COUNCILLOR’S MESSAGE
Lansdowne
Less than 10% of Ward 9 residents support Lansdowne. That’s as clear an indication of what my constituents feel about an issue as I could hope to get.
In the previous issue of this newsletter, I asked residents to let me know their own positions on this important matter. Of the 56 emailed responses I received, 51 were in opposition to Lansdowne 2.0 (91%), and 5 were in favour (9%). Even if I adjust for margins of error, the conclusion remains the same: there is very little support among residents for this project. And the early results of my ongoing poll on Budget 2026 show an overwhelming majority of residents prefer that Council invest in maintenance of existing infrastructure over spending on new capital projects.
There is, however, support for Lansdowne among several Councillors, and the Mayor.
For any of my Council colleagues in support of Lansdowne 2.0, I urge them to talk less and listen more. They could survey their constituents as I have. I am quite confident that the angry outcry arising from Ward 9 will be just as loud in their wards, too.
Over the weekend, I caught up with one of my neighbors about Lansdowne. Now, I don’t talk too often about City Council with my immediate neighbors. It’s much nicer to chat about the Blue Jays, or the changing colors of the leaves. But in this instance, my friendly neighbor simply asked “How’s City Hall?” And thus began my rant.
It started with what Lansdowne 2.0 would do to the PWHL Charge (more on that below), then ventured into a spew about the Mayor’s one-sided press briefing (the press was not impressed) and the heavily controlled release of the staff report. From there came a tirade on last Council meeting’s rare procedural squashing of a motion to delay the decision to allow more time to absorb the staff report, then a breathless account of the coziness between our partner OSEG (Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group) and City Hall that’s left crumbs of confirmation bias littered across the floor, and accusations of “misinformation” to anyone who dares have an opinion other than theirs.
My neighbour’s face had the look of someone in proximity of a bad odor. I had to check my boots.
If you ask the Mayor, he’ll tell you that Lansdowne 2.0 is an amazing opportunity, a deal that can’t be ignored, a three-fold return on investment, and that those opposed are NIMBYs or simply impeding progress. While our Mayor preaches a “balanced approach” in most matters, there’s no call for balancing risk versus reward in this instance. On Lansdowne, he’s 100% “Yes.”
Among the many emails I got from residents about Lansdowne, one stands out. It was a critical comment about how Mayor Sutcliffe has portrayed the costs for Lansdowne 2.0. In a nutshell, the total project costs are currently projected at $419.8 million. After factoring in the hundreds of millions of new revenues attached to Lansdowne 2.0, the net cost of Lansdowne 2.0 would be $130.7 million, according to city staff and the Mayor. Of course, neither the Mayor, nor even the “fact sheet” produced by city staff talk about the risks or unprecedented use of these new revenues.
In his public remarks, the Mayor used a household metaphor to more easily explain the finances of Lansdowne 2.0. He talked about how if you could buy a house that’s worth $419,000 for only $130,000, wouldn’t that be a great deal?
Here’s what the resident sent me about that.
“Scam” is a nasty word, and not appropriate here. The resident’s point, however, conveys how many people beyond my neighbor smell something funny here. But what’s more likely coming out of City Hall is a wholehearted commitment to believe in the improbable. If the Mayor were the coach of an underdog team heading into the playoffs, that’d be an admirable quality. In this case, I’d prefer to see his usual “balanced approach.”
The resident’s point is that if it sounds too good to be true, that’s maybe because it is. My primary concern for Lansdowne 2.0 has always been the finances, and whether the new deal we’re rushing towards has been crafted to favor OSEG more than ourselves. Just consider the source of these “new revenues” that are purportedly offsetting the total project costs:
- $33.9 million in partial proceeds from the $65 million winning bid on the air rights to the residential towers, which was surprisingly so much higher than the valuation of $39 million. But since the winning bidder only needs to pay in installments ($1 million upon signing, $4.7 million by the end of 2028, the balance on closing in Q4 2030), what happens if they back out of their investment if market conditions for condo development continue to spiral?
