Newsletter - 24 April 2026
From the desk of Councillor David Brown
Protecting our Community & Strengthening our Resilience
Spring flooding is affecting parts of Ottawa, and residents are being encouraged to stay informed, keep protective measures in place, and check local ditches and culverts to ensure they are working properly. This article also highlights new Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program grants of up to $15,000 for projects that help protect water quality and strengthen rural resilience.
Read more
Ward Updates
Getting More Residents a Family Doctor: An Update on Ottawa's Primary Care Strategy
Finding a family doctor in Ottawa is difficult right now. Too many residents do not have a regular primary care provider and are relying on walk-in clinics and emergency departments for care that should be available closer to home. That is hard on patients and families, and it also puts added pressure on the broader health system.
Health care is a provincial responsibility, and while the City cannot hire physicians or operate the health care system, we can make Ottawa a place where primary care providers want to build their careers, reduce barriers that make recruitment and retention harder, and work alongside the health partners doing this work every day.
That is exactly what Council approved in October 2025, when it adopted the City’s Primary Care Provider Recruitment and Retention Strategy. The strategy set out 10 actions to help attract and retain more family doctors and other primary care providers in Ottawa, including the creation of a dedicated ambassador role.
Since then, staff have focused on three main areas. The first is stronger coordination with local Ontario Health Teams. The second is support for team based models of care, including work with the University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine to help contribute to a new resident physician teaching program. The third is positioning Ottawa more competitively through our membership in the Eastern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance, which helps market opportunities in Ottawa through regional, national, and international recruitment channels.
A major milestone in that work is the hiring of Ottawa’s first Primary Care Ambassador. This role is intended to lead coordination across partners, support recruitment and retention efforts, and advance new approaches to improving access to primary care over the course of the City’s two-year pilot. I am pleased to share that Danielle Vernooy has taken on this role. She brings valuable experience from CHEO and from work across Eastern Ontario focused on improving access to primary care.
There is still a great deal of work ahead. The City can help convene partners, support recruitment, and advocate for practical solutions, but the larger structural issues remain provincial. Progress will depend on stronger collaboration, new care models, and continued pressure on the Province to address the systemic barriers that no municipal strategy can solve on its own.
For residents looking for help finding care, the Province’s Find a family doctor or nurse practitioner page explains how to register with Health Care Connect, and Health811 can help residents find health services and connect with a registered nurse for advice.
A Tree for Ward 21 to Mark Ottawa's 200th Anniversary
Ottawa turns 200 this year, and the City is marking the occasion with something that will last well beyond any single event or ceremony. As part of the Ottawa 200 celebrations, the Environment and Climate Change Committee has directed staff to plant one commemorative tree in each ward, creating a simple but meaningful legacy across the city.
These trees will be planted during the fall planting season through the City’s existing Tree Dedication Program and will include a special plaque recognizing Ottawa’s 200th anniversary. The work will be funded within existing Forestry Services budgets, so there is no additional cost to taxpayers.
I will be happy to share more details once staff confirm the location selected for Ward 21. Ottawa’s 200th anniversary is an important milestone, and a living tree feels like exactly the right way to mark it in a way that will continue to grow and benefit the community for years to come.
Congratulations to the Manotick BIA on a Provincial Award of Excellence
The Manotick BIA has been recognized with an Award of Excellence at the 2026 Ontario Business Improvement Area Association awards for Taste of Manotick. It is one of the top honours in the province for BIA programming, and it is well earned.
Taste of Manotick has grown from a neighbourhood gathering into a major regional event, drawing thousands of visitors to the village each year, generating real economic activity for local businesses, and raising money for charity along the way. That kind of growth takes sustained effort, smart planning, and strong community buy-in.
Congratulations to the Manotick BIA, its member businesses, and the many volunteers who have helped build this event into something worth celebrating at the provincial level.
Out & About
I attended the Ottawa Federation of Agriculture breakfast on April 14 with the Mayor and my rural council colleagues. This was a good opportunity for the City to discuss local priorities directly with our agricultural leaders.
I was pleased to be invited to join the Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association Eastern Region meeting on April 14.
I attended the Munster Community Association AGM on April 15 to hear from residents and discuss the local issues that matter most to the village. A highlight of the evening was seeing Bob Easy recognized as the 2025 recipient of the Community Spirit Award. Bob has been a cornerstone of Munster for over 50 years, from his time coaching hockey and calling games at the diamond to his years serving as the community Santa. It is great to see the City and the local association celebrate someone whose presence is felt in every corner of the village.
I joined the West District Community Police officers and local residents for Coffee with a Cop on April 16. These informal gatherings are a great way for the City and our local officers to hear directly from neighbors about safety and policing in our community.
While attending the Coffee with a Cop event on April 16, I was happy to present a formal congratulatory certificate to Ms. Yaren Celik, owner of Café Harmony in Richmond. It is great to officially welcome this new business to the village on behalf of the Mayor and the City. Supporting our local small businesses is a priority, and I wish Yaren and the team at Café Harmony much success.
I had a great time this past Saturday at the Richmond Agricultural Society annual pancake breakfast. It was a pleasure to have Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and MPP George Darouze join me behind the serving line. It was wonderful catching up with everyone who came out to support the fair and enjoy a delicious breakfast. We also made sure to duck into the kitchen to thank the incredible volunteers who kept everything running smoothly.
It was great to attend the Watson’s Mill Manotick Inc. Annual General Meeting this past Sunday. Thank you to the organization for the invitation and for the important work the City and the board do to preserve such an iconic piece of our local history.
Congratulations to Shannon on being named the new President! Your excitement for the role is clear and it was wonderful to celebrate this milestone with you and the board. I look forward to working with you, Chris, and the entire team to support the Mill.
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
Bankfield Road, from Kilreen Lane to 370 metres west of Prince of Wales Drive
Black’s Side Road, from Fernbank Road to Ridingview Crescent
Brophy Drive, from Eagleson Road to Fourth Line Road
Community Way, from Fourth Line Road to Relin Way
Doctor Leach Drive, residential, from Beaverwood Road to Potter Drive
Fallowfield Road, from Munster Road to Dwyer Hill Road
Farmstead Ridge, crack sealing, from Church Street to Church Street
Fernbank Road, from Jinkinson Road to Munster Road
Fernbank Road, from 138 metres east of Shea Road to 385 metres east of Shea Road
Fourth Line Road, from Lockhead Road West to Shellstar Drive
Harbison Road, gravel road upgrade to hard asphalt surface, from Proven Line Road to McCordick Road
Jinkinson Road, from Fernbank Road to 2.7 kilometres north of Fernbank Road
Manotick Main Street, from Bridgeport Avenue to Eastman Avenue
McBean Street, from Perth Street to Strachan Street
Phelan Road West, slurry seal, from Prince of Wales Drive to Ormrod Road
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 is installing new hydro poles and equipment along Franktown Road. This work will be 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!
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🌐 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!