APPROVED MINUTES

APPROVED MINUTES

GCA Board Meeting

Tuesday, November 28, 2023
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Glebe Community Centre, Preschool Room

Chair: John Crump, President
Secretary and timekeeper: Janet Sutherland

Participating Board members: John Crump, June Creelman, Colette Downie, David Kelly, Janet Sutherland; Elizabeth Ballard, Anthony Carricato, Dan Chook Reid, Maggie Gorman Velez, Rochelle Handelman, Deborah Long, Carol MacLeod, Angus McCabe, Matt Meagher, William Price, Janna Rinaldi, Laura Smith, James Stuewe, Catherine Waters, Della Wilkinson.

Regrets:  Elizabeth Ballard, Martha Bowers, Bob Brocklebank, Laurent Carbonneau, Anthony Carricato, Vaughn Guy, Christina Honeywell-Dobbin, Carolyn Mackenzie, Genevieve McInnes, Laura Smith, Elspeth Tory, Judy Wilson.

Community Members: Rick Chataway, Dave Coyle, Danny Handelman, John Humphries, Jonathan McLeod (Councillor’s office), Randal Marlin, Rebecca McKeen, Mike Newman, Barbara Popel (DLRA), Mark Redwood, David Sweanor.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

President John Crump opened the meeting with a land acknowledgement and welcomed Board members and members of the community in attendance. He noted that the feature presentation of the evening would be conducted over Zoom.

Consent Agenda

The meeting agenda and minutes of October 24, 2023 were approved by consensus.  

Report from the City Councillor’s Office – Councillor Shawn Menard was represented at the meeting by Jonathan McLeod who provided the following updates:

1) Council will vote on the City budget next week. Councillor Menard has been focusing on:

– transit improvements and better service, 

– expansion of a pilot project to install ‘port-a-potties’ in parks,

– transportation and repair projects that affect the Glebe including the Percy Street underpass, repairing the retaining wall at Torrington and Findlay, the Bank Street Bridge, reconstruction of Ella and Ralph, and

– other projects such as a partial new roof on the Aberdeen Pavilion, public enhancements at Lansdowne Park (eg. street furniture), new windows for the Sunnyside Library. 

2)  Lansdowne Park 2.0 – the vote by Council has approved the plan however some improvements will still be possible based on the provincial Attorney General’s report. The procurement process will be determined early in the New Year.

In response to questions from Angus McCabe, Chair of the Parks Committee, on Jonathan indicated he will follow up with Angus directly on the issues raised (expansion of Memorial Park, multi-use pathway from Bronson along Chamberlain, ‘cash in lieu’ for parks).  John Crump thanked Jonathan for attending and for providing for his report.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

John Crump called upon James Stuewe, Co-Chair of the Transportation Committee, to introduce the consultant to present the results of the Active Transportation Study. Transportation Committee Co-Chair Matt Meagher joined this portion of the meeting via Zoom.  

James reminded those present that the study was made possible through a $50,000 grant received from Infrastructure Canada.  Momentum Consulting from Montreal was retained to conduct the study based on similar work they’d done in large cities. 

Amélie Cosse of Momentum Consulting joined the meeting via Zoom to present high level findings and a few sample proposals informed by the community input received via the consultation process that involved 288 members of the community.  The resulting ideas and best practices from other jurisdictions were documented in the Glebe Active Transportation Study Action Plan and circulated prior to the meeting.   

Overall the report and presentation was well-received and generated discussion on various options and their potential.  The Action Plan is meant to be used as a resource to continue to engage the community and lead conversations with the City of Ottawa, the NCC and other stakeholders.  It provides strategic information that will be useful for a number of GCA Committees to consider in their future plans and priorities (eg. Transportation, Planning, Parks, Education, Environment).  The findings of the Action Plan can help to inform future operational, infrastructure and planning projects within the Glebe and should be considered in any capital reconstruction projects. It was noted that the Glebe BIA should be engaged on some of the options given the focus on Bank Street in the consultation feedback.

Amélie indicated that all of the ideas provided could be prioritized within the current City planning context for transit and other initiatives and implementation could be planned for the short-, medium- and long-term.  She suggested an incremental approach, eg. low cost and short-term options and also pilot projects to test some of the ideas with an annual review to check progress and results.

