Orléans South-Navan Community Update | March 14th 2025

13 minutes ago6 min read

Councillor's Message

I hope everyone had a fantastic March Break! Whether you traveled abroad, explored our city, or took part in the City's fantastic spring programming, I hope you found time to relax and unwind with family and friends.

Last Saturday, we marked International Women’s Day! I had the honour of attending both a breakfast at City Hall during the week put on by Mayor Sutcliffe and celebrating with incredible women right here in Orléans at a separate event. This year’s theme, Accelerate Action, is a reminder of the ongoing work needed to break down barriers and build a world free of bias and discrimination towards women.

Shifting gears, following Councillor George Darouze’s election to the Ontario Legislature, City Council is likely to opt to fill his seat through a by-election. The seat will be officially declared vacant at our next Council meeting on March 26, once the provincial results are finalized. In the meantime, Councillor David Brown and I have been designated to oversee Ward 20 until a new councillor is elected. Given that portions of this ward were part of the area I represented before the 2022 boundary changes, I look forward to reengaging with some familiar faces and helping the entire community out where I can during this transition. If you’re a Ward 20 resident, your first point of contact should still be Councillor Darouze’s office, as his team remains available to assist you. To my Ward 19 residents, my focus still remains and will continue to remain you.

A huge thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who have kept our outdoor rinks and trails in great shape this winter. As the season winds down, your hard work has not gone unnoticed! I look forward to celebrating your efforts at my annual pizza party—stay tuned for details.

And finally, spring is here, which means… it’s also pothole season! With freeze-thaw cycles in full effect, Roads and Parking Services crews have already started repairs across the city. If you come across a pothole in need of attention, you can report it through the City’s online service request system here.

Here’s to warmer days ahead! 🌷

Emmett closed from Wilhaven to French Hill for critical culvert work

Due to critical culvert replacement work, Emmett Road from Wilhaven to French Hill will be closed until Friday, March 21.

Local access will be maintained throughout the duration of the closure. Thank you for your understanding while crews complete this important work.

REMINDER – Take the Chapel Hill Park & Ride Shuttle!

LESS THAN 11 MINUTES. That’s how long it took me to reach Blair Station on the first morning of the new Chapel Hill Park & Ride Shuttle to Blair.

I was so happy to see the parking lot a little fuller than we’ve seen it & hope the word will spread throughout the community that this is a quick option for your commute.

Thank you to those who reached out to share their positive experiences & to the parent I chatted with on the first morning who expressed gratitude that his daughter was able to sleep in an extra hour with the time saved for her commute to school!

In case you missed it, Route 226 is a six-week pilot, running express service westbound to Blair in the morning (every 30 minutes from 5:44 am to 8:53 am) and eastbound back to Chapel Hill Park & Ride in the afternoon (every 30 minutes from 3:20 pm to 6:03 pm).

This is a huge opportunity for transit riders in South Orléans, but I need your help to prove that if efficient transit is available, residents will use it!

See you on the shuttle! We have 4 more weeks to prove ourselves.

Taking action on rural farm flooding in Ward 19

After last summer’s severe and historic rainfall conditions, it was clear that action was needed. Since first learning about the long-standing drainage issues in the Bear River area last June, I have made this a priority file, staying on top of the issue and working to cut through red tape to find real solutions.

Last week, at the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, I moved a motion to appoint a drainage engineer to assess and improve the Bear River Municipal Drain. This is a crucial step forward in addressing the flooding that has impacted 186 hectares of agricultural land, leading to significant crop losses and concerns for farmers in the area.

The Bear River Municipal Drain dates back to 1902 and has seen multiple improvements over the decades, but with the last major engineering review completed in 1990, an updated assessment is long overdue. My motion ensures that the City will appoint a drainage engineer to conduct this much-needed review and propose solutions to enhance capacity, mitigate flooding, and ensure compliance with provincial drainage regulations.

