Don’t Let this O-Train Break Down

This signature project so critical to a functioning Ottawa needs to be fixed for winter travel if feasible. If this cannot happen, phase two cannot be approved.

Your simply cannot have freezing doors, frozen under carriages, frozen bogey wheels communications failures, unreliability, and unsecured panels flying off.  You cannot have trains frozen in the snow.

The phase one sunken cost in no way justifies phase two runaway future cost.

The tone is also not correct. We need to see internal reports, we need to hear from senior management, we need accountability and oversight, and until we are assured of that, no more promises of love forever more! They must Prove it!

Meet up at the Rideau Sports Centre March 7th at 7 pm.

I will be at the RSC on March 7th at 7 pm to meet with voters and to discuss issues and potential solutions.

Bonjour, je m’appelle Peter Karwacki. On me trouve facilement sur le web chez PeterKarwacki.blogspot.com. Vous avez juste à google “Peter Karwacki” pour trouver ma plateforme électorale et plus.  Aussi vous pouvez me rencontre chez le centre sportif de Rideau le sept mars à sept heures.

On veut un conseil indépendant qui travaille pour toute la communauté, pas seulement pour les plus fortunés. Une ville verte, une économie saine et durable.

Il nous faut plus de transparence, plus de compétence, plus d’intégrité.  Il nous faut plus de valoriser les groupes comme Écologie Ottawa, Vélo Ottawa, l’ACFO.

Des conseils de quartier composés d’associations communautaires légitimes et transparentes.

Il nous faut plus d’un vote préférentiel pour des élections plus équitables et amicales, plus de démocratie, moins d’action executive.

Pour une ville vivante, active, renouvelable et équitable vote pour moi, Peter Karwacki. Merçi.

MOOP in the HOOD

It may not be your trash...but it is your neighborhood!

MOOP, or matter out of place, sometimes referred to as litter can also refer to dog dung, signage, cigarette butts and even campaign cards .  It is every citizen’s concern.

The world, our spaceship and habitat, is not a garbage dump though it has been treated that way since humans came out. Economists have generally assigned clean air and clean water no value - and this has been a big problem.

What we want to do is recycle, reduce and reuse - sure, but the objective is to keep our world, our communities and our homes in balance, for peace of mind, health and happiness. Heaven is on earth... but so is hell. Cleanliness is next to godliness.

Look around your space, and help clean up and help others to clean up. Get involved and help others to get involved. Educate others and make MOOP in the hood a faded memory of a disrespected community.

H

A Methodology for Handling Neighborhood Concerns

Handling neighbourhood concerns

To request enforcement of by-laws or to report unsafe conditions, please call the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222.

If you have community concerns that you would like the City to investigate place a request 

by e-mail at 311@ottawa.ca sends e-mail) 

or by calling 3-1-1

Be specific in highlighting your issues with the operator and they will forward your request to the appropriate City staff for review.

Residents' Initial contact with the City's 3-1-1 system will generate a service request number which you can use to track your concern. If applicable, your issue will be assigned to an Assessment Specialist for review in the City's Safety and Investigations Branch. 

Based on these results, the Assessment Specialist will either provide you with options as described below or forward your request to the Area Management Branch as a viable candidate for further study.

Management Options

Quick Fix: In some cases, this approach may be attempted for localized issues, especially those that relate to behaviour. Quick fixes can include:

• survey - to inform residents of actual rules and/or to identify a specific issue

• Use of portable/ localized measurements if applicable

• Targeted enforcement by by-law services

Operational/Safety: A significant safety issue may require an immediate response, such as a missing signs or malfunctioning equipment. These issues are immediately referred to the appropriate City department.

Referral: For some issues, management measures may not be appropriate or effective and the issue will be referred to the appropriate department. Examples of issues that may suggest a referral include land use issues, commercial operations, road maintenance, transit service and utilities.

Temporary / Low cost solutions: Occasionally issues may be addressed with lower cost solutions such as additional signage, temporary traffic calming measures, or additional pavement markings. Additional information can be found in the Service Catalogue.

Local road - 40km/h request: The City of Ottawa offers residents the ability to request, by means of a petition, a reduction in the speed limit to 40 km/h on streets designated as local residential in the City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan. To qualify, there must be a consensus of a minimum of 66 per cent of residents on the entire street (confirmed via a petition process).

Other petitions

a non-binding survey-of-interest (50% interest or greater), circulated among local property owners, will be required to gauge the level of interest in alterations and to justify the application of City resources to undertake the assessments.

