Newsletter - 31 July 2026
From the desk of Councillor David Brown
Summer Update
Ottawa has officially experienced the wettest July on record and the rainiest month in the city’s recorded history. According to Environment Canada, 281.8 millimetres of rain was recorded this month, surpassing the previous monthly record of 243.8 millimetres set in 1899.
It has certainly been an unusual summer so far. The heavy rainfall has disrupted plans and, more seriously, caused flooding and property damage for many families across the city. I want to acknowledge the City crews who have been responding to flooding, drainage concerns, damaged roads, fallen trees, and other weather-related issues throughout the month and the partner organizations who have helped many deal with the flooding.
Despite all the rain, I hope everyone has still been finding opportunities to enjoy the summer. Whether you are spending time at a local park, attending a community event, visiting one of our rural businesses, or simply relaxing with family and friends, there is still plenty of summer left to enjoy.
I also want to let residents know that beginning this August long weekend and continuing for the following two weeks, my office will be operating at limited capacity as members of our team take their summer holidays. Our office will remain available, but residents may experience longer response times than usual.
For urgent City service requests, residents should contact 3-1-1 directly, either through the City’s online reporting service or by calling 3-1-1. This is the quickest way to report matters such as road hazards, drainage concerns, damaged signs, fallen trees, missed garbage collection, or other municipal service issues.
I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable August.
Ward Updates
Free Support for Parents and Caregivers of Neurodivergent Children
Pleo (Parents' Lifeline of Eastern Ontario) offers free family peer support for parents and caregivers of children, youth, and young adults experiencing mental health, addiction, and neurodivergent challenges. Pleo is launching a new virtual support group in partnership with CHEO for parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children, providing a safe space to connect, share experiences, learn from others, and access resources. All services are free and led by trained family peer supporters with lived experience. To learn more or register, visit Pleo at www.pleo.on.ca or call their Parents' Helpline at 613-321-3211 (toll-free: 1-855-775-7005).
Forestry Update: Storm Cleanup, Tree Check Month, and More
Forestry Services inspectors have already handled more than 10,000 service requests this year, and crews planted 3,335 trees this spring alone, with fall planting planning already underway.
The July 1 storm left a lot of us dealing with flooding and damage at home, and it created a wave of extra work for our forestry crews too. Between July 1 and July 5, the City received 755 storm-related service requests. As of this week, every priority item has been addressed. Fewer than 25 non-urgent requests remain in the regular work queue.
The Plant Your Place! spring tree distributions wrapped up for the year, but residents can still plant on their own property any time. Before you do, keep property lines in mind and call Ontario One Call first. It's a free service that locates buried utility infrastructure, and it protects both you and the underground lines you depend on.
The Tree Dedication Program is getting an upgrade too. Starting this month, anyone dedicating a tree for 2027 will get a larger tag with room for the dedication year, type of dedication, and the name of who it's dedicated to. The new tag applies to all trees planted in fall 2026 and spring 2027, with further changes possible in 2027 pending budget approval.
If you'd like a tree planted on City property, visit ottawa.ca to learn about the City's planting programs for streets, parks, and greenspaces.
Work continues on the City's tree inventory, tracking location and species across the city. This year's focus is new subdivisions and City facilities. It's a straightforward but essential tool for managing our urban and rural forests responsibly for the long term.
Lastly, with camping season underway, please burn firewood only in the area where you bought it. Moving firewood between municipalities is one of the easiest ways to spread tree disease and pests. Always double-check that campfires are permitted before you light one.
Property Tax Relief for Extreme Weather Event Damage
The City is offering property tax relief for owners whose properties were significantly affected by the July 1, 2026 storm. If you're dealing with the aftermath, this is worth a look.
If the storm made your property substantially unusable, or if repairs kept you from normal use for at least three months, you may qualify for a cancellation, reduction, or refund of a portion of your 2026 property taxes. Eligible properties would receive a prorated adjustment.
Applications are due by February 28, 2027, and should include photos of the damage along with any other supporting documentation you have on hand.
