Our Ward 8 Council meeting was on Wednesday Oct 23rd from 7pm-9pm at Ben Franklin Place in room 1A (beside the Service Ottawa area).
We were joined by the Ottawa Police Service for an informal discussion about community safety and policing.
Ward 8 Council Meeting Minutes
Oct 23, 2024
We were joined by the following officers from Ottawa Police Service:
Sgt. John Drader, Community Police Officer: draderj@ottawapolice.ca
Isp. Ian Hayes, West: hayesl@ottawapolice.ca
Sgt. Craig Roberts, District Traffic Manager: robertsc@ottawapolice.ca
Sgt. Joel Demore, Neighbourhood Watch: demorej@ottawapolice.ca
Key Discussion Topics & Resources:
Ward 8 Crime Trends: Crime Trends for City of Ottawa Wards (ottawapolice.ca)
- Relatively low frequency
- Most persistent problem is theft, shoplifting (retail/LCBO)
- There have been a couple of shootings but there are no trends, events unrelated, low frequency.
Neighbourhood Watch Program: Neighbourhood Watch – Ottawa Police Service
- About getting to know your neighbours, looking out for one another.
Community Policing Strategy & District Deployment Model: Community Policing Strategy and District Deployment Model City Council Technical Briefing, Tuesday – Ottawa Police Service
- A return to previous ways of policing where officers are assigned to set neighbourhoods, facilities relationship building and builds knowledge of community.
- More police presence throughout the city, staffing pressures continue to create barriers to local enforcement.
Traffic Enforcement:
- Traffic complaints can be filed online or via phone: Traffic Complaint – Ottawa Police Service, reviewed to better target enforcement efforts.
- 14 dedicated traffic officers across the city. New model allows them to be deployed to strategic locations (largely on arterial roads like Merivale, Hunt Club, Greenbank, etc).
- Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR): Tool that reads license plates, alerts issued for stolen vehicles, no insurance, amber alert, suspended license, etc: In-Car Cameras – Ottawa Police Service
- Intelligence-led enforcement model implemented, based on data provided by analysts. Prioritize based on hot spots, automated speed enforcement cameras, community complaints, capacity, etc.
- Strained resources mean focus is on high end speeders, stunt driving, street racing, excessive vehicle noise. Working to address street racing meetups on Merivale Rd.
- Residents matter enforcement initiative resulted in 785 charges, mostly geared toward stunt driving: Residents Matter traffic enforcement initiative – Ottawa Police Service
- For the most recent social media updates follow @OPSTrafficCM on twitter/X
Other Updates:
Baseline / Greenbank Intersection: Open House
- As part of the development of the Baseline BRT, the city will be rebuilding the intersection at Greenbank and Baseline to improve priority transit access and active transportation routes. City staff will host an Open House to share more information about the design on October 30, 2024, 6pm-8pm. The meeting will be held in the Chambers at Ben Franklin Place (101 Centrepointe Dr): Baseline/Greenbank transit priority intersection improvements | City of Ottawa.
Community Partnership Insurance Program:
- Staff have offered assurance that the program will be maintained under the updated eligibility requirements. Will be considered as part of 2025 budget discussions in the coming weeks.
City Budget 2025: City Budget 2025 | Engage Ottawa
- Draft budget will be tabled at Council on November 13
- Each committee meeting that follows will have debate / discussions related to budget requirements.
- Council will approve the 2025 budget on December 11
- These meetings will be aired live via the City’s YouTube channel: Ottawa City Council – YouTube. There is an opportunity to delegate at committees
Outdoor Rink Program:
- Let the Councillor’s office know if you need volunteer support. We can help to spread the word and connect community members
- Risk that Kenson Park community might lose their ODR if volunteers are not identified
Algonquin College Master Development Plan: Public Consultation Nov 4
If you have thoughts about the future of Algonquin College, be sure to attend the Master Campus Development Plan (MCDP). The plan will address building needs, investments, affordable housing for international students, student spaces, sustainability, active transportation, and future trends. Join the consultation on November 4, 2024 at 7pm. To RSVP, visit: Master Campus Development Plan Consultation, Public Session Tickets, Mon, 4 Nov 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
613-580-2478 | collegeward@ottawa.ca | college-ward.ca
