Orleans Ward 1 Candidates for the 2018 Ottawa municipal election had the opportunity to answer questions submitted by the community prior to the all-candidates meeting of 17 October 2018. Below are the questions and answers.

1. If elected, will you support the new Cultural Roadmap now in development by the local cultural community?

Rick Bedard:             Cultural industries account for roughly 630,000 jobs across Canada which contributes roughly $54.6 billion to Canada’s economy every year.  The Cultural Roadmap outlines plans to bolster Canada’s public broadcaster, which should help encourage competition in the private media sector and generally greaten the quality of journalism products.  It also discusses the need to strengthen Canada’s presence in the cultural sphere.  I support these goals and objectives and I look forward to learning more about how the roadmap will enhance our local cultural community.

Merielle Brownhill:    Yes, I will support the Cultural Roadmap. We must listen to and collaborate with the local cultural community in order to adequately represent its members at City Council, as well as understand their needs. I look forward to reading the Cultural Roadmap that is being developed and learning how I can support it in my role as Councillor.

Guy Desroches:         I will support the new Cultural Roadmap; Plan, Do, Check, and Act.

Je soutiendrai la nouvelle feuille de route culturelle; Planifiez, effectuez, vérifiez et agissez.

Dina Epale:               If elected, I will work closely with the local cultural community on a Cultural Roadmap. If we are to mobilize city resources, it will be important to be ready with a vision of what we need and a consensus on the priorities. We need to be able to articulate what a fully funded program would include as well as individual components that can be implemented as funding becomes available. The Roadmap is both a means of building consensus in Orléans and a starting point for discussions on funding.

Miranda Gray:           Yes, I will support it.

In general, I think it is good to have a short conversation with elected officials before starting a project of this nature (as I am certain was done) and then discuss it again as the plan develops. Overall, I am in favour of community organizations coming together in groups to present an united voice for the ward or the Eastern Bloc Wards. It is more powerful to be able to list a long group of organizations asking for support / funding from the city than to ask for each organization.

Matthew Luloff:         Yes. As a member of the local arts community, I support community-based initiatives such as the Cultural Roadmap. As the City Councillor for Orléans, I would want to be a part of the continued of development of that plan to ensure that it is both realistic and achievable, and takes into account the richness of the diversity of our ward.

Supporting our local arts and culture is a major priority in my platform

Qamar Masood:         Yes

Kevin Tetreault:         Yes, I would be interested in reviewing this plan and working with stakeholders to see how I can best support it as your councillor.

Don Yetman:             I would support any cultural Roadmap being developed by the Local Cultural Community as I feel that the promotion of the Arts is very important to the fabric of a community. In my platform, I have indicated the need in Orleans for more Community Arts locations, particularly in areas where we could create a “go to” community hub (perhaps St. Joseph Blvd). Also in my platform I discuss issues related to innovative methods of reducing vandalism and crime sometimes attributed to the young people. I think engaging youth in the Arts thru programs and opportunity is important

 

2. Many candidates have indicated revitalization of St-Joseph is a priority. Our main barrier to date has been to secure funding for a multi-million dollar infrastructure project on St-Joseph. What would you do to secure this funding and how to do see governments working together to pay for this initiative?

Rick Bedard:             Currently the St Joseph CIP has been in place now for about 10 years with mixed results. The City is responsible for providing infrastructure improvements and it is important to secure infrastructure funding from all three levels of government – provincial, municipal and federal.  Revitalization plans for St. Joseph Boulevard must also include input and participation of property and local business owners.  When elected, I plan on working with the Heart of Orleans BIA, it’s members and the community associations affected to help find the right approach for this area of Orléans.  As this area includes multiple wards, it will be important to work with my peers on City Council to secure this funding.

Merielle Brownhill:    I am happy to note that there is already funding in place for the most critical component of the St Joseph revitalization – the repaving.  In terms of securing funding for further stages of redevelopment, I would engage with key local groups such as the Heart of Orléans BIA and local business to understand their priorities in the redevelopment, and explore obtaining extra funding from the city; it is past due for our main street to be developed to its full potential and I’m sure we’ll be able to convince other councillors of the benefits of this project. We also need to explore funding opportunities with various other levels of government.

Guy Desroches:         In order to get funding, we need a plan that is not only to revitalize, but also make it about other concern like; culture, accessibility, diversity, society, and languages. Then go and get grants that support those issues.

