APPENDIX A

Feedback from Public Consultation on Rural Summit Issues

Part A - WRITTEN AND ON-LINE FEEDBACK FORM COMMENTS

• Governance – rural wards don’t count
• By-laws based mostly on urban context
• City services not available on site for rural wards
• Effective representation of rural population
• Affordable / accessible services, programs facilities (sports, entertainment, libraries)
• Responsible fiscal policy for rural areas that reflect actual situation / context

• Community centres / association need same funding as city (more equitable share)
• We should not be penalized because we have all volunteers running the centres.
• Too many unionized staff that are protecting their jobs and too many managers protecting their fiefdoms.
• We can’t have gravel put on our roads
• Rural is not just farmers and all the rural people have issues.

• Use of a rural affairs committee to provide input on decisions before acting
• Community centre funding

• Transportation for seniors and home support services.

• Access to services – cannot use same numbers (critical mass) to determine where to offer services
• Affordable access to local meeting space for community groups (e.g. Scouts)

· Business licenses for rural businesses

· Zoning bylaws for small businesses

· Support / funding for arts and culture in rural areas

· Communication from City on issues which affect us

• Lack of community development services
• Lack of personal development
• Transportation issues
• Community centre development, programs

• As the manager of policing services for rural west: former west Carleton, Goulbourn, Rideau Township, rural areas of Kanata, Nepean (427 of city), I would be willing to assist the project team on any policing issues.
• How will issues paper be adopted
• A plan for moving forward, not focusing on what was or re-fighting old battles
• Access to services / need centre periphery model
• Show presence of city in the ward
• Accessing funding and grants fairly, not based on a walk through traffic
• I am Chairperson of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre which is working to bring primary health care to West Carleton, Kanata and Goulbourn.
• I am also President of the Dunrobin Community Association – working very hard to save the centres during last budget
• Live in suburban part of West Carleton and want to avoid stereotypes of rural vs. urban.

• One size does not fit all
• Criteria for programs, services and funding can’t use numbers served, critical mass, same expectations for rural as urban
• Bylaws
• Community facilities
• State
• Access
• Suitability
• Access to primary health care
• Better communication systems
• Within rural communities and to the rural communities
• Transportation
• Clarification / awareness of area
• When accessing services, staff know you are a resident
• Postal codes don’t reflect where you live
• Phone numbers
• Boundary lines
• Recognize diversity in rural areas

• Effective representation – ward boundaries should not be decided before the summit
• New governance structure putting decision making back in communities
• One size does not fit all
• City can’t use the same critical mass as criteria to provide services and funding in urban / rural area
• Agricultural staff should be hired to advise city on rural issues.

FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE

· One size fits all solution cannot work. Rural regulations should be separate and distinct.

· An Agricultural advisory Committee needs to be implemented immediately.

· Reductions of services to Rural Areas through elimination of and one day a week operation of rural client service centres is unacceptable. Complete services are required.

· More restrictive land use regulations and / or zoning changes cannot be implemented without fair and adequate compensation.

· Small business signage promoting farm gate sales must be permitted without fees.

· Rural Ditch maintenance is required:

§ Snow must be cleared to allow spring run off water to flow freely.

§ Regular cutting of ditches is required to reduce the spread of weeds.

· Health department actions must be reviewed. Common sense is no longer being implemented. Health Department inspectors must utilize common sense and put items into perspective before taking actions.

· Activities of By-Law enforcement and Law-enforcement officials must be reviewed for the local agricultural fairs and events:

§ Parking issues

§ Health department issues

§ Law enforcement issues

§ Building code issues

· Cut backs of OMAF services have now created a situation where farm support and resources are essentially not available. Funding must be returned to OMAF operations.

· Ministry of Natural resources should work with farmers promptly to alleviate problems of nuisance wildlife.

· The availability of no charge for deer removal permits for farmers should be promoted

· Farm owners should be provided with annual no charge deer tags to either use themselves or issue to parties permitted to hunt on their property.

· Provincial Policy must be amended to reduce the restriction/elimination of severances in “agricultural areas”

· Severance of an excess dwelling should not affect the ability to build on the remnant parcel. If concern is over the people who buy farm properties, sever the excess dwelling then flip both properties for profit put a time restriction on when the remnant parcel can be sold. Farmers are not landlords. Coupled with the new Property Standards by-law it is ridiculous to expect a farmer to keep excess dwelling as a rental property so his land could be owner occupied in the future.

· Building Permit requirements for farm buildings requires review and relaxing.

· By-laws affecting rural areas must not be implemented without adequate and appropriate time for review and feedback from stakeholders.

· Public Meetings and/or consultations on issues affecting agriculture or rural should be held in the off-season for agriculture. I.e.: not between April and November.

· Humane Society staff and veterinarians attending to farm animal issues must be fully versed and have a minimum of five years verifiable continuous past experience in large animal/farm animal care handling and facilities.

· No access to livestock facilities by any officials will be permitted without the permission of the owner or his agent. Bio-Security is a serious concern which the majority of City of Ottawa or other regulatory staff and representatives either are not aware of or do not take seriously.

· Agricultural property owners should not be expected to pay for public transit through property tax levies.

· The value of volunteer firefighters in rural areas must be recognized and promoted as a valuable resource.

· The importance of rural community centers and community associations must be recognized.

· The legal ability for a farmer to protect his livestock from predators, whether wild or domestic must be recognized and accepted

· Current drinking water regulations require a complete revamping to allow rural business, community, and church groups etc to survive. These regulations are just another example where common sense has been lost and unrealistic restrictions have been enacted by a bureaucracy with no understanding of rural life styles.

· Unacceptable Buffer Zone restrictions must be reviewed and relaxed.

· Good forestry practices by-law must not apply to any farm properties.

· With the obvious lack of an effective rural voice on City Council rural self-governance within the City of Ottawa must be considered. By-laws and regulations of the previous Townships of Ottawa-Carleton were developed by the stakeholders in the respective geographic areas specifically for these same areas. One size fits all does not work.

· Private land in rural Ottawa should not be considered as the City of Ottawa’s parkland or green space. Through regulations and rezoning such as wetland designations and environmentally sensitive areas this is being done without compensation to the property owner.

· The City of Ottawa should have a contact list and provide advance notification to recognized stakeholders and organizations of meetings where issues affecting these parties are being discussed.

· The City of Ottawa should explore the possibility of establishing a borough system for rural Ottawa.

· The City of Ottawa should promote the ability to their staff to compromise.

· The City of Ottawa should produce and distribute a department assessment questionnaire for the public to complete and return.

· The designation of municipal drains as tributaries must be addressed and stopped.

· Amount of non-questionable power given to conservation authorities, department of fisheries & oceans etc needs to be reviewed.

· In many situations bylaws/regulations are proposed then stakeholders have to fight & negotiate to have a reasonable regulation enacted. Why not start with a reasonable bylaw & regulation.

· The “right to farm” needs to be entrenched in City regulation, provincial & federal

• Land issues
• Decisions affecting rural residents regarding services not wanted / needed in rural areas
• The City acting before consulting
• City officials making decisions regarding rural areas without allowing input from residents (R.C.A.) waiting for the city to appoint their own representatives rather than letting the people in the area become involved.
• Do not believe council and mayor should be the people deciding who should be on the committee as they will not allow the “vocal” rural residents to participate
• There are too many government departments dealing with land issues, and they all pass the back, and nobody seems to have answers (municipal, provincial, federal). There should be less interference from them all, or at least co-ordinate with each other.

• Forestry and green space – primary issue for us
• Water quality
• Rural transportation
• Service fees for actual service

• Wetlands issue
• The disconnect with the resolution of problems and service delivered by the City as compared to when they were resolved / delivered by the Township.
• The constant threat of disenfranchisement (i.e. the redrawing of ward boundaries) to the disadvantage of rural residents. This issue is exacerbated by the hue and cry of the media commentators who fail to realize that rural residents lost a major voice to their council with the dissolution of Township municipalities.

• Solutions for ensuring rural input and attention to rural issues through
• A Rural Affairs Department
• Volunteer committee organizations providing input and direction on rural interests and issues à support mechanism for the councillor
• Other mechanisms – rural committee, etc.
• Use of proven technologies for local / on-site waste water treatment, alternatives to big pipe solutions – don’t chance polluting a river because the current system needs sewage to be pumped a long distance in order to achieve the necessary volume in order to flush things through suburban area pipes / main lines. ]
• Flexibility in by-laws to address rural context.

• Consulting contracts gone wild. Frustration factor with apparent waste of millions of tax dollars. Don’t we pay city staff? Establish policy frameworks etc. Is consulting a “couch your butt” or “pass the buck”? What are we paying managers for? One would think that foresight and common sense must be a prerequisite for the job.
• Les routes et chemins ruraux – c’est catastrophique en ce moment – surtout avec les pluies fortes il y a quelques semaines (Russell Rd. et Canaan Rd.)
• Inondation du quartier et perte de service du téléphone pour les résidents – téléphone à la ville – les employés se renvoiet la balle
• Ligne téléphonique ou représentant par les quartiers ruraux – parler à quelqu’un qui connait la région.
• Centres de services de garderies infirmière, centres communautaire avec des activités pour mères enfants et familles dans l’école St-Hughes qui est présentement vide.

• Par ce temps de canicules, les ainés de Sarsfield aimeraient avoir un abri sur la patrinoire où ils jouent à la pitonque en été et pour les intéressés de tous âges patinent en hiver. Ceci pourrait être un dôme en plastic ou autre.
• Les usager du centre communautaire de Sarsfield reclament une salle de toilette pour personnes en chaise mobile (personne handicapée). Présentement il n’y a que deux unités dans la salle de toilette et celles-ci sont très peu spacieuses.

• Recreation facilities (increased in extreme south Ottawa)
• Elimination of crack pipe program
• Communications – phone staff have rural knowledge
• Improve emergency services

· Better maintenance of road-side ditches and municipal drains

· Revocation of the $15.00 dump fee at Trail Level Fill site so that frustrated people delivering stuff to the dump don’t just throw the stuff into surrounding in the vicinity of the fill-site – anyone who has gone to the effort and expense of trucking (transporting) waste to the dump should be able to dispose of it without further cost, providing they are residents or property owners of the City of Ottawa.

· Revocation of the necessity to obtain and pay for a “Burn Permit” ($50.00) from the City of Ottawa for burning refuse on agricultural lands. Farmers have always, until recently, been able to burn rubbish and waste wood (limbs, trash, etc.) while cleaning up their land prior to spring planting or often fold harvesting, and they have been doing this safely and without hazard for generations. Oven fires in built-up City areas are quite another thing, but farmers and agricultural landowners should continue to have this right to burn waste in open fires on their land without the hassle, cost, and regulation of the current “Burn Permits”.

• We do not like the divide and conquer format of the rural summit consultation.
• City staff do not listen to rural residents
• Too much intervention in rural lives
• Loss of property rights
• Want to know the composition of the rural summit task force
• Receiving city water (3890 Navan Rd.)

· Crack pipes handouts... this is a good idea??

· Bilingualism- Why? Quebec has laws against it... why do we need it so widespread? Very few rural people in the west end need this at ALL.

· O-train to nowhere

· Spray for mosquitos!!!

· OC... spending WAY out of control.

· The collective agreement for city managers that allow them to collect bonuses even though they don’t hit goals

· The fact that we now have more staff than before the layoffs a couple years ago

· The ban on roadside vendors... this is ridiculous and reeks of yet another fee/tax grab.

· Increase of user fees while taxes keep going up. i.e. fire permits, public pools, 911 address sign

· Poor communications City to rural residents, many of whom are not served by local papers. E.g., now information regarding the Rural Summit, except finding this webpage by accident while looking for something else.

· Closure of roads going into the city. E.g., of 4 north-south roads in my area, 3 are now closed to through traffic, leaving only Bank Street, with it’s many lights.

· Projects for high-speed internet access. Some areas are completely uncovered by existing services (DSL, Cable, Wireless), even existing rural wireless services.

· How to maintain rural lifestyle & values in the face of the overwhelmingly urban nature of the amalgamated City of Ottawa.

· How to provide the rural community with meaningful representation and clout in City decision-making. We’ve got most of the land. The Urban community has most of the people. So how do you assess importance? Rurals feel cheated & ignored. This will not go away as long as the "importance" formula is so heavily weighted towards urban issues. Listen to us or let us go.

· How to give power over their own local issues back to the rural communities. The City doesn’t understand these local issues, nor does it care, nor can it react in a timely manner.

· Open our local Client Centers full-time. I very much resent having to carefully schedule my activities so that I can go to Metcalfe only on Tuesdays.

· De-amalgamation. Rural and Urban are two very different things. It is ludicrous to think that downtown Ottawa has much in common with farms. The issues & priorities are not the same at all. From a rural viewpoint, a footbridge over the Canal is a ridiculous waste of our money. From an urban perspective, pump-out of septic tanks is just not of any interest. Yes, we are all human and therefore have interests in common. But the devil is in the details, and most of our details differ greatly.

· Bus Service that is being paid for in taxes and not used.

· City staff that have no idea of what is going on outside the Urban/Suburban core.

· Obvious inefficiencies in city work.

· A mayor that only sees the rural areas as a source of taxes for minimal service.

· Inner city councillors that have no idea of how to run an efficient organization.

· Ottawa Hydro (previously Gloucester Hydro) increasing number of power outages to service to north end of the island in Manotick. All homes have sump pumps and many are on wells.

· Property tax reform - taxation on service usage not ’estimated’ home/property value.

· Property taxes for rural constituents that better reflect the reduction in services and service usage that increases with distance from city core.

· Lack of bylaw enforcement when requested for outlying areas.

· Charging for tax payment invoices/proof of payments and how wrong that is. (Not re-prints of statements... invoices as required to be provided by law by all ’takers of money’.)

· Designation of Wetlands in Goulbourn Township and violation of our property rights.

· Greely Metcalfe Pathways that has been in the planning since 1999. How do we get the city to recognize the need for this type of recreational facility in our area?

· Designation of Wetlands in Goulbourn Township and violation of our property rights.

· Greely Metcalfe Pathways that has been in the planning since 1999. How do we get the city to recognize the need for this type of recreational facility in our area.

