Get Involved in the Draft Budget 2024 Process |
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Every
year, the City of Ottawa produces a municipal budget. As one of the
City’s most important documents, the budget is the blueprint that
defines how money is received and spent. The overall budget is made up
of two main components: the operating budget and the capital budget. The
operating budget funds day-to-day City programs and services, such as
garbage and recycling collection, whereas the capital budget pays for
improvements of current infrastructure and assets under the City’s
control, such as roads and sidewalks. More information to help understand the City Budget can be found on ottawa.ca. Accessibility
remains a priority in the budget process with dedicated funds allocated
each year to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities and
the general public across the city. Examples include upgrading
accessibility features in City facilities, ensuring pedestrian safety
and accessibility with sidewalk and winter maintenance services,
installation of new traffic control and pedestrian signals,
implementation of traffic-calming measures, and much more. On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, Council approved the
2024 budget directions, timeline and consultation process.
On Wednesday, November 8, 2023 the draft
operating and capital budget will be tabled at a special Council
meeting. Between tabling and adoption, each Standing Committee will
review and debate their section of the budget. Finally, on Wednesday, December 6 Council will consider and adopt the final budget.
Have your say!
Councillors will shortly begin to engage with residents to gather ideas
and feedback as the budget gets drafted for City Council’s
consideration. Your feedback helps inform the City’s budget priorities
and contributes to decisions about investments in services that you want
and need. There are many opportunities to consult on the budget and
have your voice heard:
1. Connect with us year-round- Submit your ideas to your Ward Councillor
- Call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Rural residents or anyone connecting with VRS can call 613-580-2400
- Follow and communicate with us on Facebook and X @ottawacity, using the hashtag #OttBudget
2. Complete the Budget Survey (open September 13 – October 27)- Participate in the budget survey so we can first hear from you on your budget priorities. This feedback will inform the development of the draft budget.
3. Provide feedback on the Draft Budget
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Are you Earthquake Ready? |
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When was the last time you practiced or discussed what to do during an earthquake? October 19 is ShakeOut Day, an
annual global event that encourages everyone, including people with
disabilities, to practice drills and learn how to prevent injury during
an earthquake. When the ground starts shaking, remember to drop or
lock, cover, and hold on.
Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to plan
ahead to prepare for this type of emergency.
In
Canada, earthquake risk is concentrated along the west coast of British
Columbia, the Ottawa River Valley, and the St. Lawrence Seaway. In
southeastern Canada, seismologists locate more than 600 earthquakes each
year, but most of these earthquakes are too small or too remote to be
noticed. Since many of us may not have experienced an earthquake, or
it’s been a long time since we have, it’s easy to forget what we’re
supposed to do when the shaking starts.
Protect yourself from injury
During
an earthquake and the aftershocks that follow, you want to prevent
yourself from falling and protect yourself from falling objects and
debris.
In
most situations, the following actions may help reduce your chance of
injury. Remember that aftershocks can happen and be prepared to repeat
these steps.
1. Drop to the ground, get as low as possible or lock your wheels
Getting
low to the ground helps to prevent falls and makes it easier to move
towards shelter, if nearby. If you use a walker, wheelchair or other
rolling mobility device, lock your wheels, if applicable.
If
you have difficulty getting down and up from the ground, and/or rely on
assistive/mobility devices, protect yourself from falling objects in
any way that works for you. For
example, find a chair, bed or sturdy piece of furniture on which to sit
safely. Keep your cane or other mobility devices nearby so you can use
them again when the shaking stops.
2. Cover your head and neck, and look for nearby sturdy shelter
If
you can’t find sturdy shelter, like a table or desk, look for an
interior wall away from any windows. Stay low and bend over, if
possible, to protect vital organs.
Please note that evacuation from your home or office building, including a
multi-unit or high-rise building, is highly dangerous and strongly discouraged. Many
injuries occur within ten feet of the entrance to buildings. Bricks,
roofing and other materials can fall from buildings, injuring anyone
nearby.
3. Hold on until the
shaking stops
If
you’re under shelter, hold on tight with one hand and be ready to move
in case your cover shifts. If you don’t have shelter, stay low, hold on
to your head and neck with both arms and bend over, if possible, to
protect vital organs.
Plan for different scenarios
To help
plan your drill, visit ShakeOut.org for planning documents or simply do a short “drop/lock, cover and hold on” drill in any
location that is familiar to you.
The Red Cross website also has a list of scenarios to consider when planning your drill.
Learn more
For more information and resources about earthquakes and emergency preparedness, visit:
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Daily fare capping now available on Para Transpo |
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Did
you know? When you pay for a Para Transpo trip with a debit card,
credit card or mobile wallet, your daily charges will be capped at a
maximum price of a DayPass ($11.25) for urban trips.
Rural fares will not be capped, but will be discounted after the daily cap total of a DayPass has been reached.
Daily
fare capping is only available on debit card, credit card, or mobile
wallet. Make sure to use the same card to pay for each trip.
Debit,
credit and mobile wallet will charge an Adult fare. If you are eligible
for a discounted fare, a Presto card is a better option for you.
For more details and examples of how daily fare capping could apply to different scenarios, please visit octranspo.com.
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Building paths of travel for everyone! |
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This
latest version now includes a best practice when both sidewalks and
cycling lanes are present, highlighting safer ways to support
pedestrians with vision loss know the difference between the sidewalk
from the bike lane.
The
City of Ottawa has already been working on ways to incorporate a
clearer distinction between sidewalks and bike lanes. Some of these
practices include the following recommendations:
- As per the Protected Intersection Design Guide,
it is recommended to separate a sidewalk from a bike lane with a
half-height curb of 60mm (+/- 10mm). This year, the City also released a
number of standard detail drawings to support designs where cycling
facilities are separated from sidewalks.
- Included
in the City standards, “attention” Tactile Walking Surface Indicators
(TWSIs) are implemented where pedestrians cross cycle tracks, as well as
“guidance” TWSIs are installed as wayfinding cues to assist pedestrians
find pedestrian crossings
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