Newsletters

My newsletter has evolved into a combination of a blog, column, and editorial. Published every Tuesday, it’s the best way to learn more about what’s on my mind and what’s happening in the community, the city, and at City Hall!

An archive of past newsletter issues is at the bottom of the page.

Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: June 27, 2023

Let’s talk about the updates to the Use and Care of Roads By-law which passed Transportation Committee last week. Municipal roadways are bound by an area known as the right-of-way (RoW) abutting private properties. Generally, the RoW extends a few metres from the curb or road edge.

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Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: June 13, 2023

Parsnip. Delicious root vegetable or dangerous invasive species? The answer is yes to both.

Each spring, the City of Ottawa begins its annual effort to address the species with the goal of reducing its pervasiveness in highly infested areas to protect environmentally sensitive areas and public safety.

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Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: June 6, 2023

Yesterday, the controversial bag tag proposal was discussed and voted on at the Environment Committee. Some Councillors introduced amending motions to change the bag limit, when tags would be required, and public education initiatives, but the item ultimately landed a tied 5-5 vote. 

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Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: May 30, 2023

Over the next few weeks, residents will receive a letter jointly from the City of Ottawa and Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC). SLWC is an independent company endorsed by the City to provide homeowners with optional and voluntary protection plans to cover repair costs associated with the homeowner portion of water, sewer/septic, and stormwater service lines (connecting the mains with homes).

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Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: May 16, 2023

Earlier in the year, I was invited to join the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s (CUTA) Transit Board Members Committee (TBMC). The TBMC is comprised of people— mostly elected officials — who sit on transit committees, commissions, or their local equivalents across the country.

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Newsletter Wilson Lo Newsletter Wilson Lo

Weekly newsletter: May 2, 2023

You may have heard the city is considering implementing a bag-and-tag system. It limits each household to two bags of garbage every two weeks and provides them with an annual allotment of tags for additional bags

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Newsletter archive

  • All newsletters below have bite-sized updates, too.

    • January 13, 2026 - Circular Materials, update on Beatrice/Queensbury bus shelter, heartfelt thanks to Carleton Lodge

    • January 20, 2026 - Transit fleet situation, cancelled trips, electric buses

    • January 27, 2026 - Replacement recycling bins, dog designation at Chapman Mills forests, winter heating safety

    • February 3, 2026 - Looking ahead to construction season, Amazon update

    • February 10, 2026 - More recycling information, coyotes, Amazon update

    • February 17, 2026 - Waste collection, Deerfox/Woodroffe closure, Cresthaven Drive watermain break

    • February 24, 2026 - Three-stream bins at parks, Beryl Gaffney Park

    • March 3, 2026 - Disc golf, weekend water rescue

    • March 11, 2026 - Update on recycling bins, Thare Cr. dog run access

    • March 17, 2026 - High water use alerts, Cleaning the Capital

    • March 24, 2026 - Waste collection changes, Cleaning the Capital, Amazon

    • March 31, 2026 - Waste collection changes, washrooms at Tunney’s Pasture Station

    • April 7, 2026 - waste collection details, community events

    • April 15, 2026 - Walter Baker Sports Centre, traffic enforcement, sprung structure freedom of information request

    • April 21, 2026 - Private well water testing, OC Transpo spring schedule change

    • April 28, 2026 - Vigil details for crossing guard Peter Clark, spring tree planting, Greenbank transformer station, Provincial Road Safety Initiatives Fund, Earl Mulligan Drive traffic calming

    • May 5, 2026 - Bite-sized updates

    • May 12, 2026 - 3400 Woodroffe public meeting notes, south end truck route study

    • May 19, 2026 - update on the proposed disc golf baskets

    • May 26, 2026 - upcoming installation of three-stream waste containers, future of parks waste collection

    • June 2, 2026 - bite-sized updates, trivia

    • June 9, 2026 - Bite-sized updates, meet your Community Police Officer, events this weekend