· Reduction in snow clearing of roads,

· Disintegration of our roads (lack of adequate maintenance),

· Lack of respect for farmers/rural landowners rights and their properties,

· Why Munster couldn’t get local waste water treatment when a fair number of residents wanted that and why the city dump is to get local treatment of waste water,

· High taxes (are we paying for the debt of the original City of Ottawa yet?),

· Why OC Transpo buses have to stop on or only half off the main roads (e.g. River Road) when picking up passengers and thus blocking traffic at rush hour. They should be able to get completely off the road where space permits,

· Why bus stops are located so close to intersections that when a bus stops to pick up passengers, hazardous driving conditions are created at the intersection,

· Why city operated vehicles (e.g. buses, fire department fire chief vehicles, police cars on normal patrol, city maintenance vehicles, etc.) fail to come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs - on rural and city streets and roads - and promote breaking the law and unsafe driving practices (don’t ask me to cite specific examples, just go out any day on any road and observe this).

· Bike paths: Because of the limitations of public transit in rural areas, biking is an important mode of transportation, especially for youth. Bike paths connecting rural areas and connecting the rural area to the urban core would facilitate this method of transportation, improve security while biking and encourage a healthy and green method of transportation.

· Hazardous waste collection: All hazardous waste collection areas are located in the urban part of Ottawa. People living in the rural area are not encouraged to drive out to the collection areas just to drop off a small package of used batteries and a jugs of paint thinner therefore increasing the risk that these items will be thrown in the trash or down the drain. One-day collection in rural areas on a rotating basis through each rural ward 1 or 2 times per would be greatly appreciated.

· Recycling of plastic bale wrap: Another waste product that is produced in rural areas is plastic bale wrap. In the April edition of the AgriNews there is an article to encourage Renfrew County farmers to bring their hay and silage plastics to the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre in Pembroke on June 25th for recycling. Why can’t Ottawa be as innovative?

· Knowledge of rural and agricultural issues: Councillors and some staff members should receive and read a few farming magazines such as Better Farming, the Ontario Farmer’s Association (OFA) magazine.

· Youth: Creating opportunities for youth to be involved in programs or activities available in rural areas.

· Greely Metcalfe Pathways that has been in the planning since 1999. How do we get the city to recognize the need for this type of recreational facility in our area?

· Property tax reform - taxation on service usage not ’estimated’ home/property value.

· Property taxes for rural constituents that better reflect the reduction in services and service usage that increases with distance from city core.

· Lack of bylaw enforcement when requested for outlying areas.

· Charging for tax payment invoices/proof of payments and how wrong that is. (Not re-prints of statements... invoices as required to be provided by law by all ’takers of money’.)

· Designation of Wetlands in Goulbourn Township and violation of our property rights.

· Bus Service that is being paid for in taxes and not used.

· City staff that have no idea of what is going on outside the Urban/Suburban core.

· Obvious inefficiencies in city work.

· A mayor that only sees the rural areas as a source of taxes for minimal service.

· Inner city councillors that have no idea of how to run an efficient organization.

· Ottawa Hydro (previously Gloucester Hydro) increasing number of power outages to service to north end of the island in Manotick. All homes have sump pumps and many are on wells.

· Bus Service that is being paid for in taxes and not used.

· City staff that have no idea of what is going on outside the Urban/Suburban core.

· Obvious inefficiencies in city work.

· A mayor that only sees the rural areas as a source of taxes for minimal service.

· Inner city councillors that have no idea of how to run an efficient organization.

· Ottawa Hydro (previously Gloucester Hydro) increasing number of power outages to service to north end of the island in Manotick. All homes have sump pumps and many are on wells.

Kars Homeowners Association

· We are the Village of Kars and would like to remain that way and not become like the City of Ottawa.

· Taxes are higher and services are not any better

· We do not need a bus service

· Our groundwater, there are no plans for water services in Kars over the next 20 years and it is important that we protect our groundwater.

· The Practical Planning Practices should be revised, as rural needs are different that Urban needs.

· Planning and Environment Officers for rural areas should live in a rural area so that they can better understand the rural needs and rural living.

Part B – FEEDBACK FROM SIXTEEN FACILITATED CONSULTATION SESSIONS

The following information is taken from the consultation flipcharts, exactly as recorded by the facilitators.

West Carleton Facilitated Session

Solutions

Communication

- Committee of rural experts to be consulted on rural issues

- Feedback both up (to councilor) and down (to public)

- Decentralize offices and services

- Dedicate rural resources (experts) to answer questions/concerns

- Identify people with rural expertise to deal with specific issues (e.g. Farming, burning, beaches, recreation, business)

- Form network to deal with specific issues – geographical

- Central dissemination point – key contact for area

- Rural secretariat – to answer questions and find out where to get (contact answers)

- Need key contacts identified – who to go to with a question

Issues

Governance

- In past, there was easier access to ward councilors

- Now, councilors and city staff available once / week.

- Client service centre once / week.

- By-laws proposed based on urban area – not proposed by area affected.

- Effective representation – don’t be overwhelmed by larger population

- Don’t need city-wide by-laws

Communication

- Staff more informed of rural issues

- Rural councilors need own web site.

- Need funds put into communication

- Dedicated resources for rural expertise – by-laws

- Lead time to get information

- Need input before by-laws are drafted – use rural affairs committee (e.g. Burn by-law)

- Need community involved in whole planning process – get involved early

- Need better dialogue – save time and money

- Take advantage of knowledge and willingness of rural area

- Need to be connected to urban issues

Services

- Need to be treated differently – distance is an issue

- Transportation – don’t want buses but small vans / mini-buses – rural taxi – needed by seniors and youth

- Indoor facility (recreation) will alleviate problems

- Lack of affordable, accessible transportation

- Lack of health care facilities

- No ability to age in community

- Lack of affordable seniors housing

- Community centres - what are volunteers to pay for – painting broken windows

- Not funded as city – operations budget – no capital fund à takes years

- Volunteer groups try to get reimbursed.

- Volunteers run facilities – urban areas have staff

- Funding should allow volunteers to concentrate on events

- Funding does not pay for basics at community centre

- Need more local services

- WCCT is unique the way community centres are run

- Need capital projects – need t know what budget is

- Need to balance how money is spent – different organizations

- Need opportunities to socialize – special programs

- Bureaucracy in applying for funding too much work / time

- Community centres – centre of community-volunteerism – not valued in city

- Community centres – only place to go à basic service à need funding

- Responsible fiscal policy – rural area – practical – pay as you go

- Perception City Council could be ore responsible

- Allocate funds better – consider necessities – not perks

- Perception that roads are “going to hell”

- Want share of gas tax

- Public needs to know what they are getting – fire + police have improved

- Budgets have been static for funding since amalgamation

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

- Developing criteria to enable the decision makers to make separate and appropriate decisions for rural, urban and suburban areas

- All staff reports indicate impact in each area (urban, suburban, rural)

- Decisions are:

§ Funding

§ Services

§ Fees

§ By-laws

§ Etc…

Issues

- Municipal licensing for:

§ Vendors market

§ Exhibitions – fairs

- By-law on roadside vending

- Harmonization of by-laws does not always fit in one size fits all

- Funding for arts in rural areas.

- Effective representation (ward boundaries) to strengthen rural voice

Governance structure and local decision making

- How do we define rural issues?

- Who decides that it is a rural issue?

- Don’t use the same critical mass as criteria for providing services and funding

- Senior transportation

- Access to primary health care

- Agricultural staff hired by city for handling rural issues

- Clarification of boundaries

- Decentralize services (i.e. Water testing)

- Municipality have stronger voice at provincial level for rural issues

- Recognize diversity in the rural area (avoid stereotype)

- Zoning by-laws for small businesses

Parking lot solutions

- Pro-rate fees for vendors

- Decision presently being made on certain issues should not be done before summit.

- Licensing should be based on income.

- Elected rural political group

§ Conduct public meetings

§ Make recommendations to councillor – advise

§ Councillor would take the ideas forward to council

§ All issues recorded

§ Lobby function

§ Vote on local issues that will go before council

§ City Councillor mandated to take the decision of group to Council

§ Empowered to make local decisions and veto city decisions relative to area

· Road maintenance

· By-laws

· Policing

- Borough system

§ Budget independence

§ Includes staff that understand rural issues and needs

- Rural Affairs Committee have more clout and staffing (get from Larry)

- Corporate Plan does not include rural issues

- Need rural experts:

§ Building official – agricultural buildings

§ Agricultural land issues specialist

- Rural roads not properly maintained

- Specificity of issues

- Weeds management

- Carleton County

§ Take in 4 wards

§ Independent of Ottawa

§ Govern ourselves

§ Infrastructure in place

§ Unanimous support shown

- OC Transpo – don’t want it out here – should be user pay

- Pay taxes on services we can use

- Planning & Environment to reflect rural considerations

- Make sure rural property rights are looked after

- Parking & by-laws not reflecting rural requirements (e.g. Time of day and day of week)

- Not enough transparency of what is going on at City Hall – forewarning of issues

- Regional government moved over – not a new system

- Disconnection between communities – no rural voice at City Hall, no local office

- Better, more timely method of communication to rural residents – not just through the Ottawa Citizen

- Hiring Guidelines to encourage rural residents in City Government

- Rural Secretariat / Department to answer and address rural inquiries

- Rural economy advocacy

- Decentralization – option for client service centres to be open a couple of days per week

§ Could move staff around

§ Permanently move people to rural areas

- Governance change so we are heard

- City Hall needs “hearing aids”

§ More effective representation – review model

- Decision being made without being heard – staff mandates do not include rural

- Rural issues decided by rurals in their own area

* Community councils

§ Model: Elected group of rural representatives who know issues and who present to Council

- No staff who have background or designated responsibility for rurals and knowledge

- Snowplows and road maintenance

- Essentials – roads and safety

- We lost what we had before amalgamation and the overarching issue is re-gaining it.

- Urban planners do not understand rural requirements

- One size can’t fit all

- No C.O.E for rural

- Mindset is not for rural – change required

- Set as a priority that resources are set in place to educate to achieve, change “top à down”

- Bureaucrats are supposed to serve the public, not politicians

- Services are needed back in the rural community service centre (5 days/week)

- Communication with City is poor

- Tighter control on non-core service spending

- Stakeholder participation on all committees

- Tiered harmonization

§ More rural residential input

§ Alienation not harmonization

- Issue with format

§ Good for securing data à we need dialogue

- Rural businesses are suffering because urban business rules are applied

§ Opportunities are not the same

- Invoke a by-law that enshrines and respects owner’s property rights

- Don’t believe that anyone (bureaucrats) downtown is listening

- We want actions, not talk

§ Enough consultation – nothing has happened, and things are getting worse

* Composition of task force be determined ASAP – not chosen by Mayor Chiarelli and/or councillors

- Tired of fighting “the City” for everything we need

- Mayor should cease and desist in trying to restrict residents’ access to OMB.

- No municipal body knowledgeable to present our issues at provincial level (not motivated)

- Use the correct name for the rural council – Rural Council of Ottawa-Carleton

- User pay à do it where reasonable

§ Transportation, not libraries

- Solution-de-amalgamation

- Would like to respect politicians

4 key themes

- Representation

- By-laws

- Bureaucrats and their lack of knowledge and understanding of rural needs

§ Mandate must be aligned with rural needs

§ Bureaucrats are a separate government within City of Ottawa

- Maintenance and services – roads etc.

- Zoning bylaw regulations – rights of property owners

- Communication with key people in advance

§ Centralize West Carleton web

§ Input agricultural adv. comm.

§ Understanding by City Staff and all city councillors

§ Decision making and implication

- Value economic impact on agriculture s/a high tech

- Local access to resources and services

- Common sense and flexibility

- One size does not fit all

§ Need separate rural regulations from urban for rural and agriculture

- Agriculture adv. comm. – eliminated

- Imposed, regulatory zoning – loss of value (expropriation laws should apply)

- No compensation for property

§ Respect for property rights

§ Should have owners’ permission – Augusta township

- Need people on city staff who understand rural life – prior to decisions made

- Tree cutting bylaw – not necessary in rural area

- Building permits and submission for agriculture building – expectations unreasonable and pointless

- Client service centre – close – access to governance and local decision-making has been lost (fewer hours and services available)

- Boat bypass – could only view proposal in Kanata – not locally even though local issue

- Parking ticket downtown – had to go to Gloucester to fight it

- Lack of understanding of rural at city hall, even though repeated explanations

- Communication – local people not informed of changes that impact them

- Over-regulated, no flexibility or common sense

- Committees do not know what others are doing

- Rural maintenance of roads and ditches – results in flooding fields and loss of crops, safety issue (containing forest fires)

- Health department and bylaw services need revamp – drinking water; shut down Metcalfe Fair for serving beef dinner

- Cutbacks to OMAF Services – less advice and assistance to agriculture

- Disallowing severances on agricultural property (provivincial policy statement)

- Public meetings on agriculture should not be done in prime agricultural time (April – November)

§ Lack of understanding – agriculture accommodates city

- Humane society and veterinarians must be knowledgeable of farm animals

- Taxes – we should not have to pay more bus taxes – recognize some residents use park and ride – recommend user pay

- No access to livestock facilities with owner being present – should not have access to any property without owner’s presence

- How many agricultural associations informed and involved in rural summit?

