Latest news with #RileyBrockington
Ottawa Citizen
23-07-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Denley: Some Ottawa city councillors want a big pay raise. They shouldn't get it.
Some Ottawa city councillors are quietly working on a proposal to give themselves a double-digit raise. To call the idea untimely would be an understatement. Ottawa is facing significant public service layoffs, our city government is struggling with a transit deficit, and the city is in negotiations with eight unions. Article content Still, some councillors want more money. How much and when have been the subject of discussions at City Hall for weeks. A notice of motion proposing a raise is expected soon, but it's not yet clear whether the pro-raise group constitutes a majority of council. Article content Article content Article content Coun. Riley Brockington, for one, passed up the opportunity to talk pay raises in an interview. In a statement, he said, 'Talks have been ongoing with members of council for many months, with a number of options being considered. The motion has not yet been finalized and a few discussions are still needed.' Article content The perceived need for higher pay stems from recent big raises for Toronto city councillors and provincial MPPs, councillors say. In March, Toronto city councillors awarded themselves a stunning $33,000 raise, pushing their salaries from $137,537 to $170,588. MPPs, whose salaries had been frozen since 2009, boosted their pay from $116,500 to $157,350, still considerably less than what a Toronto city councillor makes. Article content In Ottawa, salaries of between $137,000 and $150,000 have been discussed by councillors. They currently make $119,654. In 2022, when they were elected, the job paid $111,000. Since then, councillors have received three annual increments of 2.5 per cent, a figure tied to the raises for non-unionized managers at the city. Article content Article content It's convenient for Ottawa councillors to point to the pay of their Toronto counterparts, but the workload is not the same. Ottawa has 24 councillors to serve 1.1 million people. Toronto has 25 councillors and three million people. Article content Article content A better comparator can be found in a consulting report presented to councillors in January. The consulting firm MNP compared Ottawa to other major Canadian cities and concluded, 'We have found that the current remuneration for elected officials in Ottawa aligns with the median market rate. Therefore, data-driven results across comparators' research do not indicate that a salary increase is needed presently.' Article content Even if councillors could make a good case for more money, and they can't, the timing of such a request is lousy. Among the unions the city is currently negotiating with are the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the city's two largest. A big raise for councillors would be like gold for union officials at the negotiating table.
CTV News
12-07-2025
- CTV News
Woman sent to hospital after ‘explosion' causes fire at Carlington apartment building
A window was blown out of an apartment building in Carlington overnight Saturday. (Scott Stilborn/Ottawa Fire Services) A woman was transported to hospital after an apparent explosion caused a fire at a Carlington apartment building overnight. The Ottawa Fire Services say they received multiple 911 calls at about 4:08 a.m. reporting a window had been blown out of a four-storey building in the 1100 block of Shillington Avenue near the Experimental Farm. Crews found debris on the ground 'from an explosion' with flames visible to one side when they arrived, the fire service said in a news release. Firefighters had to call additional resources to the scene to battle the fire. Crews initiated a 'fast attack' on the flames and advanced a hose line inside. Ottawa fire says a large amount of flammable materials caused a hazard for firefighters. Crews were able to get the flames under control at 4:25 a.m. Ottawa paramedics say they assessed and transported a woman in her 60s to hospital with minor injuries. In a post to X, River Coun. Riley Brockington says the fire was contained to one unit of the building. 'The cause at this time is suspected arson,' he said. The Ottawa Police Service says tells CTV News Ottawa that officers remain on scene but did not provide further details. The air quality of the structure was monitored and confirmed to be safe before allowing residents back inside their homes. Firefighters respond to balcony fires Shortly after, firefighters were called after a pair of balconies caught fire at an apartment building in Nepean. The Ottawa Fire Services say they received several 911 calls shortly before 5:25 a.m. reporting a fire in the 200 block of Viewmount Drive near Merivale Road. On scene, crews found two balconies on fire on the 2nd and 3rd floors. A 'working fire' was declared shortly before 5:30 a.m. to bring additional resources to the scene. The fire was declared under control at 5:45 a.m. No injuries were reported.
