Newsletter - 15 January 2026
From the desk of Councillor David Brown
Ottawa’s Recycling Transition
As of January 1, 2026, Ottawa’s blue and black bin recycling moved from City-run service to Ontario’s provincial Blue Box system, but residents’ day-to-day routine stays the same: same collection day, same bins, and set out by 7:00 am. The good news is a broader, more standardized list of accepted recyclable materials across Ontario, with recycling questions now handled by the provincial contractor.
Read more here
Ward Updates
Special Advisory: Overnight Winter Weather Parking Ban (City-wide)
An overnight winter weather parking ban will be in effect across Ottawa tonight due to weather conditions.
When: Thursday, January 15 (7:00 pm) to Friday, January 16 (7:00 am)
What to do: Please remove vehicles from the roadway so snow crews can clear streets safely and effectively.
About winter weather parking bans (November 15 - April 1):
The City may declare a ban during significant winter conditions (e.g., freezing rain) or when Environment Canada forecasts 7 cm or more of snow (including forecast ranges that include 7 cm+). Bans stay in place until the City announces they have been lifted.
With the exception of significant or rapidly changing weather events, Roads and Parking Services aims to:
Call an overnight ban around 9 am the day of the event (overnight bans run 7 pm to 7 am)
Call a daytime ban around 3:30 pm the day before the event (daytime bans run 10 am to 7 pm)
When a Winter Weather Parking Ban is called, the City shares updates through a special advisory to local media and posts updates on the City’s website. Residents can also:
Open Air Fire Permits
Residents of eligible properties can now apply for open air fire permits on Ottawa Fire Services’ new online portal without having to leave the house.
Through the new portal, residents will be able to:
Apply for annual, restricted and agricultural permits
Manage multiple permits across multiple locations from one account
Download a copy of the approved permit
Receive notifications when burn bans are in effect
Setting up your account
To apply for an open air fire permit online, the first step is setting up your account in the new portal (account details from the old portal will not carry over).
To get started, create or sign into your My ServiceOttawa account and click on “Apply for” in the “Open air fire permits” section. This will take you to the new portal, where you can finish setting up your account details. Step-by-step instructions are also available on the City’s website.
Once you’re signed into the new portal through My ServiceOttawa once, you can bookmark firepermits.ottawa.ca and log in directly with your My ServiceOttawa account on future visits.
Applying for an open air fire permit
To apply online for an open air fire permit, you will need to confirm that your property is eligible for a permit by using the address look-up tool, which is also available on the City's website, and pay a permit application fee.
Once online payment for the permit is approved, you will be issued a permit number. You can reference your permit number or download a copy of your permit through the My Permits section. Be aware of your permit number, as you may need to share it with Ottawa Fire Services or other City employees.
You can still apply for and purchase open air fire permits in-person at various client service centres and the Rural Fire Administration Office.
Burning safely and responsibly
Always check for a fire ban before you burn. Check the City of Ottawa homepage, call Ottawa Fire Services at 613-580-2880, or subscribe to receive Open Air Fire burn ban alerts by email.
Follow the rules described in the Open Air Fire By-law. Keep your family, your property and your neighbours safe by respecting fire size, distance from buildings and fences, and other requirements.
Never leave a fire unsupervised. Always make sure your fire is fully extinguished. After you burn, ensure that the coals are cold. If you are unable to put out the fire or the flames begin to spread, call 9-1-1.
Complete Your Vacant Tax Declaration Before March 19
It’s Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) declaration time again. Property owners must submit a declaration for the 2025 occupancy year for each residential property they own by March 19, 2026. A $250 late fee applies to declarations submitted after the deadline.
To get the fastest help, please contact the City’s VUT team directly with any questions or if you need assistance, whenever possible (rather than contacting our office).
Declare online
If you have a MyService.Ottawa.ca account:
Log in and submit your declaration through your property tax account.If you don’t have an account:
Visit Ottawa.ca/vut and select Submit Declaration using your roll number and secure access code (found on last year’s property tax bill or notice).
