Memoranda issued by Public Works

April 14, 2025

To:  Mayor and Members of Council

From: Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department

Spring has officially sprung! Following a busy winter season, this memo provides an overview of the spring and summer operations of the Public Works Department. This may not be a typical Spring season with the various weather patterns and conditions so transitioning our operations may also look different this year. Rest assured Public Works’ staff are working together to ensure a seamless transition. The following highlights some of the key activities taking place, as well as staff’s commitment to keeping Council informed throughout the year.

Keeping the City Moving

As the snow began melting, crews were dispatched to fill potholes around the city – averaging over 250,000 potholes annually. Crews use a cold patch and warm mix asphalt to temporarily create a smoother and safer driving surface until asphalt plants open and staff can access regular asphalt. While staff proactively monitor roads to identify major potholes, it is appreciated when residents support our operations by reporting potholes in their communities. Potholes can be reported online and will be triaged and addressed on a priority basis.

Grading of Ottawa’s more than 500 kilometres of gravel roads begins as soon as the weather and local conditions permit. Crews also mitigate potential flooding by opening ditches, culverts and catch basins where required.

Other maintenance operations are also underway, including asphalt, concrete and ironworks repairs. As soon as the temperature consistently remains above zero, city-wide street sweeping will be fully deployed – but it’s already gradually being rolled out in neighbourhoods with year- round on-street parking.

Following the completion of road sweeping, the pavement marking program begins. Existing pavement markings are refreshed annually, including intersections, longitudinal roadway lines, cycling facilities, and traffic calming measures. Crews prioritize various locations with irregularities and safety concerns, along with cycling facilities and pedestrian crossovers, followed by high- volume roads and intersections, then lower-volume streets.

Keeping the City Clean & Green

Spring lawn reinstatement focuses on repairing areas confirmed as damaged by winter operations equipment. Lawns are repaired using topsoil and seed – not sod – and staff leave behind maintenance instructions for property owners in the form of a door knocker. Residents aware of locations requiring repair should report them online as soon as possible to be added to the Spring Maintenance List.

Cleaning and litter pick-up has resumed across the city, in parks, Business Improvement Areas and the ByWard Market. This includes an increase in resources and patrolling of the ByWard Market and Rideau Street during the spring/summer seasons and peak periods to improve overall cleanliness. In these areas and across the city, staff are also coordinating the removal of vandalism, which can be reported online or via 3-1-1.

As more people get out and get active, staff get busy collecting waste in City parks. Last year, Solid Waste Services expanded the Waste Diversion in Parks Program to a total of 56 locations containing 3-stream bins. The seasonal bin sets as well as seasonal bins will be returned to their respective parks as soon as the weather permits.

This year the refreshed Tree Dedication and Plant Your Place! programs have launched, and spring tree planting begins in the last week of April, running until late June, weather permitting. Stay tuned for information about the new proactive approach to replacing trees in the right of way which will be rolled out in the coming weeks. Weekly tree watering takes place from May to September. Other tree maintenance activities continue all year and include tree pruning and the removal of dead or hazardous trees.

Tree stumping operations will begin in early May and continue through the fall. Forestry inspection staff continue to respond to service requests for City trees that include assessing storm damage, monitoring tree and forest health, and enforcing the Tree Protection By-law.

The Wild Parsnip Management Strategy includes mapping wild parsnip infestation levels, raising public awareness, and applying herbicides at select locations. A memo providing an update on the strategy and a map of the spray areas will be circulated to members of Council in the coming weeks.

Keeping the City Active & Safe

The reinstallation of traffic calming flex stakes typically begins by mid-April and should be completed by mid-June with installation of new locations to follow. The installation of bicycle lane delineators should be completed by mid-May once pavement markings have been refreshed.

Damaged or missing flex stakes or bicycle lane delineators can be reported online or via 3-1-1.

The City offers several options for parking bicycles, including ring-and-post racks at various locations throughout the city, seasonal on-street bike corrals, and three public secure bike lockers.

