Council approves new community-led gardens and green initiatives program

Council today approved a citywide Community-led Green Initiatives and Garden Program to create a greener, more resilient and liveable Ottawa.  The program will actively support the growing demand for developing publicly accessible food gardens and other community-led greening initiatives such as pollinators and beautification gardens, on City-owned land. The City will lift its pause on applications for access to approving new sites and begin reviewing outstanding community requests for new or expanded gardens. Staff will develop clear guidelines, streamline the intake process and engage with local community organizations and leaders to ensure community needs are driving the program.  Council approved the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan 2025-2029 to guide local early learning and child care services over the next five years. The plan sets a clear, sustainable path for transforming Ottawa’s system to meet the diverse needs of children and families. Guided by research, data and community engagement, the plan aims to simplify access, reduces barriers and systemic inequities, fosters meaningful reconciliation and strengthens the workforce. The plan will be implemented within the provincial funding allocation and existing municipal contributions.    Council approved updates to the Municipal Housing Allowance Programs and the Home for Good Housing Allowance Program. Pending provincial and federal funding announcements, the City will temporarily limit eligibility for new benefits to those experiencing homelessness only. It will use municipal funds to administer benefits to new recipients as well as existing households. These interim measures will help keep existing recipients housed, reduce the need for additional shelter beds, and allow the City to focus on longer-term housing solutions.  Council received updates from the Public Safety Service and from Ottawa Fire Services on their activities and performance in 2024.  The Public Safety Service is comprised of the Office of Emergency Management, the Corporate Security Branch (including Security Systems), and the Public Safety Systems team (who manage the City’s Corporate Radio Network). In 2024, the Office of Emergency Management continued to coordinate the City’s emergency preparedness, response, and recovery activities for major planned and unplanned events. A key focus was on building community resilience through activities related to public education and awareness. The Corporate Security Branch continued to promote good security practices through staff training and awareness activities, and also worked on lifecycle maintenance of security systems. In 2024, the Public Safety Systems team ensured that the City continues to have a reliable radio service for first responders and other frontline users to communication with each other. Ottawa Fire Services continued to meet Council-approved response times in 2024, while handling an eight-per-cent increase in the number of responses to fires. Calls for medical emergency response increased by 18 per cent. The City launched a new strategy to reduce false fire alarms in 2024, with positive early results. This is the first year since 2020 that there has been no increase in false fire alarms, followed by a one-per-cent decrease in the strategy’s first six months. Ottawa Fire Services successfully completed the 2024-2029 Commission on Fire Accreditation International accreditation process, demonstrating the service’s commitment to high service standards and strategic planning.  Ottawa Fire Services also focused on fire prevention, code enforcement and outreach to raise awareness about fire safety. This includes the Wake Up! program, which reminds residents to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure they are in good working order. The service continued to engage with future firefighters through the Camp FFIT program for young women and diverse youth from all social backgrounds, and the Fire Venturers program for youth. Related topics

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