- Communication through existing community groups (not just local paper and web site)

- Need to centralize communication – web site with key information

- Rural self government – “borough” system

- Snow plow patterns need to be better planned

- Rural Ottawa ¹ urban Ottawa’s parkland

§ Includes rural recreation space (soccer fields) – limited space available

- Buffer zone regulations need to be relaxed – as well as wetlands and livestock buffer zones

- Legal ability for farmer to protect livestock (domestic or wild predators) reinforced

- Wetlands regulations make no sense – achieve opposite of what was intended – ditch digging in designated areas before enforced

- Designation of wetlands contrary to Ph direction to get rid of standing water

- Not allowed to put sawdust on property – yet use wood chips throughout city

- Communications – need contact list of organizations so information can go out easily

- Drinking water regulations prohibits use of rural facilities – rural horse camps for children shut down – regulations much more stringent than need to be

- Volunteer firefighters should be promoted and respected as valuable resource for community

- Community centres and fair boards run by volunteers, paid for with private $ - little city $ - same issue for rural libraries (move to unionized labour)

- Require honesty and advance notice in communications – e.g. Interpretation of West Carleton vote to separate

- Need code of ethics for city employees and elected officials with real consequences if not met

- Valid farm regulation – should get 5 deer permits for use as they determine

- Deer removal permits need to be easier to obtain

- Need real effort by every councillor to understand economic importance of agriculture – as given to high tech sector – realize agricultural issues worth looking at and consequences of not doing so

- Small business signage and farm gate sales needs to be promoted – not regulated

- All of council needs to show specific commitment to rural summit – currently feels all onus on rural people to make successful

* Not just Ottawa Summit – includes provincial and federal issues, so all levels need to be involved

- Planning department needs to be flexible for rural issues

- Endangered species regulations cannot be enforced without property owner permission

- Harmonization of bylaws – individual approach – flexible interpretation in a sensible, practical way

* Watch out for single-issue groups

- Communication – get information from rurals on the subject prior to bylaw being drafted

- Timely building permits

§ No common sense – don’t know rural buildings

- Staff should be trained in rural issues – buildings, planning, all issues. Different things for different areas

- Want some growth – especially in villages

- Unique – keep this!

- Keep rural community

§ Have rural people doing rural work (exit lights in barn)

- Attitude bad – inspections

- Educate people – staff and bureaucrats

- De-amalgamation could work

- Work with current situation

- Compensation when land is redesignated

Vars Facilitated Session

- Lack of understanding rural

- Information and understanding

o Educate and understand

o What is going on

- Communications

o Better communication among three levels of government

- Unpaved roads, water pressure, lack of sidewalks, spring road conditions

- Small business

* Lack of considerable services to inner city

- Tax bill timing does not work for farm community or small business

- S/M bus – sewers

- Costs of permits

- Different views as seen by village

- By-laws

o From community

o Regulations as applicable to agriculture

o Concerns regarding competition and making profit

o As it affects livestock

o Sarsfield pig farm

o Truck routes

o Burning / cats

o Severance

o Long Process

o Trees – fair and appropriate

o Consultation before making decisions as they apply to agricultural operations

* Timing of tax bill applied to small business

- Hydro costs – rates and services

- Compatibility – development vs. farming (as neighborhoods)

Environment

- Loss of green space and forest

o Impact on quality of life

o Personal choice

- Conservation concerns

o Preserve remaining forests

o Beaver control – wildlife control

o Development damage

* “Pass the buck” syndrome

o Aquifer development pressure

- Educate city staff to respect rural residents

- Recourse if we are not getting answers or respect

- Ombudsman

- Special number to call for answer – no run around

- No-one takes responsibility

- Planning presentations – we are not given the documentation in time. Very little time to prepare

- Don’t impose from the top down

- When consulting, make sure it is a true consult

- Planning and issues – talk in plain English

- We are used to making decisions – no studying forever

- People will not be able to afford to pay the taxes anymore

- Appropriate funding for recreational activity in rural area.

- 125 people in the park and no washrooms as they have 1 master key and door is always locked.

- Rural policing taxes went up for 2 additional police in rural area

o Police have been cut back and taxes remain

- Rockdale Road speeders – including police

- Important that city recognize community associations and groups

- Rural residents get no respect – “You should not have moved out here if you wanted that kind of service.” (advice given by staff to resident)

* Devine and Dunning should be a 4-way stop

- Promote using community centres and associations as vehicle for communication

- When buying land, plan long term – purchase a larger piece and plan ahead for soccer fields, ballparks, etc.

- Financial responsibility (music hall when we have NAC)

- Taxes are thrown at the roof

- Don’t want to lose rural identity

- Sidewalks on Rockdale goes halfway

- Fine balance between staying rural and having some services

- Clear sidewalks in village in winter -3 nursing homes – difficult to get to stores etc.

- Transit tax and transit services – rates

- Increase service from 2 in AM to 4 from 2 PM to 4 PM

- Possible increase in peek hours

- We pay $98.00 for transit pass

- Transit tax is fine but what we are charged is too high

- People are standing up all the way home

- Don’t want transit to end up like Stittsville’s

- Pathway from Vars Park and Ride to stop where private bus picks up passengers

o They are picked up on road

- Clayton Road not properly maintained – school buses refuse to pick up kids

- Speed limit on Clayton is too high – 80

- Out of town people should pay for transit

Top Issues

- Individual participation

- No consensus

o More park space

o Increased police presence – OPP had better coverage

- Accountability – more respect

- “I want an answer when I ask a question.”

* Maintenance of unpaved roads

* We understand answers take time, but there is a limit

Sarsfield Facilitated Session

- Quarries à Dust

- Gravel Road (increased maintenance)

- Drainage

- Salt & sand

- Drainage

- Convert closed school to other use – multi-service (medicine / recreation / AM activity centre”)

- Bike path

- Emergency services à Fire

à Paramedics

- Relations with quarries

o Dynamite

o Rock traffic

o Crush in the night

o Dust

o Enforcement

- Lack of influence à zoning issue for development

o Communications

- Language: services in French (like Ottawa)

- City government deals with FAR west

o Metering water

o Pesticide

- Relations with agricultural community

o Water management issue

o By-laws as they apply to rural buildings and severance

- Immediate access to right staff at city hall

- Pig farm – size

- Park facilitates – structures outdated (environmental issue)

- Coordinate maintenance at facilities

- Taxes – (less acres) taxed as a country estate

– Inequity

- Traffic control – issue with speeding

- Street lighting lacking on some streets

- Sidewalks

- Job creation for youth

* Each village should have a community centre

* Web site – educate people if 4 wheels on road do not call cops

* More money in roads – maintenance, asphalt

* City employees do not understand rural issues

- Do not understand culvert issues

- Had to go to Woodroffe for things

- Make a department to deal with rural issues

* $15,000 for permits – feel like city does not have any knowledge to OK certain projects – result is higher cost

* More Councillors should understand rural issues

* Not listened to and questions not understood à used to call Trim Rd.; culvert sunk in

* Would like more power given to roads guy

* Someone who knows the area and transfer to right person

Provincial

- Pick up trees because there are more in rural areas

- Wants services à Water, sewers à More houses need to be built

- Large buses in Sarsfield

* Each village should expand à as a result closing schools, businesses

* Pesticide should not touch rural and urban areas

- Ormon’s Lane – good foundation – if rail, will last 30 years

* Factory farms should not be allowed

* Need more activities for young people in rural areas – encourage people to stay in community

- Roof on rink area – protect against sun

* Would like to talk with human rather than machine and have a rural department

- Colonial Road à Problem with drainage and pavement

- No parking signs on north side à centre line not moved à causes traffic problems

- Laforge Quarry à Road there not paved à there was understanding between township and quarry

- Pesticide by-law – is purpose of this session to get this by-law in?

• Do we have an agenda already?

- 20,000 tonnes of gravel now, in new City

- Rural roads (graded)

• 200km roads in Cumberland à 8,000 tonnes of gravel
• Grass too long
• Not out often enough
• Ditches need regular maintenance
• Enforcement committee
• Trim trees and bushes to increase visibility of signs for safety
• Laforge Quarry road needs to be paved – too much dust
• Colonial Road in the village needs to be paved
• Gravel roads are a problem à mud and dust in winter and summer
• Gravel is of poor quality
• Preference is hard top
• Gravel is a waste of money à ends up in ditches
• More traffic has contributed to problem
• Need for a long range road maintenance plan
• Paved shoulders also as per Frank Kenny Road à 2’

- CPR track à Hammond through Navan, through Blackburn hamlet

• Would like it to be a recreational trail and retain public ownership and upgrade for cyclist use à Poor quality gravel can go on this

- Hamlet of Leonard

• Former City Hall /Council
• There are public buildings there that are falling into disrepair
• City should maintain (paint) them or sell them if they don’t want them
• Garage can be converted to a building that can be used as a rest stop for CPR trail users
• Use a tourist attraction and create jobs for summer students

- Cumberland Museum à loss of it

- Sidewalks need a lot of work à 25-year problem

• Dessaint Street doesn’t have a sidewalk at all
• Road lights

- Need a better community centre or a multi-service centre

* Happy with Petrie Island!

* Thumbs up on meetings being held in community as opposed to City Hall

- Willing to pay a few more dollars in taxes for better roads à paved

- Nutrient Management law

o City wants to make more stringent laws than those of province à don’t want this

§ At the same time farmers should do it right

o Prefer education

o City should promote agriculture more positively

o Pesticides bylaw shouldn’t apply to agriculture

- Youth issues à activities for youth in village needed

General Comments

- Need full-time Fire Services in this area

- All new fire trucks went into the core not the rural areas

- Tiered response must be improved

- Now there’s a rural department and an urban department with two different Deputy Chiefs à there should be one person in change of all

* Grateful for the bus service!

- Rural area is not a dump to be used by the urbans!!

- Tires

- Wildlife

Navan Facilitated Session

- Forums feel like a pat on the head, exercise in futility

- Snowplowing: too much on Birchgrove Rd.

- Equity between city and rural people at council – how? Power base is urban

- Bylaws: Urban-oriented peoples are making rural rules

o Tree cutting

o Laura’s corner – good example

o Cut Bylaw

o Fire permit restriction

o Try to get a permit?

- Hydro: Why not Ottawa Hydro?

- Long distance

- Meters on wellheads?

- Pay the same phone bill, but can only connect downtown not next door.

- Internet difficult

- Ditches are not cleaned – water collecting on roads (can’t even drive)

- New ditch built - came along and graded road and filled ditch

- Waste!

- Put in curb and railing at Trim and Innes then 18 months later tear it down to widen road

- Sarsfield Road not looked after – half loads not enforced

- 6:00 pm bus to Sarsfield empty

- Take a look at bus schedules so there is no empty buses on the road

- No litter pick-up – garbage in ditches

- Cost of rural bus pass is too high – not worth losing convenience of driving car

- Signs are not looked after – stop signs on Hydro poles, sandbagged

- Paying to correct city’s planning errors

- Attitudes bad

o Snow plow plows over city-installed mailbox and staff came out 2 days later and said it wasn’t high enough

o Call takers need better education – if you phone to say something has been dumped they ask for civic ADD

- Councillors should be elected at large

- Rural area does not have enough voices that understand rural issues

- Broaden client service centre capabilities to look at traffic tickets and other court-related matters

- Bylaw is way down at Constellation and client service centre should handle in community

- Resources should be close to the community

- Need lights at Trim and Innes, Tenth Line and Navan

- Need mosquito larvae spray

- Communication needs improving

o Every time we call city with a problem they say “You chose to live out there.”

- Weekday fire response time is weak

- Level of service is not as high as it used to be

- Bike path on Frank Kenny

- Sidewalk needed on Smith Road

- Councillors should be out in an office in the rural area 2 days a week

TOP 3 ISSUES

- By-laws

o Rural Advocate

- Communication

o Taxes

o Waste

o Respect, understanding, and education on rural areas

- Lack of services

- Steering committee – Make sure community associations and business associations included

- Have more referendums on certain issues jointly with election ballot

o Bilingualism

o Taxes for bus services

- Cost of living increase for Councillors rather then % they voted on by themselves

o Too many studies ($)

- Police Services have improved and also relationship

- Councillors are more involved in the community. Should have a policy to protect the rural village as distinct community

- More flexibility in developing certain farm lands (no $ in farming anymore)

- Less flexibility in developing farm lands

- Get rid of bureaucracy and accelerate decision making

- More balance in funding $ distribution – rural vs. urban

- Needs to be rural advocate in each department, or a rural department

- Too many processes for Open Air Fire permit

- Bad back drifts on Rockdale (approximately 1 mile south of Colonial)

- Need snow fence policy looked at – problems in some areas (10^th Line Road)

- Would like to see Hydro Ottawa for rural area which includes rate for farmers (grand-fathered lower rate)

* Wants Ring Road around City of Ottawa (need another main route other than 174)

- Would like to know the benefits of the amalgamation – urban with rural

- Would like to see more bus services (smaller) rather than community system

- Supports “user pay” for bus services – not charging $400 to taxes to all residence with no increase to bus service (all day)

- When phone City Hall – you are just put on hold or transferred to someone (who doesn’t answer) - have to leave a message on machine

- Can not call across the city without paying long distance

- Needs to balance cultural / recreation vs. residents’ needs (funding formula)

- Local services have been relocated in west end

o Lotteries

o Recreational Licensing for arenas

- NCC should clean up canal before raising water (tires, etc.)

- More road maintenance – road/lane markings

- More sidewalks / lighting in rural villages

- More scheduled litter pick-up in rural areas along roadways and ditches – city should have program

- Building permits more accessible in the east

- No one size fits all

o Tree cutting by-law

o Selling produce along roads

o Fire Services in urban area should be different than rural area

§ Cumberland services were lost

- Noticed decrease in spraying, cutting of brush, grass along roadways (result of overgrowth)

- Farmers are ordered to cut – why not city?

- Cleaning of ditches for drainage is needed

- City needs to recognize the needs are different in the rural area and staff need to recognize possible difference

Suggested solutions

- Councillor to have a coffee night

- Community council that has a “voice” in the City

- Satellite Offices

- Newsletter

- Farming community – does the city want to encourage the next generation of farmers? – Who has long-term plan?

- Concrete sidewalks in Navan

- More contracting out as city grows – maintenance sees efficiency

- Water quality – more understanding of quality – assurances that quality will remain

- Keep ditches open in rural area

- More police presence

- Quarry Road paved

- Hog farm

o Air control

o Depends on nutrient management get

o May need to relocate

o Want more information on this delivered to property owners

- Lack of understanding of rural business sector challenges (houses, maple syrup, seasonal snowfalls, increased taxes)

- Communication

- Education

- Experience so that staff understand rural people and can provide real assistance

- Ditches closed in Navan

- More rural development

o No housing projects happening now

- More timely upkeep of road – potholes too long to fix – long-term plan for infrastructure

- Front line staff should know where rural areas are – no supplies to help out (maps)

- Higher taxes – level of taxation vs. service levels – increase efficiency not taxes

- Negotiate better with provinces

- ByWard – more appropriate fee in line with earnings (business – Beaver Tails)

Should be based on services used and location – using prime real estate

- Is there an environmental plan for the Huneault site?