CBC
22-06-2025
- CBC
Parking complaints up, noise calls down, annual bylaw report shows
Parking complaints made up the bulk of calls to Ottawa bylaw officers in 2024, rising for at least the fourth straight year, new statistics show. The city's bylaw department got 43,380 requests for parking enforcement last year, according to the annual report being presented Monday to the emergency preparedness and protective services committee. That's about 2,000 more calls than in 2023. It's also nearly 13,000 more calls than in 2020, although that was the year the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The overall number of bylaw requests in 2024 stayed relatively steady, with officers handling just under 98,500 calls — a slight drop of 1.5 per cent from the year before, the report notes. Parking complaints made up 43 per cent of all service requests. The other top three requests focused on property standards and zoning enforcement (16 per cent), animal care and control issues (14 per cent) and noise concerns (10 per cent). "They are a very busy department," said River ward Coun. Riley Brockington, the chair of the committee. "Only 222 people work in bylaw, but they've received just under 100,000 calls." Noise complaints down Noise complaints were down for the fourth straight year, according to the report, falling from north of 12,000 in 2020 to just shy of 9,800 last year. The gradual decline "can likely be attributed to residents spending more time away from home as they return to office following the pandemic," the report notes. There was a much steeper drop-off, however, in the number of pets either getting spayed or neutered or having microchips implanted at the city-run clinic. Both totals dropped by more than half in 2024, in part due to the clinic lacking a permanent full-time veterinary surgeon amid a wider industry-wide vet shortage, the report notes. Other tidbits from the annual report: Illegal dumping calls were up 43 per cent in 2024, the same year a new three-item limit for curbside garbage came into effect. The report credits the higher call volumes to better public awareness. About 300 illegal short-term rental listings in Ottawa were taken down. The city's new on-demand accessible taxi program, a pilot project launched last spring, has led to a 21 per cent monthly rise in the number of people taking accessible cabs. More than 30 enforcement actions were taken as part of another pilot project aimed at addressing problematic properties in Rideau-Vanier and Somerset wards. Top priority calls — like those concerning dog attacks, a lack of heat or a dangerous tree — were responded to within 24 hours almost 99 per cent of the time, the report said. For several years, Ottawa's bylaw department has also been saddled with a higher per-officer call volume than what's been seen in other mid-to-large-sized Ontario cities like Toronto, Hamilton and Windsor. But that number dropped sharply in 2024, with Brockington also noting the city has since hired "about a dozen" more bylaw officers. "We heard that there were pressures in bylaw," he said. "And in 2025, city council made a good investment to address some of that work." Brockington also said he would be introducing a motion Monday to create a "bylaw personnel appreciation day," similar to days that already exist for Ottawa police officers and firefighters.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
City plans to take on debt to cover billions in infrastructure repairs
Some city councillors are worried about how much debt the city may take on over the next decade to maintain everything it owns, from water pipes to roads to the nozzles on fire hoses. At a finance committee meeting Tuesday, councillors discussed two reports: one that takes stock of the condition of all the city's assets and a second that lays out a plan for how the city will pay to repair and renew a portion of them. One of the reports shows a whopping $10.8-billion gap over 10 years between how much money the city needs to maintain things like roads and rec centres — and the funding it is currently able to spend. "It's just such a large number to wrap your head around how we're going to finance this," Coun. Riley Brockington said. According to the report, that gap is driven by factors felt in municipalities across the province, such as the effects of climate change and the rising costs of construction. City staff also laid out a plan for how it will fund infrastructure work it pays for through water bill revenue. The plan for work paid for through property taxes is expected in the fall. Neither plan has been updated since 2017. Councillors approved the city's plan to maintain Ottawa's aging water infrastructure by taking on new debt and increasing water rates, an approach staff described as "prudent" but that some councillors and advocates slammed as short-sighted. "Given the massive amounts of debt that we are loading on, is there not a message here to get back to basics?" Coun. Shawn Menard asked at the meeting. Raise rates, issue debt Water infrastructure is just one chunk — though a big one — of what the city owns. The city needs $4.8 billion over the next decade to address "priority needs" in its water, wastewater and stormwater services. Nearly all of that money will go to repairs, with a sliver set aside for new projects. But the city is short on funds. It has to drum up $169 million more each year for the next 10 years. It plans to do it by charging more for water service and taking on more than $1.7 billion in new debt. Water rates are now set to increase by five per cent per year, or about five dollars per month for the average household. 'Good debt,' mayor says Staff say the approach is sound financial management. "We knew this was coming ... for quite some time," said Cyril Rogers, the city's chief financial officer. "If you look at our reserve balances, we've been actually investing, investing. Saving, saving, saving." City staff don't expect the approach to exceed the city's self-imposed threshold for spending to service its debt until 2030. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said investments in necessary infrastructure count as "good debt." "If we were using debt to cover our operating expenses, that would not be ideal. But if we're using debt to pay for assets that we will use over decades, then that's a responsible way to approach things," he said. 