Watch the CTV interview of Councilors Clark and Brown by Stefan Keyes:   https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video/c2842380-city-to-hold-rural-summit-this-year

From Councillor Kelly's 21 March Newsletter:

From Councillor Kelly

West Carleton OnLine
Kelly: Rural Summit 2024
The Councillor's Column January 11, 2024  

With this being the first newsletter of 2024, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all residents of West Carleton-March a Happy New Year. I hope each and every one of you found time to relax and celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.

While January tends to be a quiet month in terms of council and committee meetings, there are many things on the agenda in the Ward 5 office and we’re preparing for another very busy year. 

My very first action as your councillor was to pass a motion directing staff to begin working on a Rural Summit.

For too long, since the last Rural Summit, residents have been dissatisfied with the delivery of city services, especially when compared to their suburban and urban counterparts. The previous Rural Summits were an opportunity to discuss what worked when the city amalgamated, and what did not. I believe this discussion is long overdue and am very happy to tell you the first Rural Summit since 2008 will be happening this fall.

The summit will consist of sessions in each rural ward with a larger event hosted at Ben Franklin Place. Following the summit, staff will draft a report on what residents had to say and include recommendations, which will be informed by the summit and its attendees.

Each councillor has selected two constituents to be part of a resident working group. This group will work alongside city staff and councillors to establish an agenda, timeline, desired outcomes, etc. That work is now underway, and I look forward to providing updates on these things as they are confirmed. That, however, is not the only forum for input to the summit. Over the next few months, I will be meeting with residents, local businesses, stakeholders and interest groups to plan for the Rural Summit. 

This is the best opportunity in over a decade to influence how the city views rural wards and how we can do better for the residents who live in them. 

Later this month, I will be off to Toronto to represent the City of Ottawa at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference. I will be meeting with provincial minsters to ask for their support on some key projects in Ward 5 that would bolster our capabilities when responding to emergencies and natural disasters, flood mitigation, improving primary care and access to doctors in rural communities, as well as sports and recreation. The conference is an opportunity to address rural policy issues, funding concerns, and other challenges that effect rural communities across Ontario. 

I look forward to seeing many of you out and about enjoying the beauty of West Carleton-March in the winter. Over the next few weeks, I will be attending several winter carnivals and making sure I get out to the outdoor rinks across the ward. See you out there.

As always, it is a pleasure and an honour to serve as your councillor. `

The preceding column was written by City of Ottawa Ward 5 Coun. Clarke Kelly, part of the councillor’s ongoing, bi-weekly column for West Carleton Online, made available to the entire community through an agreement with the publisher.

"Ensuring rural residents feel included in the decisions we make as a city"

" I want to make sure that rural residents feel included in the decisions we make as a city. You should not feel like people at city hall are deciding how you should operate your farms or live your lives or that your unique needs are being overlooked..."
 

 

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Hears Update on Rural  Summit.