COUNCILLOR’S MESSAGE
Recent fatalities to vulnerable road users
Last Friday evening I went to the vigil for Saloni Aitawadekar, the 27 year-old woman who was killed on July 7th when she was crossing the intersection of Laurier and Elgin as a pedestrian and was struck by a pickup truck. Saloni had just become a permanent resident and was the main provider for her family back in India, including her single mother. It was a very sorrow-filled vigil, and I felt quite ashamed by the fact that the City of Ottawa had been unable to install safety improvements to that intersection due to years of delays. During the vigil, Councillor Jeff Leiper told the crowd that there had been 218 collisions involving pedestrians last year, resulting in 10 deaths. He noted bitterly that if there had been 10 fatalities in Ottawa resulting from elevator accidents, there would’ve been clear and decisive action from both the city and the province. But for the City of Ottawa, we’re allegedly satisfied with a Road Safety Action Plan that aims for an 80% reduction in fatalities to vulnerable road users.
At the vigil, mourners gathered at the Ghost Bike memorial to place white shows and flowers in her memory.
And the incident that took Saloni Aitawadekar’s life was not the only tragic event on our city’s roads last week. On Tuesday July 8th, a cyclist in Kanata was struck by a pickup truck near Terry Fox Drive, resulting in serious head injuries. And on Thursday July 10th, a motorcyclist was struck by an SUV in Richmond and later died from his injuries. By any measure, this is a horrible pattern of events.
As these incidents happened only recently, there’s very little information that speaks to the circumstances or cause of these collisions. One thing that I noted immediately, however, is that in each of the three incidents, an oversized vehicle was involved in the collision.
In Ottawa, as in most cities, we spend a lot of time talking about the various factors which contribute to the unfortunate increase in fatalities and major injuries in collisions. We talk about speed, distracted driving, poor road design, impaired driving, etc. What’s rarely mentioned, however, is the size and weight of the vehicles involved in causing injuries and deaths.
I think it’s time to discuss the link between oversized vehicles and traffic-related fatalities and major injuries (FMIs).
In April I attended the Good Roads Conference, where I met and begun a correspondence with David Zipper, an American consultant and senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative. An expert on the impact of oversized vehicles, David coined the term “car bloat” to describe the ever-expanding size of the average automobile. His keynote speech at Good Roads illustrated the impacts of this phenomenon.
Not only has the trend of bigger, weightier vehicles contributed to environmental contamination and infrastructure degradation, but it's had a measurable impact on road fatalities. And more and more people are buying these oversized vehicles.
- SUVs, vans, and pickups now make up nearly 75% of vehicles produced. Their size and design increase fatal crash risks, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. Source: National Safety Council (2024)
- Pedestrians or cyclists hit by SUVs or pickups are 44% more likely to die than those hit by cars. For children, the risk increases by 82%. Source: Meta-Analysis by LSHTM and Imperial College London (2025).
- In Canada, SUVs and pickups account for 85% of vehicle sales. Children are 8 times more likely to be killed when hit by an SUV. A 10 cm increase in hood height raises fatality risk by 22%. Source: Parachute Canada & Équiterre (2024).
But there are gaps in the collection of data. Transport Canada's National Collision Database provides extensive data on vehicle collisions, though it does not isolate oversized personal vehicles. When Ottawa collects collision data, we don't distinguish between a compact car and an SUV.
It's hard to come up with solutions if we lack the tools to identify the problem, or the political will to act on potential solutions. Recently, the Toronto-based Coalition to Reduce Auto-Size Hazard (C.R.A.S.H.) produced a report called Oversized Danger: Report and Recommendations to Address the Danger of Pickups and Large SUVs to Pedestrians and Cyclists in Canada, which includes specific recommendations for municipalities across Canada.
Thankfully, we have experts like David Zipper. He and I have been corresponding on this since April, and he's eager to engage with Canadian officials (federal, provincial, municipal) to address this. Stay tuned for some possible announcements on this topic, later this Fall.
There are solutions to this problem: data collection, education, better design, safety enhancements, licensing, vehicle restrictions, and setting new priorities. Cities across North America have seen improvements in terms of reduced fatalities. Here in Canada, and in Ottawa, it's time we caught up.
Thoughts on an Ottawa ring road
Back on June 26th, the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee passed our Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Update, which included several motions brought by committee members. As mentioned in the last issue, I brought two motions which passed successfully. The first motion will have transportation planning staff pursue new methodologies for how transportation projects are assessed. The second motion will have planning staff examine the future usefulness of the Beachburg Rail Corridor as a transit line.
