Jennifer Armstrong

The committee meeting commenced with a motion carried to extend the meeting time past 7 p.m. Subsequent discussions involved delegations presenting on various topics. Rodney Moors addressed the committee as the National Capital Amateur Football Association vice president of flag football, detailing the growth of flag football in Ottawa, emphasizing female involvement, and stressing the importance of TD Place as a meeting venue. Tyler Mazeru, President of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, discussed the league's growth, diversity, its connection to LA28, and the need for modern venues like Landsdown 2.0 to support emerging leagues and the overall community experience. A councilor raised concerns about the high cost of training referees and inquired about potential mechanisms within the venue space to support referee development, which was acknowledged as an important area for future consideration. Dave Walsh of KPMG spoke in strong support of the Landsdown 2.0 project, positioning it as a critical forward-looking investment that leverages private funding, sustains economic impact (supporting over 4,000 jobs and $300 million in annual economic activity), and is necessary to modernize antiquated facilities to match the city's ambition.

The meeting focused on the presentation and discussion of the Provincial and Federal Multi-Year Accessibility Plans. Key topics included the review of the Municipal Accessibility Plan (COAP) as required by provincial legislation, and the introduction of the city's first Federal Transit Accessibility Policy for OC Transpo, mandated by the Accessible Canada Act. Discussions covered the scope, goals (engagement, diversity, partnership), and implementation of these plans. A significant portion of the discussion involved a motion to direct staff to provide a detailed update on feasibility studies for creating an online inventory/story map of inclusive play assets, modeled after best practices from Anchorage, Alaska. A delegate also provided commentary on the OC Transpo plan, advocating for enhanced commitments, particularly regarding same-day booking for Paratranspo services and accelerated improvements to street and facility accessibility.

The committee meeting addressed the purpose and procedure for considering applications for compliance audits of candidate election campaign finances, including the subsequent investigation and potential legal proceedings. Key discussion points involved three primary areas of concern raised in the application: discrepancies in the candidate's 2018 campaign expenses (particularly regarding telephone, Internet, and advertising costs) compared to previous years; the use of City of Ottawa resources, assets, services, and employees for campaign activities, citing an email exchange and the time gap between nomination filing and website registration; and the use of incumbent campaign advertising during a blackout period, particularly advertisements placed next to campaign-related articles. The applicant also raised concerns regarding the valuation of professional volunteer services provided by city employees and the acceptance of a donation from a corporate donor when the return listed an individual's name.

Discussions during the meeting focused primarily on a pilot program involving the use of accessible taxis. Committee members raised concerns regarding the scarcity of the accessible taxi fleet and whether using them for this initiative would create competition with other existing system needs, specifically regarding priority access. The presenter stated that negotiations with the taxi company are ongoing, but the company advocates for using accessible taxis as it aligns with their existing service provision. The scarcity issue, with an estimated low volume of accessible requests (three to five per day, perhaps one per week), was noted. A member shared personal experience illustrating situations where non-emergency transport could utilize taxis instead of tying up ambulance resources at hospitals. It was agreed that a follow-up update on the pilot's progress would be provided sooner than the annual report, possibly semi-annually in 2024. The meeting concluded after addressing notices of motion, inquiries, and other business, with the next meeting scheduled for December 1st to consider the 2024 draft budget for the department.

The meeting addressed the re-imposition of development charges for corporate studies, following changes introduced by Bill 185, which allows municipalities to fast-track the reintroduction of these study charges into the development charge background study without mandatory public meetings or appeals. The discussion included a presentation detailing the timelines, proposed rates, and the consolidation of previously itemized study costs (such as roads and water/wastewater) into a single Citywide Corporate Services category. A public delegate expressed concern over the 400% cost increase in the study proportions between 2019 and 2024. The committee also reviewed the draft 2025 operating and capital budget, which included a technical amendment concerning affordable housing funding after a separate Council approval. Key budget points included a gross budget exceeding $96 million, a net requirement of $150 million, and the addition of two incremental FTEs, one for housing initiatives and one related to climate change lens implementation across capital projects. The largest capital expenditure noted was a $22.9 million contribution toward the Affordable Housing Capital Plan, reflecting previous approvals.