Happy Family Day! This week Councillor Gower is sharing information with respect to his dislike for the newly proposed Urban Expansion proposal and will not be supporting it at City Council. He shares an update on what is ‘holding up’ the O-Train extension on Line 1 East. Support the Councillor and his team as they participate in the Coldest Night of the Year walk coming up on February 28th. The deadline to submit your grant application for the Stittsville Community Micro-Grant is February 20th – get your applications submitted. Shea Road and Ocala Street will be closed February 23rd for a few days for construction. The City has received a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select not-for-profit housing providers to develop rental housing at 2 Pretty Street. Who do you know who has gone beyond making a difference in Stittsville? The deadline to submit your nominations for the Stittsville Volunteer Awards is February 27th. The Councillor welcomed Stittsville residents, Chuks Onwuachi and Natalie Taite, to City Hall for a Black History Month celebration breakfast hosted by Councillor Rawlson King. Should you require any assistance, contact the Councillor’s office at the contact information shared below.
Urban expansion proposal for west of Stittsville
The City of Ottawa has received an application from Claridge to expand the Urban Boundary west of Stittsville, adding 112 hectares for new housing developments.
In 2024, the Provincial Government changed the rules for adding land to the urban boundary. Previously, it could only be done every 5 or 10 years through a comprehensive city-wide review, as part of an Official Plan process. Now, landowners can apply at any time to add land to the urban boundary.
This policy is bad for Ottawa. Any new suburban expansion requires extensive planning for water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure; planning for municipal services like emergency response, libraries, and recreation; and so on.
I do not support this urban boundary expansion. Homes on this land would be an isolated enclave of suburban homes with poor access to transit, no connections to schools, and far from neighbourhood retail. On top of that, this land on Fernbank/Flewellyn is close to sensitive natural areas, including wetland. It was already evaluated as part of the 2022 Official Plan and council rejected the land for new development.
In Stittsville (and elsewhere in Ottawa) there is still a ton of land closer to existing infrastructure that is waiting to be developed. We need developers to finish building homes within the existing urban boundary, before we extend it any further. Read more about this on my web site…
What’s holding up the Line 1 East opening?
There are just a few minor issues that need to be resolved. The main one is calibration of the “platform edge” cameras, a critical safety feature that needs to be fixed before the next stage of testing can begin. The reduced train fleet due to wheel bearing spalling is not affecting the launch at this time.
Meanwhile, there is slow but steady progress on the bus fleet, with over 500 buses now available for service out of the requirement of 520.
Read more:
Join us for the Coldest Night fundraiser for Lionhearts
Lionhearts is an incredible Stittsville-based organization focused on food recovery and food security. They provide food to the Stittsville Food Bank, emergency shelters, and organizations across the city that serve low-income residents.
Join us for the Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in support of Lionhearts on Saturday, February 28 at 4:00 p.m. It’s free to sign-up, and fundraising is optional. Register or donate here: cnoy.org/location/ottawastittsville.
Stittsville Micro-Grant deadline is February 20
We’re accepting applications from Stittsville residents for the Stittsville Community Micro-Grant program. The program provides grants of up to $200 for qualifying projects that benefit residents and neighbourhoods in Stittsville. Examples of eligible projects include yoga in the park, a craft market, an art display, a workshop, a community movie night, or other activities that bring people together and foster a greater sense of community. Click here for info…
Road closure on Cosanti Drive, February 23-27
Cosanti Drive will be closed between Shea Road and Ocala Street so that Taggart Construction Limited can connect new homes to the municipal water and sewer systems. Click here for more info…
2 Pretty Street: Request for proposals
The City has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select not-for-profit housing providers to develop rental housing at 2 Pretty Street. Staff expect to see a new low-rise apartment building (up to four storeys), with parking and an outdoor amenity space for tenants on the property. Click here for more info…
2026 Stittsville Volunteer Awards: call for nominations
Do you know a person, business or community group that has gone above and beyond to make a difference in Stittsville? We want to hear about them! The Stittsville Volunteer Awards are an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the dedication of volunteers in our community. Deadline is February 27. Click here for info…
Black History Month breakfast at City Hall
It was great to welcome Chuks Onwuachi and Natalie Taite to City Hall for a Black History Month celebration breakfast hosted by Councillor Rawlson King. These two Stittsville residents are leaders in Ottawa’s Black community.
Chuks was recently recognized by Black History Ottawa with the Community Builder Award for his work with The Brotherhood Coalition (BHC). BHC works with Black men to support each other’s personal growth, well-being, and positive transformation.
Natalie is on the board of Ottawa Young Black Professionals, a group that provides mentorship, coaching, and knowledge‑sharing opportunities. Professionally, she’s led initiatives in anti‑racism and anti‑discrimination in the public service.
During Black History Month there are activities and events happening across Ottawa, and this was another opportunity to honour the historical contributions, cultural heritage, and achievements of leaders like Chuks and Natalie in our community.
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