City Council today received an update on the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry Action Plan.
The City is responsible for 95 recommendations within that plan, and 89 have now been completed or incorporated into ongoing City policies, to be implemented on future projects. Transit Services staff will continue to monitor work on the remaining recommendations that are in progress to ensure that required work is completed.
Staff will confirm to Council when all in-progress items have been completed. Updates will be provided to Transit Commission and Light Rail Sub-Committee if the work and oversight outlined in the action plan change.
Council appointed Caitlin Salter MacDonald to the position of City Clerk, effective Friday, April 12. As City Clerk, Ms. Salter MacDonald will lead the team that delivers statutory and critical municipal functions, including the Access to Information and Privacy Office, Corporate Accessibility Office, Council and Committee Services, Municipal Elections Office, French Language Services, City Archives, Office of Protocol and Intergovernmental Affairs, Information Management, and Policy and Business Operations. Ms. Salter MacDonald joined the City in 2000, and brings a wealth of knowledge and legislative experience to the role, having dedicated 13 years to working in the Office of the City Clerk.
Council appointed David Donaldson to the vacant public member seat on the Ottawa Police Services Board.
Council received a report on remuneration and expenses paid in 2023 to members of Council and Council Appointees. Remuneration includes salaries, retirement allowances and honorariums. The report includes travel allowances, such as monthly car allowances, parking passes and the taxable benefit portion of transit. Expense reimbursements are for direct payments made to Members of Council and Council Appointees for out-of-pocket expenses, such as hospitality, computer supplies and equipment and office supplies.
Council approved a series of zoning amendments to facilitate several new residential developments. The land-use permissions approved today will help put applicants in a position to build 230 new dwellings across Ottawa. To help address the housing challenge, Council committed to providing home builders enough opportunities to build 151,000 quality market homes by 2031. Visit ottawa.ca/residentialdwellings for a graphic showing quarterly progress towards Ottawa’s housing pledge targets.