CANDIDATES IN ALTA VISTA AND CUMBERLAND SPEAK UP
In the lead-up to Ottawa’s municipal election, this newspaper surveyed every candidate, providing them with a list of questions. It’s an exercise that’s meant to help residents get to know the candidates better and to get a firm sense of where they stand on important issues facing our city. We’ll run a selection of their answers, featuring different wards each day. Today we feature Alta Vista (Ward 18) and Cumberland (Ward 19). Candidates appear in alphabetical order.
For the full survey responses, check out our website at Ottawacitizen.com. JEAN CLOUTIER 1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
Stopping violent gun crime and infrastructure.
We live in a safe community and most residents say that the police do a good job. However, over the last four years gun violence has escalated significantly. In January 2018, Ottawa experienced 13 shootings in that month alone. Two of those shootings proved to be fatal. Alta Vista has been on the front lines of this gun violence as have other communities.
As a councillor who has faced many incidents of gun violence, I believe we need to make long-term sustainable investments in intervention programs that target and support troubled young people. This approach has worked in other jurisdictions like Glasgow and it can work here.
The intervention involves three key initiatives: zero-tolerance warning from police — you will be caught; a sustained and committed message from our community leaders that is an inspirational and powerful message to believe in; and most importantly, a pledge that if youths do renounce violence, they can get real help with education, training and finding a job.
Improving connections, maintaining our road network and upgrading our parks are key infrastructure needs.
Roads, both below and at the surface, are easily the top priority for Alta Vista residents. Maintaining and resurfacing our roads is needed in many parts of our ward. As a city, we need to invest more in roads resurfacing and pothole filling, and further than that, we need to investigate better materials to get the job done.
Being a former community association president, I am always conscious of the state of our parks and recreational facilities. Over the last four years, we have invested in small parks and big facilities. I will continue to work with residents and park users to improve these vital amenities.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
In April 2016 council approved my report to proceed with the Canterbury Community Outdoor Covered Refrigerated Rink Facility.
It was an election promise I had made in 2014. The report I presented contained the funding model I had proposed, including $2.5 million invested in our ward from the city-wide development fund as well as community association and sponsorship participation.
Getting that project through committee and council and realizing the vision I’d put forth in the last election is the accomplishment that makes me most proud.
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
I wish we had had a more robust discussion with long-term impacts of an application on Industrial Avenue to permit a five-storey building.
Industrial is an important road in the ward. In its current state it is not conducive at all for walking or cycling and I saw the application as an important opportunity in starting the discussion about the future of the street.
As approved, the building will be the tallest on Industrial Avenue west of St. Laurent Boulevard. When this proposal came to committee and council, I argued about the precedent-setting implications of this application with respect to the rest of the road and future improvements we can make.
4. Do you live in the ward in which you’re running? If not, what’s your interest in the area?
Yes, I live in Alta Vista and have lived there for 33 years.
CLINTON COWAN
1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
Pipes, pavement and parks. Traffic safety.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
N/A
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
Heron Gate, the local politicians acted like they could not do anything about an issue they have had stewardship and moral responsibility over for several years. During the recent provincial election, I stood up as the only community voice from our ward calling for changes to make the inclusionary zoning tools offered by the province relevant in this new era of surging rental market developments.
The approval of the 10-year levy in Alta Vista. Again, I stood as the only community voice calling for a ward-wide vote to provide evidence of support, increased transparency and accountability regarding any proposed taxation in our ward. This council approved this levy with few exceptions and with the flimsiest illustrations of support, only changing the approval requirements after the fact.
4. Do you live in the ward in which you’re running? If not, what’s your interest in the area?
Yes, I live in Alta Vista. I first moved here a few years before the 1998 ice storm to attend Canter- bury High School.
KEVIN KIT 1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
Investing in our infrastructure. In early 2018, $10 million was discovered in surplus and earmarked for infrastructure maintenance to address Ottawa’s $70 million infrastructure gap. Alta Vista was one of only four wards not to receive a dime to maintain such things as roads and sidewalks. In referencing Alta Vista not receiving any infrastructure surplus funding, the current city councillor is on the record stating: “I am not going to bang on anybody’s door, saying I want my share … it’s not the way I do things”. Understanding the role of the city’s asset management plan in how we prioritize infrastructure investments is important. Residents have told me they want a councillor who will fight harder for infrastructure money to address road and sidewalk repairs. Ensuring development proposals are not “rushed” to the council table. Over the past few years, many large development proposals have been brought forward in Alta Vista. These have included: Heron Gate, Elmvale Acres Mall, seven new buildings at the corner of Sandford Fleming and Industrial Avenue and eventually the Federal Study Center (1495 Heron Rd.). Coupled with this, many Alta Vista residents have told me they felt excluded from consultation and engagement discussions re garding development proposals.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
N/A
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
The biggest strength of any community is its people. I believe we must try harder to ensure all community voices are heard.