As temperatures climb, the number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle users on Ottawa roads also rises. Staff continue to implement strategies to reduce fatal and major injuries due to collisions through education, enforcement and engineering practices, as part of the Road Safety Action Plan – things like pop-up events; digital ‘Think Safety, Act Safely’ awareness campaigns; continuation of the cyclist detection bollards pilot at signalized intersections and crossings; and installation of 24 new automated speed enforcement cameras.

Additionally, the seasonal traffic signal re-lamping program occurs from April to October. This program deploys staff to inspect, clean and repair traffic signals at over 1,200 intersections, flashing beacons, and school zone flashers across the city to maintain reliability.

Seasonal transition activities also include the preparation of ball diamonds, the installation of volleyball nets and seasonal docks and the activation of sports field lighting controls to support outdoor recreation amenities, such as skate parks, tennis and basketball courts.

Many spring park maintenance activities are already underway and will continue over the coming months, including the removal of rink boards and temporary lights, playground and park inspections, litter clean-up in parks and the activation of water services for garden plots, fountains, spray pads, wading pools and irrigation systems and the grooming of public beaches. The City offers summer seasonal beach parking passes for Petrie Island Beach (789 Trim Road).

More communications will be coming throughout the spring and early summer to provide timely details on ongoing summer park maintenance services.

Supporting Residents’ Spring Cleaning

Solid Waste Services manages the collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of waste from both curbside homes and multi-residential properties, including leaf and yard waste. During peak season, leaf and yard waste collection is extended until 8 p.m. Last year, a significant amount of this waste was kept separate and converted into potting soil at the Barnsdale Leaf and Yard Waste Compost Facility near the Trail Waste Facility Landfill.

For residents who are eager to get back to their gardens, starting in the spring, potting soil is available for purchase at the Trail Waste Facility Landfill while quantities last. Please visit Ottawa.ca/Leafandyard for updates on availability.

The City will host nine Household Hazardous Waste events from April 27 to November 1, which provide a way for residents to dispose of corrosive, flammable or poisonous materials for free. A memo was recently shared with Council detailing each event. However, residents don’t have towait for a Household Hazardous Waste event; the City’s Waste Explorer identifies retailers where many items can be returned daily.

As always, residents can receive curbside collection reminders and alerts by e-mail or phone by signing up at Ottawa.ca/Collectioncalendar. Residents may also download the free Ottawa Collection Calendar mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

District Boundaries

Many of the Public Works Department’s services are delivered through a geographic area model. Attached are the maps showing the district boundaries used for spring and summer operations in Roads, Parks Maintenance and Forestry, the Managers assigned to each district, and the operations yards located in each ward.

For more information, to request services or to report an emergency related to operational maintenance, the community and Councillors’ offices are encouraged to create a service request online.

Keeping Council Informed

As the season progresses, Public Works is committed to keeping Council informed. Be it through Spring Freshet monitoring updates, Cleaning the Capital plans, street sweeping updates, or updates on pothole progress, line painting or grass cutting. Public Works’ focus is ensuring timely and informative updates to support Council’s own communication and engagement with residents in their Wards.

For any questions or additional information on the department’s transition to spring operations, please reach out to any member of the Public Works Departmental Leadership Team.

Original signed by,

Alain Gonthier, General Manager
Public Works Department

CC:     Senior Leadership Team
Public Works Department Leadership Team
Chief Communications Officer, Public Information and Media Relations

April 10, 2025

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department and Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural, and Facility Services

The purpose of this memo is to provide Council with an update on the status of the Chief William Commanda Bridge. We will be opening the bridge tomorrow, April 11, 2025.

The Chief William Commanda Bridge multi-use pathway opened during the summer of 2023, offering pedestrians and cyclists scenic views and access to pathways through Gatineau and Ottawa. The bridge has been closed since December 4, 2024, as it was not designed for winter pedestrian or cycling use and the structure of the bridge does not allow for safe plowing, salting or grit operations.

Roads and Parking Services (RPS) installed 50 feet of snow fencing on a section of the Ottawa side of the bridge prior to the closure in December. Staff in Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services (RCFS) observed limited snow accumulation throughout the winter on the bridge, even with the snow fencing installed. Staff will review alternatives for snow retention for the 2025/2026 winter season and if there is sufficient snow accumulation, will consider test grooming.