Notices will be sent to property owners in January, with email delivery used whenever possible. Please remember to check your junk-mail folder as well.
Alternate and accessible declaration options
If you can’t declare online, the VUT team can help through these options (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm):
By phone: Call 613-580-2444 and select option 3 to complete your declaration with an agent
Canada Video Relay Service: Call 613-580-2400
In person: Visit any City Client Service Centre (locations and hours at ottawa.ca/csc)
Questions or concerns?
For questions regarding the vacant unit tax, please email VUT_ILV@ottawa.ca or contact Revenue Services at 613-580-2444.
City Accepting Applications for Community-led Greening Initiatives and Gardening Program
The City of Ottawa is now accepting proposals from community groups to create or expand gardens and greening projects on City-owned land through the Community-led Greening Initiatives and Gardening Program. The program supports Ottawa’s environmental goals by encouraging greener public spaces, biodiversity, and community well-being.
What kinds of projects are eligible?
Eligible ideas include community-led food gardens, pollinator and native plant gardens, rain gardens, ornamental gardens, and other greening initiatives, such as select invasive species management when connected to a garden/greening project, and gardening approaches that reduce the need for irrigation.
Apply by February 3, 2026
Applications are being accepted during this intake period from January 5 to February 3, 2026. After the City completes an initial review, proposals that meet approval criteria will be posted on Engage Ottawa for public consultation before final decisions are made.
Need help? Please contact the City’s program team directly
Residents can direct questions and requests for assistance to the City’s Community Gardens / Greening program team for eligibility, site selection, and application requirements.
Program resources and application information are available at ottawa.ca/gardens.
March Break Camp Registration Opens January 20 (9:00 pm)
With March Break coming the week of March 16, your children won’t want to miss the fun of March Break camps! Visit register.ottawa.ca to explore an exciting lineup of affordable camps and programs for children and youth ages 4 to 14, offered in both English and French.
Registration opens Tuesday, January 20 at 9:00 pm, so it is recommended that you browse the options ahead of time and saving your favourites so you’re ready to go when registration opens.
You can choose a multi-activity camp to try a bit of everything, or a specialized camp matched to your child’s interests, including:
Arts and crafts, pottery and painting, colouring, drawing
Design and coding (including augmented reality/virtual reality), robot building
Board games
Animation lessons
A virtual camp option
Sports and skill-building (hockey, basketball, swimming, skating, and more)
Some camps may also include swim times, themes, and outings.
Prepare for registration night
To make registration night smoother, please prepare your account in advance:
Create an account on register.ottawa.ca (or confirm you can log into your existing account)
Double-check your account details, including family members and payment information
Build a wish list with a few backup choices in case your first pick fills up
Need help?
For support with registration, account access, or technical questions:
Email: register@ottawa.ca
Online Registration FAQs are also available through the Register Ottawa site
Never miss a registration date and get the latest updates on City recreation and culture programs by subscribing to the DiscoverRec newsletter.
Ottawa Police Introducing Text Updates for Some Calls
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is launching CommunityConnect, a new service that will send text-message updates to some callers so residents have more clarity while they wait for assistance. The program begins January 15.
What residents can expect
For eligible calls, texts may include:
Confirmation that your call was received
Your case number
Next steps / what to expect
Updates if a police response will be delayed
A link to a short, voluntary feedback survey after the call is cleared (available in English and French, with multilingual options)
Important: Texts will come from (343) 803-6032. No confidential information will be shared by text.
Which calls will receive text updates?
CommunityConnect applies to Priority 3 and 4 calls which are situations with no immediate threat to life and no crime in progress.
Calls related to sexual assault, intimate partner violence, abduction, bomb threats, alarms, or demonstrations are excluded. To ensure safety, real-time updates also won’t be sent for in-progress incidents or situations where texting could pose a risk.
Why is this being implemented?
OPS receives tens of thousands of calls for service each year. Based on 2024 data, OPS handled 62,795 Priority 3 calls and 211,280 Priority 4 calls, most of which will now qualify for text updates.