Councillor Tim Tierney successfully passed another motion at this meeting, which has generated a lot of media attention since then. His motion was focused on National Transportation Priorities and Southern Ring Road.
Since that motion passed, Councillor Tierney has spoken and written publicly about his objectives, and about the support he obtained from councillors for that motion. I’d like to clarify the nature of my original support for the motion.
To be perfectly clear: at this moment, I do not believe that I’ll be supporting this motion when it rises to Council.
Here’s what the motion offered as its primary objective:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Ottawa urges all levels of government to prioritize sustainable, data-driven transportation infrastructure investments, including the full and fair evaluation of a southern Ring Road, and to ensure that all future transportation planning efforts are supported by up-to-date, comprehensive data that reflects the city's current and projected needs;
If you remove any mention of the Ring Road from that paragraph, it’s a perfectly supportable goal. That’s the goal I was looking to support. Frankly, it’s my belief that a Ring Road would never be seen as a “sustainable, data-driven infrastructure investment” in the first place.
I don’t think anyone who reads my newsletter regularly would ever believe me to be an advocate for a new Ring Road, so I can only imagine people’s surprise at my vote at Committee.
And the debate over the usefulness of a Ring Road for Ottawa is hardly new. It was the subject of debate during the 2010 Mayoral election race between Larry O’Brien and Jim Watson. It’s a rare occasion when I find myself agreeing with former Mayor Jim Watson, but his comments on this issue accurately reflect my own:
"Once you look at this, you quickly realize that this transportation plan is a throw-back to the 1970's where highways ruled the day and urban sprawl was left unchecked. Mr. O'Brien's plan calls for a billion-dollar highway that would literally eviscerate the Greenbelt. Off-ramps would be added, we'd add to urban sprawl, and massive costs would be shouldered by the taxpayers.”
There are many other ways to address the issue of traffic congestion in the City of Ottawa. For one thing, we can continue to investigate new and alternative plans for mass transit, including the Beachburg Rail Corridor. We can take a closer look at West Hunt Club Road, and how changes to that corridor could improve east-to-west transportation flow. What I don’t think we need to do, and what certainly is not inside the Transportation Master Plan, is a radical departure from our current plans.
FEATURE: SALUS IN WARD 9
Salus is an Ottawa-based non-profit that provides a range of supportive housing options for adults with serious mental illness and other challenges including addictions, homelessness and cycles of hospitalization. They’re a wonderful organization that has faced its own challenges, including a horrible flooding incident in 2023 where a burst pipe caused so much water damage to their main facility on Athlone that all 40 residents were displaced for several months while repairs were underway.
Last week Councillor Devine got to tour the newest Salus facility on Capilano Drive in Ward 9, just next to the City View Curling Club. The facility is scheduled to open in November 2025.
Since the City of Ottawa was a key funding partner on this initiative, we wanted to share a few of its features:
- This facility will house 54 adult males, mainly seniors.
- This is the first Salus facility to have a double bank of elevators. It’s also the first Salus facility with an EV charging station and solar panels on the roof.
- Local artist Jennifer Kelly was commissioned to create an array of glass leaves which will be installed throughout the facility. Jennifer is also the same local artist who’s doing the public art installation for the Trend Arlington Pavilion (see below).
CITY WORKS
Road Safety Action Plan
With summer here and more motorcyclists back on the road, riding can be an enjoyable way to explore our city. But both riders and drivers have a critical role to play in preventing serious collisions. Several local motorcyclists have shared tips based on their experiences:
Drivers:
- Always check your blind spots before merging or changing lanes—motorcycles are smaller and easier to miss.
- Maintain a safe following distance. Tailgating not only increases collision risk but also reduces visibility for other drivers.
- Be extra cautious when making left turns; motorcycles may be closer than they appear.
Protective Gear for Riders:
- Helmets are required by law, but full-body protective gear is just as essential to prevent serious injuries in the event of a fall.
- Wear your gear every time, even for short trips—regular clothing offers no protection against road surfaces. Reminder: ECE-rated helmets are generally considered more rigorous than DOT-only models.
- Boost visibility with additional lights, including helmet-mounted brake lights, to help drivers see you.