Prior to the winter season, a new permanent gate was installed to prevent access to the bridge when it is closed. City staff will monitor weather patterns, and in the event of a weather event or drop in temperature causing snow and/or ice accumulation on the bridge deck, staff may be required to use the gate to temporarily close the bridge until conditions allow for safe pedestrian and cycling access.

Original signed by,

Alain Gonthier                              Dan Chenier
General Manager                         General Manager
Public Works Department          Recreation, Cultural, and Facility Services Department
 

cc:       Senior Leadership Team
Public Works Departmental Leadership Team
Director, Infrastructure Services
Chief Communications Officer, Public Information and Media Relations
Manager, Council and Committee Services

Date: March 27, 2025

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Rebecca Coates, Manager, Business and Technical Support Services , Public Works

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on the Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Road program, and to share information on planned improvements to this city-wide program that encourages community members to take an active role in helping maintain local green spaces and roadways.

Program Background and Success

Since the program’s inception in 1996, the Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Road program continues to see annual growth in program participation. The program attracts many civic-minded and environmentally conscious individuals, families, community groups and businesses that are committed to keeping public spaces clean, green, and litter-free.

The program currently has over 260 active Adopt agreements, including over 170 park adoptions and nearly 90 road adoptions. In 2024, Adopt program staff received over 50 new Adopt applications and processed over 40 renewal applications.

Adopt participants make a commitment to cleaning up a park, or a kilometre or more of roadway, for a period of two or five years, and generously volunteer their time to clean-up litter and debris a minimum of twice a year – typically, once in the spring and once in the fall. To recognize these valuable efforts, a sign displaying the name of the program, and the adopting individual or group is installed (upon request) at the park or along the roadway.

Interested community members may apply to adopt a park or road by completing the online application form at ottawa.ca/adopt. All Adopt-a-Park/Road applications are reviewed and approved by City staff and the Ward Councillor, and all agreements include an end-of-term renewal option.

Program Improvements in 2025

Enclosed are highlights of continuous improvements made to streamline the program application and sign installation process, clarify program processes and eligibility, and enhance communication.

• Formalizing an application period:
  Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Road applications will be accepted annually between March 15 and September 15, rather than year-round. This targeted application period aligns with the spring and fall Cleaning the Capital campaigns, when program interest is highest, and will also allow Adopt program staff to manage Adopt Participants’ expectations regarding sign installations (particularly during months while the ground is frozen).
• Clarifying program eligibility criteria:
  Adopt applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older and reside within the City of Ottawa. Children and youth are encouraged to participate in the program under the direct supervision of a person 18 years or older. The City will not enter into an Adopt Agreement with an applicant that produces, distributes, or promotes alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, vapour, or water-pipe products. 
• Streamlining Adopt-a-Park/Road sign installation process:
  Adopt recognition signs will be offered to new applicants who commit to a five-year adoption agreement. The Adopt signs will be installed following one year of at least two cleanup report submissions (once in the spring and once in the fall). This approach celebrates the commitment of dedicated program participants while balancing operational priorities with respect to sign production, installation and cost.
• Enhancing program communications:
  Adopt Program staff are looking into leveraging an eSubscription to send out bi-annual reminders to participants and communicate other relevant program information. Staff will also implement a variety of communication tactics to promote the program in 2025 and beyond.

Next steps

Thanks to dedicated volunteers, as well as your ongoing support and promotion, the City looks forward to more successful Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Road partnerships this year.

Adopt Program staff are already processing applications, and all program updates will be communicated to participants. The Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Road application period and program information will also be updated on ottawa.ca/adopt.

Sincerely,

Original signed by,

Rebecca Coates
Manager, Business and Technical Support Services
Public Works

CC:     Senior Leadership Team
Public Works Departmental Leadership Team 
Chief Public Information Officer, Public Information and Media Relations 
Program Manager, Public Outreach and Communications (Public Works Department)

March 24, 2025

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Allyson Downs, Director, Parks Maintenance and Forestry Services, Public Works Department  

The purpose of this memo is to provide information on the City’s new Private Land Tree Planting Program called Plant Your Place! launching on Monday, March 31.