For more information on how to apply, please visit Property taxes cancellation, reduction or refund.
Questions? Reach Revenue Services at 613-580-2444 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or by email at taxadjustments@ottawa.ca.
Cleaner Parks, Easier Sorting
Sorting your waste at the park just got easier. The City is installing three-system waste bins, garbage, recycling and organics, in 48 parks across Ottawa this year. Most are already in place, with the rest going in by the end of July.
Each station is colour-coded with clear signage, so sorting works the same way it does at home.
This is just the start. Under the Parks Waste Diversion Strategy, about 350 existing parks are set to get three-stream bins between 2026 and 2029, and any new parks that meet the criteria that will have them from day one.
Properly sorted waste means cleaner parks, fewer pests, and a better experience for everyone using them. So please use the bins for anything from your visit, and remember that picnic scraps belong in the bins, not left out for local wildlife. Household waste should stay at home rather than coming to the park with you.
IRONMAN Canada-Ottawa Returns on Sunday, August 2
IRONMAN is back, and it will turn Ottawa's streets into a racecourse for the day.
Road closures begin as early as 3 a.m. Sunday and will affect major routes across the city, including Wellington Street, Colonel By Drive, Sussex Drive, and several NCC bridges, with some lasting until the early hours of Monday. Alexandra Bridge has the longest closure, shut in both directions from 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday.
For the full list of closures and timing, check the City's traffic map or visit IRONMAN Canada-Ottawa's website. OC Transpo riders should also check the alerts page, since some routes will be detoured.
Visit Ottawa Tourism for the best spots to watch the race.
Carleton University Rural Transportation Survey Now Live
Carleton University's Rural Transportation Solutions team, working with fourth year Civil Engineering students, is studying transportation preferences among rural residents of rural Ottawa communities. The goal is to understand how convenience, travel time, and cost shape transportation choices in rural areas, including the potential for on-demand transit service in our villages.
The survey takes about 10 minutes and runs from July 27 to August 10, 2026. To take part, you need to be a rural Ottawa resident, over 18, and not a Para Transpo user.
You can complete the survey: Rural Transportation Survey
Flood Recovery Update
Recovery work is continuing across the city following the July 1 storm. The City's Emergency Coordination Centre has logged 6,976 reports of basement flooding, removed 4,280 tonnes of storm-related debris, and processed 953 of the 1,902 Compassionate Grant Program applications received so far. Nearly 2,000 residents have attended a City Information Hub or Recovery Information Session, and 420 households have registered with the Canadian Red Cross.
How You Can Help
The Canadian Red Cross is accepting donations to support residents through its 2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal. Samaritan's Purse Canada is looking for volunteers to help clear damaged materials from basements; volunteers work directly with Samaritan's Purse, not the City, and can register through the City's volunteer opportunities page.
The Extreme Weather Event page continues to be updated with the latest recovery resources and support information.
Registration Opening for Fall Activities
Registration for the City's fall swimming, fall activities, winter camps, PA Days, and inclusive recreation programs is coming up. Here are the key dates:
Register for swimming: starting Tuesday, August 11 at 9 p.m.
Register for everything else: starting Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m.
In-person registration: the day after online registration opens, during regular business hours at recreation and cultural facilities.
Winter activity registration follows a similar pattern:
View activities online: starting Tuesday, November 3
Register for swimming: starting Tuesday, November 17 at 9 p.m.
Register for everything else: starting Thursday, November 19 at 9 p.m.
Spaces remain available at select locations for children ages 4 to 12, offering recreation, physical activity, and homework help in a supervised setting before and after school.
Out & About
I was glad to attend last night’s public information session on the upcoming Perth Street and Shea Road intersection upgrade.
This is an important project for Richmond. The intersection will receive new traffic signals and other improvements to help improve safety and traffic flow as the village continues to grow.
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.