- $69 million in “property tax uplift,” where the new property taxes generated from these buildings will help to pay for debt we’ve incurred to pay for it in the first place. Typically, these property taxes would be used to pay for the cost of providing services and infrastructure to these new properties and residents, not to cover the debt. To use another household metaphor, that’s almost as if a homeowner asked the City if their property taxes could be used to pay for their mortgage.
- $44.1 million generated from a 20% increase to the accommodations tax, so that tourists staying in Ottawa hotels can help pay for Lansdowne 2.0. Of course, we never consulted with hotel owners about this, nor have we ever used this lever to help pay for other economic development initiatives, such as the critical investment required for the Byward Market.
- $141.1 million in revenue from “the partnership”. This would include retail rental revenue when the future of retail is uncertain, and ticket surcharges for events (including sports events) when the Redblacks have been underperforming on the field and at the turnstile, and when the PWHL Charge have made it clear that they’re not happy with Lansdowne 2.0 and are keeping their options open (more on that below).
It’s based on these “new revenues” that the Mayor and senior staff claim that the “net cost” to Ottawa taxpayers will be only $130.7 million. That is an act of faith. And rest assured: every dollar in new revenue that doesn’t materialize gets transferred to the net cost borne by taxpayers.
And now, about the PWHL Charge, Ottawa’s exciting, historic, competitive professional women’s hockey team, and just about the hottest sports ticket in town.
Last Friday, CBC Ottawa published an article that quoted the PWHL Charge as saying that plans for the new arena in Lansdowne 2.0 are “not viable for us”. This is an important item to consider in the debate over Lansdowne 2.0 and let me tell you how the story came to be.
In the last issue of my newsletter, I wrote about my many concerns for Lansdowne 2.0. One item I addressed was: “By downgrading the arena capacity from 8,000 to 5,500, how does this help Ottawa keep the PWHL Charge, who regularly sell out the current venue?”
Apparently, someone in the hockey world caught wind of that, because my comments ended up being quoted in the venerable sports magazine The Hockey News, in an article titled Ottawa Councillor Speaks Out Against Arena Design Negatively Impacting PWHL's Charge.
From there, someone who is an official representative of the PWHL Charge reached out to me last week, stating that they shared my concerns and wanted to meet. We met soon after, where the representative told me about the challenges they had been having in communicating with OSEG and the City of Ottawa, and about how the PWHL Charge was considering many options in the face of the new arena’s diminished capacity, including the option to bring the Charge to another venue, or even to another city.
Both OSEG and the Mayor’s Office have attempted to downplay the concerns about diminished seating capacity and have described this campaign by the PWHL Charge as “a negotiation tactic” as the PWHL approaches the end of their current lease agreement with OSEG.
Since then, The Hockey News published another article about the PWHL Charge on Monday about how Ottawa’s Red Scarf Union, known as “one of the most active and engaged fan groups in the PWHL”, have posted a letter denouncing plans for a new arena that will hurt the PWHL Charge, “and that has been made without women’s sports in mind.”
It's easy to see why people find this situation concerning.
Here’s why I’m upset both concerned and perturbed by how Lansdowne 2.0 impacts the PWHL Charge, and why I think this is becoming a much bigger story than I had imagined.
- The deal is hurting the project’s most exciting and viable team. No disrespect to the Ottawa 67’s, or the Redblacks, but the team that provides the most competitiveness, broad-based appeal and fiscal sustainability is the team that stands to benefit the least from this new deal. Admittedly, the plans for Lansdowne 2.0 were crafted long before the Charge came to Ottawa, but despite two years of team success and a very bright future, we are steamrolling towards a project that may very well lead to their departure. And while I would not support the Charge’s possible intentions of getting a new, bigger arena, I wish that we had looked more closely at what modifications can be made to the venue now to improve it but maintain existing capacity.