Rural Kanata Facilitated Session

1. Lack of representation, ability to access and influence bureaucrats.
2. Bureaucrats have too much power, do not know where rural areas are
3. Definitely broke with knowledge groups – now no strong base

- Afraid to make decisions à wastes time – too many people

- No use of common sense to resolve issues

- People should have ability to make decisions

- Common sense – use their own ability – not doing job they want to do

- Rural coordinator to deal with all departments – they would do the run around instead of the enquiries

- Burn permits – how this work now?

- Destroyed historic area of March with Old Town Hall – now no parking

- Bad government for all

- Staff who know and understand the area and the issues and who are part of the rural environment

- Staff who can make decisions

- Decentralize!! à Feet on the ground in the neighborhood

- Politicians who make decisions – not knowledgeable or interested

- Development continues without concern for water, septic, rural roads, weeds, and garbage disposal.

- Fire – worry about losing full time service. Full time at Riddel – is this going to happen?

- Employees need to be proud – need a cohesive Council to lead a cohesive bureaucracy

- Council must work together! à Good workers are frustrated and cannot do the good job they would want to do

- Out of control – no one takes initiative à March House example

- Planning and parks should work together

- More decisions down to lower level

- Using internet for information to public

- Service-driven government

- Politicians should spend time in the trenches

- 580-2424 – no response ever – do not know what happens when things are left

- Compulsory rural orientation for both council and senior staff

- System for calls so you can call back and track your concern

- Small area units who can make decisions on everyday things

- One size does not fit all

- Talk to residents before initial by-law is drafted

- Reward service!

- Private bus service should be allowed

- Three resources for Emergency Services don’t work together

- Consulting contracts gone wild

- Best place to live and work – never mind “world class” – need efficient and effective city

- Staff great – structure problematic - not working – policy vs. service

- No team spirit. Hard to get to people to reward – phone problem

- Level of anonymity – folks won’t go into a yard

Solutions

- Changes should not cost more money – but we need value and demonstrated results for money

- User pay – i.e. bus service

- Determine identity of core values

- Clean water

- Police and fire service

- Garbage

- Road maintenance

- Snow removal service

- Level of service and way of delivery makes it different

- Satellite offices renewed – promise service locally – re-deploy to satellite offices – constituency of personnel

- Employees must have discretionary decision-making power

- Give them opportunity to make decisions – be autonomous

Rideau Facilitated Session

- City does not understand rural people

- Cannot communicate easily – phone does not get the right people

- Information does not get out to rural people in a timely fashion

- No easy access – most services not available locally – can’t get the right people at City Hall.

- There has been a loss of identity – and autonomy. Cannot deal with our own issues locally.

- Facility use is down due to red tape – “we just go ahead and do things without city permission, it’s just to hard to find someone, or the paperwork is onerous”.

- Volunteerism is down – people get tired fighting the system.

- Councillors should visit rural area – don’t know our issues or needs

- One size does not fit all – bylaws – we don’t need trees bylaw

- Should have a governance system that allows decision making for rurals by rurals. The proposed borough model was a good idea.

- Involve farmers and rural people in policy making that affects them

- Service levels not as good as before

- Fire and emergency services should be reviewed and updated to utilize the services of the volunteers as much as possible. No real understanding of fire fighting in the rural areas. They apply urban practices.

- There should be separate budgets for the rural areas

- User pay policies should be adhered to – no increased cost for transit for rural people.

- There should be a bottom-up approach to problem solving – communication first with local rural people before policies are made or issues settled

- Accountability for expenditures is lacking

- An Agriculture Advisory Committee could provide assistance to City staff and council with respect to vision, perceptions, myths, understanding, awareness, and knowledge of agricultural and farm practices

- We understand that much of the legislation is provincial, but could the City bring us up-to-date quicker, and assist when needed.

Greely Facilitated Session (Osgoode Ward)

Themes

- Communications – communicating communications

- Lack of rural / local knowledge

- Accessibility

o Services

o Timing

o Social issues

o Resources

- Attitude

- Cut rural advisory committee

- Bell exchanges – city address – issue with Bell

o Canada Post – related, not synchronized

- Quarries – impact on aquifers

- Rural self-determination in resolving issues

- Municipal drains – regular inspections a municipal responsibility

- Guarantee “area rating” – pay for use or what you get

o Cost of services – increased costs due to amalgamation – higher services result in increased costs.

- Building permits

o Now up to 5 months prior – Osgoode, 1 week

o Access

o Knowledge issue

o Restrictions – building size vis-à-vis lot size – urban restrictions apply to a residential

o Time too long

- Contact with city – lack of awareness and understanding to rural

- Internal communications – relaying correct information to field personnel

- By-law officers with no training in agriculture

o Livestock evacuation

o Fence viewer

- Knowledgeable staff

o Non-responsive and/or slow

o Accessibility

o Loss of rural knowledge through movement of staff

- Community resource centres

o Strong urban vs. weak rural

o Staffing

o Access issue

- Appropriate practical solutions – less bureaucracy to rural economy

- “One size does not fit all”

Solutions

- Human voice at other end of phone

- One-stop shopping for rural services

o One in each rural ward staffed by knowledgeable local staff

- By-laws geared towards the rural setting

- Suburban and urban users pay for light rail – rural use = rural pay

- Telephone exchange

o 911 issues

o Russell and Winchester

o Long distance

* Emergency services

o Dispatch, coverage, 911 services

- Rural volunteering

o Differ from urban issues, seniors support

- Senior issues

o Demand, transport, services, activities

- Transport services – ParaTranspo, volunteer drivers

* Traffic

o Safety, volumes, study Greely – widen Hwy 31 / Bank Street

- Road maintenance

o Year-round, service levels, school buses

* Recreation

o Services

o Physical amenities

o Recreation paths to adjacent community

o More arenas, need indoor pools

o Recreation complex (like Sportsplex) for south/rural areas

o Outdoor sports fields – summer is okay, need more for winter

o Metcalfe area – could use more soccer fields

o Outdoor ice services – need more

- Recycling / garbage

o Increased recycling yard waste

o Sorting issues at pickup

o Outside village areas have different pickup rules

o Increase plastic recycling

- Health Services

o No need to distribute crack pipes

o Should look at other needle distribution

- Get rid of (613) on telephone – long distance to local areas – should be within City boundaries

- Well water – how can it not be affected by aggregate extraction in rural areas? Want guarantees for water quantity and quality.

o More homes coming – mineral resource not compatible with residential

- More boundary for aggregates outside the city

- Dynamite is causing problems now – what happens when they go deeper?

- By-laws – use a positive approach – combine good ideas

- Hog farm – could have been a positive project to demonstrate ho to do this properly – use the 2 Million better

- “The way it was” – ombudsman in the old township building – this is a gateway

- Getting ditch cleanout

- Communication

o Rural generalists to follow-up on rural inquiries

o Who to do job – dispatch situation – rural customer service operators

o Message very long in two languages – 7-3 message should be at the beginning

o No operators no extension to give out to public

o Knowing who to call – how do you get the information?

o Use call centre model like Canadian Tire

o Use Councillor to get results – use his ward Council group to have things fixed

o Should know what bureaucrat to talk to – bureaucrats could have more authority to make decisions

o Operations don’t get through to proper people

- Business relationships could be better – too many changes

- Recreation centres

o Not used like before – too much red tape

o Not willing to take initiative to run own facilities

o Liquor licensing – too much trouble

o Rent while decorating, as well as use

o Too expensive to rent halls – local people don’t use

o Metcalfe Hall – services that you can get – now closed a lot

o Township Hall – not used enough

o Facilities too expensive for use by youth – keep off the street

- De-amalgamation should be a discussion issue at summit

- By-laws not applied to rural areas – must separate the two areas

o Things not the same in urban / rural

- Signage – missing because too expensive

- Quarry – truck traffic increase

- Remove hunting in city

Goulbourn Facilitated Session

- Wetland – how did it happen?

- Communication

- Property rights issue

- Landowners have no knowledge of situation

- Province driven

- Buffer zone – owners not informed

- City started the ball rolling – wetland evaluator hired by City

- City OP will be changed

- Plant study for York

- Review watershed – not allowed on property by land owners

- Access to City officials for advice

- Communication

• No knowledge of rural issues – barn buildings, burning permit

- Rural Affairs department

• Knowledge of rural areas
• Building map
• Planners
• By-law enforcement
• Could be separate, work differently in rural area

- EMS – Need to get better service in rural area

- Used volunteers to assist councilor in research, management and solutions

- Group working with Councillor could act as a lobby group

• Need more, not less, representation on Council – need respect and appreciation of rural people

- Rural Department should have enough people, knowledge, and power to make changes and decisions

- Information inadequate – does not deal directly with people

- Should provide rural papers to staff who need information

- Respect for farmers

- Wetlands forcing people to take negative action (ditches)

- Augusta township By-Law – Cannot rezone by township without owner’s consent

* Concern – planning for rural summit

• How participants are selected – concern those who have been vocal will not be included = no credibility

* Important for rural communities to have input into selection

* Where will summit be held? Needs to be sufficient and appropriate

- Summit must be open to public

* Rules and regulation – rural people not consulted, then out-voted

- Apathetic

- One size fits all – not possible, need to recognize differences

- Tree cutting by-law – tried to pass few years ago, not applied, now order in council, now staff can apply

* Roadside vendors issue

- Plans for city to petition province to lift minimum roads standard act

• Poor road maintenance a big issue in rural area

- Tree cutting to care for diseased trees

- Solution: city to stay out of rural business

- Tried to tie property to quarry

• Has poor maintenance ditch
• Wet property: designate sign if wetlands with no discussion with property owner

- Pass the buck between city, province (lands and forestry) – no resolution caught between and no answers

- Need compensation for what is taken away – recognizing value

- Can City change wetland design for development but then recommend change to wetland for property?

- Call city – transfer to many departments

* Poor communication – used to be able to talk directly with someone who knew what were live issues

* Recommend city not able to pass bylaws and make changes unless reviewed by rural residents (council)

- Recommend department of Rural Affairs be staffed by people who understand issues (live in rural area) – agriculture

- Binding plebiscite and council must follow

- There were some problems with Goulbourn decisions in past – response to angry few with long-term plans – don’t return to this

* Guidelines need to be prorated according to geographic or other criteria (e.g. different vendor fees)

- Current different design – rural / urban

• Use same to make decisions

* Harmonizing bylaws don’t make sense – roadside sales

- Told no more changes that impact rural till after rural summit

• Things that should change sooner will not

- Exhausting to stay on top of issues – symptom of apathy

- Small population means same people at everything

- Leave Ottawa? – County Carleton

• Ward boundary changes means no major population base to oppose
• People moving from rural area take over farms – not maintained
• Problems with ditch drainage.

- Concern about discussions to metre wells

* Right to farm and making living off the farm, and not being taxed like crazy

- Need the city people to buy farm products

- Farming issues – trees, drainage, animals, produce

- Mixed messages between government departments

* Diversify (i.e. sell jam – labeled commercial)

- Provincial part of the issue – caught in between

- Government departments related to rural issues need to have consistency

* Rural representative on all committees (forestry)

- Disturbing how decisions are made and investigation without land owner’s knowledge by committee of urban people

- Scenic entries to city prohibit changes

- Concern on current efforts to deny appeals to OMB

• Must maintain

- For ward system to work, need ward office fully functioning in each community

- Budget

• Deficits, increased taxes
• Rising costs to surface roads
• Province downloaded without money
• Concerned how to continue to sustain pay – can’t afford high rates

- Taxes go up, services decline

- Observe more snowplows than needed – still ice covered, damage to road and shoulders, no snow fencing where needed

* Mechanism for rural voice with teeth and power that council cannot vote down

- Lack of information

• Disbanded rural affairs advisory committee, lost a lot of knowledge
• Re-instate

- Rural people have had to be more self-sufficient, able to look after selves, deal with own problems as opposed to city’s use of consultants

* Urban dependence on infrastructure – not same for rural

- Councillors must not vote unless informed and knowledgeable

- Councillor acknowledged as best source for rural information with rural people

- Impression that city thinks rural people don’t take care of animals / land – must take care of them for livelihood

- Feels like political harassment

- People trespass on land and won’t identify who they are and why they’re there

- Requested clearly marked area where hunting is allowed

• Ban on hunting a knee-jerk reaction – same response as Walkterton

- Inequity – new developments have high quality drainage – rural has poor drainage

- 90% landmass

- Urban people are moving into this land

Cumberland Facilitated Session

- Ensure museum is sustainable and locals remain involved

- Take over RR174 – give back to province – not maintained

- Telephone system – can’t phone Carlsbad but can phone Quebec and Kanata

- Ottawa Hydro to be installed for all the rural area (in front of province)

- Pig farm – crap left behind in Cumberland – product leaves

o To be negotiated by province – Supreme Court decision against)

- Water – ongoing enquiry about quality

- Police – attention to school bus problem – trucks passing bus – signage – patrol

- Reduced police presence since amalgamation

- Fire Hall – maintenance – grass not getting cut

o Cameron and 174 – light pattern needs change

o Ferry causes problem

o Needs inclined

- Hwy 174 needs widening – intersection dangerous

- Ambulance – not manned

o Shift à more to town

o Volunteers could respond – but do not get dispatched to emergency cases. Ambulance is first response unless ambulance is very far away. Need to change back to tiered response

o Firefighters trained - should be used

- Change protocol – (Blackburn example)

- Snow plowing – different standards than before – not quick enough removal – thus frozen ruts

- Composite school in Navan – no rural schools – property values drop

- Medical Centre moved to Navan – no more in Cumberland Clinic

- Community diminishing services – amenities are gone

- Different rules for building size in rural area now – similar to City of Ottawa

o Too many – volunteers are fed up with rules for everything – even barriers

- Cumberland Museum – ongoing funding by City Long heritage. Huge history in the area. Lost volunteers, money now goes to pay H.R

- Bridge across Ottawa needed – could relieve congestion

- Sewer and water – willing to pay

o Bridge at Petrie

o Clean up Cameron intersection

- A light at 174 + Canaan Rd.

