Priority: Development

How does development work for people who live here?

We’ve all seen the impact of development on our community. Now is a critical time to have a voice for us to keep what we love about Kitchissippi – for people who live here now and for people who join our community.

Our voice about how a new mega tower or infill impacts our lives is critical at City Hall. The current process has been frustrating for residents and community leaders, leaving us feeling powerless amid reams of paperwork, deference to planning jargon and endless arguments by armies of consultants.

This is why we need our councillor to be the voice for the Kitchissippi we love.

As councillor, I will be your voice and focus efforts on:

- Making decisions based on a simple test: does this benefit people who live here and those who join our community? Our representative at City Hall needs to carry your voice to the city employees and planning processes that impact our lives. Our community is prepared to live through construction to see the benefits that come from the vibrancy that growth brings, however developers must consider how a new building will impact neighbours and the surrounding community. As your councillor, I will seek your views and make policy and zoning decisions based on whether the development benefits people who live here.

- Keeping the character of our neighbourhoods by opposing mega-towers in residential areas and main streets. We have new zoning by-laws that clearly outline where towers can be built in our community and how high they can be. I’ll work to keep the character and the sun shining in our residential areas and main streets. I’ll start with the Carleton Tavern and Tubman Funeral Home proposals, and work so that mega towers don’t creep from transit hubs where they should be to our residential areas and main streets. We’ll work for smart planned growth that contributes to our quality of life ratherthan divisive one-off exceptions.

- Working with our community on new development applications so neighbours know what’s coming and can meaningfully contribute to
decisions. This will include a transparent database about what’s approved but not yet built, community notification of new projects and requiring that all developers seeking changes to existing zoning by-laws meet with the community. I will organize and lead these meetings.

- Engaging our community on where development charges should be spent. Did you know that since 2014 more than $13 million has been collected from new developments in the ward and spent by our previous councillor? As your councillor, I’ll seek your input on how we want to use funds collected when developments don’t provide necessary parkland. I will report to you annually on how much is collected and where these funds are spent.

Affordable housing and quality of life are both important. Responsible development can bring both. Increased density will continue as the federal and provincial governments encourage affordable housing, and Ottawa’s official plan and new zoning by-law are implemented.

As your councillor, I’m committed to make development work for people who live here so that we keep the Kitchissippi we love.