Pour obtenir un financement, nous avons besoin d’un plan qui vise non seulement à revitaliser, mais aussi à prendre en compte d’autres préoccupations telles que; culture, accessibilité, diversité, société et langues. Ensuite, allez chercher des subventions pour résoudre ces problèmes.

Dina Epale:               There is already work underway to define what St. Joseph can be. That work needs to continue to provide a proposal that has broad community support and that can provide a necessary starting point for discussions on city funding.

Once the overall plan is in place, we can also look at discrete portions that could be built as funding becomes available (possibly in conjunction with other city projects on St. Joseph).

We need to leverage funding from the Provincial and Federal governments. Since St. Joseph is a city road, it is not directly eligible for funding from other levels of government. Nevertheless, we can look for areas of overlap between the interests of St. Joseph and the other levels of government. First, both have promised funding for Stage 2 LRT. This will include work connecting the LRT to other parts of the community, including St. Joseph. Second, there is continuing work to attract Federal employment. Any major facility would come with funding to ensure that it worked well with the existing infrastructure.

Although not directly related to financing St. Joseph, getting Stage 2 LRT built and safeguarding the existing bus lanes on the 174 to become high occupancy lanes would considerably reduce congestion on the 174. Increased capacity on the 174 corridor would allow traffic to be redirected off St. Joseph, which would simplify and reduce the cost of revitalizing St. Joseph.

Miranda Gray:           Unfortunately, the Transportation Master Plan which was approved back in 2013 did not list St Joseph Blvd as a priority project. In 2019, the work on the next master plan will begin. During this project, I will work to get the revitalization of St Joseph into the approved affordable priority project list.

Realistically, I don’t believe this road will see more than basic maintenance in the 2018-2022 council term. This road will see heavier use as the LRT construction causes congestion on the 174. (We can’t have both roads under construction at the same time.) Until we see the workplace from the selected LRT Phase 2 contractor, we will not know when St Joseph itself can be worked on.

My fear is if we begin this work before the LRT changes transportation patterns in the Ward, we will not have time to discuss what we want for St Joseph. It is currently an awkward combination of major arterial road and local main street. I favour redeveloping it as a Complete Main Street with small business, some housing and bike lanes along from 10th Line to Forest Valley.

Matthew Luloff:         Funding is a crucial element to the redevelopment of St. Joseph, but not the only one.

The first job would be to ensure that we align approaches with neighbouring City Councillors in Cumberland and Innes Wards, along with MPP Marie-France Lalonde, and MP Andrew Leslie, so that we are speaking with a single voice on this project. We need to work together as a strong team.

Next, I want to engage with developers to look at ways we can intensify development to revitalize the infrastructure along St-Joseph so that we can attract more people to live along the Boulevard. Once we have more people living in the area, along with improved infrastructure, greater economic activity will follow.

The Elgin Street project serves as a model for how the city can successfully engage with Hydro Ottawa and Hydro One to help cover the cost of removing hydro polls and burying that infrastructure underground.

This project must be one done in collaboration with all three levels of government along with the private sector to ensure the best out come for our community.

Qamar Masood:         My plan for St. Joseph Blvd is to: create a middle turning lane for safer and efficient driving. I also plan to create a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists while keeping the roads and sidewalks well maintained.

Kevin Tetreault:         There is no doubt that work needs to be down on St. Joseph Boulevard. My understanding is that they intend to repave St. Joseph in 2019 at the very least. The city has done an excellent job to date upgrading the portion from Old Tenth Line to Trim Road and incorporating round-about to keep traffic moving. My immediate priority is to explore how can replicate this success along the remainder of the boulevard and incorporate bike lanes where it makes sense.

Colleges and Universities are a great generator of new businesses. If you look at the University of Waterloo, the University churns out new companies constantly. A similar opportunity exists at Carleton University which is utilizing Invest Ottawa and Venus’ labs in Orleans to stimulate the growth of new businesses. If I am elected, I would like to work with existing colleges and universities in our community to explore how we can accelerate the creation of new businesses and encourage them to locate on St. Joseph. A thriving business community will make it easier for us to advocate for additional investment from the federal, provincial and city government.

Don Yetman:             I have noted in my platform that the next few years are crucial to determining what should happen to St. Jo, and I have noted that there are “short term” and longer term actions that need to take place. Short term fixes can be cheap, quick fix items like enforcing speed limits, adding additional crosswalks, planting greenery, etc.

