Canvassing at the Adawa bridge - just busy cyclists
12 Wards, Stronger Council?
The Real Lever Is How We Work
In my last two posts I made the case for moving Ottawa from 24 wards to 12 using a spoke model, and I put real numbers on the table — roughly $5 million in net annual savings after realistic adjustments for larger wards.
But the more interesting question isn’t just “how much money?” It’s “would a smaller council actually govern better?
”I’m speculating that yes — it could.
Not because fewer people automatically means better decisions, but because the structure itself would change the dynamics in useful ways. With 12 councillors instead of 24, we’d likely see:
- Less ward-by-ward silo thinking and more city-wide perspective (exactly what the spoke model is designed to deliver).
- Shorter, more focused debates once everyone is properly briefed.
- Stronger individual accountability — it’s harder to hide in a smaller group.
- Faster ability to build consensus on big, cross-boundary files like transit, flooding, and east-end infrastructure.
That’s the speculation. But here’s the key point that makes it practical instead of theoretical: headcount reduction by itself is not the magic lever.
The real advantage comes from pairing structural change with modern tools — especially open data and AI — so the remaining councillors can actually do the job better, not just with more work.AI as the force multiplierI’ve already written about a practical 3-phase AI workflow for councillors buried under 300-page agendas. That idea scales directly here. A smaller council handling larger wards would benefit enormously from the same approach, and Ottawa already has the raw material in its open data portal.
Here are three concrete applications that would make a real difference:
1. Pre-meeting synthesis (the biggest time saver)
Staff reports on complex files routinely run 50–100+ pages. Right now, councillors often spend valuable meeting time getting up to speed instead of debating substance. An AI layer could automatically generate:
Staff reports on complex files routinely run 50–100+ pages. Right now, councillors often spend valuable meeting time getting up to speed instead of debating substance. An AI layer could automatically generate:
- One-page strategic dashboards (ward impacts, financial sleepers, consent agenda risks — exactly as I outlined before).
- Plain-language summaries of the staff recommendation plus past votes on the same file.
- Quick flags on assumptions or missing data.
Councillors would arrive briefed. Meetings that currently run two to five hours (sometimes longer) could focus on judgment and values instead of basic comprehension. That’s not theory; it’s workflow.
2. Voting patterns and accountability at scale
I’ve been doing this manually when I look at the incumbent’s record on oversight, LRT, Police Board, and transparency files.
I’ve been doing this manually when I look at the incumbent’s record on oversight, LRT, Police Board, and transparency files.
An AI system running over public minutes and votes could surface patterns automatically:
committee attendance trends,
contradictions between statements and voting record, or recurring themes where follow-through was weak.
This isn’t about gotcha politics. It’s structural oversight capacity. With fewer councillors, every member carries more responsibility — and the public (and future candidates) would have better tools to hold them to it.
3. 311 and casework triage for larger wards
Ottawa already publishes detailed open 311 service request data by ward, department, and type. A larger ward means more requests per councillor. AI-assisted triage could:
Ottawa already publishes detailed open 311 service request data by ward, department, and type. A larger ward means more requests per councillor. AI-assisted triage could:
The bottom line
Reducing to 12 wards isn’t just about saving money (though $5 million a year is real).
It’s about designing a council that can actually focus on outcomes instead of process. Pair that structural change with the practical tools I’ve been talking about —
AI workflows,
open data dashboards,
better synthesis
You would have a council that is both smaller and stronger.This is the kind of practical reform I bring from my project management background: change the organization so the work gets done more effectively, then give people the right tools to succeed.
If this direction makes sense to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts while I’m out knocking on doors in Rideau-Rockcliffe.
What files do you wish council handled more efficiently?
What frustrations do you have with how decisions get made today?
The math on savings is clear. The case for better tools and better structure is even stronger.Peter Karwacki
Candidate, Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward 13
peterkarwacki.blogspot.com
I will not quit.
This time around, inform yourselves, vote differently, vote wisely. Vote for Peter Karwacki for Rideau Rockcliffe
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