By providing consistent and accurate information, OPS aims to:
Reduce uncertainty for residents waiting for assistance
Better understand resident experiences
Identify opportunities to improve service delivery
Provide constructive feedback to officers, communicators, and call takers
Detect emerging neighbourhood issues earlier
Strengthen trust and transparency in the service
How feedback will be used
Survey responses will be gathered and shared internally with OPS members. Over time, accumulated feedback data is expected to be published on the Community Safety Data Portal, where the public can view, download, and interact with OPS data. OPS will continue to review the system and make updates as needed.
Communities increasingly expect higher standards of transparency and communication from public safety agencies, and similar technology is already being used by other services across North America to gather feedback and improve service delivery.
CommunityConnect is part of the OPS modernization program, which includes investments in upgraded communications technology and improved service pathways for residents.
A quick reminder
Emergency: call 9-1-1
Non-emergency / general police line: call (613) 236-1222
If you receive a text from 343-803-6032, it’s part of this CommunityConnect update system. Calling or texting that number will prompt you with an automated message directing you to call the OPS emergency or non-emergency lines.
Out & About
I had a wonderful time stopping by ROSSS' Great Social Luncheon in Kars. It was great to sit down with residents, share a meal, and hear what is on everyone’s minds. A big thank you to ROSSS for organizing such a welcoming space for everyone to gather.
It was a pleasure to attend the Ottawa Sivan Temple Appreciation Night at the Alfred Taylor Community Centre in North Gower. I enjoyed connecting with neighbours and temple members as we recognized the hard work of the volunteers who keep the organization running successfully. Thank you for the kind invitation and for sharing your future plans for the temple with me.
I had a fantastic time joining the community for the Munster Christmas Parade on December 13! It was a thrill to get behind the wheel of a vintage McCormick Farmall tractor and drive the parade route. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Munster Community Association, the dedicated volunteers, and the organizers who worked so hard to bring this festive tradition to life.
Construction Updates
Road Resurfacing & Construction Impacts
A number of resurfacing, maintenance, and preservation projects are scheduled across Ward 21 in the coming months. Some work will include nighttime construction between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., which may result in temporary noise impacts for nearby residents.
We will continue to share updates as these projects progress and appreciate your patience during this work to improve our roads.
Resurfacing Projects
All projects completed. A list of future planned projects will be available in spring 2026.
Future Projects
Beginning next summer, the City will begin rehabilitation of the Rideau Valley Drive Bridge over Stevens Creek in Kars. Anticipated construction dates are early July 2026 to late September 2026. More information will be provided in advance of construction.
Other Construction Projects
➔ Hydro Work Supporting Dwyer Hill Training Facility Expansion
Hydro Ottawa is working on major electrical upgrades in Ward 21 to support the long-term expansion of the Department of National Defence’s Dwyer Hill Training Centre, a project scheduled to continue through 2034.
Phase 1: Hydro Pole and Equipment Installation on Dwyer Hill Road
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Phase 1 has been completed.
Phase 2: Transformer Installation and Infrastructure Upgrade on Garvin Road
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Phase 2 has been completed
➔ Pole Installation on Franktown Road
Hydro Ottawa is installing new hydro poles and equipment along Franktown Road between Conley Road and Munster Road. This work will be carried out by Bradley Kelly Construction Ltd. and is expected to be completed by February 2026.
To explore citywide construction projects, use the City of Ottawa Interactive Construction Map.
Community Events
You can check out the Ward 21 website at any time to see an up-to-date list of upcoming events.
In case you missed this week’s event newsletter, click here: Upcoming Community Events in Ward 21!
Stay in touch!
I want to hear from you! Stay connected and keep informed by:
📱 Following us on social media – Click the icons below to stay updated.
🌐 Visiting our website: www.ward21.ca
📧 Emailing your concerns: ward21@ottawa.ca
📞 Calling our office: 613-580-2491
📅 Want to meet with Councillor Brown at his North Gower office? Email ward21@ottawa.ca to book an appointment.
Looking forward to connecting with you!