Longer term we need to pull ideas from studies already done on St. Jo, and come up with a plan to move forward. I would then hold discussions other councillors and appropriate committees to firm up the plan.   Once a plan has been agreed to, I would engage our local MP and MPP to tap available avenues to secure multi-year funding. I would also make presentations to appropriate City Planning and development committees to get St. Jo. On the agenda. Lastly, I would also like to have a complete review of planned infrastructure work in the area to ensure it conforms to the plan.

 

3. If you are elected, what will you do to address the level of community concern regarding security and increased crime in Orleans?

Rick Bedard:             Orléans is a vibrant community but sadly it is not immune to crime.  Security and safety of our neighbourhoods is indeed an issue.   When elected, I will bring together community associations, various stakeholder associations and City officials along with our police services to discuss the best ways to tackle crime in our community. This cannot be done without the precious collaboration of our community groups, City staff and community leaders. Our solutions will need to be creative and effective.

Merielle Brownhill:    Orléans residents have voiced some concerns after a few incidents that occurred during the summer. I believe it would be beneficial for our community to have more Community Police Officers, to help build relationships between the Ottawa Police Services and the residents. Crime Prevention Ottawa is also doing great work developing community-based crime prevention strategies; I would implement some of their initiatives in collaboration with residents, community groups and businesses to help create safe and welcoming communities. One of the positive outcomes after the community consultation this summer was the number of new Neighbourhood Watch groups that have been created.

Guy Desroches:         We need to bring back community policing, neighborhood watch, and special constables that would concentrate on traffic issues, that would free up police to fight crime.

Nous devons ramener la police communautaire, la surveillance de quartier et des gendarmes spéciaux qui se concentrent sur les problèmes de circulation, qui permettraient à la police de lutter contre le crime.

Dina Epale:               We need to start with a very good understanding of the current level and nature of crime in Orléans. There is a perception that crime is increasing, we need to know whether this is based on evidence.

Regardless of the current state of crime in the area, we need to work with the Ottawa Police to understand any emerging issues and to work with community groups proactively to head off potential future problems.

Miranda Gray:           Unfortunately, the Transportation Master Plan which was approved back in 2013 did not list St Joseph Blvd as a priority project. In 2019, the work on the next master plan will begin. During this project, I will work to get the revitalization of St Joseph into the approved affordable priority project list.

Realistically, I don’t believe this road will see more than basic maintenance in the 2018-2022 council term. This road will see heavier use as the LRT construction causes congestion on the 174. (We can’t have both roads under construction at the same time.) Until we see the workplace from the selected LRT Phase 2 contractor, we will not know when St Joseph itself can be worked on.

My fear is if we begin this work before the LRT changes transportation patterns in the Ward, we will not have time to discuss what we want for St Joseph. It is currently an awkward combination of major arterial road and local main street. I favour redeveloping it as a Complete Main Street with small business, some housing and bike lanes along from 10th Line to Forest Valley.

Matthew Luloff:         I support community-based policing. Our police officers work hard to keep us safe and provide valuable services to our community. Working closely with the Ottawa Police, we need to develop a more community-based policing strategy. The focus of the strategy should be on collaborating with the local leaders and working to understand the root causes of criminal behaviour to better safeguard our community. I was lucky enough to join the Ottawa Police for a ride along during the campaign, and what I am heard from officers on the ground is that they support the community-based policing model.

Qamar Masood:         Orléans is a safe community and I will continue keeping it safe. I will work proactively and collaboratively with the Ottawa Police and the community to keep crime rates under control.

Kevin Tetreault:         The best thing we can do is encourage residents to actually report these crimes. This will provide police with the information they need to provide more effective policing for our community. The neighbourhood watch program is something that was very popular when I was growing up. I’d be interested in meeting with stakeholders to explore how we can revive this program.

Don Yetman:             I recently attended a meeting at Ray Friel Center, organized by a concerned Community Association. The big take away for me from the meeting is that incidents must be reported to Police. Community Police officers in attendance noted that reported crimes were actually down year over year. This does not jive with the reality citizens are seeing, so it appears that all is not reported. So the first action I would take is to engage in a communication plan on the importance of reporting crime. Secondly, I would work with Community Associations on the development of Neighbour Watch programs. Third, I would work with Community Policing to ensure that appropriate resources are quickly assigned to trouble locations. I believe once the Police have the data, they will make a difference.  

 

4. What are your main Economic development priorities for Orleans and how might those impact the residents and businesses of Orleans?