Background 

Following the 2022 derecho, Council directed staff to report back on options to support tree planting on private property. On June 26, 2024, Council approved the Tree Program Review – Early Actions report, which included the introduction of a Private Land Tree Planting Program. Following Council’s approval of the program, EnviroCentre was contracted to administer the new Private Land Tree Planting Program with the aim of launching in the spring of 2025.

EnviroCentre is a not-for-profit social enterprise that combines mission-driven impact with a business-minded approach to accelerate climate action across four key areas: energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, and waste reduction. EnviroCentre’s existing collaborations with the City of Ottawa include: Rain Ready Ottawa, TravelWise, Let’s Bike Month, and Better Homes Ottawa. As the Plant Your Place! program administrator, EnviroCentre will be connecting with Councillors over the next several weeks to provide program updates and share details about the tree distribution locations.

The Private Land Tree Planting Program is part of the Tree Planting Strategy, the feature project of the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) for this Term of Council and supports one of Council’s strategic priorities - a city that is green and resilient.

Program Launch 

Plant Your Place! will see 1,250 trees planted in 2025 through two program planting streams: city-wide tree distributions, and full-service tree planting on social housing properties in neighbourhoods with low canopy cover. 

Staff recognize that there may be significant resident interest in this program which could exceed the number of available trees in 2025. As part of a review of the program after its first year, staff will reassess the number of trees available through the program for future years.
 
Stream 1 – City-Wide Tree Distribution 

This stream will distribute 1,200 trees, 50 per ward, to residents free of charge for them to plant on private property. Residents interested in receiving a tree to plant can apply, through an online application form, for one tree per planting address. Plant Your Place! applications will open to residents on March 31. Residents are encouraged to visit envirocentre.ca/plant-your-place in advance to learn about eligibility criteria and program details including tree species available. Residents will be able to choose from 12 -16 tree species, which range from 1.5 - 2.5 meters tall.

After applying, successful applicants will be given instruction for in-person tree pick-ups to be held in May and early June. There will be four tree distribution locations used for this program, geographically dispersed across the city, residents will be directed to a distribution location based on their Ward. Distribution locations will be reassessed for future years based on feedback received in this year’s program rollout.

Stream 2 – Full-Service Tree Planting 

Tree planting locations through this stream will be identified based on where tree canopy is needed most in the city. Up to 50 trees will be available through this stream this fall. Staff are focusing tree planting in areas with low canopy cover by contacting social housing providers to determine interest in participation. In future years, once the City’s tree equity analysis is complete, tree equity data will be used to identify priority areas for the full-service stream. As part of the full-service planting, participants will receive site visits by an urban forestry professional who will assess the site conditions and make tree species and planting recommendations. Once locations are approved and confirmed, a follow-up visit will be scheduled for professional tree planting free of charge.    

Potential Funding

Staff have submitted a funding application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative to support the early years of this program and will update Council when information is available on our grant status. In the meantime, staff continue to seek funding opportunities through this and other available grants to continue to increase our tree planting efforts.

Original signed by  

Allyson Downs  
Director, Parks Maintenance and Forestry Services  
Public Works Department 

CC:  Senior Leadership Team 
Public Works Leadership Team 
Chief Communications Officer, Public Information and Media Relations 
Program Manager, Forest Management

March 13, 2025

To:  Mayor and Members of Council

From: Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department

The purpose of this memo is to update Members of Council on 2025 spring freshet planning and flood preparedness.

Background

The term freshet is commonly used to describe a significant increase of water discharged into rivers during spring months due to snowmelt. Spring freshets may be influenced by precipitation events during and after snow melting. This can lead to seasonal flooding in low lying areas along rivers.