- The deal is hurting the one team that OSEG doesn’t own. OSEG doesn’t profit from the Charge’s success, the PWHL does. And so, OSEG’s interests are more closely linked to the Redblacks, the 67’s, and the other teams they own. It’s hard to avoid the perception that Lansdowne 2.0 is a financial arrangement that advantages OSEG’s financial interests, while putting considerable new risk back onto the city, at the potential expense of PWHL fans across Ottawa.
That’s all I’ve got to say for now, and I’ve said a lot. I kind of went on a rant, as I did with my neighbour. Starting on Wednesday, we begin the first of what might be three long days of Committee meetings. Next week, we’ll hear the Auditor General present her update on Lansdowne 2.0 on November 4th at Audit Committee. And then on November 7th, we have the final decision point at a Special Meeting of City Council.
Sadly, I expect it to be a week where we come out worse than where we started. That’s not just a comment on the possibility of making a bad financial deal. I mean that tensions will be frayed, accusations will be made, relationships will be strained, and trust will be diminished.
Certainly, there’s a sporting chance that it comes out that way.
National Defense Innovation Hub
On Tuesday, I got to attend the launch of Invest Ottawa’s Strategy for Canada’s Capital Region as a National Defense Innovation Hub. Briefly, this initiative is the brainchild of President and CEO of Invest Ottawa Sonya Shorey, in close collaboration with the Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau, as well as leaders in military sector innovation and venture capital. It’s a well-timed strategy to take advantage of the federal government’s pledge to commit 5% of GDP towards defense spending, and to transform Ottawa-Gatineau into an economic juggernaut when it comes to defense innovation. More broadly, Ms. Shorey describes this strategy as “looking to serve our region, our country, our Forces, and our Allies.”
Since a key component of Invest Ottawa’s strategy would see concentrated investment and development take place at Area X.O, which is inside Ward 9, Ms. Shorey began sharing details of her plan with my office several weeks ago. It is certainly an impressive, persuasive, and well-conceived plan, and Ms. Shorey’s multi-layered rationale for why Ottawa-Gatineau is the obvious choice for this level of investment is compelling.
Among the many high-ranking and world-renowned experts in defence innovation that have pledge their support for this intiative, Ms. Shorey shared with me the comments of Kevin Reed, the CEO of Defence, Security & Resilience Bank (DSRB):
“The body of work you and your team have put together is one of the most - if not the most - advanced strategy plan that we have seen from any city within NATO and the Indo-Pacific areas. Your early mover insight into the new spending amounts from NATO (5%) has given you the leg up in my view as cities and regions will compete for these dollars on a global basis.”
I look forward to sharing more information about this transformative initiative in the coming months.
FEATURE
The unbearable unreliability of Route 82
Since the launch of OC Transpo’s New Ways to Bus revision of the city’s bus system, Ward 9 residents have shared their detailed, first-hand experience of bus reliability having taken a serious hit. Ever since the program launch back in April, our office has been closely tracking resident feedback and analyzing OC Transpo data to pinpoint what’s going wrong.
Since April, several bus routes have emerged as consistent trouble spots. Many residents have identified critical concerns over Route 80 and Route 189, and our office is looking into addressing those concerns.
But for this issue of our newsletter, we’re reporting our findings on what has clearly been the most adversely impacted line in Ward 9, which is Route 82. What had once been the diligent and reliable “workhorse” of Ward 9 has seen its usefulness degrade to the status of a near-dead horse.
There are likely many causes to what has become of Route 82, some of which are systemic issues affecting all OC Transpo bus routes (i.e. traffic congestion, and unavailability of buses or bus operators). But there are also unique circumstances that have played a role in rendering Route 82 far less reliable than most routes:
- When New Ways to Bus was launched, Ward 9 residents lost Route 282 and Route 173, which serviced the same areas that Route 82 now services all on its own. This has pushed more riders onto a single route, incapable of meeting that demand.
