse weather conditions, there is a risk of accidental damage. This increases the risk of liability and claims to the city,' the report said. Impact on residents and businesses: 'A model whereby all vehicles were to be towed would significantly affect residents and local businesses who may not have access to private parking. It would also greatly affect the ability of businesses to conduct deliveries and of parents to drop off and pick up their children from school,' the report says. If the City of Ottawa implemented a towing policy, staff say the winter weather parking bans would need to be 'expanded to several days' to effectively tow all vehicles parked in contravention of a parking ban.' The report concludes 'it would not be recommended to implement a policy' to tow all vehicles violating the winter weather parking ban on City of Ottawa streets. 'Concerns regarding specific problematic streets will continue to be addressed on a case-by-case basis,' the response said.

Audit finds ‘disjointed' supportive housing programs and services in City of Ottawa
Audit finds ‘disjointed' supportive housing programs and services in City of Ottawa

CTV News

time06-06-2025

  • Business
  • CTV News

Audit finds ‘disjointed' supportive housing programs and services in City of Ottawa

A 'siloed approach' to funding supportive housing from the upper levels of government is causing 'disjointed supportive housing programs and services' in the City of Ottawa that is not meeting the needs of clients, according to the auditor general. The Office of the Auditor General tabled an audit on the city's supportive housing program on Friday, finding the programs cannot meet the needs of residents 'without more coordination between capital, operating and health funding.' It also concludes the city has not established 'baseline standards' for service providers. According to the city, supportive housing is a 'community-based, person-centred model of providing affordable, transitional and permanent accommodation that provides a range of services and supports based on an individual's needs.' The City of Ottawa does not provide supportive housing, but administers funding from all levels of government to fund programs. The report says the City of Ottawa had $10.7 million in capital funding and $15.3 million in operating funding for supportive housing in 2024. Councillors on the audit committee were told the supportive housing audit concludes the 'city and service providers are spread thin in trying to meet the complex needs and challenges of their complex,' but there is a lack of funding for operational needs. 'The audit found that there are existing siloes between capital, operating and health-related funding to deliver supportive housing,' the audit says. 'The city receives capital funding from the federal and provincial governments; however, these levels of government do not provide additional operating funding tied to capital projects. The city is then left in a constant state of reactivity to try to find the operating funds to support this critical type of housing.' 'The audit also noted that given the current levels of operating funding and the discretion service providers have in selecting their clients, there are individuals with more complex needs who may remain homeless as supportive housing agencies are not able to support them.' Officials say the 'siloed approach to funding' is forcing 'disjointed supportive housing programs and services' that is not consistently meeting the needs of clients and puts greater pressure on other frontline services. The City of Ottawa estimates it needs $1.5 million a year of operating funding for every 50-unit supportive housing complex facility. 'The city is already stretched thin within available operating budgets, and it does not have the capacity to both continue funding existing supportive housing facilities and bring new ones online without additional funds,' the audit said. The Auditor General's Office also concludes the city has not established baseline standards for the 'provision of supports within supportive housing facilities, which has led to inconsistencies and varying formality across service providers.' Recommendations include defining an overall approach to supportive housing within the updated 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan, including establishing how supportive housing fits into the housing options. The auditor general is also recommending the city develop an integrated workplan to build and operate supportive housing and draft standards to govern the supportive housing processes. 'The audit has highlighted the importance of supportive housing as one of the mechanisms to end chronic homelessness,' the report said. 'The recommendations in this audit report should help to establish a more defined and intentional approach to the management of the supportive housing program and the evaluation of its outcomes.'

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