Rick Bedard:             When elected, I will continue to champion Orléans for all that it has to offer. The revitalization of Ward 1 has been a top priority of mine during this election campaign.  We have to build capacity to help businesses grow.  We need incubator space to allow home-based businesses to thrive. We need access to capital.  The private sector can play a huge role in this.  Fostering a business mentorship program can help fledgling companies achieve stability and later on grow and expand. Doing this right will benefit our residents, reduce transit time, improve the quality of family life and continue to build our arts, recreation and culture spaces.

Merielle Brownhill:    The redevelopment of St Joseph will encourage a revitalization in the local business environment, prompting spending on construction/renovation, in turn leading to higher foot traffic and higher consumer spending. Concurrently, the construction of the LRT stations also serves to create temporary opportunities for increased spending around these locations, and the eventual creation of mixed-use developments at these hubs will create a mix of professional and retail jobs.  Finally, by encouraging more events and making Orleans more of a destination, we will be able to attract more income from non-residents and residents alike, money that is currently traveling west down the 174

Guy Desroches:         To bring economic development to Orléans, begins by selling the ward as a; great place to live, great school system, great sports program, great arts program, great access to universities and colleges. Then companies will like to establish in Orléans because the support system is already in place

Pour amener le développement économique à Orléans, commence par vendre le quartier en tant que; endroit où il fait bon vivre, excellent système scolaire, excellent programme sportif, excellent programme artistique, excellent accès à l’université et aux collèges. Les entreprises aimeront ensuite s’installer à Orléans car le système de soutien est déjà en place.

Dina Epale:               First, we can start with working with current local businesses to determine what City services they need to both retain local employment and expand. There was a survey of area businesses that set out what they require to succeed. We can start with that list. One example is adequate roads to link with suppliers and customers, in particular, roads that link with the 417 and the rest of the 400 series highways.

Second, we can continue to work with other area Councillors and other levels of government to identify and attract new employment centres – including federal offices.

Local businesses, especially small businesses, not only provide employment but also locally available goods and services. Eighty percent of Orléans’ daily trips are non-work related. The more local businesses provide in terms of employment and the goods and services residents need, the greater the savings in terms of travel time, congestion frustration, cost and environmental emissions.

While we need to work to attract large external investments:

• it is likely even easier to support the expansion of known local businesses as was the case with Tumblers Gymnastics or Oakwood; and
• a large, diversified set of small businesses offering a range of employment and services, provide an additional level security as compared to the potential loss of a major employer.

Miranda Gray:           There are two main tracks for economic development in Orléans. One is the attraction of a large employer (either public or private sector). The other is slow and steady growth of local small and medium businesses.

I would continue the work Councillor Bob Monette has done with MP Lalonde and MPP Leslie and other leaders to showcase the large areas open for development in greater Orléans (i.e. not just within Orléans ward). It will take consistent messaging over a long time to recruit a major employer to the area. It is doable but it does not fit a predictable timeline.

For other opportunities, I would work with the Ottawa Board of Trade to grow the support network of small and medium businesses. We want to remain an area where people can take their business to the next level in its growth without needing to relocate. This is a Orléans, Cumberland and Innes Ward issue.

For start-ups, we will need to make sure we have affordable small units and access to the services new companies need (likely in Taylor Creek and along St Joseph). We should be working with the campus of La Cité to include an incubation / innovation hub so new graduates have a support system to grow their ideas here in Orléans. We may discover another Shopify company if we support the ideas of our recent graduates.

A growing sector of employment in Orléans is the number of people who work from home either some or all the time. We need some shared working space for these folks (perhaps on the second floor of Place d’Orléans?). 255 Centrum could also become a City of Ottawa co-working space for city employees from more departments than use it now. There are innovation benefits to cross department mingling than go beyond the environmental benefits of skipping the daily commute to an office across town.

Matthew Luloff:         Working with all levels of government, we will attract jobs and investments to Orléans by supporting small businesses and encouraging employment opportunities close to home.

I will support our local entrepreneurs and help to set up pop-up shops and start-up spaces for new businesses and entrepreneurs. I believe St. Joseph Blvd. is the ideal place for this kind of project, bringing vibrancy to our main street. This is the kind of bold and fresh thinking that I will bring to council.

Furthermore, I will work with our Member of Parliament to bring federal jobs to Orléans. We have an incredible, bilingual workforce. The nature of work is changing, and I want to create collaborative spaces for our public servants allowing them to work closer to home.

We need to update the Official Plan, update our zoning bylaws to facilitate the development of St. Joseph and the LRT corridor, and work with local residents, community leaders, BIAs and the Ottawa Board of Trade to prepare for the hard work ahead.

