Special coverage on the Ottawa Municipal Elections — Meladul Haq Ahmadzai
Ottawa council is approving some big plans prior to the municipal election in October. The project would be like the Lansdowne model with LRT.
cityhallottawa
OTTAWA, Ontario – Sept. 29, 2018 – PRLog — Ottawa council is approving some big plans prior to the municipal election in October. The Ottawa News has learned that city council will give the go signal to a 65-storey building in the LeBreton Flats area alongside the light rail train (LRT) services. This is due to Airbnb demand and recent hotel expansions which would attract more tourists to the city. The project would be like the Lansdowne model which oversees the football field along with shops.
Meanwhile, Jim Watson, incumbent Mayor is running for re-election. He has said that he would keep property taxes at 2%.
His challenger is former city councillor Clive Doucet who has also shared his election plan which includes fighting condo developments and spending less taxes. Watson’s campaign team says LRT, Lansdowne and condo developments are good achievements of the incumbent mayor.
There has also been news about companies reportedly paying city candidates for win, and some of these candidates are now posting their contributions online to show where money is coming from.
In a debate held by Carleton Students last week, Watson referred to other candidates as “Santa Clause”. The Ottawa News has learned that LRT would be delayed until 2019.
According to sources, this election isn’t about who wins the hearts of voters, but instead about the future of the city. A recent study found that one in four cyclists on Laurier Avenue face danger on the bike lanes and more than 50% of residents opted for more services instead of LRT in 2014. But the media and politicians did not take the issue seriously.
Political analysts say that Ottawa will be closer to “doomsday” if LRT expansion and condo developments continue and will also cause more health hazard to the people. Media has yet to question if Watson’s or Doucet’s priorities are in the best interest of the community.
The population projection for Ottawa is 940,000 by 2021. According to latest statistics, only 40% voted in the last election. The election will be held on October 22.