In the last four years, we have seen multiple examples in Alta Vista where residents felt that their collective voices were not being effectively heard. Case in point, we witnessed residents being evicted from their homes on multiple occasions within our community. I believe one of the reasons this occurred was because we did not do a good enough job of actively listening to community voices about a housing problem that has existed for some time in Alta Vista. The outdoor rink is another example. Make no mistake, the community rink that was installed in Canterbury is a nice addition to the community. However, many residents felt that better consultation and engagement should have been taken to ensure the broad community was comfortable with imposing a 10-year tax levy on the ward to help offset the costs.
4. Do you live in the ward in which you’re running? If not, what’s your interest in the area?
I have lived in Alta Vista since 2005.
RAYLENE LANG-DION 1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
Even though there are several issues that are of concern, by far the two most important issues are the roads and safety as mentioned time and time again by residents at the door.
Alta Vista is the number one ward in the city for complaints about road infrastructure, and specifically potholes. The issue of the roads also expands to keeping children, families and seniors safe regardless of their transportation mode (walking, cycling, public transit or driving). Safety in our community is a concern and residents want to see a return to a physical police presence in the ward.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
N/A.
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
The decision which baffles me and other residents to this day is the decision to build the Hospital Link road for around $60 million rather than do something else to road infrastructure in the ward which would have had a real impact on the daily lives of residents — that would have been better.
4. Do you live in the ward in which you’re running? If not, what’s your interest in the area?
I have lived here for more than 20 years.
JOHN REDINS 1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
First, the Heron Gate situation. As a longtime resident of Heron Gate, I ask how a developer can work around property standards rules for years to create a mass eviction of neglect? This has created an opportunity for a made-inOttawa solution that would force new developers to assign a certain amount of rental units for affordability. Also, a landlord registry should be created that will allow future tenants to assess landlords to judge if they’re following the rules. The second issue is infrastructure. I’m committed if elected to host a series of town hall meetings to talk about what the priorities are in your neighbourhood in Alta Vista.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
N/A
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
The decision to place a levy on Alta Vista residents for the outdoor arena.
4. Do you live in the ward?
Yes
Incumbent Stephen Blais is another councillor who in 2010 said he would only run for two terms and is now aiming for three. Back then he defeated incumbent Rob Jellett with a little more than 52 per cent of the vote. Four years later, he squared off against Marc Belisle and took 78 per cent of the vote. This year he faces Jensen Boire and Carleton human rights/ social justice student Cameron Rose Jette.
Unlike the vast majority of candidates, Boire did not provide the City of Ottawa with any contact information and this newspaper was unable to reach Boire. Rose Jette did not respond to multiple emailed requests to participate in the survey.
STEPHEN BLAIS 1. What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
Transportation issues, particularly commuting, is the biggest issue. This can be divided into several areas: road capacity, transit options, and the need to commute downtown in the first place with lower jobs/ household ratios.
Cumberland ward residents want to spend less time getting to work and more time with their families, staying fit and enjoying the array of other extracurricular activities living in an amazing community like Cumberland ward offers.
An important part of addressing this issue is clamping down on uncontrolled urban expansion. We must ensure that our community grows in a balanced way that does not put undue pressure on existing infrastructure. Also, we must ensure the integrity of our rural communities, in particular our villages and precious farmland, is protected.
2. If you are the incumbent, what ward-specific decision made by council in the last term are you most proud?
LRT to Trim Road.
3. What ward-specific decision do you wish council had dealt with better?
Convincing the provincial government to re-upload Highway 174 in order for it to rival Highway 416 concerning investments and maintenance.
4. Do you live in the ward in which you’re running? If not, what’s your interest in the area?
Yes. I have lived in Cumberland ward most of my life, growing up in Queenswood Heights, purchasing our first home, with my wife, in Fallingbrook and raising our son in Chaperal.