The past week was a busy one for Councillor Gower and he is sharing the information that Stittsville residents should be made aware of from details of the City of Ottawa budget being passed on December 11th to the good news that Ottawa Council passed his motion to improve primary care and that discussions with city staff will begin – there will be a public meeting in the new year. Don’t forget to register for the free Holiday Skate on December 21 with the Councillor and his team. He extends Thanks to Stittsville residents Brown’s YIG, Brandon & Megan’s No Frills and OC Transpo for another successful food drive for the Stittsville Food Bank. He wants everyone to stay safe this winter and shares the Ottawa Police Services safety tips. He also shares the final recommended traffic calming plan for Sweetnam Drive. And, a survey to complete about the Stittsville Winter Trail Network.

The 2025 City Budget
City Council approved the 2025 City Budget at a 9-hour meeting last Wednesday. It’s a reasonable budget, with more investments in key areas like transit, housing, safety and security, and roads. Some highlights:
- Residents will see an overall tax increase of 3.9 per cent.
- It includes $54.2 million in savings through service reviews and continuous improvement initiatives, bringing the total to $207.7 million in savings since 2023.
- For OC Transpo, Equipass fares for low-income riders are frozen for the sixth year in a row; the $58.25 Seniors pass rate in 2025 will be a 57% discount off the regular adult price; and most other fares will go up by 5%, equal to 20 cents for an adult fare.
- Investments for Stittsvile include $10.5-million for the Carp Road upgrade; $2.3-million for 22 new firefighters; and money for both Fernbank District Park and Crossway Park.
You can find more information about the budget here:
- Council approves 2025 City Budget
- Investments for Stittsville in the 2025 budget
- 20 points about Ottawa’s 2025 Transit Budget

Council approves primary care motion
Also last week at City Council, my motion passed unanimously to improve primary care in our community:
“THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff be directed to enter into discussions with the Kanata-Stittsville Family Health Team proponents to examine how a portion of the municipal land at 1655 Maple Grove Road could be made available for health care use…”
Similar health hubs supported by neighbouring municipalities have demonstrated the ability to attract physicians, registered nurses, and other health care professionals, allowing them to quickly scale up primary care access. This project could serve nearly 50,000 residents across Ottawa. Read more…
We’ll be organizing an info meeting about this project in early 2025, stay tuned!

DECEMBER 21: Holiday Skate / Patinage de fêtes
Come join me and my team for a free holiday skate in support of the Stittsville Food Bank. It’s on Saturday, December 21 with two skates at 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. at CARDELREC. Registration is required. We still have some spots left!

OC Transpo Food Drive
Thank you Stittsville for your generosity! Over $5,000 and 5,750 items were collected in Stittsville during the 40th Annual OC Transpo Food Drive for the Stittsville Food Bank on Saturday. Thank you to all of the volunteers from the Stittsville Food Bank and from the Stittsville Rockets for your help. And thanks to the staff at Brown’s Your Independent Grocer and Brandon & Megan’s No Frills for hosting this year’s collection. Please remember to give generously to the food bank during this busy holiday season!

Stay Safe This Winter Season: Ice, Trail, and Winter Activity Safety Tips
With winter in full swing, the Ottawa Police Service reminds residents to exercise caution during seasonal activities and follow essential precautions to stay safe. Check out their tips for ice safety, trail safety, snowmobile safety, tobogganing safety, and more…

UPDATE: Sweetnam Drive Neighbourhood Traffic Calming (NTC) Study
An update on the Sweetnam Drive Traffic Calming Study project including the final recommended traffic calming plan has been posted on the City’s project webpage. The next step in the process is to complete the final project approvals and then initiate the detailed design, which typically requires one year to complete. The construction is typically undertaken the following year.

Take the Stittsville Winter Trail Network survey
Walking, biking, skiing in a winter wonderland. This scene is what a group of community volunteers hope to create in Stittsville. You are invited to complete this survey to help gauge support and determine direction for the project going forward: https://forms.gle/Bdy1MLLfeYJRY37p8

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