Qamar Masood:         The people of Orléans deserve better hydro rates. As Councillor, I will work to amalgamate Hydro 1 and Hydro Ottawa to reduce the cost of hydro for homeowners and businesses.

• I will work towards zero increase in taxes. If necessary, then I will support a tax hike of maximum 2%.
• I will also work toward seniors to be able to use OC Transpo free every day during non-peak hours. This will attract seniors from other parts of Ottawa to come to Orléans.

Kevin Tetreault:         My number 1 priority in the long term is to work with the community to expand the college and university presence in Orleans. By growing their footprint, we will encourage new businesses to be created in Orleans and give an incentive for others to come.

There are many positive implications of this proposal. For one, our youth will have reason to stay in Orleans as opposed to leaving after secondary school. We will also attract a young population to Orleans, who will ideally settle and have families in our area. A young and growing population will encourage the creation and attraction of new businesses in our community and attract additional public and private investment.

Don Yetman:             My main economic priorities for Orleans would be as follows:

• Work with Federal and Provincial leaders to explore options for an enhanced government office presence in Orleans. A difficult sell, but necessary.
• Be closely involved with the Amazon Distribution Center project to ensure that it become a “model” success story for eastern Ottawa, so it can incent other companies to choose our end of the city.
• Work on the afore-mentioned St. Joseph Blvd renewal to attract people to the area, and thereby attracting businesses.
• Make LRT, and Transit as a whole, a catalyst to reducing traffic congestion and develop enhanced Community locations to prompt people to visit, shop and relax in Orleans.

 

5. What planning or contract-related documents about LRT Phase II have you read to understand the details of this project? Have you taken any other steps to understand the details of the LRT Phase II project?

Rick Bedard:             Once elected, my first order of business will be to review existing LRT Phase II planning and contract-related documents.  The LRT is bound to make commuting much simpler for most Ottawa residents.  It is sure to boost our City’s economy by encouraging more development.  That being said, there have been a number of accessibility issues and safety and health concerns arising from this project.  When elected councillor, I will ensure that these issues are addressed by expert engineers, structural architects and health practitioners prior to the LRT’s opening.  I am committed to help develop smart sustainable infrastructure around the LRT system.

Merielle Brownhill:    I am not yet familiar with the details of the LRT Phase II project. I have consulted the website on multiple occasions and read many articles related to the project. I am, however, familiar with TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) as a concept, which I fully support. More important than the contract, which will mostly be handled by staff, is how the project will translate on the ground and its impact on our neighbourhoods. I will work with community stakeholders and residents to develop a TOD vision for Orleans. I look forward to immersing myself in the details of the project after the election.

Guy Desroches:         As a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the LRT Phase II was presented to us. We asked questions as to why in the median and the answer was it is cheaper. With the station in the middle, similar to Cyrville, we advise them to rethink the situation especially with the safety on the bridge.

En tant que membre du comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité, la phase II du TLR nous a été présentée. Nous avons posé des questions de savoir pourquoi dans la médiane et la réponse a été que cela revenait moins cher. Avec la station au centre, semblable à Cyrville, nous leur conseillons de repenser la situation en particulier avec la sécurité sur le pont.

Dina Epale:               In 2015, I was invited to appear as a witness before the City’s Finance and Economic Development Committee (FEDCO) where I provided my support of Ottawa’s Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT). Amongst the documents I consulted to prepare my brief to the committee and my talking points during the hearing, I referenced the 2013 Transportation Master plan and the 2013 Rapid Transit and Transit Priority Development Report. I also contributed the following for the Stage 2 LRT Champion website.

Orléans is experiencing massive growth and is heavily affected by traffic congestion in and out of the suburb. Stage 2 LRT will not only address some of the issues related to the rapid expansion in city suburbs, it will also contribute to the goal of the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to attract major knowledge-based employers to the area and to encourage the creation of new high quality jobs. This will further contribute to the economic development potential in Orléans, making it an ideal place to work, visit, live, and grow.

Miranda Gray:           There are two main tracks for economic development in Orléans. One is the attraction of a large employer (either public or private sector). The other is slow and steady growth of local small and medium businesses.

I would continue the work Councillor Bob Monette has done with MP Lalonde and MPP Leslie and other leaders to showcase the large areas open for development in greater Orléans (i.e. not just within Orléans ward). It will take consistent messaging over a long time to recruit a major employer to the area. It is doable but it does not fit a predictable timeline.

For other opportunities, I would work with the Ottawa Board of Trade to grow the support network of small and medium businesses. We want to remain an area where people can take their business to the next level in its growth without needing to relocate. This is a Orléans, Cumberland and Innes Ward issue.

