My Platform
My platform is focused around the key issues our community has been vocal about.
Policing, Transportation, Infrastructure, Fiscal Responsibility, Future Development
- Bring LRT to Barrhaven Centre
- Improvements to Bus Routes
- Affordable and equitable Fares
- Southwest Transitway Extension
- More frequent maintenance on Roads, Sidewalks and Parking Lots
- Responsible South Merivale Business Park construction
- Additional Speed Humps and Flex Posts
- Weekly Garbage Pickup from the start of May to the end of September
- Greenbank Realignment
- Park Improvements
- 1-year Tax Freeze
- Affordable Property Tax Rates
- In-depth look at our Procurement Bylaw
- Review Capital Budget Expenditure
- Expanding the Automated Speed Enforcement program
Transportation
LRT to Barrhaven Centre
The City of Ottawa is planning to extend the LRT from Baseline Station to the Barrhaven Town Centre following the Recommended Plan that was approved by City Council in November of 2020.
The plan accounts for 10 km of LRT, with 7.6 km being pre-existing bus routes. The route will pass through Ward 24 and would open the possibility of a connection to Limebank in later stages of development.
I aim to follow the recommended implementation found by the Final LRT Public Inquiry Report which it’s release has been delayed to the end of November.
To accommodate and support the future LRT, I propose a restructuring of our local bus transit network. The redesign of local Barrhaven transit would improve accessibility overall and most importantly reliability.
Local Transit Bus Network
With the LRT coming to Barrhaven in the future, the primary bus transitway will be repurposed. This change in transit infrastructure is the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate Barrhaven’s bus routes.
As things stand right now, the transit in Barrhaven is geared towards getting people to and from the downtown core. It is not convenient for residents to get from one end of Barrhaven to the other. I will reorganize our bus routes to better service residents wanting to travel within our community.
Our ward has a wonderful variety of shops and restaurants and I know it can be frustrating not having a reliable way to visit them. This restructuring will make it all the easier to explore what Barrhaven has to offer and create a more cohesive community for us all.
Barrhaven bus route map from octranspo.com/images/files/maps/systemmap.pdf
Development
A New Downtown for Barrhaven
In 2020 city council approved the plan for a new cultural hub for Barrhaven comprised of a cultural center, a library, and a seniors’ space.
I strongly support the development of this Barrhaven Town Centre. Its plan, announced by Councillor Jan Harder, MP Chandra Arya, and Minister Lisa MacLeod, will bring development to an underutilized space and become a keystone for Barrhaven.
This area of development resides in Ward 3, Barrhaven West, and will require cooperation and communication with its councillor which I fully aim to accomplish together.
South Merivale Business Park
I support the development of the South Merivale Business Park. A Salvation Army church and office buildings are planned to be built in the area. In April I attended the church’s groundbreaking ceremony and our Mayor, Jim Watson, was in attendance as a show of support.
A concern I hold is that a sortation facility with 100 truck bays is planned as well. Up to 2,800 transport truck trips per week could be made to the facility. This will place an undue burden on traffic congestion in the area.
Despite the 4,000 signatures opposing the project and pleas from local residents including myself, the project is anticipated to be operational by 2026.
This is within the term of next council and as your councillor, I will seek to constrain the building permit, to prevent addressing the traffic and noise impacts.
Speeding Control
Throughout Barrhaven East, it is a shared opinion that there need to be additional efforts towards limiting speeding throughout the neighbourhoods.
Presently there is only a singular speed camera in the ward situated on Longfields Drive in between Mother Theresa High School and Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School.
Speed cameras have generated $8.1 million in revenue since the program’s inception, with 14 cameras in use. An increased number of these cameras all throughout Ottawa would lead to higher revenue as well as safer communities and roads.
I propose:
- Additional Speed Cameras in studied high-risk zones for Speeding
- Increase of Speed Humps on streets where Flex Posts have not been enough
- The moving of Flex Posts
Greenbank Realignment and Southwest Transitway Extension
In 2020 the transportation committee approved the grade separation of the VIA rail tracks around Woodroffe and Fallowfield.
This will help avoid traffic disruptions and incidents like the 2013 collision which resulted in 6 fatalities. I believe this project is important for our safety and will bring peace of mind to Barrhaven residents.
Also in the plan are three bridges that are to be built over the VIA rail tracks after the grade separation is completed.
Fiscal Responsibility
Capital Budget Expenditure
With the recent developments highlighted by the LRT Public inquiry, it is clear that projects can get rushed through city council which ends up costing us in the long term.
I propose reviewing the entirety of the City Expenditure, with the intention of increasing the City Reserve Fund and alleviating the pressure on the Operating Budget from rising inflation.
With rising costs, it is imperative that the City is spending its budget, our tax dollars, in a highly responsible manner.
Affordable Property Taxes
Through a budgetary review that is fiscally responsible and through advocating for other sources of revenue such as increased municipal speed cameras, the City would be put in a great position to lower the tax burden on residents given enough revenue earnings.
As well, I promise to fight for a 1-year Tax Freeze.
It is long overdue, and it would come along with a review of the City’s operations. This would a provide a clear picture for our new council and new mayor.
I have financial experience having held the position of Treasurer for my Fraternity, and a solid budget always comes from an expense consideration.
New development and progress always comes with concerns and issues as a project’s completion is realized.
The LRT has been subject to that and so will other projects as Barrhaven experiences this unprecedented period of growth and investment.
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Contact Me
dominik.j.janelle@gmail.com
Statistics and Data Referenced
- Dept., Transportation Services. “O-Train.” City of Ottawa, 22 Oct. 2021, https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-development-and-construction/major-projects/stage-2-light-rail-transit-project/overview.
- Pringle, Josh. “$38 Million Cultural Hub Planned for Barrhaven.” Ottawa, CTV News, 29 Apr. 2022, https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/38-million-cultural-hub-planned-for-barrhaven-1.5881979.
- McKinney, Frank. “Barrhaven Light Rail Transit (Baseline Station to Barrhaven Town Centre) and Rail Grade-Separations Planning and Environmental Assessment Study.” City of Ottawa, 18 Feb. 2022, https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-engagement/projects/barrhaven-light-rail-transit-baseline-station-barrhaven-town-centre-and-rail-grade-separations-planning-and-environmental-assessment-study.
- “Salvation Army Breaks Ground on Church near Airport | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 25 Apr. 2022, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/salvation-army-barrhaven-church-1.6429565.
Dominik Janelle 