Bridge Rehabilitation
Rideau Valley Drive South from Roger Stevens Drive to Lockhead Road East will be closed starting on Monday, June 29th, until late September for work to rehabilitate a bridge in the south end of Kars Village
Temporary access for pedestrians and cyclists will remain during construction on the bridge
Third Line Road South from Prince of Wales Drive to Roger Stevens Drive will be closed from Monday, June 29th until mid-November for work to rehabilitate the Stevens Creek Bridge northwest of North Gower Village
Culvert Renewals
August
2nd Line Road South (0.10 km north of Roger Stevens Dr)
Starting on August 4th, with a road closure required for approximately 2 weeks
Hilltop Drive (0.09 km north of West Ave)
Work scheduled from August 4th to 10th. Road closure from Weds, Aug 5th to Fri, Aug 7th; local traffic access will be maintained.
Whitewood Avenue (0.01 km north of Beaverwood Rd)
Work scheduled from August 4th to 10th. Road closure from Thurs, Aug 6th to Tues, Aug 11th; local traffic access will be maintained.
Whitewood Avenue (0.01 km west of Doctor Leach Dr)
Work scheduled from August 4th to 10th. Full road closure with local traffic access will be maintained.
Old Richmond Road (0.01 km north of Khymer Crt)
Work scheduled from August 10th to 14th. One traffic lane will be maintained at all times.
Stratton Drive (0.01 km west of Third Line Rd)
Starting on August 13th, with a road closure required for approximately 1 week
Greenbank Road (0.68 km north of Prince of Wales Dr)
Work scheduled from August 10th to 14th. Full road closure with local traffic access will be maintained.
Century Road East (1.08 km east of First Line Rd)
Work scheduled from August 17th to 21st. Full road closure with local traffic access will be maintained.
Roger Stevens Drive (0.14 km west of McKenna Rd)
Work scheduled to start week of August 24th.
Fourth Line Road (0.15 north of Dilworth Rd)
Work scheduled to start week of September 2nd.
Second Line Road (0.10 km north of Roger Stevens Dr)
Work scheduled to start week of September 22nd.
Stratton Drive (0.01 km west of Third Line Rd)
Work scheduled to start week of October 1st.
Coldstream Drive
Work scheduled to start week of October 5th.
Road Renewal Projects
Bankfield Road, from Kilreen Lane to 370 metres west of Prince of Wales Drive
Work ongoing. Granular shouldering to be completed along with pavement markings.
Black’s Side Road, from Fernbank Road to Ridingview Crescent
Work expected to start the week of August 31st
Brophy Drive, from Eagleson Road to Fourth Line Road
Work expected to start the week of August 4th
Community Way, from Fourth Line Road to Relin Way
Work completed
Doctor Leach Drive from Beaverwood Road to Potter Drive
Work expected to start the week of August 31st
Fallowfield Road, gravel road upgrade to asphalt hard surface, from McCaffrey Trail to Dwyer Hill Road
Surfacing work is expected to start the week of August 3rd (weather dependent)
Fallowfield Road, from Munster Road to Dwyer Hill Road
Work expected to start the week of August 10th
Farmstead Ridge, crack sealing, from Church Street to Church Street
Work completed
Fernbank Road, from Jinkinson Road to Munster Road
Work expected to start the week of September 8th
Fourth Line Road, from Lockhead Road West to Shellstar Drive
Milling work ongoing.
Harbison Road, gravel road upgrade to hard asphalt surface, from Proven Line Road to McCordick Road
Work expected to start the week of July 27th (weather dependent)
Jinkinson Road, from Fernbank Road to 2.7 kilometres north of Fernbank Road
Work expected to start the week of August 24th
McBean Street, from Perth Street to Strachan Street
Phelan Road West, slurry seal, from Prince of Wales Drive to Ormond Road
Work expected to start the week of July 20th
Rideau Valley Drive South, crack sealing, Dilworth Road to Roger Stevens Drive
Work completed
Shea Road, crack sealing, from Hemphill Street to Fernbank Road
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 continues to install new hydro poles and equipment along Franktown Road. This work is being carried out by Bradley Kelly Construction Ltd. and is ongoing.
For a full list of current and upcoming road work in Ward 21, visit the Ward 21 website. Major construction notices will be shared in future newsletters and community updates.
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!