This week’s Municipal Panel looks at highlights from the past week in Ottawa municipal issues:

* battery energy storage systems take a step towards coming to Ottawa

* we provide our own mid-term evaluation of Council

* six weeks in how the New Ways to Bus is performing, and

* our lightning round.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s Municipal Panel looks at highlights from the past week in Ottawa municipal issues:

* alcohol in parks is coming to Ottawa

* how the City is going to pay for its $11 billion infrastructure renewal gap

* whether there should be a referendum on Lansdowne, and

* our lightning round.

In our discussion, we reference a public delegation by Jamie Murchison with some outstanding visuals of where and when our infrastructure will need renewing. You can see that delegation at this link.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s Municipal Panel was recorded in front of a live audience at the Ottawa People’s Summit. It was a standing room only.

Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss questions sent in :

* are new security measures at City Hall a sign of a government increasingly trying to distance itself from its residents

* what is the City doing well and what can it do better in public engagement?

* how should the City most effectively communicate with residents?

* why do public toilets in Ottawa get so little love and attention?

* what should the City be doing about “demolition by neglect” with its historic buildings?

* what are the most important issues coming forward at the City?

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

We’re taping a live episode on 27 May and you’re invited to join us.

Get yourself a ticket to the People’s Summit to see the Municipal Panel in person. Leave a comment if there is any local issue about Ottawa you would like us to discuss at our live recording.

On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss:

* the upcoming Osgoode by-election and our impressions from the all-candidates debate

* City Hall charges a new home owner for a previous owner’s water bill — from 8 years ago.

* another go-round on red light cameras.

And we have the lightning round.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

Programming note: we’re taking next week off — so back on 27 May.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

We’re taping a live episode on 27 May and you’re invited to join us.

Get yourself a ticket to the People’s Summit to see the Municipal Panel in person.

On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss:

* where the money from red light cameras goes

* coming provincial legislation designed to address unacceptable behaviour by municipal councillors

* how the weekend of free transit went

And we have the lightning round, where we respond to your comments and questions.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Panel, Jon, Joanne and Neil discuss the recent federal election and what it means for the City of Ottawa.

We cover:

* the big story of the night in Carleton riding

* the sea of red that swept the City

* potential Cabinet picks from among the local representatives

* Liberal campaign promises on capping the size of the public service, and building more homes

* priorities of the Ottawa and Gatineau mayors for the federal government

* federal government priorities for the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Panel, Jon, Neil and our guest, former City Councillor Mathieu Fleury, discuss:

* the new draft of the comprehensive zoning bylaw

* OC Transpo reliability

* Pedestrian bridges in the winter

* Fast tracking shelters across the city

And we have the lightning round, where we respond to your comments and questions.

One programming note. We’re taking a week off around the Easter weekend. We’ll be back around 29 April.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Panel, Jon, Neil and our guest, Sarah MacFarlane of iPolitics and Ottawa Compass, discuss:

* the joint demands of the Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau of the federal government

* the new transportation master plan that is out for public consultation

And we have the lightning round, where we respond to your comments and questions.

One programming note. The big issue at Ottawa City Hall this past week was the release of draft 2 of the new zoning bylaw. The panel talked about that draft, however, we had a file corruption issue and the recording for that segment did not save. We’ll revisit the zoning discussion at next week’s Municipal Panel.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss:

* the upcoming Osgoode by-election, to fill the Council seat vacated by George Darouze

* e-Scooters are back for 2025

* why so many City reports are not written in plain English

* changes coming to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, and whether councillors should get involved.

And we have the lightning round, where we talk about boulevard gardens, secret LRT discussions, Council pay increases and also respond to your comments and questions.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss:

* Transit, whether OC Transpo should be ramping up fare inspections, timelines for LRT expansion east and west, and still no answer for why trains derailed four years ago

* Salt, and if the City is putting too much of it on our streets and sidewalks

* Tewin, and why one councillor is proposing it be removed from the Official Plan

* Battery storage, but only if it’s not in one councillor’s back yard

And we have the lightning round, where we respond to your comments and questions and talk about the implications for the City for the federal election and the composition of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s new Cabinet.

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts, and if we see it in time, we’ll respond in our next episode.

You can also find the podcast on YouTube.

Or listen to an audio version on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com/subscribe