COMMUNITY NOTES: from the desk of Councillor Gower

This week Councillor Gower shares comments on the recent hydro outage; he provides information and links to events being celebrated in March from Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie; if you have a private snow plow service, the city wants to hear from you at the link below regarding a regulations review; if you haven’t done so, March 7 is the last day to provide your comments on the draft Solid Waste Management Plan; he reminds residents that March 21 is the deadline for your property tax payment and the last day for the Vacant Unit Tax declaration; the Stittsville Library is offering tax clinics; don’t get caught by fraudsters, register for the OPP’s Anti-Fraud presentation being hosted by the Councillor. The Ottawa West Winter Trail is holding a fundraiser to assist them for grooming the trails and Councillor Gower asks those who use the trail to consider supporting them. A reminder for youth that the Stittsville Community Youth Centre has opened. And, should you need assistance with any issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Councillor for assistance.

Sign at the Hydro Ottawa Operations Centre.

Extreme weather and improving hydro resiliency
Over 10,000 Stittsville households lost power for several hours on a very windy and cold night last week. I’ve heard from several residents who are concerned about the resiliency of our public infrastructure in the face of increasingly severe weather, and in particular the importance of ensuring that our hydro infrastructure is secure.

I share your concerns and can confirm that emergency preparedness and improving infrastructure resiliency is a key focus of both the City of Ottawa and Hydro Ottawa. The 2018 tornadoes, the 2022 derecho, the freezing rain storm last April, and tornadoes again last summer have sharpened the urgency to harden our municipal infrastructure.

Hydro Ottawa is making some major investments to replace aging infrastructure and to harden key infrastructure. Read my Notebook for more about what Hydro Ottawa is doing to prepare for extreme weather and climate change.

C’est le mois de la Francophonie!
All over the world, Francophones and Francophiles celebrate the French language and the Francophonie during the month of March, culminating with International Francophonie Day on March 20th.

Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF) highlights hundreds of activities that are planned across the country, including multicultural gatherings, performances, film screenings, contests, and educational activities in French throughout the month of March. For more, be sure to check out the events calendar on the RVF website.

(We publish a monthly calendar listing the main commemorative dates of different religions and cultures, as well as important dates related to the strengthening of human rights and diversity.)

We need your input on regulations for private snow plow contractors
The City is currently reviewing regulations in the Licensing By-law for snow plow contractors working on private property. Participate in the online survey on Engage Ottawa to share your feedback on these regulations for private snow plow contractors. The survey will be open for responses until Sunday, March 31.

Take the garbage survey
There’s still time (until Thursday, March 7) to share your thoughts about Ottawa’s draft Solid Waste Master Plan. Ottawa’s vision is to be a zero-waste city. And yet, more than half of what we throw in the garbage could be recycled or composted. We need a plan that can stand up to challenges such as climate change and a landfill that is filling up fast. An online survey lets you weigh in on issues such as landfill vs. incineration; reduction and re-use of waste; curbside pick-up options; and lots more. Visit Engage Ottawa to take a survey and register to participate in a virtual information session or an in-person open house.

Deadline for interim property taxes and Vacant Unit Tax declarations is March 21
For more property tax information:

Residential property owners can complete the Vacant Unit Tax easily online at ottawa.ca/vut. All you need is your roll number and access code, which can be found on either the information email or letter sent to your home and your property tax bill. If you are registered with My SeviceOttawa, you can go directly to the declaration from your property tax account. Alternate and accessible declaration options are available.

Stittsville Library Tax Clinics
The Ottawa Public Library is partnering with Canada Revenue Agency to offer free tax preparation through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). Do you need help with your tax return? If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, trained volunteers may be able to complete your tax return for you for free. The Stittsville Branch will be hosting tax clinics in the small tutoring room for 5 sessions through March and April – clients will have a 45-minute slot where one tax return will be completed. For the volunteer to complete your income tax and benefit return for you, make sure you have your tax information slips, receipts, Social Insurance Number, and identification. This service is first come, first serve but registration is required. There is a sign-up sheet at the information desk to save your spot – please visit the branch in-person to make an appointment.

Thursday March 7, 2024 – 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – 1:00-4:00
Thursday, April 4, 2024 – 1:00-4:00
Tuesday April 9, 2024 – 1:00-4:00

The library is located at 1637 Stittsville Main Street.

March 26: Anti-fraud Presentation by OPP
In collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police, our office is hosting a community-wide information evening on anti-fraud and scam prevention on March 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at CARDELREC (1500 Shea Road) in the upstairs multipurpose room. OPP has a mandate to support and deliver crime-prevention initiatives across the Province and has been working closely with Ottawa Police Community Policing. Anti-Fraud (Scams) affects not only our Seniors, but many other residents of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. This event is open to everyone. Please register in advance.
See more events at glengower.ca/events/

Ottawa West Winter Trail fundraiser
The Ottawa West Winter Trail has been running officially now for three seasons, with volunteers grooming 21km of multi-use trail in the west end. I know that many Stittsville residents (including me!) use these trails throughout the winter. Please consider supporting the OWWT in their fundraising campaign. This gem of a trail is entirely run by volunteers and can’t continue without your support. You can contribute via the GoFundMe page, or contact info.owwt@gmail.com to ask about a tax receipt.

Stittsville Youth Centre
The Stittsville Youth Centre provides a place for youth (grades 9 through 12) to safely gather, socialize, relax, and make new friends. There is no cost! The centre will be open weekly on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., 2nd floor of Frederick Banting High School at 1453 Stittsville Main Street. We hope to see you there! For more information or if you would like to volunteer to help out with this great initiative, please contact: glynn.kneebone@kiwanis-kanatastittsville.ca.

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. – Councillor Glen Gower

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