The Ottawa region typically experiences two freshets. The Rideau River and local waterway Spring freshet routinely peaks in March/April in advance of the Ottawa River. The impact of the local freshet has been mild to moderate in past years affecting a limited number of roads, river-adjacent pathways and parks, and results in fast moving water in our overland drainage systems.

The Ottawa River watershed, at approximately 146,000 km2, is an extremely large river system that also experiences flooding to some degree every spring. The Ottawa River watershed conveys water from many rivers including the Rideau River.

2025 Spring Freshet Task Force, Planning and Flood Preparedness

The City of Ottawa has established a Spring Freshet Task Force each year since the 2017 freshet. The goal of the taskforce is to prepare for, monitor, and respond to the needs of residents in flood vulnerable areas across the city. Much of the planning and operational response focuses on communities and City assets known to be impacted by seasonal flooding along the various rivers within the city and especially along the Rideau River and Ottawa River.

Each year, sandbag filling stations are established for use by residents who may experience flooding on their properties. These stations are installed in locations that are convenient to affected communities. Updates on sandbag stations will be provided on the River Flooding website.

The Public Works Spring Freshet Task Force has been established and is working with internal and external partners to monitor water levels, snowpack, and forecast conditions. Members of Public Works and Infrastructure and Water Services have been working on flood planning and monitoring of snow and river conditions since early February. The Infrastructure and Water Services teams have reviewed their flood preparedness plans and are prepared for the annual freshet.

The Task Force includes interdepartmental liaisons to ensure potentially impacted City services remain aware of Task Force activities. Internal partners include Infrastructure and Water Services which is responsible for critical infrastructure, such as the water purification plants and wastewater facilities. The Task Force also includes members from the Public Information and Media Relations, Ottawa Public Health, the Corporate Real Estate Office, and Emergency Protective Services for their ongoing situational awareness and support.

Current Situation

Despite recent snow events, the snowpack across the larger Ottawa River catchment area and within Ottawa is reported as being average. Although we might look at snow as the largest risk factor, the snow water content is the more crucial factor to consider. We can confirm that the snow water content is also within the normal range for the Ottawa area.

The local Conservation Authorities have recently updated their Flood Outlook and Water Safety Statements related to the upcoming melt and potential rain events. There is no major river flooding in the forecast right now, however, these statements and our long-range reviews make it appropriate to be prepared should any actions be required going forward. It is premature to predict water levels through to the end of the typical freshet for any of our local rivers, or for the Ottawa River.

In preparing for the spring freshet, the work of the 2025 PW Freshet Task Force will include:

• Completion of the Rideau River Flood Control program;
  • The Rideau River Flood Control operations have begun in partnership with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. Ice breaking and clearing operations along the Rideau River will continue into late March. This work will allow water to flow unrestricted and to alleviate possible spring flooding in flood-prone areas.
• Implementation of a communications plan in partnership with Public Information and Media Relations (PIMR) to ensure the Water pooling flood control and River Flooding webpages and freshet X account (formerly known as Twitter) are updated and shared with the public.
• Ensuring interdepartmental monitoring and collaboration resulting in departments being prepared to initiate plans for the protection of critical assets including the Water Purification Plants and Wastewater Facilities.
• Updating and implementation of operational and tactical procedures for the appropriate deployment of assets into communities for ease of access and early support as required; and
• Public Works will continue to deliver on all core services which include early freshet response activities.

Next Steps

Communication is a priority, and regular updates will be provided to residents through ottawa.ca and affected Councillors via task force outreach. Key objectives for these updates will be to provide information to assist residents in creating or refining their personal flood preparedness plans; increase awareness of the City’s operational activities; and to share other resources available to residents living in flood prone areas. Where impacts occur, Traffic Services will issue updated Emergency Road Closure notifications regarding closures due to flooding using established practices. Updates will be posted on the interactive traffic web page (traffic.ottawa.ca).

With support from our partners in PIMR, Ottawa residents are encouraged to follow the City’s social media channels for updates, and to visit the Spring Flooding 2025 page for freshet-related information I also encourage all residents to visit these pages ahead of the annual freshet season to obtain status updates during the freshet season.