- The re-designed route for the 82 has tasked this single bus line with covering far too many stops and destinations, loading too much of a service area onto a single route, stretching its capacity and reliability to the breaking point.
What’s shocking to our office is that as bad as things are now with Route 82, it would have been so much worse if we hadn’t intervened. The original plan for OC Transpo’s New Ways to Bus called for Route 82 to only run during peak hours on weekdays. This means that in addition to losing the 282 and 173, residents in the west portions of Ward 9 would have only had one bus route; that would’ve only been operational during the early morning and late afternoon weekday peak periods. It’s hard to convey to the degree to which this was a shockingly insulting proposition from OC Transpo. Through a hard-fought intervention, Councillor Devine was able to keep OC Transpo as full-day service / all week, but we shouldn’t have had to fight for that in the first place.
Based on resident anecdotes and data we’ve collected from OC Transpo, Route 82 delivers unusually poor service reliability.
Residents have communicated to us in agonizing detail of how 45-minute commutes have been turned into two-hour sagas, that buses routinely don’t show up at all, that overcrowding, long waits, and missed trips have become the norm, that parents have now purchased cars for their kids to get to university, due to the 82’s unreliability. And while these stories are common to many bus routes, it’s the story told by the OC Transpo service reliability data that shows just how bad things are for Route 82.
Based on data that we’ve collected and analyzed from OC Transpo, we’re presenting two charts and tables below that describe the severity of the concern, but here are two of the most concerning findings:
- Extremely low reliability on evening commute: For Route 82 - Baseline, during PM peak service time (i.e. when commuters are heading westward back to Ward 9 after work), Route 82 buses depart Tunney’s Pasture only 19% of the time. Midday service reliability for the same direction is only 31% on time.
- Consistent failure to meet service standards: Weekly trends show that 82 – Baseline never meets acceptable on-time performance metrics, showing an average week-to-week reliability of only 40%.
The two graphics below show two different analyses of reliability metrics for Route 82. They offer far more detail than what we’ve summarized above, providing an even fuller picture of the dire state of this critical route for Ward 9.
Our office is taking these findings seriously. We will be bringing our findings to OC Transpo and insisting that adjustments be made in the near term to improve service on this critical route. Reliable transit is essential for Ward 9, especially as the city and our office promote taking public transit over private vehicles. We’ll continue advocating for the fixes residents deserve and keep you updated in future newsletters.
CITY WORKS
Dry water wells in Ward 9
Over the past several weeks, residents across many of Ottawa’s rural areas have experienced challenges drawing water from their private wells, many of which are now completely dry. With drought conditions anticipated to carry through the winter, this is a significant concern.
There are a few neighborhoods in Ward 9 that are un-serviced, and which draw water from private wells. So far, we have not heard of any instances of wells running dry, which is likely due to our area’s wells being drilled deep enough to remain below the rising water table. However, we have started noting reports from Ward 9 community leaders who have observed unusual changes to water pressure, and other tell-tale signs of concern. We have relayed these concerns to the City’s Public Safety staff and will continue monitoring reports.
Any residents whose properties are serviced by private wells, and who are experiencing any concerning signs with their water use are urged to write directly to Councillor Devine at [email protected]. Please be sure to provide your address and an account of the issue.
Planned power outage: Overlake Drive
On November 17th Hydro Ottawa will be replacing electrical equipment that will impact certain residents and businesses on Merivale Road and Overlake Drive. For Hydro Ottawa to perform this work safely, a power outage is required.
We recognize that construction and power outages can be disruptive. Please be assured that scheduling of this power outage has been reviewed and will move forward with our customers’ best interest in mind. All impacted customers will be contacted by phone, text or email - depending on the communication preferences indicated on their account - and informed by a written notice delivered to their door, if applicable. In the case of circumstances beyond Hydro Ottawa’s control, the outage may be rescheduled.
- Impacted streets: Merivale Road and Overlake Drive (NOTE: Our office has tried to get more specific info than this, but Hydro Ottawa did not respond to our request in time.)
