Housing issues deserve compassion

From a City of Ottawa transportation planning perspective, there is very little question that an LRT expansion serving South Ottawa and Barrhaven is critical for businesses and a projected quarter-million persons.

This expansion should have been included in Stage 2, notwithstanding our soon-to-be eliminated pandemic and resulting potential changes in work and education choices.

Environmentally and logically, we need this aboveground rail line as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible. Some expropriation of a small section of Woodroffe Avenue near West Hunt Club will be required. Manor Village and Cheryl Gardens will need to be removed.

However, these properties are also essential with regard to the inventory of affordable housing. It behooves the City of Ottawa to address this issue both with compassion and wisdom.

Options should be presented as soon as possible. The federal government has just introduced a $400-million program to assist in the building of affordable housing. Adding in the province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa, there should be sufficient funds to replace these homes.

One obvious option is the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Confederation Education Centre facility, which was closed as a high school 21 years ago and is being partially used for offices, teacher training and events. These lands are large and include a sports field. The structure itself could potentially be used.

Let's make use of what is already available in the most cost-efficient manner, and meet our obligations for affordable housing.

John A. Kane, Nepean