Clothing Donation Box By-law
Description
City staff conducted a review of the Clothing Donation Box By-law (No. 2013-98) which regulated the location and use of clothing donation boxes on private property.
The Clothing Donation Box By-law review considered:
- The accumulation of donated items, waste, and debris at clothing donation box locations
- The unauthorized placement of clothing donation boxes on private property
- Operator eligibility requirements
- Health and safety concerns
- Textile waste diversion opportunities
Results
On September 27, 2023, City Council approved a new Clothing Donation Box By-law (No. 2023-425) and permit requirement for clothing donation box owners in Ottawa. This new by-law took effect on January 31, 2024 and replaced the previous 2013 By-law.
The new by-law includes:
- A mandatory permit requirement for clothing donation box owners operating boxes outdoors on private property and at approved City facilities
- Updated regulations for the location, signage, maintenance, and safety of clothing donation boxes in Ottawa
- Annual reporting requirements for permit holders to help inform textile waste diversion initiatives and enhancements
The new by-law ensures that donation boxes are:
- Placed in appropriate locations and are safe for operation
- Properly labelled so that residents know who is responsible for the box and who the donations are benefitting
- Emptied and maintained on a regular basis
Reports
September 21, 2023 - Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee
September 27, 2023 – City Council
Contact
For questions about enforcement and permit administration, please visit the Clothing donation box permit page or contact:
The Business Licensing Centre
613-580-2424 ext. 12735
businesslicensing@ottawa.ca
For questions about the By-law review, please contact:
The Public Policy Development Branch
613-580-2400, ext. 29529
BylawReviews@ottawa.ca
On-Demand Accessible Taxicab Service Study
Description
In June 2023, Council approved the following changes to improve on-demand accessible taxicab service in Ottawa:
- A centralized dispatch dedicated to on-demand accessible taxicabs
- Several financial incentives to accessible taxicab plate holder licensees and drivers that recognize the higher costs of operating an accessible taxicab
- A three-year pilot to provide an opportunity for evaluation of the efficacy of the proposed initiatives
Results
To support these changes, several updates were made to the Vehicle-for-Hire By-law (No. 2016-272) including:
- Reducing the accessible plate holder license transfer fee to $312 per plate transfer
- Removing the requirement that standard and accessible taxicab vehicles must be less than five model years of age upon entry to the fleet
- Increasing the current ten-year vehicle age limit to 12 model years for taxicab vehicles that are fully wheelchair accessible, fully electric or hybrid
Future work includes reviewing the feasibility of implementing a City of Ottawa operated centralized dispatch system respecting on-demand accessible taxicab service and reporting back to Council before the end of the proposed three-year pilot project.
By-law and Regulatory Services expects to report annually on the changes made to improve on-demand accessible taxicab service in Ottawa.
Reports
June 15, 2023 - Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee
June 28, 2023 – City Council
Contact
Christine Hartig
613-580-2400, ext. 25629
christine.hartig@ottawa.ca
Right-of-Way Patio By-law
For more information about this review, click on the link below:
Status Update on Short-Term Rental Regime
Description
In April 2021, Council approved the reports entitled Short-Term Rental By-law and Zoning By-law Amendments to Permit the Short-Term Rental of Residential Dwelling Units City-Wide to implement a complete regulatory regime for short-term rentals in Ottawa.
This regulatory regime was implemented following a number of community complaints about nuisance associated with short-term rentals and arising concerns regarding the impacts of short-term rentals on housing availability and affordability.
Nuisance complaints included:
- Neighborhood disruptions such as ghost hotels
- “Party” houses resulting in an increase in by-law complaints for noise, parking, property standards, and exterior waste and debris
- Damage to neighbouring properties and several criminal incidents investigated by Ottawa Police
The regulatory regime under the Short-Term Rental By-law and the zoning amendments work together to create a regulated environment that provides an opportunity for short-term rental activity where it is most appropriate in the city and mitigates the negative impacts of unregulated short-term rentals.
Results
Following a one-year implementation, the Short-Term Rental regulatory regime has been operating as intended. There has been some decline in community nuisance issues. Additionally, an increasing number of property owners are reverting to long-term rentals due to permit ineligibility, thus improving the available housing supply.
For more information, visit the Short-Term Rentals page. For further studies and reports, consult the Literature Review and Multi-jurisdictional Environmental Scan and Rental Market Analysis.
Reports
September 21, 2023 - Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee
Contact
Kayla Woods
613-580-2424, ext. 12389
kayla.woods@ottawa.ca
Use and Care of Roads By-law
For more information about this review, click on the link below:
Updates to the City of Ottawa Use and Care of Roads By-law 2003-498 | Engage Ottawa