Improving Road Safety for Motorcyclists:
The City of Ottawa is conducting safety reviews at three high-risk locations identified through collision data, feedback from the City’s Motorcycle Working Group, and a rider survey. The goal is to assess current road conditions and identify improvements to better protect motorcyclists.
Motorcycle Safety Course:
As part of the 2025 implementation plan to enhance motorcyclist safety, the City is offering free motorcycle safety training for Ottawa-area riders. To register, contact [email protected].
Update on General Burns Pool
Unfortunately, it's not a good news update. General Burns Pool has been experiencing intermittent closures since late June, as staff were dealing with a suspected maintenance issue affecting the water's clarity. On Sunday, city crews drained the pool in order to properly investigate and repair the issue. Recently, the city's website had indicated that General Burns Pool would be closed until July 18.
This morning, city staff informed our office that the pool will be closed "for a couple of weeks" in order to do the necessary repairs, the nature of which we don't have any additional information on at this time. Certainly, this is bad news for local residents, due to the current heat wave. There are a lot of low-income families, seniors, and other vulnerable residents in this area. Very few of them have their own private pool, and many don't even have air conditioning, leaving General Burns Pool as one of their only escapes from the dangerous heat.
Currently, the City of Ottawa has some mitigation measures in place: the wading pool at General Burns Pool remains open; some programs and drop-in classes are being re-located to other pools, where possible; and extra lifeguards have been assigned to nearby Crestview Pool to deal with the closure at General Burns. However, Crestview Pool was already at capacity, with swimmers now "shoulder-to-shoulder", according to resident reports. Our office will do our best to keep residents informed, as well as ensuring that our city's first responders and public health officials are prepared to act if required.
Update on Greenbank multi-use pathway
Pre-construction work began last week on the long-awaited repair of the Greenbank multi-use pathway. Due to the placement of the signage, as well as the temporary lane closures that are required to build the access paths from the road to the pathway, several residents have written in confusion, asking why the road is being re-paved when it’s in good condition. Rest assured: it’s not the road that is being worked on, but the cyclist’s / pedestrian pathway.
Starting the week of July 14, crews will be on-site to set up traffic control and construct temporary access points in preparation for the main resurfacing work. The first couple of weeks will mostly involve preliminary setup, with more visible work like paving expected to follow later this summer. We’ll share more details on key milestones as the schedule becomes clearer.
This resurfacing project will significantly improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists who rely on this route and is another important step toward building a safer, more accessible network in our community.
Update on Grant Carman Drive
Work is progressing well on this much-needed road rehabilitation project, and residents of Ward 9 will soon be able to drive or cycle along Grant Carman Drive without running through some of the worst and deepest potholes in all of Knoxdale-Merivale.
The asphalt was taken down all the way to the gravel underneath, which was then smoothed out before laying down multiple layers of new asphalt. All of this is in addition to the new sidewalks on either side of the road (one concrete, and one asphalt). Our office will be closely monitoring the final stages of this project, since we want to ensure that the vehicle and cycle lanes are properly painted, after some errors were made several years ago which led to unsafe cycle lanes that were far too narrow.
Country Place Park re-designation
Dog owners and dog lovers in Country Place are likely happy to see a successful end to their campaign to have Country Place Park re-designated as “Dogs on Leash”, after several decades of dogs not allowed at all in this park.
A group of residents worked with the Country Place Community Association to prepare their formal petition through the City of Ottawa’s Bylaw & Regulatory Services Department, which then launched a public engagement process which allowed for residents to submit their own comments and their positions on the issue. Bylaw staff then reviewed all comments, which showed a majority supporting the park’s re-designation.
Pineglen Park reconstruction
Pineglen residents will be pleased to see that their local park playground has finally been restored, after being heavily damaged during the 2022 derecho. Residents are now allowed to use the park, even though there remains some orange snow fencing surrounding the grassy areas where new sod has been planted, but this will come down soon. Our office is communicating with the Glens Community Association about an official “park re-opening" in August.
Trend Arlington Park Pavilion update
Now that the construction for the Trend Arlington Park Pavilion is complete, it will soon be time for local artist Jennifer Kelly to install her community-inspired public art project ReWilding, which will consist of a series of unique butterflies which will hang from inside the beautiful pavilion ceiling. While the wings of these butterflies will be based on designs made by kids in Trend Arlington, the butterflies’ bodies have been made of wood recovered from trees that fell in Trend Arlington during the 2018 tornado. Below is a photo of these butterfly wooden sculptures. Our office looks forward to hosting an official launch of the Pavilion later this summer.