It was noted that many of the ideas are candidates for co-investment by different levels of government. It was suggested to share the study results widely to find the match between ideas and funding sources. The Action Plan also provides strategic information that will be useful for a number of GCA Committees to consider in their future plans and priorities (eg. Planning, Parks, Education, Environment) and to enhance community building and quality of life in the Glebe.  

John thanked the GCA Transportation Committee and all who participated in the consultation process to generate options for future community consideration and discussion. 

Amelie was thanked for her role in the process and for the presentation. The Glebe Active Transportation Action Plan was referred back to the Transportation Committee in order to bring forward recommendation(s) to the GCA Board at a future meeting.

FINANCIAL REPORT:

John Crump then called upon Treasurer David Kelly to provide a ‘fiscal update’.  A copy of the budget with operating expenses and current funds available was circulated in the Board meeting package. Membership revenue to date is $13,001 which is on par with recent years, but less than pre-Covid times. Funds have been ear-marked for legal fees related to updating our bylaws.  We have restricted grant funds related to the Traffic Study and Environment Committee.  After projected expenses, there is an available balance of $32,583 in the bank which can be allocated as per the Board’s approval. 

It was noted that when external funds of $10,000 or more are received, the GCA is obliged to conduct an audit which adds to our operating expenses. Given the financial implications, Committees need to advise the GCA Board when applying for project funds.

The Chair called upon Committee representatives to present their motions for approval. 

  
MOTIONS:

1.  Lansdowne 2.0

Whereas City Council has approved both the Official Plan Amendment and the Rezoning application in support of Lansdowne 2.0 to allow for building of a new arena/event centre and 2 mixed-use towers;

Whereas the proposed area for the arena/event centre is currently green/parkspace, that will be lost to the community, a community already underserved according to the City’s own greenspace standards;

Whereas the rezoning provides for two mixed-use towers of up to 40 storeys;

Whereas the GCA has previously provided comments to the City opposing the OPA and rezoning given loss of greenspace and detrimental impact on the public realm/gathering space at Lansdowne Park, as well as expressing concerns about the impact of the large towers on the public realm and increased traffic congestion given transportation/transit constraints;

Whereas the City’s own Urban Design Review Panel has also expressed strong concerns about the impact of both the arena/centre and of two tall towers on the public realm, including impact on heritage assets including the Aberdeen Pavillion; and

Whereas any appeal to the rezoning or OPA must be submitted by December 14, 2023:

Therefore be it resolved that the GCA Board:

1) Support retaining legal advice to determine the basis for, requirements of, and any risks, to filing an appeal of either or both the OPA and rezoning as above;

2) Authorise the GCA Executive to take a decision regarding next steps of a potential appeal; 

3) Authorise spending of up to $5,000.00 for advice as per 1), and preparation/ submission for 2), if approved by GCA Executive.

MOVED/SECONDED: June Creelman/Elizabeth Ballard. Carried. Motion APPROVED.

In discussion of the motion, it was suggested that support also be sought from Old Ottawa South and Old Ottawa East Community Associations to add to the credibility of this action. It was also noted that this action will delay, but may not prevent, the redevelopment from proceeding as is. It allows for time for a negotiated settlement

  • Response to Mental Health, Addiction and Homelessness in the Glebe (in partnership with the BIA and GNAG)

Whereas some Glebe businesses have reported cases of aggressive panhandling (Glebe BIA Security Meeting); 

Whereas there have been reported incidents of people sleeping rough in the Glebe and occasionally disrupting businesses or community members (Glebe BIA Security Meeting);

Whereas Ottawa declared an affordable housing and homelessness emergency in January 2020 and since then the situation has only worsened (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/homeless-emergency-ottawa-1.5444246#:~:text=Ottawa%20city%20council%20made%20the,or%20merely%20a%20%22crisis.%22&text=Ottawa’s%20wait%2Dlist%20for%20affordable,since%202017%2C%20according%20to%20Coun.);

Whereas despite significant investments from the City in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 budgets, there are still over 10,000 households on the Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing with wait lists up to five years (https://ottawa.ca/en/family-and-social-services/housing/subsidized-housing);

Whereas the CBC has reported that Ottawa is seeing increases in accidental opioid deaths by inhalation, from 16% in 2018 to 39% in 2022 (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-opioid-overdose-prevention-recommendations-1.7019985).