Alteration will only be considered as a Local Improvement initiative, initiated by a Local Improvement Petition process. This approach will capitalize on economies of scale, minimize disruption, and provide consistent levels of service to adjacent properties.

Cost recovery for a Local Improvement project would be from all benefiting property owners.

In areas outside urban areas, villages and estate lot subdivisions, consideration of alterations on a property-by-property basis could be considered on an exception basis. However, in all cases, a request will only be permitted if supported by an adequate technical assessment. The cost of any alteration project which benefits a single property in a rural area, will be at the proponent’s expense.

Area Management Project Screening: Any issue that cannot be resolved quickly or addressed by the options listed above will be moved forward for screening to determine if it would qualify for an Area Management Study.

Measures used in Area Issues Management (AIM)

The City's Area Issue Management Program provides communities a resource to help plan and implement area management and solutions. The application of area issues management may be appropriate when other methods have been unsuccessful.

Area Issues Management (AIM) is a process using a set of measures to ensure that neighbourhoods are served appropriately. The primary objective is to minimize the impact of issues these neighbourhoods, improve safety and the quality of life for all residents.

To ensure a fair and transparent process that prioritizes requests based on a problem severity, the City may approve the Area Issues Management Guidelines in 2019 which provides a comprehensive breakdown of the processes, procedures, and methods used to screen, prioritize and address area issues management across the City.

The undertaking of an Area Issues Management (AIM) study allows communities to:

• Understand competing interests – There are many competing interests within communities with respect to how things should function. These studies are a good opportunity for communities to gain an understanding of those interests.

• Build Consensus on a Solution – An AIM study provides opportunities for community participation and consensus building around defining current problems, identifying potential solutions (including the benefit and impacts associated with each) and selecting the preferred solutions.

Measures used in Area Issues Management (AIM)

There are a variety of measures that can be considered, including regulatory measures, physical measures and programs. The feasibility and context of each measure must be evaluated on an individual basis as each will have unique benefits and impacts that need to be considered. The City will seek to resolve concerns by considering the possible use of measures from all of the categories listed under Categories of Measures below.

The effectiveness of these measures increases when implemented as part of a comprehensive plan. Area Issues Management measures are an integral part of healthy communities.

Developing a plan to address a neighbourhood concern should strike an appropriate balance between these three elements:

1. Effectiveness in solving the identified problem

2. Unintentional and potentially undesirable secondary impacts

3. Capital and operating cost

Categories of Measures in fact gathering

1. Issues Management - Numbers affected

Issues management measures to address concerns could include:

• Partial closures

• Full closure

• New or modified city services

• New prohibitions

• Introduction of volunteer services

• Other modifications

2. Issues Management - Behaviour

A number of regulatory and physical measures can be used to modify behaviour:

• Rezoning

• conversions

• parking

• markings

• street modifications

• Realignments

• New rules

3. Physical Measures

These are measures with the primary purpose of reducing severity of problems and improving behaviour by causing a change in behaviour. However, undesired secondary impacts can be a greater concern.

4. Measures  - Other

There are a number of other modifications to neighbourhoods that can be implemented in order to improve the environment. There is great opportunity in the comprehensive zoning by-law review to incorporate progressive new design-oriented approaches into zoning, especially in areas where significant physical change is anticipated and detailed design studies have been completed. In stable neighbourhoods , traditional zoning tools continue to apply.

5. Education and Enforcement

Education and enforcement are intended to address issues and behaviour. They typically have limited secondary impacts but can be relatively costly if widely implemented. Enforcement is considered to have limited effectiveness unless it is applied frequently.

The Ottawa By-law services will be encouraged to co-ordinate enforcement efforts with education and other elements of an overall area issues management program. Enforcement should respect both safety and the liveability aspects of neighbourhoods.

6. Environment

Landscaping, streetscaping, gateways and surface treatments on streets can be used to create the need to respect the community. Options include:

• Streetscaping

• Gateways

• Textured crosswalks

• Textured surfaces

• Sidewalks

7. Traffic Control

Potential traffic control measures could include:

• Stop signs (if warranted)

• Roundabouts

• Mini roundabouts

Please note that regulatory measures such as stop signs and signals conform to warrants that establish criteria that define thresholds for the use of traffic control. Stop signs are a form of traffic control used to assign the right-of-way at intersections not as speed control since in some cases they can result in higher speeds. 

