Councillor Gower is sharing information and updates this week for City of Ottawa programs, zoning, Ottawa Police Service news and various events. He wants to ensure that residents are aware of what is happening in the community.
Draft #2 of the New Zoning By-Law
File this under “boring” but also “important”: the City has released Draft #2 of the new Zoning By-law.
The new Zoning By-law will implement the policies and directions in the City’s Official Plan which guides growth and development within the city over the next couple of decades.
Most of the proposed changes in the second draft are technical and aren’t a big shift from what was proposed in the first draft. The more significant changes proposed address five key issues that were identified during the 2024 public consultations:
- Minimum parking rates in villages
- Maximum building heights in N1/N2 Neighbourhood zones
- Conversion of R4 zones to N4 zones
- Building-height transition framework
- Communal parking lot permissions in all Neighbourhood zones
You can find more information on my web site: https://www.glengower.ca/information/city-releases-the-second-draft-of-the-new-zoning-by-law/
If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to glen.gower@ottawa.ca. You can also contact the new Zoning By-law project team at NewZoning@ottawa.ca or visit the Engage Ottawa page.
Please stay off sports fields and baseball diamonds!
The snow is melting, but ball diamonds and sports fields still need maintenance and drying time before they open and could be damaged if used while in their current condition. The City’s Parks & Recreation department will confirm opening dates soon.
Recap of Transit Committee meeting
I’ve shared a recap of our meeting from last week, including the latest on the east and west LRT extensions, the fare compliance program, New Ways to Bus network launching at the end of April, and lots more. Read more…
Zoning By-law Amendment application for Abbott’s Run next phase
The City of Ottawa has received a Zoning By-law Amendment application for 5618 Hazeldean Road and 5101 Abbott Street East for the next phases of Minto’s Abbott’s Run subdivision, consisting of low-rise residential uses, open space, and mixed-use zones. The proposed zoning amendment will permit the construction of 349 detached homes, 569 townhouses, and 461 condos. Read more…
Summary of feedback on Maple Grove speed humps
In March 2025 we hosted an information meeting about proposed speed humps on Maple Grove Road in Stittsville. We’ve posted a summary of the feedback, action items, and next steps. Read more…
Ottawa’s Next Culture Plan public engagement process launch
The City is launching the public engagement process for Ottawa’s Next Culture Plan. This is an opportunity for residents, cultural groups, and community leaders to help shape a new city-wide Cultural Plan that reflects all of Ottawa’s communities. Read more…
Save the date! Welcome to Stittsville Festival
Join us on Saturday, June 7 for the fourth annual Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival at Village Square Park in Stittsville. This free event showcases our diverse community, promotes new connections with residents, and welcomes new residents.
We’re looking for individuals, community groups and businesses who would like to participate with a booth/table, or on our performance stage. We also have spaces for food vendors and sponsors. Contact us for more information: glen.gower@ottawa.ca You can also visit the Facebook event page for more information.
Register for Cleaning the Capital
Show community pride, connect with neighbours, and help keep Stittsville clean, green and garbage-free! Registration is open now for the Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign. Register at ottawa.ca/clean/ to pick your park or greenspace, and order your free clean-up starter kit. Check out my web site for more info: https://www.glengower.ca/community/spring-2025-cleaning-the-capital-campaign/
The dangers of aggressive driving
Aggressive driving is an illegal and inexcusable high-risk driving behaviour that can come with a very high cost. In fact, from 2019-2023, 61% of fatal and major injury collisions involved high-risk driving behaviour on our city roads.
We all have a role in keeping our roads safe by obeying the speed limit and driving
responsibly:
- You may have noticed more automated speed enforcement cameras popping up around the city in recent years. That’s because they work! Data collected at original ASE pilot sites showed that prior to implementation, posted speed limit compliance was 16%; within three months it increased to 57%; after one year, a further increase to 69%; and after three years, compliance increased to 81%.
- The fines collected don’t just disappear—they’re reinvested into road safety initiatives, including engineering improvements, education programs, and enforcement efforts as part of the Road Safety Action Plan.
- Learn more about the Road Safety Action Plan and how Ottawa is working towards making our roads safer for all users.
- Visit the Ontario webpage on speeding and aggressive driving to learn about the dangers of aggressive driving, the consequences of speeding, and tips for staying alert and driving safely.
- Please slow down, stay patient, and follow the speed limit—road safety starts with you.
Stittsville Community Micro-Grant Program
Do you have an idea for an event or project in your neighbourhood? Maybe you want to spruce up a neighbourhood garden, offering free yoga in the park, or organize a community movie night? Your activity may be eligible for a 2025 Stittsville Micro-Grant of up to $200. Deadline to apply is March 31. Details here…
APRIL 5: OC Transpo New Ways to Bus information event
On Sunday, April 27 OC Transpo’s New Ways to Bus service changes launch City-wide and your routes will change. To help residents learn more about Stittsville’s route changes and get help in navigating these new routes, we are co-hosting a drop in event with OC Transpo at CARDELREC on Saturday, April 5 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. More info…
Stittsville Volunteer Awards
Do you know a person, business or community group going 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. There are six categories of awards and we’re accepting nominations until April 26. More info here…
Introducing CAMSafe
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is introducing CAMSafe, a new initiative designed to enhance crime prevention and assist in investigations by leveraging community security cameras. OPS is calling on residents with surveillance systems on their property to register and submit their interest in partnering with police to help keep neighbourhoods safe.
CAMSafe is a voluntary registry where residents and businesses can provide their contact details and indicate their willingness to share recorded security footage with police when needed. Officers do not have access to live footage and will only contact the public in the event an incident occurs in their area and footage from their device might be of use in an investigation. More information…
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