Beyond that, my motion also directs staff to monitor flood conditions throughout the spring melt and summer rain events, request potential emergency intervention if flooding due to insufficient outlet occurs, and ensures Council has all the information it requires when it’s time to approve a recommended plan.

By moving this motion, I am pushing for a proactive, solutions-based approach that will finally address the issue head-on.

I also want to thank the Chair of ARAC, Councillor David Brown for his support and guidance on this file. His command of the Drainage Act and knowledge as a farmer was an integral part of creating and passing the motion.

Shop Local and Buy Canadian!

At the beginning of February, I brought forward a motion as Vice Chair of Finance and Corporate Services Committee on behalf of the Mayor to take action in response to the economic impact of U.S. trade tariffs. We know that these tariffs are putting pressure on our local businesses, and it’s critical that we do what we can to support them. As a result, Mayor Sutcliffe convened economic development partners to share concerns, best practices, and resources to help mitigate these financial impacts.

To further this effort, I’m excited to share that the City of Ottawa has launched the "Shop Local. Buy Canadian." campaign to encourage residents to continue supporting local businesses and choosing Canadian-made products.

Additionally, the City has developed a Tariff Toolkit to provide local businesses with resources to navigate these challenges. This can be found here.

I have always been a strong advocate for supporting local businesses, and now, more than ever, we need to rally behind them. Every dollar spent here helps strengthen our economy and keeps our businesses thriving. Let’s all do our part—shop local, buy Canadian, and support the incredible entrepreneurs who make our community special.

The Bradley Cup is back March 21-22 at Navan Arena!

Get ready for the return of the Bradley Cup Charity Hockey Tournament!

Join us at the Navan Memorial Centre on March 21-22 to cheer on Navan, Cumberland, Vars, Sarsfield, Orléans, and Hammond as they compete for the title.

The tournament promises to be a great day, fun for the whole family, with live entertainment, food & beverage, and of course, competitive hockey—all in support of the Navan Pavilion Project.

Attending the Navan Lions AGM

I had a great time attending the Navan Lions Annual General Meeting back on Monday, February 24.

It was a pleasure to provide a community update and take questions from members about issues that matter to them. I'm always grateful for the incredible work the Navan Lions do to support our community and collaboration they have with the Navan Community Association.

Seasonal load restrictions start Monday, March 17

Commercial vehicles or trailers with a gross vehicle weight in excess of five tonnes or 11,000 pounds per axle will be prohibited on roads where restriction signage is posted, and on all truck routes identified as restricted on the Urban Truck Routes and Rural Truck Routes lists. These restrictions also apply to all non-truck routes.

During the spring thaw period, some roads cannot withstand heavy vehicle loads. Every year, the City monitors thaw progression by using the forecast temperature data to calculate the Thaw Index. When the Thaw Index reaches its threshold value, load restrictions are imposed. Heavy vehicles that exceed weight limits on restricted-load roadways during the spring thaw period will be subject to fines.

Once the pavement strength has been restored, load restrictions will be removed.

Registration open for Spring 2025 Cleaning the Capital

Get your clean on and register for the Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign by May 2!

You can choose from a variety of public spaces to clean, such as community parks, greenspaces, roadsides, or shorelines. Gather your team and help keep our community clean and green!

For more information or to register, please go to ottawa.ca/clean

Civic Events funding application window now open

The Civic Events Funding for community funding is now open for applications. The funding is used to deliver family-friendly events in local Ottawa communities and priority neighbourhoods that promote neighbours meeting neighbours in their local, geographic community.

Civic Events Funding prioritizes events that are directed towards the priority populations specified in the Community Funding Framework Policy Statement, including Francophones, immigrants, Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQQIA+ community members, older adults, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, racialized people, rural residents, women, and youth. Priority neighbourhoods, as defined by the Neighbourhood Equity Index, are also a priority.

For more information and to apply, please visit Ottawa.ca.