    • June 16, 2026 - robotics showcase, smaller update

    • June 23, 2026 - Construction/renovation waste, bite-sized updates

    • June 30, 2026 - Canada Day information, water safety, bite-sized updates

    • July 7, 2026 - Fallowfield Road resurfacing, flood resources and waste disposal

    • July 15, 2026 - Canada Day rainstorm + Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) funding, Heavy trucks on Crestway

    • January 7, 2025 - O-Train Trillium Line opens

    • January 14, 2025 - Small Trillium Line update, Idling By-law

    • January 21, 2025 - Trillium Line update, March break registration, traffic calming measures

    • January 28, 2025 - Recreation registration, Walter Baker Sports Centre pool, board and advisory recruitment

    • February 4, 2025 - Trillium Line service updates, shelter permissions in the Zoning By-law, provincial election signs

    • February 11, 2025 - Shelter permissions, 80 years since the Rhineland Campaign

    • February 18, 2025 - Snowfall cleanup continues, Windrows, The other Super Bowl

    • February 25, 2025 - newcomer reception centre (sprung structure)

    • March 4, 2025 - Snowbank removal, Mois de la Francophonie, Greenbank Road pathway

    • March 18, 2025 - Chapman Mills and St. Emily school traffic. Greenbank Road realignment, lawn lights

    • March 25, 2025 - Newcomer reception centre update, street racing and noise enforcement, Federal election signs, World War II: Commonwealth Air Training Plan

    • April 1, 2025 - OPS’ CAMSafe program, shelter zoning permissions

    • April 8, 2025 - Transportation Master Plan update, Cleaning the Capital, upcoming construction

    • April 15, 2025 - feedback for Fallowfield/Greenbank,Easter weekend schedule changes, spring tree planting

    • April 22, 2025 - The “why” behind OC Transpo service cuts

    • April 29, 2025 - New Ways to Bus field notes, have your say on City issues

    • May 6, 2025 - Finchley Park swings, Oak wilt, Liberation of the Netherlands

    • May 13, 2025 - Barrhaven Pumping Station, community association, free well water testing for Hearts Desire/Rideau Glen, OC Transpo service observations

    • May 20, 2025 - Yard waste peak season, Ottawa Farmers’ Market – Barrhaven, Ottawa Race Weekend

    • May 23, 2025 - Special update: Water rate structure review

    • May 27, 2025 - Leikin Dr. closure, water rate structure review, traffic asset inventory, security at City Hall

    • June 3, 2025 - Environmental investigation at 1005, 1045 Greenbank, special well water testing drop-off, personal consumption of alcohol in parks, O-Train Line 1 June adjustments, O-Train Line 2

    • June 10, 2025 - Administrative penalty system (parking tickets), Auditor General 2026-2027 workplan survey, local road closures and construction, recreation closures

    • June 17, 2025 - Future of our waste management

    • June 24, 2025 - Canada Day celebrations, Leikin Drive closure, recreation updates

    • December 31, 2024 - no newsletter (New Year’s week)

    • December 24, 2024 - no newsletter (Christmas week)

    • December 17, 2024 - Strandherd/Beatrice traffic signals, 2025 budget approved, Vacant Unit Tax, A reflection on 2024, what a year! 

    • December 10, 2024 - snow clearing, Trillium Line opening, Service Line Warranties of Canada

    • December 3, 2024 - Trillium Line dress rehearsal, sprung structure (staff-led information session)

    • November 26, 2024 - transit budget, Trillium Line, rest of the budget, upcoming things to do

    • November 19, 2024 - 2025 budget early thoughts, sortation facility, Greenbank pathway, purple LED streetlights

    • November 12, 2024 - sprung structure update, sites selected, scoring criteria, next steps

    • November 8, 2024 - special update on sprung structure shelters

    • November 5, 2024 - Remembrance Day, sprung structure shelter update nine, fenced dog parks, Andy Haydon