Whereas our community police officers are currently stressed, overextended, underfunded and unable to be regularly present in our neighbourhoods (Glebe BIA Security Meeting);

Be it resolved:
That the GCA, in partnership with the BIA and GNAG, provides resources, training and education for the community on how to respond to mental health crises. This includes, but is not limited to, a workshop in Spring 2024. 

And,

That the GCA write to the City of Ottawa urging them to:

  1. Commit at least $40 million in Budget 2024 of City funding, over and above federal and provincial grants, to build new affordable housing and reduce the Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing substantially; 
  2. Commit additional funding to Ottawa Public Health to expand the Needle Clean-up program to increase safety and improve wait times for clean up when a needle is found;
  3. Commit at least $500,000 to expand the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crisis Response Group to more neighbourhoods in central Ottawa, including the Glebe.
  4. Ensure that all available government-owned land developed for housing is allocated for deeply affordable, non-profit or co-op housing.

MOVED/SECONDED: Deborah Long / June Creelman. Carried. Motion APPROVED.

  • Emergency Shelters

Whereas Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and the Ottawa City Council launched an emergency shelter task force to address the unprecedented demand on the shelter system (https://www.startswithhome.ca/ottawa_s_homeless_shelter_crisis);

Whereas our shelter system has almost 10% percent more people than this time last year (https://www.startswithhome.ca/ottawa_s_homeless_shelter_crisis);

Whereas 275 people are sleeping outside, and Ottawa anticipates that 70% of this group will need to access shelter when winter hits our city (https://www.startswithhome.ca/ottawa_s_homeless_shelter_crisis);

Whereas we are seeing an increase in newcomers to Canada needing to access the shelter system due to our affordable housing crisis (https://www.startswithhome.ca/ottawa_s_homeless_shelter_crisis); and 

Whereas the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa has launched a letter-writing campaign asking the Federal Government for $30 million to address the issue:

Be it resolved:
That the GCA support the Alliance to End Homelessness initiative by writing a letter to the Federal Government, specifically Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and Infrastructure Canada, urging them to give $30 million to the City of Ottawa to address the shelter crisis. 

 MOVED/SECONDED: Deborah Long / Elizabeth Ballard. Carried. Motion APPROVED.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:

Membership:  John Crump invited Maggie Gorman Velez, Chair of the Membership Committee to provide an update on the process required to comply with the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and implications for membership. (Reminder: The new compliance requirements for non-profit organizations were presented at the October GCA Board meeting. The deadline for the GCA to respond with changes to bylaws, policies and procedures is October 2024). She indicated that the Membership Committee had recently met, along with the Dow’s Lake Resident’s Association, to explore what changes are required with a goal of bringing recommendations for approval to the GCA Board in January/February and for implementation in spring of 2024.  She noted that the GCA’s current membership model, which provides the GCA’s main source of revenue, is labour intensive (90 volunteers involved), involving many volunteer hours. 77% of the funds are raised by campaigning door-to-door and 22% is received via online registration. The requirement to comply provides an opportunity to improve efficiencies and increase engagement and retention.  Five key areas will be addressed:

  • Timing – set a clear Membership Campaign period before the Annual General Meeting
  • Communication and outreach – timeliness and consistency
  • Review of membership unit – eg. individual vs household
  • Data management – privacy and integrity in handling membership data
  • Campaign mechanism(s) – this is an opportunity to modernize and increase online membership recruitment.

John noted that these were logical steps following the GCA Board’s strategic retreat last year and he thanked Maggie and the Committee for their leadership on this critical portfolio for the GCA. 

CLOSING REMARKS

John thanked everyone for their attendance and participation and extended best wishes for the upcoming holiday season.

NEXT MEETING:  Tuesday January 23, 2024 via Zoom.

ADJOURNMENT:  

Moved/Seconded by Colette Downie/Maggie Gorman Velez to adjourn the meeting. Carried. The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.