- Storm sewer polluting water

Most important issues

- Communication

- 174 Hwy

- Ambulance emergency response

- Water

- Transportation for seniors in rural areas

- Cumberland tax dollars shown by ward on tax bill – what was spent in ward (eliminate lack of trust by urban and rural)

- Rural mistrust capital and operating

- Communiqué cancelled

- Harmonization of by-laws has not worked – too quick, what worked and what did not

o After hours, no one to approve

o Fire permits à easier process for rural

o Roadside stands

o Lawn spraying in rural areas

- Feels disjointed, removed from process

- Local issues

o Communications in general are poor

o Recognition that needs are different within rural area

- Long distance needs fixing i.e. From Cumberland to other areas within ward and city.

- Why hydro purchased from Hydro One rather than City of Ottawa?

- Need lights working efficiently at 174 and Caanan Road

- Need water in Cumberland – other municipalities are funded

- Divert traffic from main street village of Cumberland (transport trucks from PQ) 24 hrs/day

- Need priority green for northbound left turns at 174 and Cameron

- Would like it to be safer to cycle into Ottawa

- More responsibility on city staff instead of paying big $ for consultants

- Disproportional $ spent on bilingual – small group getting too much money spent on it

o Cumberland meeting has 5 French, 35 English, 15 Bilingual

- Innis and Trim sidewalks and guardrails knowing that in 12 months 4 lanes were going in and they would be ripped up – wasted $

- Small home-based business is discouraged

o Lack of business – they are going elsewhere due to red tape bureaucracy

- Lack of signage that says Cumberland as you travel highways

o Why Hwy 174? Should be provincial

- City councilors and staff need to have a tour and be educated on rural issues – bring them out here

- Worth looking at local ward councils for small quick fixes - give them small budget so they can cut red tape at local level decisions

- When city severs lots in rural areas in the covenant of each lot should be stipulated that they are next to a farm and accept all that goes with it! – spraying, spreading, etc.

- Gravel road maintenance in the east of Wilhaven (traffic due to Prescott)

o Russell traffic (cannot get on to 174 – no lights)

- Water quality testing and treatment will not be affordable for rural residents – how does the city plan to support rural residents from financial point of view?

- How legacy money was spent? Very poor communication

- Transit in Cumberland village needs to be looked at – timetable did not work for community and still doesn’t – now down to one bus per day – need a mini-bus looping from Cumberland to transit station and back 2 or 3 times per day

Theme

- Lack of understanding

- Listen to issues

- Lack of services

o Roads

o Bus

o Play parks

o Lawns

o Business

o School

o Doctor

o Water

- Direction: clear and understood

- By-laws ßà Rural issues

o More enforced

o Geared towards rural

o Response

- Recognition vs. value of rural

Solutions

- Dedicated resources

- Rural focus

- Resolution process

- Business attraction

- Lack of water

- How influential are rural councillors?

- Traffic spillage – 174 to other streets – extend Innis

- Lack of peak bus service

- Land use restrictions

o Buffer to agricultural lands

- Trees

- Sales

- Involve full-time farmers in process

o Tailored by-laws to agricultural à who to go to

- Access to city services

o Water

o Traffic

- Lack of services – equity in services

o ParaTranspo

o Express bus service

o Value for money – increase in taxes, but no change in service

o East vs. west

- Property drainage

o By-laws – amalgamation

o Direction

o Response

- Impacts of amalgamation – what has changed?

o Tourism issues – city vs. rural, provincial

- Environment

o Roadside garbage

o Recyclables

(Translated from French)

- Transit à Improve service – frequency

- ParaTranspo à Increase service based on need

- Gather better knowledge about rural life for urban people à recreation, rail, (papes)

- Extend water services to rural areas à frustration about lack of water

- Rural farm permit to control pig farms

- Increase distance between town and farms, as well as between each farm

- Due to amalgamation and fewer people in rural areas, access to federal and provincial programs has been cut

o Want city to push for better access

- Closing of schools resulting in lack of sense of community

o Keep schools for community activities

- Raise awareness of rural issues among decision-makers and urban residents

- Favour exchanges

Problems

- Impact of amalgamation on health services among the rural and francophone community

- CCAC – “LHIN”

- Number of rural councillors vs. urban – 5/21 à 4/22

o “Pendant qu’on arose les fleurs, on coupe les racines!”

o “While we water the flowers, we cut the roots!”

- Improve snow removal

- Leveling terrain to prevent water spillage onto other properties

- Septic system not maintained – enforce emptying of septic reservoirs

o Penalties for failure

- Increased taxation with a decline in services in the rural areas

- The proliferation of City generate By-Laws without recognition of rural lifestyles

- City services like the O-Train, canal foot bridges, new libraries, etc. that rural areas do not use

- A general decline of satisfaction of living in a rural community with a rural lifestyle

- A general feeling that we in the rural areas have little voice in City government

- Increased taxes – Financial hardship for people on a fixed income

- Fewer services for taxes – especially in the rural areas

1. Roads – not ploughed – esp. Navan Road
2. General poor condition of roads – 10^th Line (4 years)
3. Problems on Navan Road around waste disposal site – mud, road debris etc.
4. Decreased mowing of ditches etc.

- Increased traffic – especially in the morning

- Construction – everywhere in Orleans

- 4-way stop signs – esp. 10th Line/Navan Road; Innes/Trim – slow down traffic and are frustrating

- Increased truck traffic – on most roads – causing road damage and driving hazards

- Proliferation of by-laws – without regard to applications in the rural areas

5. Cat by-law and licensing
6. Fire permits and restrictions
7. Difficulty getting building permits etc. – increased rules and regulations
8. New rules for farmers selling produce at the farm gate
9. Tree cutting restrictions

- Insensitivity – to questions about taxes etc [I was told to sell my house when my taxes went up by 66% and I could not afford to pay]

- Re-zoning land – without notification of affected property owners [Apparently the City does not have to notify property owners – signs that are difficult to read and newspaper notices are now the norm – why? Example: proposed new development between Smith and Navan Roads]

- Increased housing and commercial building – without advance planning for roads and services and consideration for affected residents

General comments and questions

- There is a general lack of communication and notification of rural property owners of new by-laws and their imposition.

- Why must by-laws be harmonized for the entire city? Rural is different than urban.

- Will there be a dramatic increase in “transportation taxes” as happened in Stittsville?

- General worries about water quality and quantity with the increased building on Trim and 10th Line. Does the City plan to extend water? If so, can we afford the increased property taxes?

- Worries about increased property taxation – especially those on a fixed income.

- Decreased quality of rural life – restrictions of unreasonable by-laws. I moved out here to avoid the city – now I am in it without my consent.

- This is a rural community. City officials are generally insensitive to aspects of rural life.

- Bilingualism – problems with employment opportunities for many rural residents.

- Is it true that an aerial survey has been done of all rural properties? If so, why? Is this a means to see if there is unauthorized building and land use etc. for the purposes of increased taxation?

- If the City gets permission from the province for new powers e.g. taxation etc., where will it stop?

Carlsbad Springs Facilitated Session

- Rules and regulations changed since amalgamation without justification and consultation of residents (severance of property)

- Maintenance of ditches have been neglected and poorly done

o Results in standing water and mosquitoes

- “No Hunting” signs between 9^th Line and Mitch Owens – farmer’s way

o More signs, more enforcement

- Restrictions for building

o Out-buildings re: size

o Lift the restrictions or amend them to what they were before amalgamation

- Not enough activities funded for children or programs by the City – want equity with rurals

- Not allowed to sever property as before amalgamation – providing 25 acres

- OC Transpo – should not pay for a service we don’t HAVE

- Speed bump on Anderson Road

- Lower speed limit

- Vibration, security

* Speed issues – Farmer’s Way between 9^th and Mitch Owen

- Division of the ward – keep the town all in one ward

- Allow closing the ditch (9^th line)

o Ditch in-fill on front of residential property

* Better service for snow removal

- SB – earlier, cleaner, more frequent

- Anderson Road – 60 à 70?

- Removal of truck route from Anderson (Share with Ramseyville Road)

- Clean out ditches – health and safety issue

- Boundaries – not Anderson – Ramseyville or Hawthorne

- Charged for transportation buses!

- Rural Carlsbad with Osgoode for ward

- Transit costs – want to move to urban transit cost from existing

- Light standard at Anderson Park – adult community

- Stop sign at 8^th Line and Anderson – was there before

- Bus route to Anderson Park

- Representation, communication with community groups before implementation

- Not listened to – not enough votes

- Municipal drain cleanout (behind houses on west side of Anderson road)

- Mired urban / rural – not a good situation

- Limited sizes for buildings – city by-law does not take into consideration size of property

- Too many steps – people included in something – too long, too complex

- Too many rules and regulations from new City of Ottawa Minor Ball – 8 X what they use to be (no lights)

- Paved shoulders for bikes

- Deamalgamation – keep rural rural

MEETING IN RICHMOND - RURAL COUNCIL OF OTTAWA-CARLETON

(participants represented various community groups throughout the rural area)

Agriculture Advisory Committee should stay. Agriculture is not the same as rural affairs. Rural needs are often different and should be treated differently.

There is a Lack of Common Sense – examples the harmonization of by-laws without consideration for the rural reality. Put the by-laws back the way they were prior to amalgamation.

Rural villages do not receive special treatment any more – Goulbourn was torn apart by the last boundary change. No recognition of rural needs.

Would like to see a rural municipal advisory board – elected people – with 4 staff. This group would work with the Councillor to advise him/her, and would also provide a lobby group to lobby other members of Council i.e. urban members. Staff would work out of the Client Service Office in the various rural wards. Staff should know rural areas and rural issues.

Rural property rights must be acknowledged i.e. the boat by-pass – the rural area is not the City’s playground.

Need to work together to get results, work with other councillors. Rural and Agricultural Affairs committee is working. Have achieved some positive results for rurals – i.e. burn by-law, biosolids.

Discussion paper for rural solutions on The Rural Council of Ottawa Carleton website. Too much history disappeared with amalgamation. Client Service Centre closures really hurt rural citizens. There should be a rural component in corporate plan. It is noted in their survey that the rurals are happy with their councillors, but are victimized by the bureaucracy.

Communication is fundamental to positive change. Local staffing, knowledge of areas, friendly public service. Governance should be examined at political and staff level.

Speed of changes that affect rurals – why not put these on hold until after the summit. Governance still not working well. Need to have a mechanism to allow local decision on local issues. There are different solutions for urbans and rurals.

City is not maintaining its own properties. Noxious weeds need to be attended to – cause farmers all kinds of problems. By-law enforcement – if its not going to happen, why have the by-law in the first place. Provide a moratorium on by-laws that pertain to rurals. Rural roads are not maintained to the same level as before.

Rural property rights are in jeopardy. We are over-regulated from all levels of government. Rurals have no effective representation. Once again it was reduced. We should form Carleton County again – and bring the Townships back. Four Townships under the county system.

City rules have depleted farm vendor community. City should fix this, should support a farmers market that focuses on produce grown in Ottawa by Ottawa farmers – they need a strong presence in the City – need a venue, suggested the Cattle Castle at Landsdowne Park. Mentioned the demise of the unique North Gower cheese factory – crushed by bureaucracy – instead, the City should encourage this type of business. Feel isolated at Carp Farmer’s Market.

Support for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Need an appreciation of the issues before they become “draft policy”. Get input from rural public who have knowledge.

Property rights – Goulbourn Landowners Group as a result of a wetland designation on rural properties – this does not occur in the City, but yet City (urban) councillors vote on it. Lots of red tape to get thought, various levels of government, various departments within those levels. No consultation with owners – it appears the Province does not consult. Some wetlands areas designated with no sight of marshes, bogs, etc, just based on plants, not a wetland in reality – they overdesignate – complexing takes in much more property than is needed. No compensation – property values affected. Can’t change anything without dealing with many agencies. Seems to be different set of rules for urban/suburban and rural folks. It would increase the credibility of the rurals affected if the City helped lobby the Province on this issue. There are other areas as well for instance the tree-cutting by-law, the Green Space Master Plan. There should be a Federal and Provincial component at the Summit.

Agriculture requires a higher profile that it is getting at City Hall. Need staff that knows agricultural issues and regulation. Noted that in many instances the Provincial legislation supersedes the municipal level legislation i.e. hog/factory farms. Noted that nutrient management rules and regulations are impossible. There should not be a fee for farmers i.e. Manure storage requirements. Often City staff gets in the way and are destructive. Lack of decision making at City Hall. No Common sense. Need SPECIAL STAFF AT CITY HALL TO HANDLE AGRICULTURAL ISSUES. Surplus farm residence must be rezoned – this is not necessary given the existing zoning requirements – just an extra step and cost to the farmer – now its double cost – double aggravation.

Rural Summit must be real – there is a lot on the line here – talk to colleagues – need clarity for rurals regarding costs and benefits. Employees from specific areas should be encouraged so that they know the rural areas and rural issues. They should be located in the rural areas.

Property Rights need to be acknowledged – woodlands, wetlands, environmental issues are very big. Also need better communication. Government is too far away and doesn’t listen. Gave example of the boat by-pass issue that took up lots of time, sweat, efforts and aggravation in order to get things done. We don’t need more government and we are by-lawed to death. No common sense.

Rural Agricultural Committee necessary with support. No consultation for Park and Ride even though it affected rurals.

City requires knowledgeable staff that is empowered to make decisions. Mentioned the plight of small business in the rural area – they are different and have different needs, and costs for instance removal of liquid waste, garbage. Staff should have rural sensitivity training and be given more ability to make decisions.

Health of Jock River watershed a concern – no dumping, cattle in water etc. Wetlands should be protected, aquifer recharge areas as well, to ensure quality and quantity of water source for rural wells. Illegal drainage, i.e. quarries, etc. should be charged. Also, the City uses too many consultants, which isolates staff from citizens. Then, staff direct consultants, so why not have staff, who are qualified, do the work in the first place.

Common sense decision-making is required – gave example of the Munster Force Main which if damaged could affect wells in Richmond. This type of solution should not be used in and area of wells.

Council should understand the issues in depth and there should be a process in place to redress decisions made by Council.