    • October 29, 2024 - sprung structure shelter update eight, Trillium Line trial running, O-Train Line 1 service disruptions

    • October 22, 2024 - Foot Guards Park barbecue, Trillium Line trial running update, O-Train Line 1 service disruptions, sprung structure shelter

    • October 15, 2024 - Trillium Line trial running, sprung structure shelter update, additional parking for Carleton students

    • October 8, 2024 - sprung structure shelter update, Trillium Line testing

    • October 1, 2024 - fenced dog parks, autumn tree planting, O-Train Line 1 service

    • September 24, 2024 - St. Mother Teresa High School pedestrian crossover, Journée des Franco-Ontariens/ennes, new garbage limit, O-Train Line 1 service, get help with snow clearing

    • September 17, 2024 - sprung structure shelter update, Stoneway/Woodroffe road cut, 2025 municipal budget directions

    • September 10, 2024 - late-night traffic enforcement, police station update, traffic updates, Zoning By-law public virtual consultation

    • September 3, 2024 - school zone speed limits, waste collection vehicles update, Harvest Fest

    • August 27, 2024 - Labour Day reminder, back to school, waste containers in parks

    • August 20, 2024 - Greenbank/Highbury Park traffic signals, sidewalk inspections, O-Train partial closure, U-Pass and student card integration

    • August 13, 2024 - Mayor's press conference

    • August 6, 2024 - Strandherd traffic signals, transit funding, Marketplace towers, sprung structure shelter update

    • July 30, 2024 - Fallowfield/Transitway signals, sprung structure shelter update, E. coli at beaches

    • July 23, 2024 - community barbecue, sprung structure shelter update, police enforcement, Fallowfield/Transitway signals, new bike posts

    • July 16, 2024 - catch basins, Woodroffe resurfacing, Clearbrook/Longfields modifications

    • July 9, 2024 - Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy and sprung structure shelters

    • July 2, 2024 - no newsletter (Canada Day)

    • June 25, 2024 - summer construction update, student artwork (traffic light boxes), water safety, Canada Day

    • June 18, 2024 - rats

    • June 11, 2024 - new zoning by-law

    • June 4, 2024 - D-Day, new garbage limit, yard waste

    • May 28, 2024 - city grass cutting, Greenbank Greenbelt pathway, special consideration waste collection

    • May 21, 2024 - waste collection vehicles, visit a local business

    • May 14, 2024 - fireworks safety, changes to policing, planned summer construction projects

    • May 7, 2024 - Volunteer Ottawa VOscars

    • April 30, 2024 - tree planting, sewer cleaning

    • April 23, 2024 - sports fields delayed opening

    • April 16, 2024 - water rate structure review

    • April 9, 2024 - tree planting programme survey, fibre optic installation

    • April 2, 2024 - curb weeds, Earl Mulligan traffic calming

    • March 26, 2024 - benches, Easter schedule changes

    • March 19, 2024 - upgrades to 3-1-1, debt collection bungle

    • March 12, 2024 - no newsletter (March Break)

    • March 8, 2024 - special comment about the family lost to tragedy

    • March 5, 2024 - Woodroffe Avenue lane reductions, Solid Waste Master Plan, Minto Recreation Complex annual pool maintenance

    • February 27, 2024 - Stoneway/Woodroffe partial no-right-on-red, property taxes

    • February 20, 2024 - Solid Waste Master Plan

    • February 13, 2024 - library and recreation updates, Winterlude, Family Day event at Centrepointe Park

    • February 6, 2024 - bus network realignment and explanation of routes

    • January 30, 2024 - developer contributions, tribute to Merv Beckstead

    • January 23, 2024 - Woodroffe water main repair, snowbank removal

    • January 16, 2024 - snow clearing, vehicle thefts, Woodroffe/Slack water main works

    • January 9, 2024 - Woodroffe/Slack water main works, vacant unit tax, new year's eve event

    • January 2, 2024 - no newsletter (new year's week)

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