Better Ottawa

This week features Sarah MacFarlane, an insightful journalist with a keen eye on federal politics and city building in Ottawa. She joins a lively discussion on the ambitious yet criticized new transportation master plan for the city, addressing its funding challenges and public response. The panel also dives into the collaborative demands from the mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau for federal support on infrastructure. Expect thoughts on local governance, community advocacy, and the impact of tax decisions on tenants and landlords.

A lively panel discusses the upcoming Osgoode by-election and the buzz around e-scooters making a comeback in 2025. They tackle the challenge of making city reports more comprehensible and debate the controversial budget cuts facing local schools. The lightning round brings in fun topics like boulevard gardens, secrecy surrounding LRT discussions, and council pay raises. Make sure to catch their insights and listener interactions on these intriguing local developments!

The panel dives into pressing transit issues, including fare evasion and the upcoming LRT expansion. They discuss the ongoing mystery behind train derailments and the heavy use of road salt during winter. The Tewin land development proposal sparks debate over its removal from the Official Plan. There’s a lively discussion on battery storage, reflecting local resistance to new green initiatives. Additionally, they tackle the complexities of municipal politics as the city prepares for federal elections and a new provincial cabinet.

This week, the panel dives into the implications of a new Prime Minister for the city. They discuss the surprising reversal on Sprung Structures as temporary housing, highlighting communication failures. The conversation shifts to the NCC bike days, revealing insights on urban transportation and the ongoing ‘war on cars.’ Engaging listener questions spark a lively lightning round, touching on local concerns and the community's role in addressing homelessness and facilitating refugee integration.

On this week’s Municipal Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * Should the City of Ottawa continue to post on X (aka Twitter)? * What do recent court decisions on federal payments to the municipalities of Ottawa and Chelsea mean for the Mayor’s Fairness for Ottawa campaign?* What does a surprise federal announcement of $50 million for policing means for the future of Wellington St?And we’ve introduce a lightning round, where we respond to your comments and questions.Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcast, and if we see it before Monday evening, we’ll respond in our next episode.Don’t forget. You can watch the podcast here on Substack or on YouTube. Or you can listen to the audio version on Apple or Spotify. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

Joanne Cianello and John Willing, former beat reporters for City Hall in Ottawa, dive deep into the recent provincial election results and their implications for the city. They analyze surprising outcomes in Nepean and discuss the challenges of low voter turnout. The complexities of the Light Rail Transit system uploading are unpacked, revealing community skepticism and financial concerns. The episode also explores how U.S. political dynamics, particularly Trump's influence, might sway Canadian elections and local governance.

A sneak peak of the Better Ottawa Municipal Panel, coming in March.Find the Better Ottawa podcast here on Substack or on YouTube, Apple and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

In March, I’m launching the Better Ottawa podcast.That podcast will explore in depth the issues affecting your city. I’ll do that through long-form interviews with different people around town.It will also include some regular guests who you are going to be very excited to hear from. I’ll tell you more about those guests shortly.I’ll be covering all the municipal topics you would expect — transit, housing, homelessness, crime, congestion and so on.If there is an issue that you would like me to cover — something we can go into depth and fully understand all sides of the debate — please send those suggestions to me.That’s coming in early March.You can either listen here, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or watch, also here and on YouTube.Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe