Council unanimously approves City’s 2023 budget Last week Council unanimously passed the 2023 Budget, which prioritizes affordable housing and protection for those most at risk in our community, greater equity, inclusion and diversity, reliable and affordable public...
December 2022
Image description – Councillor Stéphanie Plante proudly holds her swearing in certificate while standing and smiling at the Inaugural Ceremony for the City of Ottawa Council 2022 – 2026.
Photograph courtesy of the City of Ottawa
Thank you, Rideau-Vanier!
I am so humbled and grateful to be elected your councillor, here in Rideau-Vanier. Thank you so much for putting your trust in me!
Picture description – Councillor Stéphanie Plante smiles with her eyes as she leaves her signature during the Inaugural Ceremony for the Council 2022 – 2026.
Photograph courtesy of the City of Ottawa
Picture description – Councillor Plante in a profile position, attending COP 15 and wearing a ”Canada” tshirt. Photography courtesy of Councillor Carr
And as there is nothing bigger than doing our part to save the planet, I was pleased that Councillor Carr and I were fortunate enough to be chosen by Council to be their delegates at the recent 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (COP-15) in Montreal. At COP-15 it was cities that came out of the gate to declare their role in protecting greenspaces and wetlands to stop biodiversity loss. Midway through COP-15, Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante announced the Montreal Pledge to which 47 major cities have now signed on, including Vancouver, Toronto, Windsor, Longueil and Gatineau. The eventual ‘30-by-30’ deal reached on the last day of the conference had delegates including Canada committing to protect 30% of land, coastal and marine areas by 2030. While this may seem easy given Canada’s size and uninhabited areas, the Montreal Pledge will be more difficult for cities like Ottawa that have competing challenges (intensification, inflation, transit, snow removal, water purification, housing, parks and recreation) and fewer financial envelopes to meet them (e.g. Bill 23). One thing that should compel our nation’s capital to act on biodiversity is the reality that protecting nature is financially rewarding in the long-term and contributes to our quality of life.
Top Image, on the left – Stéphanie and Saslove’s Meat Market’s Owner Jon Diener, pictured in front of the iconic butcher shop.
Top Image, on the right – Stéphanie and Inuit artist Aliqa Ilauq pictured during International Inuit Day celebrated at the Annie Pootoogook Park located in the heart of Sandy Hill.
Bottom image, in the centre – (from left to right) Laine Johnson, College Ward Councillor, Jessica Bradley, Gloucester-Southgate Ward Councillor, Stéphanie Plante, your Councillor, Marty Carr, Alta Vista Ward Councillor and Ariel Troster, Somerset Ward Councillor.
It’s been an eventful 40 days since I took on the responsibilities that the people of Rideau – Vanier entrusted to me as your representative on City Council.
Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a larger difference.
I campaigned on several themes, including enhancing la francophonie in Ottawa. So, it was fitting that my first motion [No. 2022 – 03/19] at Council, was to ensure that Francophone is considered as a distinct attribute in the city’s selection process for appointing people to its many boards. If you are interested in serving on any of these boards, self-nominations are now open.
A big thing that many residents of Vanier worked for and want to see is a revitalized Montreal Road, so I was shocked to see a motion 15.7 being put forward at the first full city Council meeting to suspend the Community Improvement Plan on Montreal Road, which with its inclusion of housing provisions is unique, and the city’s brownfield reclamation program. I, along with some of my council colleagues, and the city’s BIAs were able to convince the mover and seconder of the motion – the Mayor – to change the motion to drop the reference to the Community Investment Program but not brownfields. Fortunately, I convinced a majority of Council to support my motion to exclude Montreal Road from the measure, as there are number of projects that are already in process.
I did support the Mayor’s motion to direct staff to prepare a budget with a 2.5 % increase as it was consistent with what I campaigned on, but I am not prepared to vote for a budget with draconian cuts to programs that assist our most vulnerable neighbours, and as a member of the Community Services Committee, I will have an opportunity to help craft that part of the budget. And you can assist me in that, by participating in the budget consultations I will be hosting early in the new year.
I will also be serving on the Emergency Preparedness Committee and have already been meeting the senior city officials to be sure there are adequate plans in place to prevent the chaos of another occupation of the city by Truckers2.0 or any other groups.
As Vice Chair of the Build Heritage Committee I am looking forward to working with Councillor Rawlson King, at committee and in the community, on the many joint city projects that impact both our wards.
Lastly, sometimes the biggest differences in our lives are made the smallest kindness. So, during this holiday season – and throughout 2023 – lets be kind – to ourselves and to each other.
Picture Description – Councillor Stéphanie Plante along with many important memebers of our community celebrating the holidays at the Vanier Hub from left to right, Lucille Collard, our provincial member of Parliament, Rawlson King, councillor for Rideua-Vanier and Mathieu Fleury, previous councillor for Rideau-Vanier.
Holiday season schedule changeClient Service Centres
Green bin, recycling and garbage collection
Parking
Transit Services
Recreation and cultural services
Ottawa Public Health
Municipal child-care services
Library services
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