'Sunsetting' properties Residents who spoke at the meeting were unconvinced. James Murchison, a representative of the non-profit group Strong Towns Ottawa, called the level of deferred maintenance a "tsunami." Carolyn Mackenzie, a member of the Glebe Community Association, said she felt the city's approach fails to "meet the moment." And Neil Saravanamuttoo, executive director of CitySHAPES, said in an interview he thinks people should be "very concerned" about the funding gap. He worries the city will eventually be forced to hike property taxes or close some facilities altogether to raise the money needed. The reports were approved at committee and will go to full council on June 11.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Paid evening parking in ByWard Market, ‘bubble bylaw': Here's what happened at Ottawa City Council
The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with developing a 'bubble bylaw,' and will charge motorists for evening parking in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe. Here is a look at what was approved during Wednesday's council meeting. Evening paid parking in the ByWard Market, Little Italy Drivers will need to pay for on-street paid parking during the evenings in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe, despite a last minute push to hit the brakes on paid evening parking in the market area. Council approved a plan to extend paid parking at on-street parking spots in busy areas until 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Under the plan, on-street paid parking hours will be extended to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday in the ByWard Market and Little Italy South, and to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday in parts of the Glebe. The changes will be rolled out on Sept. 2. Councillor Riley Brockington, seconded by coun. Stephanie Plante, introduced a motion to exclude the ByWard Market area from a plan to charge motorists for parking between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 'Do you believe the ByWard Market needs special treatment? I think the answer is yes,' Brockington told council. 'We are putting in the necessary time, effort and energy to rebuild our market, a cherished destination within our city. What I'm suggesting is increasing times where we demand the public pay for parking, this is not the time to do it. Let's rebuild the market first, can revisit it, but this is not the time.' Brockington's motion was defeated 21 to 2. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he respects where the idea of Brockington's motion is coming from but couldn't support it. 'If you look at strong and vibrant neighborhoods throughout North America, many of them have metered parking throughout the evening, throughout the weekends and those neighbourhoods and those business districts are thriving and successful,' Sutcliffe said. 'Introducing longer hours for paid parking in any area of the city is not necessarily going to be the make it or break it thing for that area of the city.' Ottawa parking A parking sign in Ottawa's ByWard Market. Staff are recommending extending parking hours to 9 p.m. on weekday and weekend evenings. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) 'Bubble Bylaw' Council has directed staff to draft a new 'bubble bylaw,' to prohibit protests and demonstrations within 80 metres of places of worship, schools and hospitals. Councillors voted 21 to 3 to proceed with a 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw. Councillors Jessica Bradley, Sean Devine, and Shawn Menard voted against the motion. 'What this motion in front of city council is doing is stifling dissent. It's clamping down on peaceful demonstrations it might disagree with,' Menard said Wednesday morning. Under the plan, staff will have nine months to draft a proposed bylaw for councillors to vote on. 'This is not an easy issue, and I appreciate the rights and values that, to some extent, are being pitted against each other,' Sutcliffe said during the council meeting. 'But I actually think this is a great example of how democracy can and should work. The solution before us is balanced and thoughtful, it is careful and precise, it is principled and prudent. It aligns with what's happening in other communities and at other levels of government. It responds to the legitimate concerns and worries of many of our residents.' The motion wants the 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw to incorporate the following: Prohibition of demonstrations near vulnerable social infrastructure : 'The bylaw shall prohibit 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 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 adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' The motion adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' Protective distance : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. Targeted application : The 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.' : The 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.' Scope of government-owned infrastructure: The motion recommends the bylaw exclude embassies, Ottawa City Hall and Parliament of Canada buildings. 'The bylaw shall apply to government-owned property only where the primary function of the building or facility is to provide medical care, education, or long-term care or congregate care services,' the motion said. New rules for festivals, events, demonstrations The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with new rules for festivals and events, as it looks to shake the image as the town that fun forgot. Council approved a new Special Events Bylaw and a Highway Events Bylaw, which will regulate events indoors, outdoors and on roadways. The new rules provide flexibility for noise exemptions beyond 11 p.m. when events are impacted by 'unforeseen factors' like severe weather, cut the red tape for bars and restaurants and venues to host after-hours events between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Under the new bylaw, licensed food trucks or mobile vendors would not need additional permits to participate in a block party or street festival.
