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Ottawa thrives when its people embrace winter, and the city builds winter infrastructure. Rideau Canal, originally built for military and commercial use, is now used for leisure - skating in winter. An iconic symbol of how things can serve different purposes over the centuries.

submitted 14 hours ago • 0 comments

Two intersections, what are the differences? Left intersection is typical - sidewalk dips down to meet the street. Right intersection - the street rises to meet the sidewalk. Raised intersections slows down cars and makes drivers more alert, improving safety and accessibility

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

“A federal court has dealt a blow to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe's Fairness for Ottawa campaign, dismissing the city's argument that it's getting shortchanged on payments for servicing tax-exempt government buildings.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

“…a substantial portion of downtown congestion results from drivers looking for a cheap spot at the curb. Reduce that traffic and life improves for everyone else on the road…That also cuts pollution and makes cities more pleasant.” www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

While it is great organizations like the ByWard Market District Authority strive to make our spaces better. It sometimes feels like places in Ottawa don’t commit to their full potential. Imagine instead if they built a real ice rink by the Ottawa sign. www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Buses are a key part of Ottawa’s transit system, carrying many people while taking up less road space than cars. However, car traffic slows buses down, reducing reliability and increasing costs. Ottawa needs more bus only lanes to get more people to where they need to go.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Imagine taking High-Speed Rail from Ottawa-Montreal in under an hour, or Ottawa-Toronto under 2 hours. High-Speed Rail would enhance productivity, efficiency, and mobility - paying for itself by reducing the need for new highways and airports. 🇨🇦Canada needs High-Speed Rail 🇨🇦

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

This highlights the need for High Speed Rail in Canada - passenger rail separate from freight rail. “VIA Rail cancelled 15 trains Wednesday…and is warning of delays on trains in the Ottawa-Toronto-Montreal corridor following a freight train derailment.” www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

🚨🚅🚨Is it finally happening? 🚨🚅🚨 “This transformative rail network will span approximately 1,000 km and reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour…high-speed rail will turbocharge the Canadian economy – boosting GDP by up to $35 billion annually…” www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Did you know that 27% of Canadians aged 15 years and older, or 8.0 million people, have one or more disabilities that limit them in their daily activities. The City of Ottawa needs to improve its public realm to make sure the city is more accessible for all.

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

With all the recent snowfall in Ottawa, you may have noticed “sneckdown” tracks. The tracks show how streets are actually used, often that cars receive too much space. Just look at this intersection ⬇️ Winter provides a unique opportunity to reimagine street space.

submitted 5 days ago • 2 comments

Ottawa is a winter city and people love embracing it! “Yes, it's been cold. Yes, we've had a lot of snow. But that's what makes winter in the NCR so memorable…high attendance has been a positive sign, both for the festival and for the local economy...” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

What happens when the bus and LRT becomes less convenient and reliable? It undermines an essential pillar of successful transit: confidence in the system, which is already frail in Ottawa. If it gets worse it will only spiral -fewer riders, less revenue, further service loss ⬇️

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

“…‘free’ parking imposed a cost—first on developers and businesses, then on everyone else. ‘Free parking’ pushed up user fees, rents and prices in the places that offered it, including for the poor, who might well not have cars. It was hugely unfair...” www.economist.com/obituary/202...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Ottawa’s community centres play a vital role in creating complete neighbourhoods. They offer an inclusive space with a range of programs and services to residents of all ages and abilities. They tend not to receive the recognition, funding, and appreciation they deserve.

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

“Ottawa's Trillium Line and airport link will ‘definitely’ start operating on Sundays before the end of April, OC Transpo's managing director Renée Amilcar said Thursday.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 9 days ago • 1 comment

Plans for an apartment complex ⬇️ Great! Ottawa needs more housing in the core. However, it is right next to the highway - noise and pollution. Ottawa tends to limit density to areas like highways, but it should be spread throughout neighbourhoods with public transit and amenities.

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

“…passing by Dows Lake and Little Italy in Ottawa will have seen a new multi-storey parking garage being erected for the future Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital. But the final cost and design of the brand new hospital itself are still being hammered out…” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

Worldly Wednesday 🌍 Imagine residential streets peppered with shops and cafés. Schools, museums, green spaces, and theatres all be reachable on foot. Some cities (Copenhagen, Paris, Tokyo) already function this way. How? Allow amenities and services throughout neighbourhoods.

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

People make rational choices based on money and time. If people do not find off-peak hours reliable or convenient, they won’t use it. So demand is low because frequency is too low. Other cities have fixed low-ridership by making public transit better. www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

“When small businesses thrive, they help foster a sense of community, creativity and pride. The corner store or local café becomes a place where friendships are forged, where unique ideas are nurtured, and where the heart of the neighbourhood beats.” ottawacitizen.com/opinion/lark...