For start-ups, we will need to make sure we have affordable small units and access to the services new companies need (likely in Taylor Creek and along St Joseph). We should be working with the campus of La Cité to include an incubation / innovation hub so new graduates have a support system to grow their ideas here in Orléans. We may discover another Shopify company if we support the ideas of our recent graduates.

A growing sector of employment in Orléans is the number of people who work from home either some or all the time. We need some shared working space for these folks (perhaps on the second floor of Place d’Orléans?). 255 Centrum could also become a City of Ottawa co-working space for city employees from more departments than use it now. There are innovation benefits to cross department mingling than go beyond the environmental benefits of skipping the daily commute to an office across town.

Matthew Luloff:         I am familiar with much of the material the city has made public on the www.stage2lrt.ca, including the City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan, Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Environmental Assessment and Functional Design Report, Stage 2 Light Rail Transit Implementation Report – Project Definition and Procurement Plan, Stage 2 Light Rail Transit Project and Procurement Update.

To help me further understand the challenges and opportunities ahead I also met separately with Councillor’s Monette, Blais, and the Mayor to understand their perspectives on LRT and discuss my priorities for Orléans and concerns about the implementation of Phase II.

If elected, I plan to engage directly with the Phase II project office to discuss the project’s status in order to ensure the concerns I’ve heard over the course of this campaign are being addressed.

When it comes to the LRT, I will be a strong advocate for ensuring the impacts of Phase II construction are kept to a minimum on commuters, OC Transpo riders and residents living close to the construction sites.

Qamar Masood: 

• We are grateful to Mayor Jim Watson, Councillor Bob Monette and his colleagues for their vision and hard work in bringing the LRT to Orléans. Soon, Ottawa and Orléans will be connected by LRT. Still, there is some vital work to be done before the LRT is fully functional.
• I will work collaboratively with my colleagues to ensure the LRT is timely and successfully completed to Trim Road by 2022. I will ensure buses and LRT services are connected and well integrated to avoid commuting delays. I also will help build sound barriers on both sides of the LRT to minimize noise and pollution.

Kevin Tetreault:         Yes, I have and continue to conduct significant research on LRT Phase 2. The 3 pre-approved consortia are now bidding on the project. The contract was supposed to be awarded in Q2 2018 but this has been delayed. As a result, it is difficult to determine the contents of the bid.

That said, in reading the City’s General Manager’s report to the Finance and Economic Development Committee, you can get a sense of some of the procurement options that were recommended to the City. For example, bundling was recommended by the General Manager. This means that, if funding is available, there is a possibility that some additional elements could have been added into the bid including those related to the widening of the 417 from Montreal Road to Jeanne D’Arc.

I have reached out to the Resource person at the City for additional guidance but I look forward to more information being available after the contract has been awarded.

Don Yetman:             I have read all available City documentation on plans for Phase2. I have also asked questions of the current Councillor on planning details that do not appear to be clear in the documentation that is now available. This information, and how it is communicated to Citizens, even at this early planning stage for Phase 2 is crucially important. Citizens need to know the detailed plans on the development and operation of Phase 2. They need to know where and how Stations will operate, and how local bus routes will feed LRT. Having that information available will allow key public input to the plans

 

6. How will you work with the rest of council to get things done across the city?  Give examples of past collaborations you have been part of.

Rick Bedard:             Whether at the Council table or at committee meetings, I will always be a strong voice for Ward 1- Orléans; standing up for our issues and reflecting our community’s uniqueness and its cultural diversity.  At the same time, City councillors need to come together and work in tandem to further the interests of the City as a whole.   Over the years, I have collaborated with many groups and organizations across our great City.  As the President of the Cumberland Junior Grads, I created a partnership with the Canadian Centre For Ethics In Sports.  I worked with the Ottawa Senators to develop a program for fair coaching and player selection.  As Owner of the Cumberland Bandits Hockey Club, I have overseen the reinvestment of significant funds for various causes, from scholarships and donations to fully-funded sports activities for families and seniors.  I have mentored young people who want to work in trades and start their own business and supported seniors who often spend too much time alone.  These initiatives all came about by working with local elected officials at all levels of government and with the support of business and community leaders.  

Merielle Brownhill:    Councillors from the suburban wards can be instrumental in bringing new ideas and energy, as well as support, to councillors in more central wards. Our goals are the same: to represent the interests of our residents and continue to build a healthy city. In addition to collaborating on key city-wide projects and issues, I will represent the residents of Orléans and work towards making our ward and our city more vibrant and more sustainable.

Collaboration is always my goal. We can all learn from one another and share knowledge and experience. My work experience with non-profit associations over the last decade is a wonderful example, where collaboration and resourcefulness are necessary skills to succeed.

Guy Desroches:         As a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, we engage projects that are citywide. I would work with other councilors, especially the east, to have a common voice to get things done.

En tant que membre du comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité, nous engageons des projets dans toute la ville. Je travaillerais avec d’autres conseillers, en particulier ceux de l’Est, pour avoir une voix commune pour faire avancer les choses.

Dina Epale:               First, it is important to identify potential allies given common interests. For example, the Councillor for Beacon Hill-Cyrville has a challenge given the volume of buses that will be converging on the LRT station at Blair Road. It is very much in the interest of that Ward to support the Stage II LRT extension to Trim in order to spread the pressures.

Second, city staff is very good; however, every Councillor has to do the necessary detailed work to ensure the Ward’s interests are best presented. For example, the initial city ranking of LRT proposals used a very high estimate for the cost of the LRT to Trim. The background documents clarified the risk, but it took a lot of effort to change the perception of the value of the eastern LRT.

My ability to build collaborative relationships has served me well in my professional career. As Director of Parliamentary Affairs with a local not-for-profit organization, I quadrupled membership to an all-party parliamentary association working with Senators and MPs across the political spectrum. This trait will serve me well as your Councillor as I collaborate with other representatives to serve your interests.

I was part of a delegation with the Mayor and other key stakeholders who took part in “A Day at Queens Park” where we met with several provincial cabinet ministers and MPPs to discuss issues relevant to Ottawa’s economic development.

Miranda Gray:           Working on a council always involves some give and take. You need to be able to understand why another councillor can’t support your idea even when you explain how your idea benefits her / his part of the city too.

You also need to pick your battles. Not every good idea you have will be a workable idea for residents in other parts of the city who have other priorities. You need to also follow discussions and concerns of residents in other areas in addition to an intense focus on Orléans. You need to be able to think long term about the impacts of decisions on the city in addition to short term benefits for residents of this ward.

My day-to-day job is collegial in nature. My role is to act as a bridge between the customer’s team who request software changes and the developers who must figure if they can be implemented. Much of my time is spent storytelling to one side of the other. I might be explaining why an idea is important to the user or explaining why it is hard to implement technically. My job is to find workable compromises both sides of the team can live with.

In my volunteer time, all my work is done by teams of leaders. I have sat on church council for most of the past 10 years (including serving as chair). I am on the board of the Convent Glen Orléans Woods Community Association (2+ years a chair). I’ve served as a regional church leader helping pull various congregations into shared projects. I’ve served on the planning committee for a local technical conference on web tool accessibility. I’ve served on the board of the Federation of Citizens ‘Assemblies.

Matthew Luloff:         One thing I appreciate about the political culture of city hall is that it is far more collaborative than the adversarial approach that has come to characterize the politics of Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill. It is my goal to support and foster a collaborative environment at city hall so that we can achieve the results our residents expect of us.

To achieve this, I plan to meet every councillor one-on-one following the election to establish a positive relationship with them and to discuss the local needs of our respective wards and the needs of the city at large. From there, we can start building the consensus we need to get things done.

Fortunately I am able to build upon existing relationships I have with existing city council members such as Councillor Blais, who has endorsed my candidacy, Councillor Tierney, all Innes ward candidates, and the Mayor. I think it’s vital that the East has a strong team of councillors speaking in unison.

For too long, we have seen our tax dollars go to support projects downtown and the west end of the city. It’s now our turn and along with my fellow eastern councillors, we will make sure that our projects are prioritized in the next City Hall.

From my experience in the Forces to Parliament Hill, I recognize that success is always a result of effective collaboration — that is the spirit I will bring to city hall.

Qamar Masood:         I am President of the Multicultural Association of Orléans I have organized multicultural festivals, picnics for charities non-profit organizations and religious/cultural associations. I am also a Member of Ontario College of Trades. I have organized multicultural festivals, picnics for charities non-profit organizations and religious/cultural associations. I will work collaboratively with everyone. I am also part of the Shenkman Arts Centre’s board and I’ve also taken part in many events at the centre.

Kevin Tetreault:         Yes, I have and continue to conduct significant research on LRT Phase 2. The 3 pre-approved consortia are now bidding on the project. The contract was supposed to be awarded in Q2 2018 but this has been delayed. As a result, it is difficult to determine the contents of the bid.