In other Pavilion news, this new facility was featured in a unique competition on CBC Radion One’s All in a Day. The show’s host Alan Neal had Councillor Devine, along with Councillor Theresa Kavanagh and Councillor Laura Dudas engaged in a friendly competitive scavenger hunt, where each councillor had to find “the greatest umbrella” in their ward. Find out what Coucillor Devine used as his example, and why it brought him to the Pavilion. Here’s Part One of the show, where each councillor got their instructions, followed by Part Two, where each councillor showed off their version of “the greatest umbrella”.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
NROCRC Tools 4 School
By supporting Tools 4 School, ensures that children have the tools they need to succeed academically when they begin the school year.
Parents may register for the Tools 4 School Program beginning in July by calling 613-596-5626 extension 303. Registration closes August 1st and parents can pick up their backpack(s) during the last two weeks of August.
To donate a backpack please drop off at NROCRC 1547 Merivale Road, suite 240 or at No Frills on Merivale.
Tools 4 School is supported by local businesses, organizations and individuals through financial contributions and through the donation of backpacks.
Right of Way By-law review
The City is conducting a review and update of the Private Approach By-law, which regulates the construction, use and maintenance of private approaches in the city. A private approach is the part of a vehicle access to private property that is on the City’s right of way (i.e. the portion of a driveway that is on City property). The existing rules for driveways and permits can be found on ottawa.ca/driveways.
You’re encouraged to visit the Engage Ottawa project page to learn more about the features of this by-law and why it’s important to have rules for the design, location and construction of driveways and walkways. Want to know more about how vehicle and pedestrian access on the City’s right of way is regulated? Use the Questions tool to connect directly with City staff working on the project.
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
Public Health Keeping Eastern Ontario “Summer Safe”
Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), and Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) are working together this summer to deliver coordinated guidance to help residents stay healthy and safe in the heat.
With rising temperatures, public health officials are reminding residents to be heat smart. Extreme heat can lead to serious illness, especially for vulnerable groups such as older adults, young children, pregnant individuals, and people without air conditioning. Stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activity during peak heat hours, wear light clothing, and check on those at greater risk. Cool off at malls, libraries, or shaded parks—and keep fans or cool water nearby at home.
Poor air quality is another concern, particularly during wildfire smoke events. Residents are encouraged to download the WeatherCAN app for real-time updates and monitor the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). When air quality is low, stay indoors and limit physical activity.
- Don't forget sun safety: Use SPF 30+ sunscreen, wear protective clothing and sunglasses, and avoid direct sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- When it comes to water fun, swim in supervised areas, keep kids within reach, and never swim alone. Public beaches are regularly monitored for E. coli—avoid swimming after heavy rain or when water looks murky.
- Finally, guard against ticks and mosquitoes. Use approved repellents, wear long clothing, and perform tick checks after outdoor activities.
Stay safe, stay informed, and enjoy summer responsibly!
Respiratory Disease Update
The summer holidays are in full swing now and the level of respiratory illness in the community continues to be very low. With levels of all respiratory ailments hitting low levels, we’re bringing you a slightly different look this week. The chart below shows the number of Emergency room visits that are the result of respiratory illness. As you can see, in January, the levels were quite high. But since then, they have been gradually tailing off, reaching very low levels in recent weeks. That’s great news. But, keep in mind, the usual guidance remains good advice: if you are sharing air with a lot of people in confined spaces, it’s a good idea to open a window, turn on an air filter, and wear a quality mask to reduce your risk and keep transmission low.
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
Save the AAADD Program – Town Hall Invitation
The Academic Assistance for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (AAADD) program at Algonquin College has provided adults with developmental disabilities the chance to strengthen their academic and social skills in an inclusive college environment. The program is set to end on April 30, 2026, following a decision by the college to cancel it.
A community town hall has been organized where you can hear from families, educators, and advocates, and learn how you can help. Here are the details on the Town Hall, to be hosted by MPP Chandra Pasma:
- City View United Church (6 Epworth Avenue)
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Thursday, July 17 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Hosted by Chandra Pasma, MPP for Ottawa West–Nepean
The evening will include personal stories, open discussion, and opportunities to get involved. To learn more and to RSVP, visit the event’s website.
Parkwood Hills summer engagement activity
Odyssey Theatre Under the Stars