ACORN

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, ACORN, has sent me a series of question which I must thInk upon. ACoRN is an independent national organization of low and moderate income families with 130,000+ members in 20+ neighbourhood chapters across 9 cities. 

ACORN:
Democratic Rights

That the City ensure section 6.1 is enforced (Province of Ontario, Municipal Elections Act) where polls are advised to be present “in buildings containing 100 or more dwelling units”. We would like to see the City of Ottawa pass a policy reflecting access to voting.

PJK Comment: 

The ward has about 38,000 people (29,000 voters) At 11,000, voter turnout at municipal votes is about 38%. My guess is that even less, 25% (7,500) will turn out for this by-election.Would more voting stations remedy this? What if there were three such buildings next to each other? Recently Tobi had a community consultation...he had a packed house, and free pizza.

ACORN:
We want to reduce barriers to voting and ensure equal citizen access to polling stations. We want a policy in place where voter population density informs where polling stations go and ensure polling stations open from 10am-8pm.

PJK Comment: Agreed

ACORN:
The city should bring back door to door to find eligible voters.

PJK Comment: Agreed

ACORN:
Housing
Inclusionary zoning by-laws are a way for municipalities to use their development regulation and approval process to have private developers provide some affordable in all (or nearly all) market projects. Inclusionary zoning increases the amount of affordable housing stock and Ottawa needs help more than ever with a growing wait-list of over 10,000 families for affordable housing.

We need the City to enact Rental Replacement by-laws so in the case of redevelopment, such as in Herongate, affordable market rental units are not lost and replaced with higher market rental units. This would allow families to remain in their communities and prevent increasing waitlists for affordable housing.

PJK Comment:
Overbrook is an example of an area where there is privately owned low cost housing. If the city wants low cost housing it has to facilitate it like it might facilitate a hockey arena or an art gallery. 

Ottawa will be committing 15 MILLION DOLLARS of its own resources to create new affordable housing! This is a massive victory for ACORN  members who have been working tirelessly for over a decade for more affordable housing in our city.
 A $15 million investment in affordable housing will more than DOUBLE the affordable housing units currently being built by the City each year.
Changes to the budget can still be made before it is voted on at the City Council meeting on March 6th. So  keep up the pressure by emailing the Mayor and your City Councillors today asking them to support the $15 million currently in the budget for affordable housing!

Further from Heineck,

1. Create and maintain one by-name list of all the people who experience homelessness in the city, including when they enter the system, what services and supports they require and when they leave.

2. Next, a co-ordinated access system is required. This is a standardized process for access, assessment and referral to housing and support services across all homelessness-related organizations in the city. A standardized way of assessing people’s needs to properly match them with the right housing, addiction and mental-health services is also needed

3. The final step is prevention and diversion. Mhe information gathered by the by-name list will allow for better planning and intervention before individuals become chronically homeless.  

ACORN:
The single biggest problem related to housing identified by low-income families who rent in Ottawa is the problem with the state of dis-repair in apartment buildings. The problems are severe and include; massive pest infestations; elevators not working for long periods of time; problems with proper heating; safety issues related to doors not locked properly; and basic repairs in apartments that tenants are entitled to but not receiving.

In short, enforcement mechanisms at the municipal level need to be improved. There should be more severe consequences for negligent landlords and set timelines in which landlords need to do critical repairs as seen in the City of Toronto. We need Landlord Licensing, similar to Toronto, which would include a landlord registry, yearly inspections, increased enforcement and better standards of repair.

PJK Comment:
We license dogs. Landlords are not licensed. Which does more damage, a bad dog owner or a bad landlord?
There are a number of approaches including setting minimum standards for rental units. Another is to provide star ratings on rental units. Licensing is just one but not the only approach to ensure good landlord practices.

ACORN:
Childcare
With Ontario’s childcare fees being the highest out of any province in the country and unaffordable & inaccessible childcare being the number one reason women list for not entering the workforce, we need childcare that is affordable, accessible and fair.

We need funding for affordable public/non-profit daycare spaces to be prioritized in lower income neighborhoods and communities

Support asking the province to introduce geared to income childcare fees capped at $10/day.

Parents need easier access to information in order to understand Ontario’s patchwork childcare system. We need transparency and accountability to parents through a simplified online process and face to face assistance when applying for subsidies. Expanded programming for parents who work non-standard hours (ie. shift work, overnights).