Residents can also sign up to receive updated flood notices from our local conservation authority partners:

• Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority
• Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
• South Nation Conservation Authority

Information on Ottawa River conditions can be found at Current Conditions - Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board.

Respectfully,

Alain Gonthier
General Manager, Public Works

Cc: Senior Leadership Team Emergency Operations Centre
Public Works Departmental Leadership Team Chief Communications Officer
Manager, Corporate Communications Manager, Council and Committee Services
Area Manager, PW Emergency Planning and Response

March 6, 2025

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Rebecca Coates, Manager, Business & Technical Support Services, Public Works Department

With Daylight Saving Time around the corner and the hope of spring’s imminent arrival, it’s the perfect opportunity to encourage Ottawa residents to get outside and enjoy the longer days while contributing to the clean-up of our public spaces. Registration for the Cleaning the Capital Spring Campaign will begin on March 14, and cleanup projects will take place across our city between April 15 and May 31. 

Cleaning the Capital registration and cleanup project information

Participants can register their cleanup projects by using the online form available at ottawa.ca/clean. The registration form populates an interactive map with pins that display the location, date, and time of all registered cleanup projects. Participants can choose from a variety of public spaces to clean, including green spaces and community parks, roadsides, shorelines, or even areas around bus stops.

Cleanup kits, which include nitrile gloves and black garbage bags, will be made available for pickup by registrants (upon request) at one of fourteen City of Ottawa facilities across the city.  Cleaning the Capital staff will be supporting participants’ appropriate disposal of collected waste/litter by providing groups of up to 30 participants with a small quantity of City-branded yellow bags. These yellow bags will not be counted against the three-item limit for curbside waste collection, allowing disposal of Cleaning the Capital waste/litter at residential curbsides on regularly scheduled collection days.  

Participants are reminded to review the instructions and options for proper disposal of collected waste/litter prior to their planned cleanup projects. This information will be communicated via the Cleaning the Capital eSubscription, registration confirmation, as well as through ottawa.ca/clean.

Key Spring campaign dates:

March 14:                  Registration opens 

April 15 to May 31:   Cleaning the Capital Spring campaign 

April 22:                     Earth Day 2025

May 2:                        Registration closes 

June 15:                     Deadline to submit online cleanup reports 

Campaign Success

This year marks the 32^nd year that the Cleaning the Capital program has been leveraging corporate sponsorship and resident engagement to keep our city clean and green. Cleaning the Capital staff delivered a highly successful spring and fall 2024 campaign with nearly 1,400 registered cleanup projects and over 49,000 participants. Thanks to our city’s dedicated volunteers, as well as your ongoing support and program promotion in your wards and across our city, we look forward to successful campaigns in 2025.

Campaign Promotion 

A City-led promotional campaign is currently underway and includes: 

• Social media and online advertisements, including City of Ottawa social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google, and Reddit); 
• Newspaper advertisements – supported by media sponsors – as well as public service announcements/news releases;  
• Video/audio advertisements on Spotify;
• Cleaning the Capital logo display on digital screens at City facilities, digital billboards, and digital bus shelters;  
• Cleaning the Capital advertisements on OC Transpo buses, transit shelters, and three-stream waste bins throughout the city; 
• Cleaning the Capital website (ottawa.ca/clean), with helpful information, an online registration form and interactive map;  
• Campaign information provided directly to partners, as well as to community groups, organizations, schools, and past participants to encourage participation; and  
• Important campaign updates via eSubscription. 

Council will be kept informed of all cleanup projects taking place in their wards during the Spring campaign, receiving weekly lists beginning April 11. If Councillors would like to receive cleanup kits for their offices’ own projects, please contact the Cleaning the Capital office at cleaning@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2424 ext. 13458. 

The Great Ward Cleanup Challenge 

Congratulations to our 2024 winners – Stittsville and Kanata North! Stittsville - Ward 6 had the highest number of cleanup projects reported during the spring campaign, and Kanata North - Ward 4 had the highest number of cleanup projects reported during the fall campaign. The ward cleanup challenge will continue this year, and we encourage a friendly competition among all Councillors. Perhaps the exceptional interest and efforts of your ward’s residents will be recognized next!  

