Politicians can’t (and shouldn’t) direct police operations, so what I achieve depends on the productive working relationship I’ve developed with the leadership and teams in our police district and OPS’s central command. That includes their participation in community events, regular outreach and engagement, and guidance for emerging and ongoing concerns, supported by frontline staffing improvements, an increase in resident reporting, new tools, and the new police station scheduled to open next spring.
We made some progress on traffic enforcement, re-engaging with schools, and general visibility in the community, but we cannot keep playing catch-up on things like retail thefts, street racing and noise, hate-motivated incidents, and general mischief. I will continue to protect and support the police budget reasonably and in an informed manner to ensure that progress continues, including frontline staffing, the proposed training facility, and more. I will also build upon that existing relationship to continuously improve community safety.
The provincial government ended the use of automated speed enforcement cameras late last year, but I believe there is still room for automated tools to be used as enforcement aids. Devices that collect speed, noise, and other information (without gathering vehicle data) are available and can be used to help guide enforcement efforts, like having a robot filing police reports. However, as the Highway Traffic Act is provincial jurisdiction, this will be an advocacy item to the provincial government.
Thanks to your feedback, several locations in the ward were identified for lighting additions and improvements, mostly along important connector pathways. Some were completed, like Gospel Oak Park (improvements), Ken Ross Park (improvements), the Deerfox-Fieldcrest pathway (new lighting), and the north end of Winding Way (new lighting). Others like Grovehurst, the pathway along Fallowfield leading to Montana Way, and sections of the Transitway pathway, are in early planning stages, while a few more are in early discussions. I will continue those efforts, including new locations you share with me.
Most residential streets in Barrhaven were built without streetlighting, as the former city of Nepean chose to use private lawn lights instead. It’d be unreasonably expensive to add streetlighting to every residential street in the ward, so I’m also exploring the idea of a former Nepean by-law requiring working lawn lights on unlit streets, as it is the primary source of streetlighting there. That will not be done without community feedback and support.
Council recently approved a western paramedic headquarters to be located in Barrhaven. The new facility will improve response times in Barrhaven and the western half of Ottawa, improve capacity and conditions at the existing headquarters, and help the paramedic service respond to their evolving role in the health care system.
Council approved the procurement process in June, so the project is in progress. I will ensure this valuable project progresses appropriately and efficiently.
Priorities are listed above and throughout the website, but it doesn’t mean I’ll ignore everything else. Let’s chat about what’s important to you!