PJKComment:

Childcare should be available and affordable. Our children are our future. Their care is a direct reflection of our society’s morals, values and beliefs. However, the more that society intervenes in the care of children the more it can also dictate in other areas of child up bringing. You may not like what you get.

ACORN

Transit
Many low-income earners need public transit in order to survive. We believe transit should be free for those living on social assistance and geared to income for low-income earners, which should be no more than $43 a month.

There should be no minimum payment to upload Presto passes for people under the low income measure.

PJKComment: Agreed

ACORN:
The City of Ottawa needs to ensure people with disabilities have increased access to transit.

Para-Transpo should implement an online booking system to help those with hearing impairments and to eliminate long wait-times with over the phone bookings.
PJK Comment: Agreed

ACORN:
Affordable Utilities
The City should ensure hydro rates are affordable for low-income earners- including those under Hydro One who often pay higher rates. Further, the City should reward low to moderate-income families who practice energy saving tactics.

PJK Comment: Agreed

ACORN
Infrastructure
When the City engages in large infrastructure projects, they should also engage in Community Benefits Agreements. The new light rail system is a perfect opportunity to build community benefits agreements where developers are mandated to support social services in our communities.

Community Benefits Agreements should include:
– Living Wages for all workers during and after construction
– Local Hiring from low-to-moderate income community, including job training.
– Local decision making powers for community to decide what types of businesses, and community infrastructure (childcare, community centres) are put in post development
– Deep Affordable Housing provided to local residents

PJK Comment: Agreed.

ACORN

Invest in green infrastructure and maintain green space in low and moderate income neighbourhoods.

PJKComment: Agreed

ACORN

Zoning
Vanier, one of Ottawa’s working class neighbourhoods, holds the highest density per capita of predatory lenders in the country. However, the onslaught of predatory lenders has become a city-wide issue.

The City needs to license and limit the distances between payday lenders (and other fringe financial institutions) to stop the proliferation of predatory lenders in the city.

PJK Comment: I think there should be regulation. I doubt proximity is the issue.

ACORN

Employment
The City of Ottawa should create an ethical purchasing strategy that protects workers’ wages and benefits and avoids contract flipping.

All employees working on city grounds should be paid a living wage.

PJK Comment: Agreed

What I bring to the table

1. General government consists of Council, administration, and Ontario Property Assessment.

I have 15 years of senior administrative experience having been the administrator of two public hospitals and the financial director of a third. I have served on very many boards and committees. It is important to develop respectful working relationships. At times, however, one must be frank and forthright where traditional diplomatic methods have failed.

I have also taken the municipal administration courses required of all city clerks/ administrators.

Please note that I also sat on school board for three years, the Kenora Committee of adjustment and the North Bay Hospital Community Advisory Board.

When people tell me their taxes are too high I asked them which services they would cut. When they tell me that their services are not commensurate with the taxes they pay I ask them what improvements they want. When people suggest that they are dissatisfied with council I ask them who they believe will best represent them at the table.

So I wish to serve the citizens of Rideau Rockcliffe and provide good leadership. As councillor I will help plan and build for the future. 

As you can see, I have a contribution to make, ideas, passion and I am committed to do the right thing no matter what. 

I have a thick skin and I know that at some point my popularity will wane. I am lucky to have a stable family.

I am ready to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole.

2. Protection consists of police, fire, and other protective services. These groups maintain the safety and security of all citizens by reducing or eliminating loss of life and property, by maintaining law enforcement, and preserving peace and good order.

I have no particular experience with law enforcement but I did make a submission to the Tippen inquiry and I did attend the meeting at the Wabano centre on the subject of race relations and police violence.

3. Roads, traffic and parking include: 

• parking, 
• signs and signals, 
• streetlights and the 
• maintenance of roads and parks of the City.

I was successful in negotiating a common access road in Kenora. I am of the mind that our pubic works need to move away from the cookie cutter approach. We need to use analytics to help reduce costs and improve services. In this area my experience in business intelligence should be a great advantage.

I fully support the development and expansion of cycling infrastructure and maintenance programs for the benefit of all.

4. Transit services provide local public transportation for citizens. They also include other transportation services such as planning and development.

This is another area where my background in analytics and business intelligence should help in developing optimal services.

5. Environmental services include:

• water supply and distribution, 
• wastewater treatment, and 
• waste and recycling services. 

These services provide: 

• clean drinking water to residents, 
• collect and treat wastewater, and 
• collect and properly process waste and recycling items.