That said, in reading the City’s General Manager’s report to the Finance and Economic Development Committee, you can get a sense of some of the procurement options that were recommended to the City. For example, bundling was recommended by the General Manager. This means that, if funding is available, there is a possibility that some additional elements could have been added into the bid including those related to the widening of the 417 from Montreal Road to Jeanne D’Arc.

I have reached out to the Resource person at the City for additional guidance but I look forward to more information being available after the contract has been awarded.

Don Yetman:             Communication and creating a rapport with other Councillors and working Committees is very important. We, as Councillors, need to be aware that our role as councillors do not end at the boundaries of our respective Wards. Many issues are of City-Wide importance. In my platform, I have detailed what I believe are “Ward” and “City Wide” issues. We need to review and critique / support initiatives from other wards in order to generate support for our own plans.

During my professional Project Management life, I was involved in many domestic and international projects, handling stages from the initial sale of services, to the development of plans, the integration of many sub-contractors, and the important Customer Relationship Management.  Throughout all these stages, effective listening, communication and problem solving were key elements to success. Some specific projects were with the Greek Post Office, Thailand Post, and Singapore Post.

 

7. How do you plan to engage community leaders?

Rick Bedard:             When elected, I will continue to adopt the model of the Presidents’ Council which was first started by Bob Monette during his first term at City Hall.  The Council is very important to me. It will help me take the pulse of the community, be a vehicle for bringing forward issues and concerns and also recommend solutions. Developers build houses but neighbours build good neighbourhoods and this happens when community associations come together and are engaged. It is important that we continue to support the good work being done by our community associations.

Merielle Brownhill:    Having been involved in the community for quite some time now, I have identified some of the community leaders currently working hard to serve the residents of Orléans. They are indispensable in effectively sharing and collecting information with residents. I will not hesitate to involve community associations and community stakeholders in application review processes as well as in negotiations regarding Section 37 funds. I will also consult them with LRT stations are being designed, before any final decision has been made. I intend to continue Councillor Monette’s work with the East end President’s Council and hold meetings with the leaders of the community associations in Ward 1.

Guy Desroches:         Community leaders need to communicate together and I would get together with all at the same table to discuss all issues.

Les leaders de la communauté doivent communiquer ensemble et je me réunirais avec tous à la même table pour discuter de toutes les questions.

Dina Epale:               There are existing organizations, such as the community associations, that have well established interests, concerns and outreach. If elected, I would want to start by working with them to see how we may protect and promote their interests. Obviously, wherever, there are common interests across the groups, we will have a stronger case to put to city council and to city staff.

I have set of priorities and if elected, I would like to engage interested individuals and organizations to identify the issues more clearly, set priorities and establish a work plan. To help me stay on top of these issues, identify other issues that might emerge, and gather feedback on other city issues, I will hire a strong, bilingual staff member responsible for community outreach.

Miranda Gray:           As president of the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community association, I enjoyed Councillor Monette’s Presidents Council (quarterly gathering togethers of community group leaders). I would adopt that idea to some other groups if they don’t already hold such meetings. For example, we need to have sports association leaders met from time to time to discuss common concerns. I’ve also proposed strengthening the Neighbourhood Watch network using a similar approach.

I’m also already active on social media. I don’t expect that to change for quick questions from residents or leaders.

Matthew Luloff:         I have an open-door policy.

As your City Councillor, I will be convening a community advisory group to help ensure that local community leaders are engaged on decisions being taken by City Council. I plan on working closely with community leaders to hear their concerns and suggestions for our community and will serve as an advocate on behalf of our community, not only to City Hall, but to all levels of Government.

Qamar Masood:         I plan to engage community leaders by having a Community Associations meeting every 3 months.

Kevin Tetreault:         I am currently a consultant that reports to a number of large firms that are actively engaging government at various levels. There is a lot of moving parts to keep track of.

To manage these files, I have regular checkpoint or status meetings with my clients. As a councillor, I imagine that I would have a similar operation in place for community leaders. If elected, in addition to regularly attending events, I would like to meet with each community leader at least once per quarter to refresh strategies and priorities. In business, I maintain a very tight cadence with my clients and I would like to continue this model if I have the honour of being elected.

Don Yetman:             I plan to engage Community Leaders through effective communication and displaying an understanding of the importance of having grassroots input to the decision process. I will ensure that all, including the various Community Associations have clear and informative data to provide feedback and suggestions. I will also ensure that full consideration of opinions is taken.