Weekly newsletter: June 10, 2025
Hi everyone!
Over the weekend, the public works department once again held their big wheels expo, a display of the municipal fleet that provides garbage pick-up, snow clearing, forestry management, traffic signals, and other services.
The weather was practically perfect (no humidity, especially) on Sunday!
It seems yesterday’s rain also cleared out the remaining wildfire smoke — air quality looks pretty good for the rest of the week.
Administrative penalty system
Changes intended to speed up ticket reviews and reduce provincial court workload.
Last week, the City of Ottawa launched the first phase of the Administrative Penalty System (APS), which came about after provincial legislation changes allowed municipalities to manage parking, automated speed enforcement, and red light camera tickets.
APS is structured like the former Provincial Offences Act system. It is essentially a shift in responsibilities from the provincial courts system to the municipality.
Tickets were previously managed by the provincial court system, relying on judges and court staff, often resulting in long wait times for ticket reviews. That authority has shifted to the City, using municipally appointed screening and hearing officers for a quicker, more flexible system.
The first and current phase affects parking tickets only, while a future second phase will include automated speed enforcement and red light camera tickets.
Under the APS, parking tickets issued on/after June 4, 2025, will follow a tiered adjudication process↗, starting with a screening. The screening replaces the walk-in in-person review at the court office.
Unpaid parking tickets issued on/after June 4, 2025 are eligible for screening if you can demonstrate that an offence was not committed or if there is undue hardship.
Screening requests must be submitted within 15 days of the parking ticket’s issue date, while an extension of an extra 15 days may be granted if an extenuating circumstance can be demonstrated.
A hearing may be requested if you disagree with the result of the screening process.
Hearing officers are members of the public appointed by City Council based on previous experience in law, adjudication, and/or the interpretation/application of legislation. Their conduct is governed by applicable by-laws and the provincial Statutory Powers Procedure Act↗.
Like the previous system through the provincial courts, politicians cannot be involved in individual cases or interfere with the process. Screening and hearing officers also abide by a conflict-of-interest policy in cases where there may be a personal or professional relationship with a vehicle owner in the process.
Complaints against a screening or hearing officer may be submitted in writing in-person at a client service centre↗ (eg. Ben Franklin Place) or by mail to the City of Ottawa, P.O. Box 3450, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 1L4.
More information about the APS, including hearing officer profiles and relevant policies are available at Ottawa.ca↗.
Parking tickets issued on/before June 3, 2025, continue to be managed through the Provincial Offences Act system↗.
Currently, no date has been set for the future second phase, which affects automated speed enforcement and red light camera tickets.
Auditor General 2026-2027 workplan
Public survey↗ active until June 30 to help shape the Auditor General’s next workplan.
The City’s Auditor General (AG) assists City Council in holding itself and City staff accountable for the quality of stewardship over public funds, such as value for money and fraud investigations.
Every two years, the AG reviews its workplan to identify and determine audit priorities. Her office is currently seeking public input as to what residents and business owners believe could benefit from an independent audit. See the AG’s current workplan here↗.
Survey results will be shared in the 2026-2027 workplan, which will be presented to Committee and Council in November 2025. The survey↗ is available on EngageOttawa until June 30.
The AG operates independent of the City’s bureaucracy and has the authority to conduct financial, compliance, and performance audits of all City department and agency activities (including the offices of the Mayor and Councillors), local boards of the City, municipally controlled corporations, and grant recipients.
Recent major audits and investigations include:
Roads value for money audit↗ – assess the City’s management of its road assets
Zero-emission buses agile audit↗ – periodic/ongoing assessments of high-risk elements of the e-bus programme, including procurement, financing, and technology
Lansdowne 2.0 agile audit↗ – periodic/ongoing assessments of significant and high-risk elements, such as the proposed waterfall agreement
Fraud investigation of alleged kickback scheme↗ – City employee allegedly receiving kickback payments from landlords in exchange for favourable rental rates under a housing assistance programme (for which charges↗ were eventually laid by the Ottawa Police Service)
In additional to audits and investigations, the AG also oversees the City’s fraud and waste hotline↗, which allows City employees and the public to confidentially and anonymously report suspected instances of fraud, waste, or serious wrongdoing involving City staff, resources, operations, and vendors.
Visit OAGOttawa.ca↗ to learn more about Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon, audit reports, the fraud and waste hotline, and more.
A few other items
Items that are either local or have local impacts, listed alphabetically
Emerald Ash Borer – Since initial detection in 2008, the City has been continuously managing the invasive beetle↗ by injecting ash trees with TreeAzin Systemic Insecticide. This year, ash tree injections will happen June 4 to August 31 in wards outside of the Greenbelt, including Barrhaven East.
TreeAzin is produced Neem tree seed extracts and is injected directedly into the base of ash trees using canisters inserted into drill holes. Emerald ash borer larvae that feed on trees treated with TreeAzin will not be able to reach maturity.
Beetle traps baited with a fungus that specifically attracts the beetle will be laid in select municipal parks, though none are in Barrhaven East this year.
Fieldgate/Grouse (north) streetlight – Replacement project for the streetlight that has not been working since October is still in staff’s work queue. The underground wiring is damaged and needs replacement.
Greenbank pathway resurfacing – A tentative start date in July has been set for the long-awaited project (at bottom of linked article) on the pathway through the Greenbelt. More details will be shared as pre-construction meetings and plans are finalised.
Leikin Drive closure – The street closure between Merivale and Beckstead continues until June 20. Signs prohibiting construction traffic into the residential area have been installed at Leikin/Bill Leathem.
Upon substantial completion of the sortation facility, the construction signage will be replaced by permanent signage prohibiting through truck traffic south of the intersection.
Property taxes – Friendly reminder that property taxes are due next Thursday, June 19. They may be paid online, by mail, or in person↗ at a client service centre.
Suggestion for residents who pay online: consider paying through your bank (app, phone, web, teller) instead of through ServiceOttawa to avoid the Paymentus service fee, which can be up to 1.95 per cent.
If paying through the bank, use “Ottawa Property Taxes” as the payee with your roll number without periods as the account number.
Recreation closures – The swimming pools, cardio/weight rooms, and squash courts at the Walter Baker Sports Centre are closed until June 29 for annual maintenance.
At the Nepean Sportsplex, the weight room will be closed June 16 to 22 for annual maintenance, while the squash courts will be closed June 16 to 29 for the same reason.
I have asked City staff why the weight room and squash court closures at the two facilities were scheduled concurrently and will share their response once available.
Recreation registration – Browse autumn activities starting July 29. Registration begins August 12 at 9:00 pm for aquatic activities, and August 14 at 9:00 pm for all other activities.
Summer parkway closures – Please note the National Capital Commission (NCC) have resumed their weekend/holiday closures of three parkways in the City until Thanksgiving weekend:
Kichi Zībī Mīkan – westbound lanes from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Queen Elizabeth Driveway – full closure between Fifth and Somerset from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway – full closure between Aviation and St-Joseph from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
The NCC plans to revive its Queen Elizabeth Driveway “summer zone” this year, though no details have been shared yet. Last year’s summer zone was a 24/7 closure of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway between Catherine and Somerset to motor vehicles.
Have a great week ahead!
-Wilson