The rural area is overlegislated – we are told what to do instead of being able to discuss with staff what is really needed. Gave example of Richmond Fair and noted too much red tape to get things going. Noted parking tickets being handed out during the fair, when knowledge of the local issue of the fair by staff would have prevented this. They enforce the by-laws when it is not necessary, and are not around to enforce them when we need it. The same situation occurs in Carp with the Carp Fair.

Harmonization has been a problem, but things are working better now that a positive approach has been taken. Again, need more common sense and staff with knowledge.

Health Advisory Committee has been a positive step.

Councillors have made up their minds before hearing from the public. Women’s Institute has lost its voice – no longer informed and need now to lobby Councillors for support which takes a lot of time and effort. Volunteers are wearing out – no new people coming forward – less interest now that we are one big City. Seniors in rural area are at a disadvantage as they cannot stay and age in their own community. Rurals have no ability to convince large urban Council. Need a serious commitment for change.

Need a Rural Advisor and/or a Rural department – it must be real and effective. Needs to include outreach to many different groups and act as a facilitator and advocate on behalf of rurals. Rurals are willing to work with City to increase and enhance the relationship. Rurals must be listened to, their problems addressed and solutions found.

The Rural Summit must come up with real, practical answers this time. The Ottawa Rural Tourist Committee is working well as is the Business Advisory Group. Need to work on common sense solutions. Rurals see the current situation as a takeover – now we have Ottawa rules instead of those we used to have.

RICHMOND VILLAGE COMMUNITY COUNCIL – Identification of Issues

1. The City should have a formalized process for redress of concerns – some type of appeal process that would allow citizens the opportunity to address Council decisions.

2. An Ombudsman office might be an alternative process for appeal.

3. Felt that the Rural Summit findings should not be directed to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

4. The City should consider a borough system – a more autonomous method –and delegate specific powers to the borough Council that would be appointed. This could be for a specific geographic area. Not all would have the same concerns.

5. City issues are not the concern of rurals, but cost rurals a lot.

6. The by-law controlling farmer’s markets, roadside vendors, farm gate sales should be rescinded, and things should return to the way they were within the various rural municipalities

7. Action should be taken to address Richmond concerns about the forcemain that services Munster sewers. (There is considerable concern and passion about this issue as it talks to the health and safety concerns related to well water since all of Richmond is on wells. A burst forcemain could contaminate well water). Would like to review options to get rid of the forcemain.

8. Richmond residents are tired of fighting and want to work with the City to achieve their needs.

9. We must get involved – no choice about this – the summit is coming and we must be there

10. Formally requested if a RVA representative could be on the Summit committee to talk about issues that affect Richmond. (Noted this would be brought to the attention of those choosing committee members, but did not see a problem having representation from this group).

11. Indicated that the credibility of the Summit might be at risk.

12. A drainage problem – Flewellyn Municipal Drain – requires action and none being taken by the City. Ongoing flooding problems.

13. Governance an issue

14. Ottawa Rural Council should be involved in the Summit. (Noted that this group was already very involved and would continue to be involved).

15. Perception that Councillor for the area does not work with rural community.

16. Pipeline, wetlands, roadside markets, all harmonization by-laws should be given a moratorium until such time as the Summit is completed.

17. Noted that there were problems with the Munster Lagoon System – not working properly.

18. Richmond Village Association is not going away, and will continue to fight for issues that affect the Village and the rural area.

19. Noted that a new monitoring well has been installed in Richmond at the direction of the Ministry of the Environment to monitor the various aquifers that feed the village. Unsure of what this is all about, why it was done, etc.

20. The City should demonstrate good faith by getting a few substantial things done prior to the Summit that would benefit the rurals.

Part C -- CORRESPONDANCE WITH RURAL RESIDENTS REGARDING RURAL ISSUES

The following are copies of correspondence received, with identifiers removed.

Discussion Paper prepared by The Rural Council of Ottawa-Carleton

The Rural Council of Ottawa Carleton views the City of Ottawa’s decision to host and sponsor a Rural Summit this fall as welcome opportunity to identify and respond to high levels of dissatisfaction in the rural part of Ottawa. We also welcome the opportunity to participate at the steering Committee level in the sincere expectation that Ottawa can and should strive to establish itself as the model for the rest of Canada, demonstrating that the cultural historical economic and social diversity of its Rural Citizens, compliment a unique mosaic.

Set out below for discussion purposes is a list of goals and objectives to be achieved in the process started by this undertaking:

• One tier government needlessly removed decision-making ability from the elected representatives of the three separate communities of interest in Ottawa: Urban, Suburban and Rural. Establish local or community councils or a modified burrow system that restores authority on “local issues” to the communities impacted. For this purpose Local can mean the jurisdiction enjoyed by each municipality prior to amalgamation, while City Council maintains the overriding jurisdiction of the former Region. Many of our suburban counterparts feel the need for this kind of change.
• Establish an Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department staffed by employees with recent experience in agricultural and rural issues. This should be funded entirely from cost cutting, staff reassignment and vacancies, with the goal that it would be achieved at no net cost to taxpayers.
• Reorganize major departments to include a rural division, staffed with employees with a special understanding of the difference between rural and urban administration.
• Stop the “harmonization process” and recognize that rural residents choose to be different. Recognize as well that local bylaws evolved over decades in response to local issues. They were implemented by the elected officials for these people.
• Improve access to client service centers, making the primary directive to employees staffing them that they are to return the concept of “service” to public service rather than enforcement and obstruction.
• Establish a land owners bill of rights, protecting property rights from expropriation without compensation
• Establish a made for rurals official plan, together with a separate long range financial plan which recognizes that the “New Deal for Cities: obligates funding capital investment in all parts of the City.
• Restore service levels and eliminate as much as possible waste, unnecessary regulation, bureaucracy and red tape. Change should require justification by demonstrable public interest and public support.
• Separate a rural component for the annual budget process, creating a basket to fund rural needs, rather than relegating the residual to the rural minority.

Issues I would like to see discussed and resolved at Ottawa's Rural Summit are:

1. Give thoughtful consideration to some governance changes put forth by Ottawa area rural organizations. By-laws do NOT need to be harmonized right across the City.

2. Improve Communication vehicles to rural segments so that adequate lead-time is possible prior to consultations or implementations of changes. Foster respect by making sure that stakeholders are included FROM THE START on issues that directly impact rural residents, businesses (including farmers).

3. Make sure that City staff and Councillors have a thorough understanding of HOW various tasks or work is accomplished in the rural community before basically coming in with a "we know better" way of doing things or financial cutbacks which can damage or destroy the independent community collaborative way of getting things done. E.g., 2004's proposal to cut 100% of funding to community associations. Ours here in Ward 5 are providing service desired by the community for a heck of a lot less than the City could do it for and utilize massive numbers of community volunteer hours to accomplish this. My local community association (CCA), which is very small, donates a minimum of two full time staff to keep our park site in good repair and the sports fields and playground and multipurpose building ready for use by community members. All programs are run by volunteers only as are our community social events. And yet, City staff put forward the idea of cutting all funding from such self-sustaining and vital community work. City funding does not even cover the full cost of basic hydro, heat, maintenance never mind frills so please research HOW and WHY rural residents choose to live and to enjoy a well rounded healthy life before attempting to bring about negative change.

4. When considering how to distribute our tax dollars back to us, remember the very real costs to rural residents that travel distance imposes by way of time and dollars. Often the number of users and or frequency of use are justification for dollars back to the project. When there are far fewer people to use a community park or rink or playgroup it could look like this is where money should be cut as comparison to more inner city programs by way of actual numbers can be so out of balance. However, when there is very little else to do reasonably close to home these facilities are ever so valuable to our mental, social and physical health. Another major point relating to distance is the money equivalent that service providers have to build in to their costs when calculating whether or not it is financially worthwhile to travel to a home to provide physiotherapy or respite or whatever. Large service suppliers have to charge their clients travel costs of volunteers and this can mean significant dollars to our less affluent residents or senior citizens trying to manage on fixed incomes. If a service provider coming to provide enrichment therapy or respite to a child with disabilities for e.g. and pay is $15/hr, if the round trip drive is 50 minutes, the service provider can logically dilute her or his "actual" rate in pay to about 50%. Rural service delivery can be too big a hassle for the lesser dollars available to trained therapists or attendants. There needs to be a set amount of money set aside to help dilute the dilution factor!!

I know we make choices by living rurally but it isn't right that senior citizens (another e.g. farmers not having a lot near their farm to retire to) have to move AWAY from the community, connections, friends and HOME FEELING because they need maybe only minimal support. When the time comes that an infirm individual knows that the choices are a supported living arrangement then that is more than early enough!! Obviously, we don't even have these anywhere close to what most rural people would consider their home community. Without the affection and emotional support of your beloved community, you can fall victim to the slow erosion of depression.

5. Do not continue to put in place practices that discourage farmers from working the land. Theirs is a never-ending workload at a rate of pay few people would accept. If the province already has guidelines in place for issues, let the Province's rulings stand. They have had more input from stakeholders, more people to do background research and a greater number of knowledgeable resources to call upon than will the City of Ottawa. YOU do NOT know better. Remember too that land paved over can never be unpaved to plant to food or to use to house or raise livestock on.

6. Do not assume that inner City Councillors or residents know what services WE want. I remember attending a meeting where the people from the City's Transportation Dept. had already made the assumption that we would want our gravel roads paved. Not so. A good number of people want to keep their road gravel which discourages higher rate of travel, which lessens the likelihood of your road being used as a short cut and all in all is seen as more "peaceful" and more "rural".

The mayor is propagating that the summit is to allow him to explore the problems between urban and rural residents. Is this propaganda or does he still not get it? I perceive very few problems between city and rural residents. The problems are primarily between rural residents and the City Council, staff, and the lobby groups that encourage them to steal rural residents’ property rights and apply unnecessary urban centric bylaws that unnecessarily restrict the legitimate activities of rural residents. Further that the urban councillors who have no stake in rural issues and can barter their votes to curry favour with urban lobby groups who want to interfere in rural activities.

A generic view in my experience of what a great many rural residents want of their local government is:

• Accessibility to council and the opportunity to say their peace to those making the decisions on a local basis
• Local access to locally focused staff (as they used to have) who understand the local issues and act like they are there to help rather than obstruct by regulation strangulation
• To have their basic services provided as economically as possible
• Not to see their money wasted on trivia and what they would consider frivolous expenditures
• To be left alone to get on with their lives using their own common sense on the majority of issues instead of having to spend a great deal of their time fighting off urban city staff who are trying to regulate them to death and usurp their ability to control their own lives and have peaceful use and enjoyment of the property they have paid for.

What I would be looking for:

• Exclusive rural control over issues applying to rural areas – i.e. bylaws, official plan issues, rural development, rural environmental issues, etc.
• Better representation more like we had before amalgamation – it could be done within the city structure. If not, it is sufficiently important to look outside the city structure.
• Tighter control over non-core services spending (cash and staffing).
• Real application of the stakeholder criteria on all sub-committees – minimum 50% of property owners affected by subject.
• Public consultation demonstrating specific consultation with named stakeholders and the views represented and audited rather than only one-shot public meetings. Further that all information to be considered at such meetings be available at least one week in advance of meetings.
• Take staffing body count from staff functions and increase staff resources to councillors.
• Revise city structure to provide meaningful reporting of staff to councillors – councillors should have gating input on staff performance reviews / promotion and compensation.
• Rationalize planning process to reduce complexity and costs. Clearly separate processes for major and minor construction. Make change to rules to accommodate differences between rural and urban situations.
• Recognize rural differences in bylaws or separate bylaws.
• Change philosophy in the city all bylaws restrict everybody for the sake of controlling some issue that in many cases is rare and perhaps should not be an issue for the city staff at all. Bylaws should be a last resort, there are many other ways of dealing with certain types of issues the city appears to have only one solution in its mindset – bylaws (and the official plan and its associated plans which are used like a huge complex bylaw).
• Try being open and honest instead of repeatedly trying to sell us a bag of goods.
• The municipal and planning acts provide the city with the legal means of stealing its citizens’ property rights and extorting property from them. It does not, however, force the city to indulge in these activities. I find it abhorrent that the city planners seem to think that it is fine and standard practice to steal people’s property rights, and extort land from them – to them it may be, but I do not find it in the least ethically reasonable. I find it disgusting and completely two-faced that an organization supposedly committed to being a caring community will steal from its own citizens under the guise of the good of all. I think it is time that the ethics of the city and its staff were seriously reviewed and modified, and an ethical test applied to bylaws and plans that steal people’s rights and restrict their legitimate activities.
• I would like to see a bylaw forbidding the enactment of any bylaw, property re-designation, rezoning, or any other instrument produced by the city which restricts the use of property, severance pertaining to a property, or activities of a property owner on his property beyond those restrictions in place when he purchased the property without explicit permission of the property owner.
• I would like the mayor / city to cease and desist in trying to obtain the right to restrict appeals by residents to the OMB or curtail these rights in bylaws, on any issue. The city’s attempts to restrict its residents’ access to the OMB can only be seen as a restrictive anti-democratic regime trying to increase its ability to dictate to the city’s residents and deny them any right of appeal.
• A commitment by the city, as far as it is reasonable, to differentiate the users of specific services, services will be paid for by those who use them. Some issues are ingrained as being paid for by everybody regardless of whether they receive direct benefit for them – in my mind, the only unassailable ones being education and the welfare system. These are fundamentals to modern life and survival of those in difficult circumstances. Add to these basic services that are clearly used by only a portion of the population and, as far as possible, should be paid for by those who use them. Primary example is OC Transpo.
• The city’s approach to bylaws is that any proposal is sent to have a draft prepared by staff before any public consultation. In the current mode once staff produces a draft bylaw, public consultation consists of staff presenting their view of what it’s for to the public then apparently ignoring most of the public input. Once a draft has been produced, it seems that no matter what the public says, staff and the lobby groups pushing them are not going to give it up until the council passes it – whether it is worthy, whether it is necessary, or whether people want it do NOT. It would make much more sense to go to the public and see if they want the bylaw first before spending time drafting it.