- Date: November 17th
-
Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Gilbey Park multi-use pathway
Earlier this month Councillor Devine joined representatives from the Fisher Heights & Area Community Association on a site visit to a heavily damaged segment of the multi-use pathway at Gilbey Park. A few days later the Councillor brought city staff out to see the same pathway. "Holy jeez!" were the first words out of their mouths when they saw it.
There's a segment of the pathway that runs behind Gilbey Park and alongside a stormwater management pond that is severely damaged and not safe: with wide, deep cracks, and massive undulations and heigh shifts due to years of buckling. You can stand on one lane of a buckled segment and there’s a 12" drop lower than the other lane.
From their initial inspection, city staff indicated that this is most likely due to poor drainage getting into the stormwater pond, leaving the ground underneath the pathway over-saturated. With frequent freeze/thaw cycles, the granular base and ground below the pathway start to shift and fall away, which causes the buckling of the pathway itself.
The city's engineers will return to do a full inspection next week and will then start working on a plan throughout 2026. Since we're close to finalizing the 2026 budget, and since this would require a significant repair, it'll likely be 2027 before this pathway gets repaired. In the meantime, city staff are putting up "CAUTION" signage, which will likely be in place for quite some time.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
2026 Budget Survey
Earlier this month, our office sent out a special e-blast asking Ward 9 residents to participate in our 2026 City of Ottawa Budget Survey. As of this writing, we’ve received 599 responses. If you’re a resident of Ward 9 and haven’t yet participated in this quick and simple survey, here’s your last chance to do so as we will be closing the survey on October 31, to provide our office with sufficient time to analyze and report on the collected data.
The City of Ottawa's 2026 draft budget will be introduced in November with the final budget coming to Council in early December. Councillor Devine wants to do his best to ensure that the budget adequately reflects the needs and priorities of Ward 9 residents. To help with that process, we are asking residents to complete this quick survey on budget priorities. Your answers will help provide a clearer picture of what matters most to you and your neighbours. Thank you for your participation.
Public Meeting: 780 Baseline (TONIGHT)
Earlier this summer, development of the Lone Star Plaza finally commenced, with excavation of Phase 1 (Tower A) already underway at 1350 Fisher Avenue. This is a major development project that will see construction impacting the area for the next several years. At the same time, this is precisely the kind of transit-oriented development that Ottawa urgently needs to meet the growing demand for rental housing. Councillor Devine and the project developer Joey Theberge (Theberge Homes) have had productive conversations over this development file, which resulted in concessions on tower height, and where they continue to address resident concerns resulting from the recent construction.
Even though the project is already underway, Theberge Homes has agreed to a public meeting with the residents of Fisher Heights so that any new and existing issues arising from the construction can be addressed, and so that the community can maintain open and transparent lines of communication with the developer. Joey Theberge and his project manager will be onsite to answer resident questions on truck routes, traffic mitigation, rat control, night work, and any other questions that arise. Councillor Devine will be on hand to listen and help facilitate a productive conversation.
- When: October 28th from 7:00pm - 8:30pm
- Where: Fisher Heights Community Centre (31 Sutton Place)
While this will be an in-person meeting, we'll be running the meeting simultaneously on Zoom. To get a link for the Zoom meeting, please email Ward 9 Office Manager Tina Rose at [email protected].
Public Information Session: Fisher & Normandy
The Normandy / Valmarie project is aimed at improving road infrastructure, traffic flow, and overall traffic safety improvements. The project scope includes integrated upgrades to roads, sewers, and watermains, as well as new sidewalks, upgraded intersections, and other roadway improvements to better serve drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
In Ward 9, construction will mainly affect St. Rita’s School, St. Mark’s Church, and a few private residences.
We are nearing the completion of the design phase, and the City is inviting residents to attend a Public Information Session:
- When: November 20th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
- Where: Carleton Heights Community Centre (1665 Apeldoorn Avenue)
Because the project crosses ward boundaries, both Councillor Brockington’s (Ward16) and Councillor Devine’s offices will be present. Residents from both communities are encouraged to attend, learn about the project, ask questions, and share feedback.
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
Respiratory Disease Update
As October winds down, respiratory illness activity in Ottawa remains lower than what we typically see at this time of year. That’s reassuring, but COVID-19 continues to circulate and is showing moderate activity in parts of Ontario, while RSV is projected to rise in the coming weeks.
It’s a good moment to revisit simple steps that help reduce risk: improve ventilation by opening a window, use an air purifier if you have one, and consider wearing a well-fitted mask when sharing indoor air—especially in crowded or enclosed spaces. The new COVID vaccine is now also available to the general public. So now is a good time to book your appointment with your preferred pharmacy to get your fall COVID and flu vaccines to help reduce your risk of serious infection and help keep others safe.
OPH Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hub
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
Winter Cycling Workshop
Delivered by a friendly, experienced cyclist, this workshop will teach you what you need to know to feel comfortable biking year-round. You will learn tips, tricks, and tools to extend your cycling season into the fall, or beyond! We will review route planning, techniques, and simple suggestions for winter bike maintenance.
This virtual workshop will help riders discover opportunities to cycle year-round. It is provided free for participants as part of the City of Ottawa's Cycling Safety Awareness Program, which is currently delivered by EnviroCentre. (Presented in English). You can sign up for the workshop online!
Community Association AGMs
Tanglewood
Manordale
Fortune Art Exhibit
Grassroot Grannies
Grassroot Grannies’ fall book event has a new and exciting format. Join us for an engaging afternoon with Brett Popplewell, author of OUTSIDER.
After the talk, it’s a great opportunity to stay and enjoy our cafe, home baked goods and crafts.
- When: Thursday, November 6, 2025, 2pm
- Where: St Paul’s Anglican Church, 20 Young Road, Kanata
Tickets $20, available from any Grassroot Granny, or by sending an etransfer to: [email protected] indicating name and 'ticket purchase'.
Tickets are also available from Eventbrite.ca, for $22.63.
Hope you can join us and help us to continue to support the Grandmothers’ Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation!
Fondatrice d’AFIFO
Christmas Craft Market
NROCRC Christmas Exchange Program
To register for the Christmas Exchange program please fill out this client registration form and e-mail it to [email protected]. She will confirm that she has received the form. If she has any questions regarding your information she will contact you by phone or e-mail. Due to high volume this may take a few days. Please be advised we do not leave messages.
You can also register for the program by calling 613-596-5626 extension 303. Someone will call you back and register you. Due to high volume this may take a few days. Please be advised that we do not leave messages.
You can also come to our office at 1547 Merivale Road Unit 240 (Emerald Plaza) Monday - Friday 9:00-4:00 pm. Note: We are closed between 12:00-1:00 pm daily.
To be eligible for the Christmas Exchange program you must meet the Low Income Cut Off criteria (LICO). You can google Low Income Cut Off for the details on the financial criteria.
For inquiries regarding our other programs please call 613-596-5626.
Crime for Christmas Returns to Barrhaven
The popular mystery book fair, Crime for Christmas, is back for its second year on Sunday, Nov. 23, 1–4 p.m. at the Barrhaven Legion (3500 Fallowfield Rd). Meet nine acclaimed Ottawa mystery authors, including returning favorites Peggy Blair, Brenda Chapman, Barbara Fradkin, John Delacourt, Don Butler, Mike Martin, and Amy Tector, plus first-time participants Katie Tallo and Wayne Ng. Enjoy free admission, parking, treats, and a cash bar while picking up signed books—perfect for holiday gifts! Don’t miss this chance to connect with local authors and celebrate Ottawa’s thriving mystery community.
Concert for MHI - Musicians for Odenak
Knoxdale United Covenanting Service
Knoxdale United Bazaar