Original signed by:
Rebecca Coates
Manager, Business & Technical Support Services
Public Works Department

CC: Senior Leadership Team
Public Works Department Leadership Team 
Manager, Corporate Communications

May 24, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department

This memo is to inform members of Council that the 2024 Wild Parsnip Program is anticipated to
start on May 27, 2024, weather permitting. The goal is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in
highly infested areas while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not
adversely impacted. In total, Council has approved $298,000 for this year’s strategy.

The 2024 Wild Parsnip Strategy will allow staff to:

• Continue and expand the application of Clearview and Navius FLEX herbicides to highly infested areas;
• Continue mowing operations, adjusting frequency and timing to best coincide with herbicide applications;
• Re-map infestation areas and levels;
• Continue the communication and awareness campaign in collaboration with partners in Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), National Capital Commission (NCC), etc;
• Provide weekly updates for Councillors on roadside and parkland spraying locations within each ward;
• Prepare communication materials for Councillors to share with residents.

A full listing of the infestation levels and planned treatment locations on roadsides is attached for
reference. We anticipate wild parsnip spraying in City parklands will begin June 3, 2024, weather
permitting. A full list of parkland spray locations will be provided to members of Council closer to
that date. Over 200 locations of parkland and approximately 1200 lane kilometers of
roadsides/pathways will be treated this year. We heard from residents and Councillors that
additional treatment was required and have significantly increased the number of lane kilometers
to be treated this year within existing budgets. Public Works will continue to assess the required
resources and budget for spraying operations in future years. Roadside grass cutting will begin
early June, and additional herbicide application may be considered again for the fall season.

To notify the public of the herbicide application, a Ministry of Environment, Conservation and
Parks (MECP) approved “Notice of Herbicide Use” advertisement will appear in local newspapers
one week prior to the start of spraying. However, given the large number of public access points
for parks, signage will only be posted at main entrance points.

Rural residents who do not wish to have the roadside adjacent to their property sprayed have
been given the option to opt-out of the Wild Parsnip Program. Should a resident opt-out of the
program, it will become their responsibility to manage any wild parsnip infestation adjacent to their
property, as required by the Weed Control Act, 1990. Information has been shared on how to optout
as part of the communications to residents on our website and in print materials. 

For additional information on wild parsnip, please consult the City of Ottawa’s website.

Thank you,

Alain Gonthier
General Manager
Public Works Department

c.c. Senior Leadership Team
Director, Public Information and Media Relations
Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health Department
Program Manager, Media Relations and Outreach
Public Works Departmental Leadership Team

May 16, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Shelley McDonald, Director, Solid Waste Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide Members of Council with the final list of the 24 parks that are being included in the 2024 Expanded Waste Diversion in Parks Pilot.

Evaluation process for shortlist of parks

A memorandum was sent to Council on February 8, 2024 to provide an update on the overall Waste Diversion in Parks project, as well as to inform Councillors of the upcoming outreach by staff to solicit a list of preferred parks for each Ward.

Following that memo, Solid Waste Services followed up with Councillors to solicit their short-list of preferred parks (2 to 3) to be considered for the expansion in their respective wards.

This list was evaluated by staff against a list of criteria including size and type of park, proximity to main access roads and accessibility to the park by a collection vehicle. In addition, working with our partners in Recreation, Culture and Facility Services (RCFS), parks were also evaluated for amount of seasonal bookings so that we could aim to have a bigger impact on diversion by servicing highly used parks where possible. The final list of parks included in the expansion are show in the table below.

2024 Expansion Parks for the Waste Diversion in Parks Pilot

Staff have ordered the bins required to implement this expansion and have been exploring where the optimal bin locations are at each of the new parks.

Bins have started to be placed this month (May 2024) in the parks, with all the new parks being fully on-boarded by the end of July 2024.

Original Signed by:
Shelley McDonald

CC: Senior Leadership Team
Public Works Department Leadership Team
Chief Communications Officer
Manager, Corporate Communications
Manager, Council and Committee Services