There are a number of issues that affect rural residents, but for me, the main problem is traffic. I’ve lived in Cumberland for 25 years and the amount of traffic that comes in from Rockland and the ferry from Quebec has greatly increased. In my mind, a simple solution would be to build two bridges, one in the east and one in the west end with a ring road. I know a number of people that live around here works in the west end. With a ring road, they could bypass the city core, plus all of the trucks and traffic that wishes to go beyond the city. A real important thing is after yesterday’s incident, when the police closed the Queensway for 3 hours, if there was a ring road, the problem wouldn’t have been half as bad, or if there were another emergency where the Queensway had to be closed, there would be another route.

I would like to add two topics to the list of issues discussed at Saunders last Wednesday evening. Because of ward boundary changes I think it will be important to strive for a good balance between rural residents in subdivisions and agricultural residents. From time to time we have different opinions on issues but above all I feel it is important to maintain respect for each other and to remain neighbors and friends. Our second issue is a need for the City to maintain pressure on the Province for the widening of Hwy. 7, this is a real safety issue for those of us who use the highway daily. I felt some excellent issues were raised at the meeting and our association looks forward to continued participation in the Rural Summit.

The one thing that irks me more than anything else is the "harmonization" of bylaws. There is a great difference between rural, suburban and downtown urban needs. Just two examples:

Yard waste burning: Inner city yards are small and close to their neighbours -- it's practical to bag waste and dangerous to burn. Rural and even some suburban lots are large and have considerable clearances -- small yard waste fires are not only safe, but save the owner cost of bags and time for bagging and the city the pick-up costs.

Pesticides: It's fine to talk about "organic yard care" if you have a small lot, but if you're on 2 acres (or even 1/2 - 1 acre of grass) it's just not going to happen. My neighbour hired a crew to completely hand weed his yard last year - the bill (for one time) was almost $1000. This isn't going to happen, so people will simply let their property deteriorate. I don't understand why there has to be one bylaw for the entire city. It can be legislated by area or ward with much more appropriate results.

We moved to Manotick to be more in the country. We knew full well that there were not the typical city amenities (buses, recreation facilities, etc) AND WE DIDN’T EXPECT THEM. Why are we now looking for a one size fits all set of rules and services?

Has there been any input concerning the museums and archives? Rideau Township Archives branch of the City Archives volunteers would like to participate and would appreciate knowing if others have also indicated their interest. If so, we are prepared to meet with them put forward a joint brief.

I live in the Carlsbad Springs area. It's mostly that we are treated like second-class citizens! The programs and policies are designed by and for city people. On size does not fit all and while services provided by the city may increase in the city they decrease in the country.

You know ever since we were merged in with the city of Ottawa we are wondering what the heck we are doing still living here. To start off with there was a fair increase in our taxes, not exactly desirable given we don't make any more than the average family. We waited to see all the tax savings the economies of scale this new mega-city was promising to deliver. It was a waste of time waiting for them, as they never arrived!

So what wonderful benefits do we get as part of this city of Ottawa. We are now under their guidelines in a number of areas and have had their policies and bureaucracy imposed upon us. Three years ago I was applying for a permit to do some renovations on my home and the first step was putting in a driveway and of course a culvert (no sewers out here in the country!). There were seven site inspections before I was allowed to drop a culvert into my ditch, even though it was on the site plan, was all measured and marked and even that was after long hours of discussions and arguments. Let's face it; placing a culvert, built to city defined specifications, into a ditch is not rocket science!

You know out here we have acreage; I don't have neighbors up against the borders of my property. On cool evenings in late August or September it's nice to have a fire in the fire pit, roast some hot-dogs and marshmallows and sing some songs to a guitar. It was something the kids and I liked to do. Can't do that anymore because we are part of the city of Ottawa now. It's hard to explain to the kids why we can't do it anymore.

Other things like the services that were actually available within a reasonable distance have disappeared. But hey! You can now take a 45 minute drive to get downtown, pay unreasonable amounts for parking and then find that after standing in long lines the services in fact have not disappeared, just moved! Again great convenience for city folks but us rural people gets the raw end of the stick!

What do we get out here in the country anyways? We get garbage pickup, although they no longer pick up everything they used to. We get snow removal, if enough snow falls. It's not the same in the city where speed limits are slower. 5 cm of snow on a Russell Road can be very scary at 80KM! We get police services but they have decreased in frequency in the years since we were merged and were better before. Can't think of anything else other than new rules, regulations and expenses. It's not like we have street lighting, sidewalks, sewers or city water out here! There are no local libraries and community centres are few and far between with some having been closed. Nope, there is nothing else we get from the city. Of course we do get a fairly large tax bill!!!

So why would we want to stay a part of such an organization, this city of Ottawa? One that ignores us rural people and only caters to the city folk!

In your introduction, early on, you said the city has "a large agricultural area located in an urban city". I know what you meant, but I wonder if this phrasing is going to raise some doubts about bias in the rural farm community, especially among those people who still don't accept the fact of amalgamation. Can I suggest a line somewhat on the order of "a municipality fortunate enough to have a strong agricultural community surrounding an urban core"? Lots of folks in West Carleton would rather say they are ten minutes from Arnprior than thirty minutes from Ottawa.

My second point was the concept of having some meetings with city employees. If I understand correctly, you are apprehensive that this might be a taken as a request to criticize, (a gripe session) and some folks would not feel comfortable. However if the opportunity was viewed the other way around, e.g. "how can we better serve rural citizens" rather than "what are we doing wrong" it might be more acceptable. In my experience, the people on the end of the shovel (whether a real shovel or shoveling paper at a desk) who actually provide service can be really productive when they are given a chance to show they know their jobs, care about quality and are asked to contribute.

The need to keep fees for service and taxes in rural Ottawa at par with other rural municipalities across Ontario. As farmers it is bad enough that we must compete against unfair subsidies and other advantages in other countries and provinces. We must at least have a level playing field within Ontario. The rural transit tax is an excellent example of an unfair cost here in Ottawa. The new burn permits is an example of a costly program that was not designed with a clear vision of what is needed and how can it be accomplished in a cost effective way.

My chief issue is with the potential tax hike for residents of Stittsville to cover OC Transpo costs. I live on the outskirts of Stittsville and the local OC Transpo service ceases approx 2km from my residence. I have monitored the daily bus usage here over the past year and seldom see more than 1 or 2 people on any bus. The express bus service is well used and if increases are required it should be borne by those users should they choose or else they can use one of your very useful park and ride lots.

1. Wetlands designations. My property has been designated as wetland by the city / province and the city is preparing to change the designation of my property in the official plan without consultation or compensation. As a rural resident, I am very conscious of the environment; ands support the preservation of wetlands. However, the city’s process is fatally flawed in ways to numerous to go into in full in this short space. To summarize:

a.The investigation and initial designation was performed without the knowledge of the landowners, and the remaining part of the process has no provision for input from the landowners.

b. The wetlands evaluation system is flawed and biased towards a wetlands designation; it takes no account of the causes (such as the city’s failure to provide adequate drainage for water directed at our properties), and most of our properties would not be considered wetland by any common sense evaluation.

c.Despite the above, most of our properties would not qualify as Provincially Significant Wetlands in their own right. We are being ’complexed’ with existing wetlands to the north -- a process that gives city officials free rein to bypass reasonable standards and arbitrarily designate properties.

d. The designation causes major devaluation of our properties, and the city refuses to acknowledge this or offer compensation.

This issue needs to be aired publicly and in detail at the Rural Summit.

2. I would like to raise a second issue, namely the need for an ethics standard for city employees and elected officials. I have been appalled by the underhand methods and attempted deception and intimidation by city staff in the wetlands meeting and subsequent discussions. We need a city staff that applies the regulations fairly and evenhandedly, without trying to steer the result, and a city that recognizes when it is damaging its citizens and is prepared to offer fair compensation for their losses.

One Size Does Not Fit All:

We shouldn’t assume that Fitzroy Harbour has the same needs/ issues as Stittsville or Manotick. The frustration of the agricultural community is not the only voice for the rural area

Communication is an issue - some ward politicians are very adept at giving ’half truths’, underplaying the amount that the rural community has received. Need a way to have regular factual updates in the local papers, rather than their biased opinions.

Issues that are particular to the Manotick community are:

· Need an update to the Village Secondary Plan and need the Plan to be respected by planners [Main St. Lights was prime example of total disregard for the Secondary Plan]

· Traffic especially truck traffic on Bridge St. has escalated and has destroyed any pleasant pedestrian experience. Advance the construction of the Strandherd Bridge - badly needed.

· Getting on to Bridge St. for south island residents has been a problem without a solution since amalgamation. The Councillor has done little to bring resolution to the issue.

· The Parks Canada boat launch area should be purchased by the City. This matter was raised by the Community Association over two years ago and nothing has been done. [See 1991 Waterfront Feasibility Study for details]

· There has been unprecedented growth OUTSIDE the village, which seems absolutely contrary to the Official Plan. Protecting the rural landscape and building inside the villages was to be a priority but rampant and irresponsible subdivision growth only further promotes the sprawl. 800 dwelling units have been added in the vicinity of the Village - all of which impact on its services - this is very poor planning that appears to be supported by both staff and elected officials.

· Bus Transportation was poorly planned for the Village - and began without proper consultation with the Manotick Community. Prime time Commuter buses seem to be full but initially many buses ran empty in off-peak times. Also the anti-bus contingent from Kars and North Gower do not necessarily reflect the needs of Manotick Residents - many of whom work and recreate in the urban part of Ottawa. We have had too many youth fatalities - in part because our youth have to drive to get to activities elsewhere in the city.

· Ward Boundary issue - most regrettable - growth to the north of Manotick - both in Gloucester and in Nepean will have the most impact on Manotick - our sewer line is not coming from North Gower! The issues of Burritts Rapids have little in common with the concerns of residents in this Village. Most residents in Manotick work in urban Ottawa and enjoy its many amenities. Concerns such as traffic, proper open space and park planning, sidewalks for pedestrians, transit and links to the city, the need for a buffer from high growth areas, etc. etc. are the prime concerns, not selling produce at the end of rural laneways. Representation by population should have been a core value - not maintaining a rural ward or rural values. If you want to do that, you better start by protecting the rural landscape that is rapidly being lost.

· There must be a justification for new amenities. A ,000 play structure in Kars is far beyond even an urban standard. Where is the justified need for such an expense?

· The North Gower Client Centre should be closed. If one were to look at the usage of local community facilities in North Gower, Kars and Carsonby - these facilities are all under-utilized. The North Gower Client Centre is a poor building and there is no need for the taxpayer to expend more money to upgrade a redundant facility.

· The ,000 for parkland in Manotick and proposed preservation of City-owned land (at the former Regional garage) should be supported and developed as parkland with trails and sports fields - which is sorely needed to serve the south Ottawa community. [see sports field strategy]

· The Rural Recreational Pathway Project is an example of a collaborative, bottom-up project that builds on work that has already been advanced in urban Ottawa. We need more "success stories" and less complaining.

· The matter of "sewers" for Manotick is a key issue that has been dishonestly reported by the local elected official. Staff need to be much more honest and vigilant about communicating the "facts" to residents.

· The development west of Mudd Creek should have a public pathway along the creek, as proposed by the local Community Association and supported by park planning staff. It is hoped that the Planning Department and elected officials will support this proper open space and sound park planning. Regrettably, this has not occurred in the past.

Overall, with respect to rural issues, it should be noted that the Rural Council is not a voice for Rural Ottawa - talk to the local community associations, many have little or nothing to do with the Rural Council. Further, Mr. McKinley has a serious conflict of interest as a local developer in the rural area, and lawyer who took the City to the OMB on the ward boundary issue, and voice for the Rural Council?

There is a lack of clarity and specificity regarding rural complaints.

One of the most serious concerns in the rural area is the rapid loss of the Rural Landscape. See the Rural Tourism Study and note why urban Ottawa residents visit rural Ottawa - it is for the landscape. We’re doing far too little to preserve this landscape for future generations and future visitors.

Finally, we would like to be kept abreast of the Summit, but prefer anonymity in our comments.

In order for the city of Ottawa to keep up with improvements and accessibility to the city, I would like to suggest paving Jinkinson Side Road from Fernbank Road to Highway 7 for easier access to Ottawa from communities like Munster, Ashton and rural properties.

I have noticed the level of services drop since becoming a part of the city of Ottawa. For example - snow plowing on our residential street takes 3-4 days to be done after a snowfall. I have found that for what we pay in taxes, we do not receive the services that the residents inside the city limits have. I would like to see the normal services brought back up to at least where they were prior to becoming one big city.

· Rural Property Taxes - our taxes are outrageously high yet we receive very little in the way of services. When trying to get high speed or Natural Gas delivered (services are a stone throw away) to our populated areas there is no support from the city to due so.

· Bi-laws and regulations that apply to urban dwellers should not apply to rural dwellers.

· All amalgamation has done for the profitable rural areas is allowed Ottawa to suck these profitable communities dry from funds (robbing is a good word), reduce community services and facilities, increase cost for and reduce community programs, all without justification or input from those communities.

For example, Stittsville had plans and financing to expand its Goulbourn community centre to add an addition ice rink, pool and halls and with funding essentially in place, amalgamation saw to it that the money was reallocated towards core Ottawa improvements (or debt payment) and Stittsville got nothing.

It appears a lot of rural folks believe that amalgamation was to the benefit of core Ottawa and no one else. Especially for communities that were financially doing well such as Nepean, Stittsville, Kanata...

Why should residents in Stittsville/Kanata (west), Orleans (east) have to drive to Nepean Sportsplex or downtown Ottawa to enjoy good swimming and diving facilities? Makes no sense given that the population in these areas continues to grow at such a fast pace.

· How can the City demonstrate its respect for rural independence - the backbone of the rural lifestyle?

· How does the rural area come to feel adequate representation when rural subjects become the debate of City council?

· How does the City show recognition of the details of rural issues without each rural issue turning into a round-table...or is a Rural Round-table groups who meets monthly, in rotating rural communities where issues are brought up either by having been informed by a resident for discussion, or by a resident bringing up issues personally at monthly meetings? Monthly meeting info. Could then be brought to the appropriate councillor for presentation to the City?