I have no particular experience with environmental services but I did organize a new recycling program at Claremont manor in Manor Park. Further I have been very active in the past with river preservation, giving lectures, writing papers, and I was responsible for the launch of a judicial review that helped lead to the preservation of the Kipawa River.

6. Health services include paramedic and health services. Mandated health services promote and maintain health programs that optimize the health of residents. Paramedic services deliver timely and effective care for pre-hospital emergency care, along with medically required inter-hospital transportation.

I am skilled in this area having overseen the budgets of ambulance services and capital projects in the past.

7. Social and family services include: 

• social assistance, 
• long-term care, and 
• childcare services. 

Social assistance services determine, issue, and monitor clients’ eligibility for financial, social, and employment assistance. 

Long-term care services provide secure and supervised health services for seniors who can no longer live at home. 

The hospital services I oversaw also included chronic care and long term services. I have been involved in extended care programs in the past.

Childcare services provide: 

• subsidized childcare spaces and 
• provide funding for wage subsidy, 
• pay equity, and 
• special needs.

8. Social housing, with the partnership of 120 community-based agencies, provides a range of services, including: 

• housing, 
• emergency shelters, 
• outreach, 
• search, and 
• stabilization to people in the community.

I have used community housing services in the past as a market based payer. I love the built in community aspect of these services but I am also aware of the need for leadership and a sense of ownership which is important to the tenants which must be cultivated and encouraged.

9. Recreation and cultural services include parks and recreation, culture, and libraries. 

Parks and recreation services develop and deliver high-quality recreational programs, and develop and maintain recreation facilities, parks and sports-fields to ensure all residents have the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. 

My role has primarily been as a volunteer in picking up trash and involvement in city wide cleanup days. In general I believe that the health of sport, recreation and arts within a community is a strong indicator of the health of the community itself. From a practical stand point, citizens may not become involved in these self actualizing pursuits if they are having trouble making ends meet.

Culture services invest in local non-profit organizations that deliver services on behalf of the City. 

I support the arts and I practice artistic expression myself at every opportunity.

Library services provide public library services to the citizens through:

• physical facilities, 
• bookmobile, 
• virtual, and telephone services.

I am a regular and enthusiastic user of library services.

10. Planning and development services manage urban development for residential and business interests, as well as infrastructure and parks.

• Non departmental includes equity in earnings of government business enterprise, investment income, shared lottery earnings, and miscellaneous sundry revenue

The city is the sole shareholder of :

1. Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. [“Hydro Ottawa”], and the 
2. Ottawa Community Housing Corporation [“OCHC”], 

The City also provides hydro and housing services to the residents of Ottawa. 
Ottawa Community Lands Development and the Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development were created for the purpose of promoting and undertaking community improvements in the City by managing real property.
Corporations were created for the purpose of promoting and undertaking community improvements in the City by managing real property.


Employee benefits liabilities, property tax assessment appeals, legal claims provisions, landfill closure and post-closure liabilities and liabilities for contaminated sites are part of the cost of running the city of Ottawa. Costs to settle legal claims are based on available information if likely and reasonably determinable, are reported as an expense

Ottawa is required to provide for closure and post-closure care of solid waste landfill sites.

Ottawa Art Gallery works of art are not recorded in the City’s consolidated financial statements.

Fees and user charges relate to transit fares; utility charges; water, wastewater, and solid waste; licensing fees; fees for use of various programming; and fees imposed based on specific activities. Revenue is recognized when the activity is performed or when the services are rendered.



The “city” activities of all committees of Council and the following boards, Business Improvement Areas [“BIAs”] and entities:

1. The Police Services Board
2. The Ottawa Public Library Board 
3. The Ottawa Board of Health
4. The Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
5. Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development Corporation
6. Ottawa Community Lands Developmen Corporation
7. The Bank Street BIA
8. The Westboro Village BIA
9. The Sparks Street BIA
10. The Somerset Street Chinatown BIA The Glebe BIA
11. The Heart of Orleans BIA
12. The Carp Road Corridor BIA The Carp Village BIA
13. The Vanier BIA
14. The Manotick BIA
15. The Sparks Street Mall Authority The Somerset Village BIA
16. The Preston Street BIA
17. The Byward Market BIA
18. The Downtown Rideau BIA
19. The Barrhaven BIA
20. The Wellington West BIA
21. The Kanata North BIA
22. The Bells Corners BIA
23. The Kanata Central BIA