Weekly newsletter: October 24, 2023

Hello!

I’ve had the honour of serving as your Councillor for a year as of yesterday. That milestone certainly crept up on me when I was reminded about it yesterday. I guess time flies when you enjoy what you do (understandably, not all of it is fun).

From provincial changes, to learning about the city, our community, and your concerns more intimately, all the way to yesterday’s reversal of said provincial changes, to say the last 12 months was like drinking from a firehose would be an understatement. Several firehoses, perhaps.

The time and energy I expended on Lansdowne over the last two newsletter issues (Part 1, Part 2), the fact it continues to dominate my thoughts, and ongoing work in the background on other items with staff means I don’t have anything substantial to share this week.

A reminder Lansdowne will be discussed at committee next Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Last month, Council passed budget directions — parameters within which staff are to set next year’s City budget. The budget directions set by Council include a 2.5 per cent property tax and levy increase.

The 2024 City of Ottawa budget was tabled today, and now committees will begin discussing specific areas of the budget throughout the rest of the month, expected to rise back to Council for final discussions on December 6.

Like last year, Councillors Brown (Rideau-Jock), Hill (Barrhaven West), and Desroches (Riverside South-Findlay Creek) and I will be hosting a joint virtual budget consultation on November 20, 2023 at 6:30 pm.

I look forward to sharing more with you as the process begins and unfolds. Until then, I’d be happy to hear from you!

-Wilson