· How can the same philosophy that is being discussed by the Stittsville Village Association re: One size does Not fit all be applied to the rural community?

· It is evident that the same level of services are not provided or determined necessary to the same extent both by the City and by the rural residents themselves. Does this not show then, that a different-tiered system may be best-suited to govern not only the rural areas, but also the smaller communities that have been pulled into the City, but that have in the past, demonstrated the ability to effectively govern themselves? It is clear that economies of scale (def’n: the exact number of people required to complete a job effectively and balanced economically having neither too few nor too many persons involved in the job) cannot be achieved in the overly large sized area of the City of Ottawa, with an overly small number of representatives as evidenced by the budgets in large part, but also in the perceptions of rural (and other) residents. With existing perceptions being such, it behooves the City to use the rural summit as a method of creating new perceptions by creating a larger representation but to a smaller overall audience (thus tiers). If the City doesn’t want to continue to hear virtually nothing from the rural residents, then get nothing but heated responses on forced issues, it basically needs to have a recognized and respected forum from which it can show and be shown to have representation opportunities.

I know these concepts aren’t new, but they are the ones that need to be addressed. To recap:

- Perception changes

- Representation adjustment

- Independence, lesser need recognized, respected

I think most issues fall into one or more of the above areas of difficulty between rural and urban communication and governing.

My main concern with the City of Ottawa is how a farmer has difficulty severancing of a lot to build a house on or for their children to build a house on. Family farms are decreasing throughout our region. People are selling their farms or milk quota as it is hard work and there are so many issues to deal with i.e. Mad Cow Disease, the price of fuel for their machinery etc. The city should recognize those who are remaining on the family farm and provide them with an easier time to have a lot severanced. Now, it is much more difficult to get this, compared to when we lived in the rural Townships. Those who want to build a home and raise a family close to their farm should not be penalized and be given such a hard time in doing so. We all need to eat and farmers provide us with resources. I know numerous farmers who have had trouble when attempting to severance off property. This really needs to be looked into. When you build a home and are required to pay expensive development fees, the city does not even tell you what they are for. We do not have sewage in the country, the road is already plowed and the garbage truck already goes by. So what are development fees in the rural areas used for? We pay to get a septic tank and a well installed. Please look into these concerns. Everyone in our area feels that we were way better off living in a small township compared to paying off the cities debts. The city continues to think up different ways to tax us i.e. the possibility of a licence plate fee of. That is ridiculous!!!! The whole issue with OC Transpo coming more frequently to Stittsville and charging more taxes to those residents is very sad. No one even uses those buses. The city councillors need to really think about the common sense perspective of every issue. I know the former rural councillors understand this and fight for us. Please bring my concerns up at your summit. I think it is great that you are having this summit. However, I would like to remain anonymous.

A review of By-Law/Planning Department harmonization on issues such as Burn Permits - Fire Arms / Paving of Rural Retail Parking Lots / Supplementary Hobby Farm Equipment Storage Building size and height requirements for "Hobby Farmers’

The costs to meet current standards are punitive and excessive for newly opened Retail sites that do not need "Paved" parking lots in their local rural environment.

I know personally of a Cumberland resident who has tried twice to buy land that will accommodate the storage of farm equipment in ratio to house size on the new property. He could have transferred an existing prefab barn from his existing Bourget site, were it not for recently revised building standards that determine secondary equipment storage building sizes.

On a personal note, I resent the fact that City Planners have backed former Township planning decisions made by Cumberland and Gloucester back some 10/15 years ago as to Commercial/Industrial, Snow Dump, etc. land zoning designations. The City are now requesting costly surveys etc. of prospective land developers to prove the need for "mixed development" in the Mer Bleue/Tenth line area south of the Hydro corridor when it is blatantly obvious that this area is a natural urbanization zone with proximity to Proposed transitway and Blackburn Hamlet By-Pass transport infrastructure plans. In fill is good and further justifies the infrastructure costs for immediate cost relief, and not drive urbanization further east/south into working gardeners’ fields and dairy/beef farms, which, if owners wanted to sell, would be closer to 417 links and better suited for commercial development.

· Bike paths: Because of the limitations of public transit in rural areas, biking is an important mode of transportation, especially for youth. Bike paths connecting rural areas and connecting the rural area to the urban core would facilitate this method of transportation, improve security while biking and encourage a healthy and green method of transportation.

· Hazardous waste collection: All hazardous waste collection areas are located in the urban part of Ottawa. People living in the rural area are not encouraged to drive out to the collection areas just to drop off a small package of used batteries and a jugs of paint thinner therefore increasing the risk that these items will be thrown in the trash or down the drain. One-day collection in rural areas on a rotating basis through each rural ward 1 or 2 times per would be greatly appreciated.

· Recycling of plastic bale wrap: Another waste product that is produced in rural areas is plastic bale wrap. In the April edition of the AgriNews there is an article to encourage Renfrew County farmers to bring their hay and silage plastics to the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre in Pembroke (735-7537) on June 25th for recycling. Why can’t Ottawa be as innovative?

· Knowledge of rural and agricultural issues: Councillors and some staff members should receive and read a few farming magazines such as Better Farming, the Ontario Farmer’s Association (OFA) magazine.

· Youth: Creating opportunities for youth to be involved in programs or activities available in rural areas.

Reclassification of private property as Provincially Significant Wetlands without any input or approval of the property owners, and without any compensation. In our case, this includes actively used farmland that has been in continuous production since 1840.

How to get our township (Goulbourn) out of the City of Ottawa and allow residents of other townships who feel the same way to take their townships out of Ottawa. (I know this one will be filtered out at the City level before any discussion is considered.) Only good thing to come from forced amalgamation is the library services.

I live in the Carlsbad Springs area. It's mostly that we are treated like second-class citizens! The programs and policies are designed by and for city people. On size does not fit all and while services provided by the city may increase in the city they decrease in the country.

You know ever since we were merged in with the city of Ottawa we are wondering what the heck we are doing still living here. To start off with there was a fair increase in our taxes, not exactly desirable given we don't make any more than the average family. We waited to see all the tax savings the economies of scale this new mega-city was promising to deliver. It was a waste of time waiting for them, as they never arrived!

So what wonderful benefits do we get as part of this city of Ottawa. We are now under their guidelines in a number of areas and have had their policies and bureaucracy imposed upon us. Three years ago I was applying for a permit to do some renovations on my home and the first step was putting in a driveway and of course a culvert (no sewers out here in the country!). There were seven site inspections before I was allowed to drop a culvert into my ditch, even though it was on the site plan, was all measured and marked and even that was after long hours of discussions and arguments. Let's face it; placing a culvert, built to city defined specifications, into a ditch is not rocket science!

You know out here we have acreage; I don't have neighbors up against the borders of my property. On cool evenings in late August or September it's nice to have a fire in the firepit, roast some hot-dogs and marshmallows and sing some songs to a guitar. It was something the kids and I liked to do. Can't do that anymore because we are part of the city of Ottawa now. It's hard to explain to the kids why we can't do it anymore.

Other things like the services that were actually available within a reasonable distance have disappeared. But hey! You can now take a 45 minute drive to get downtown, pay unreasonable amounts for parking and then find that after standing in long lines the services in fact have not disappeared, just moved! Again great convenience for city folks but us rural people gets the raw end of the stick!

What do we get out here in the country anyways? We get garbage pickup, although they no longer pick up everything they used to. We get snow removal, if enough snow falls. It's not the same in the city where speed limits are slower. 5 cm of snow on a Russell Road can be very scary at 80KM! We get police services but they have decreased in frequency in the years since we were merged and were better before. Can't think of anything else other than new rules, regulations and expenses. It's not like we have street lighting, sidewalks, sewers or city water out here! There are no local libraries and community centres are few and far between with some having been closed. Nope, there is nothing else we get from the city. Of course we do get a fairly large tax bill!!!

So why would we want to stay a part of such an organization, this city of Ottawa? One that ignores us rural people and only caters to the city folk!

The need to keep fees for service and taxes in rural Ottawa at par with other rural municipalities across Ontario. As farmers it is bad enough that we must compete against unfair subsidies and other advantages in other countries and provinces. We must at least have a level playing field within Ontario. The rural transit tax is an excellent example of an unfair cost here in Ottawa. The new burn permits is an example of a costly program that was not designed with a clear vision of what is needed and how can it be accomplished in a cost effective way.

My chief issue is with the potential tax hike for residents of Stittsville to cover OC Transpo costs. I live on the outskirts of Stittsville and the local OC Transpo service ceases approx 2km from my residence. I have monitored the daily bus usage here over the past year and seldom see more than 1 or 2 people on any bus. The express bus service is well used and if increases are required it should be borne by those users should they choose or else they can use one of your very useful park and ride lots.

Wetlands designations. My property has been designated as wetland by the city / province and the city is preparing to change the designation of my property in the official plan without consultation or compensation. As a rural resident, I am very conscious of the environment; ands support the preservation of wetlands. However, the city’s process is fatally flawed in ways to numerous to go into in full in this short space. To summarize:

The investigation and initial designation was performed without the knowledge of the landowners, and the remaining part of the process has no provision for input from the landowners.

The wetlands evaluation system is flawed and biased towards a wetlands designation; it takes no account of the causes (such as the city’s failure to provide adequate drainage for water directed at our properties), and most of our properties would not be considered wetland by any common sense evaluation.

Despite the above, most of our properties would not qualify as Provincially Significant Wetlands in their own right. We are being ’complexed’ with existing wetlands to the north -- a process that gives city officials free rein to bypass reasonable standards and arbitrarily designate properties.

The designation causes major devaluation of our properties, and the city refuses to acknowledge this or offer compensation.

I would like to raise a second issue, namely the need for an ethics standard for city employees and elected officials. I have been appalled by the underhand methods and attempted deception and intimidation by city staff in the wetlands meeting and subsequent discussions. We need a city staff that applies the regulations fairly and evenhandedly, without trying to steer the result, and a city that recognizes when it is damaging its citizens and is prepared to offer fair compensation for their losses.

The roads in rural Cumberland are in an incredibly bad shape. Four wheeler trails in Larose forest look better than our roads. As per example Canaan rd and Larmour's lane. The roads situation seems to be worsening since amalgamation.

My farm in xxx is adjacent to the xxxx Quarry. I would like to raise two issues that result from being located so close to such a large and what appears to be an increasingly busy facility.

The first is that the number of trucks traveling back and forth on the unpaved dead-end portion of xxx Road daily is enormous, leaving a never-ending trail of dust that ends up on my field with every single truck that passes by. I asked for calcium to be put on the road to keep the dust down. As far as I can see, dust was only put at the entrance to the quarry and at the intersection of xxxx and xxxx, not on the main section of the road next to my fields.

I asked before and was told that paving that portion of xxxx was way, way down the city's priorities, so am I not to expect any action on this matter because there are so few taxpayers/voters affected?

My second issue is the ongoing blasting that occurs at the quarry that shakes my barns and house on a continuing basis. What is the long-term effect of this on my buildings, I wonder? Would urban residents tolerate this kind of next-door activity? I think not. I also have a house in the city and I know that my neighbours there would soon demand an end to such a detrimental effect on their quality of life -- and they would be listened to. Why, then, do I have to tolerate this on my rural quality of life?

With the City of Ottawa becoming bigger and bigger and construction of houses and roads pushing ever eastwards, the pressure on the xxx Quarry will be even greater to keep the gravel trucks busy and the blasting ongoing -- thus increasing the negative effect on my buildings, fields and quality of life.

And when the xxxx Quarry increases their operation in the future to its land directly behind my farm (another quarry site), the blasting will be even closer to my house and barns. So I expect that my quality of life will be even worse then.

With respect to the blasting, who monitors the level of this activity? Is it the city or the province and how am I to know if the level of blasting is within the existing rules? Will I have to bring in an engineer at some point to determine the effect of this activity on my buildings? As I said before, urban residents would not tolerate this impact on their lifestyle and their demands for action would be met. I am not so sure about such results for rural residents.

I recognize that the xxxx Quarry needs to conduct business. But my view is that this is a David-and-Goliath situation and that the little person is not listened to, particularly since there are so few of us directly affected by this operation.

Manotick Community Association

As President of the Manotick Community Association and association sponsor for the Rural Recreational Pathways Project (RRPP) currently being conducted within the rural areas of the City of Ottawa, I would like to request that the MCA be able to present a summary of the findings to date from this project to the attendees at the Rural Summit. This project is funded primarily from the province but the City did provide some monies to assist with the consulting work and mappings. There are numerous rural communities within the City currently working as part of this project, and our Association feels that this is an initiative that will eventually benefit not only the rural residents but also those urban and city residents that wish to recreate in the City's rural environment. I would like at a minimum to have a telephone conversation to discuss possibilities for the MCA to present the findings from this project at the Rural Summit.

It is unfortunate that anti-city propaganda abounds in West Carleton. The rural agenda has been dominated by the vociferous few who see property rights as entitlement to use their land for any desired purpose even when that purpose may be to the detriment of the neighbourhood at large.

All landowners need to be better informed about the particulars of proposed by-laws and long-term planning. Most West Carleton residents do care about the environment and natural areas. The moderate majority has been silenced by the intimidating tactics of a radical few. Furthermore, too many moderates are now wavering in their views in the wake of slanted local media reports.

Rights must be balanced with responsibilities. Please get your message out clearly and hear all rural voices, even the low volume ones.

When we were just the small Township of Cumberland, we had a township newspaper (The Communique) which was circulated to all the residents to inform us of what was going on, municipal decisions, community events, registrations, etc. etc.

When we progressed to City of Cumberland status, we still had this valuable source of information.

When we were amalgamated into the big City of Ottawa, we lost this essential source of news, etc. We do not receive the Orleans Star and only rarely is the Journal delivered in our area. The Cumberland Community Association's Lamplighter is circulated only once or twice a year. We really need to have something available on a regular basis similar to what we had before to keep us informed about local issues, events, etc.

I have noticed the level of services drop since becoming a part of the city of Ottawa. For example - snow plowing on our residential street takes 3-4 days to be done after a snowfall. I have found that for what we pay in taxes, we do not receive the services that the residents inside the city limits have. I would like to see the normal services brought back up to at least where they were prior to becoming one big city.