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

Imagine taking High-Speed Rail from Ottawa-Montreal in under an hour, or Ottawa-Toronto under 2 hours. High-Speed Rail would enhance productivity, efficiency, and mobility - paying for itself by reducing the need for new highways and airports. Canada needs High-Speed Rail 🇨🇦

submitted 12 days ago • 2 comments

“The benefits of economic density arise from improved productivity & better access to jobs & services. Further benefits are generated through the preservation of urban green space, greater energy efficiency, pollution reduction & safer urban environments.” www.oecd.org/content/dam/...

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

“Not being able to afford a place to rent and cost of living increases was noted as a top reason for their housing loss, the city notes…there is a dire need to provide more housing, and quickly, from all levels of government.” www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

People don’t stop walking in the winter. Yet the way that Ottawa prioritizes its infrastructure in winter does make it seem so. In amenity and service dense areas of the city (Sandy Hill, Westboro, etc.) only 30% get around by car. Ottawa needs to prioritize pedestrians as well.

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

Has the ByWard Market been neglected? “…Ottawa poured $210 million into the first redevelopment, and later this year, council will decide whether to double-down on Lansdowne…But the ByWard Market Public Realm Plan contains no funding mechanism…” ottawacitizen.com/news/lansdow...

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

Forgotten Friday. Did you know Ottawa used to have streetcars? From 1891 till 1959 - when it was ripped out in favour of car-centric sprawl. Ottawa’s LRT is expanding, so as the core densifies a streetcar system (separated from traffic) could be key for better urban mobility.

submitted 16 days ago • 2 comments

Ottawa is raising charges and not making bold land-use changes. We need provincial reform. “Development charges are among the taxes and fees levied on new developments…hefty increases are unnecessarily inflating the costs of building…passed on to buyers”

submitted 17 days ago • 0 comments

This is not a novel problem. Pedestrian oriented city centres around the world have solved this by having time-allocated designated loading zones. Or a micro-distribution centre. That way deliveries happen easily, while avoiding congestion and disruption www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

Do you think Ottawa’s LRT should be uploaded to the province? “…Doug Ford and Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie both vowed that, if elected premier on Feb. 27, they would upload responsibility for Ottawa's light rail network to the province.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

What someone should see when stepping out of an LRT/subway station ↙️ services, amenities, housing, businesses, public spaces, and more. What someone sees stepping out of some of Ottawa’s LRT stations ↘️ - no places of interest in proximity. (1/2)

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

What someone should see when stepping out of an LRT/subway station ↙️ services, amenities, housing, businesses, public spaces, and more. What someone sees stepping out of some of Ottawa’s LRT stations ↘️ - no places of interest in proximity. (1/2)

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

What would improve your neighbourhood for you and your neighbours? • a corner store? • wider sidewalks? • more housing types? • public transportation? • cycling infrastructure? • street calming features? • a neighbourhood bakery, cafe, etc.? Or something else?

submitted 19 days ago • 6 comments

“The Ontario government would transfer responsibility for Ottawa's light rail system to provincial agency Metrolinx, according to campaign promises made by Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford and Ontario Liberal candidate Bonnie Crombie on Tuesday.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

submitted 19 days ago • 2 comments

What would improve your neighbourhood for you and your neighbours? • a corner store? • wider sidewalks? • more housing types? • public transportation? • cycling infrastructure? • street calming features? • a neighbourhood bakery, cafe, etc.? Or something else?

submitted 19 days ago • 6 comments

The Sussex courtyards in the ByWard Market are too often overlooked. These public courtyards were parking lots before. Now they are places to relax, live, and shop. More of Ottawa could be like this, but the city’s land-use regulations hinder these sort of developments today.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

🇨🇦

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Pedestrian places don’t have to stop for winter! People flock to outdoor winter places like the Lansdowne Christmas Market, Rideau Canal, Winterlude, & more! Cities like Toronto, Montreal, & Québec have winter pedestrian areas. More of Ottawa can be people-centred year-round.

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

“The federal government hopes to open a new interprovincial bridge in Ottawa’s east end in the next seven to nine years, as it revives plans for the new Kettle Island Bridge over the Ottawa River.” www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

“OC Transpo says O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will continue to run on a six-day schedule for some time yet, with no service on Sundays.” www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

submitted 24 days ago • 2 comments

Disposable income for most households in Ottawa has taken a hit in recent years. Housing and transportation are the biggest expenses, areas Ottawa influences. Investing in public and active transportation, along with enabling affordable housing, puts more money in your pocket.

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

Worldly Wednesday 🌍 Why do people love Paris? Architecture, public transpo, it’s vibrant & walkable. Why do people love Tokyo? Architecture, public transpo, it’s vibrant & walkable. Why do people love… It does not just have to be abroad, we can make it happen in Ottawa too

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments