COMMUNITY NOTES: from the desk of Councillor Gower

Lesley McKay

In Councillor Gower’s notes for this week, he provides a recap of the climate change panel discussion that took place on November 10th. He shares a huge Thank You to everyone who participated in the Fall Cleaning the Capital campaign. The Councillor reminds residents that this is the last week to provide your feedback on the 2026 proposed Ottawa budget. December 1st is around the corner and so is seasonal parking with new streets being added to the City’s list. Tree removal for the development at 37 Wildpine Court will be taking place and construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2026. Be prepared to hear blasting if you reside near Shea Road in preparation for a new development. There is an upcoming information session provided by Coyote Watch Canada on December 11th. As usual, should you require assistance with a municipal issue, reach out to Councillor Gower’s office at the contact information provided below.

Are We Ready? A recap of our panel discussion
Earlier this month, we hosted a panel discussion about how Ottawa is preparing for changes due to climate change, population growth and other challenges.

We’ve been thinking a lot about climate change lately, with more and more extreme weather hitting our community: a derecho, ice storms, tornadoes, extreme heat, smoke from wildfires. These types of events have made many of us realize we need to think about how we prepare for the future. 

We invited experts from the City of Ottawa and partner organizations (Hydro Ottawa, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, EnviroCentre) to share with residents about how they are adapting, where they are seeing challenges, and how residents can take action.

Check out this recap on my web site to see the presentation slides, watch the video, and access resources. You’ll learn about the City of Ottawa’s Climate Resiliency Strategy, Hydro Ottawa’s planned investments for the Stittsville and Ottawa area, how to access flood plain maps for your area, grants and financial incentives available to upgrade your home, and tips for what you need to be prepared in the event of an emergency. 

A huge thank you to all of the panelists as well as to residents who joined us!

Cleaning the Capital thank you
A huge THANK YOU to all of the residents who took part in the Fall 2025 Cleaning the Capital campaign. Dozens of groups helped clean up parks and greenspaces across Stittsville: families, friends, neighbours, clubs, community associations, workplaces, and schools. Click here to see photos from this year’s activities…

Season after season, Stittsville has had one of the highest participation rates for the Cleaning the Capital across the entire City of Ottawa. Our residents are showing community pride, and coming together to keep Stittsville clean, green, and garbage-free.

Last chance to fill out our budget survey!
This week is your last chance to fill out our 2026 City Budget survey. Answer five quick questions so that we can understand more about what’s important for Stittsville residents.

This Saturday we’ll be holding the final of our three “budget pop-ups” at local grocery stores. This one is November 29 at Farm Boy (Carp at Hazeldean) from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Thanks to Brown’s Independent and No Frills for hosting us earlier this month!)

Also: My City Council colleague Rawlson King is hosting a city-wide budget information session for Ottawa’s Black and racialized communities on Tuesday, November 25, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Heartwood House (404 McArthur Avenue). You can attend in person or join on Zoom. Advance registration is required for both the virtual and in-person options…

More budget links & resources:

Seasonal winter parking restrictions coming December 1
Seasonal winter parking restrictions will be in effect from December 1 to March 31 this winter. Several additional streets will have parking restrictions this winter, and are listed on my web site.

Please check the signs in your neighbourhood and make sure you know the rules. One-sided winter parking restrictions help give City crews better access for snow clearing, improving safety and convenience for residents, school buses, emergency vehicles, and other road users.

Also: Between November 15 and April 1, the City may declare a Winter Weather Parking Ban for inclement weather including freezing rain or when Environment Canada forecasts an accumulation of snow 7 centimetres or more, or a range of snow which includes 7 centimetres or more for the Ottawa area. The Winter Weather Parking Ban will be called to support clearing operations and will continue until the City issues notice that it has been lifted. When a winter weather parking ban is called, the City issues a special advisory to the local media and posts it on ottawa.ca. Receive Winter Parking Alerts by email…

Construction info for 37 Wildpine Court
Latitude Homes will begin tree removal for the development at 37 Wildpine Court this week. Construction is expected to start in summer 2026. Here’s more information about construction plans and how the work will impact residents…

UPDATE: Blasting operations
Blasting is scheduled to start this week at 1650 Shea Road for a new townhome development. More information…

DECEMBER 11: Coyote information session with Coyote Watch Canada
Hosted by Coyote Watch Canada (CWC), this session will include information about coyotes in suburban settings and how to foster safe human-coyote interactions. CWC is a federal not-for-profit organization that advocates positive human-wildlife coexistence, focusing on canids. Event attendees will hear CWC Founder and Executive Director Lesley Sampson discuss best practices for residents living with coyotes and may elect to participate in a brief Q&A period. More info…

Get in touch!
If we can help in any way, please email me at glen.gower@ottawa.ca or leave a voicemail at 613-580-2476. Please call 3-1-1 if you require immediate assistance, or submit a request online at ottawa.ca/en/311. – Councillor Glen Gower

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