With another week quickly passing, Councillor Gower has some updates and information to share with residents. Attending a workshop last week, Councillor Gower shares the release of new data on homelessness in Ottawa from the 2024 Point-in-Time Count that is concerning and outlines the actions that the City is taking or has done to assist with the situation. The Councillor has invited residents to his Family Funday at the CARDELREC Complex-Goulbourn on Family Day and asks that those attending bring along a donation of non-perishable food for the Stittsville Food Bank. Have you registered for the Coldest Night of the Year on February 22nd? If you can’t walk, you can always make a donation to Lionhearts Inc. Para Transpo talks are taking place on February 12 and 13 and both are on Zoom. From traffic safety to the Planning & Housing Committee items, Councillor Gower sums it up under his Odds & Ends. If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Councillor’s office at the details below.
New data gives insight into homelessness in Ottawa
Last week I attended a workshop to mark the release of new data on homelessness in Ottawa from the 2024 Point-in-Time Count shows a concerning trend of rising numbers of individuals struggling to find stable housing, with 2,952 individuals experiencing homelessness.
- The average age of someone experiencing homelessness for the first time is 32, with the largest age group being 36 to 49 years old.
- 56% of respondents identified as male, 36% as female, and 2% as Two Spirit, trans-women, trans-man, or non-binary.
- 56% of respondents identified as racialised, and 19% identified as Indigenous or having Indigenous ancestry.
- 42% were immigrants, refugees, and refugee claimants. Of these, 56% have been in Canada for less than a year.
- 556 people were living unsheltered or in encampments
The data demonstrates that homelessness is not simply an individual issue, but rather, is a consequence of a combination of factors, such as trauma, poverty, discrimination, and migration, that contribute to its prevalence. You can find more information about the survey data on my web site: glengower.ca
So what is the City doing to help?
Some highlights of work being done by City staff and community partner agencies to create more emergency shelter space and transitional housing in recent months. Some examples:
- The City acquired a former retirement home in the Corkstown Road area that has been converted into an emergency shelter for 170 families.
- The City acquired a former convent building on St. Joseph Boulevard that is being converted to transitional housing for newcomers.
- Cornerstone Emergency Shelter for Women was permanently relocated and increased its capacity to 150 permanent beds and 15 overflow beds.
- The City is helping to purchase up to 20, 4 to 5-bedroom homes throughout the community to be used as transitional housing to support up to 200 people at a time.
- The City has leased a vacant office building on Queen Street to create transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness. This location is currently being renovated/upgraded for use as housing.
- A vacant federal government building on Lanark Avenue was repurposed to provide at least 25 additional shelter spaces
- The Shepherds of Good Hope are developing approx. 50 new units for transitional housing
You can find more information about the City’s work on housing and homelessness at ottawa.ca.
FEBRUARY 17: Family Day fun at CARDELREC!
From 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., come to CARDELREC Recreation Complex (1500 Shea Road) and enjoy free skating, swimming, an open gym, fitness classes, cookie decorating, a kinder gym, a magic show, hot chocolate, popcorn, and a community marketplace. Try it all! Fill out your passport to be entered for a chance to win a City of Ottawa Swag Bag! As part of the Family Fun Day, we’re teaming up with Stittsville Food Bank to support families in need. Help make a difference by donating non-perishable food items. More info…
Coldest Night of the Year
Join us on Saturday, February 22 for the annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in support of Lionhearts Inc., 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.
Sign up to walk with us! There is no cost to register. You can join our team (Councillor Glen & Friends), or create your own team with friends, neighbours, co-workers, etc. If you can’t join us for the walk, consider making a donation to Lionhearts. You can donate directly online, and contributions of $20 or more will receive a tax receipt.
Para Transpo Talk Sessions: February 12 and 13
You’re invited to Para Transpo Talk on Wednesday, February 12 and Thursday, February 13. Para Transpo Talk is a series of customer engagement events that are open to all Para Transpo customers, their families, companions and support persons. All are welcome, no matter how often you take Para Transpo.
The next opportunity is virtual and will take place on the following dates on Zoom:
- Wednesday, February 12: 2 pm to 3:30 pm
- Thursday, February 13: 7 pm to 8:30 pm
The meeting link is available at octranspo.com.
Odds & Ends
Upcoming traffic safety meetings
We’re hosting two online information meetings in the coming weeks to gather resident feedback about potential traffic safety measures:
- February 18: Temporary traffic calming measures on Springbrook Drive in Amberwood.
- February 26: Temporary traffic calming measures on Kittiwake Drive in Timbermere.
Planning and Housing Committee recap
- The committee received a land-survey report showing Ottawa has ample lands to support the growth projections of the City’s Official Plan. The Greenfield Residential Land Survey monitors the residential land supply within that greenfield area.
- The Committee also approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to establish land-use policy for siting Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Ottawa. BESS are an emerging battery technology that can help make the electricity system more reliable by drawing and storing energy from the grid during off-peak hours, when demand is low, and discharging it back to the grid when needed.
- The Committee directed staff to bring forward a zoning amendment to permit shelter use in all urban zones, consistent with the proposal put forth in the draft comprehensive Zoning By-law.
All items go to City Council for approval on Wednesday.
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