This week, Councillor Kelly had the pleasure of joining both the Carp Road Corridor BIA and The Village of Carp BIA for their Annual General Meetings. "There are 18 BIA’s in the City of Ottawa and the ward with the lowest population (Ward 5) has two of them," Kelly said. "Our community punches way above its weight when it comes to business and entrepreneurial spirit. "It's always a pleasure to connect and work with those who run the BIAs in support of our local business commu

Statement from Councillor Kelly: I know how important the Corkery Community Centre expansion project is to so many residents, and I truly appreciate your patience and continued interest. Given the number of inquiries my office has received, I will now be sharing weekly updates in this space to keep you informed on the progress. I fully understand the frustration that can come with delays, especially when the goal is something as meaningful as a place for the community to gat

Village of Carp Town Hall Report Carp Town Hall Meeting November 4, 2025 Carp Agricultural Hall Councillor Clarke Kelly, Susan Johns (Infrastructure and Water Services), Laurel McCreight (Rural Affairs), Adam Brown (Planning – Development Review), Matthew Rousseau (Temporary Traffic Control), Inspector Ian Hayes (Ottawa Police Service), Dr. Nick Stow (Natural Systems – Strategic Initiatives), Riley Carter (Traffic Services), Ian Scott (Economic Development – Strategic Initiat

Notice of Public Information Session March Rd and Old Carp Rd/Donald B. Munro Dr Intersection Functional Design Study Date and Time Thursday, January 29, 2026, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Location Huntley Mess Hall at Craigs Side Rd Introduction The intersection of March Rd and Old Carp - Donald B. Munro   is being evaluated to enhance traffic flow and safety through the assessment and functional design of intersection control options. The study aims to address operational challenges and

An error was identified in the 2025/2026 paper version of the Collection Calendar Schedule B that was mailed in Spring 2025. The month of March 2026 has set-out dates that are incorrect and may cause confusion for residents with curbside waste collection.   The digital calendar available at  Ottawa.ca/CollectionCalendar  and the mobile waste collection app show correct set outs.  If you typically reference the mailed Calendar for Schedule B (indicated in the top right corner)

Yesterday evening, I got home from 3 days in Toronto, representing the City of Ottawa at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference (ROMA). This is something I do each year as the City’s official delegate for this term of council, and given that so much of what we do as municipalities is directed or driven by the province and its policies, it is an important opportunity to learn and advocate on behalf of rural Ottawa and the people of Ward 5.   My main focus for the c

Ditching, drainage, and ditch maintenance has been one of the top issues my office has dealt with throughout this term of council and was key topic discussed during the 2024 Rural Summit. I am now pleased to announce that the City has begun the process of hiring a dedicated coordinator for ditching and designing issues in rural Ottawa. This person will help streamline the process and coordinate work between multiple departments, when necessary, which in the past, has caused d

Get ready – March Break is coming the week of March 16 and your children won’t want to miss the fun of March Break camps.     Check out  register.ottawa.ca  for our exciting lineup of camps and programs, all offered at affordable prices. March Break camps are open for children and youth aged 4 to 14, with options available in English and French.     Be sure to visit the site ahead of the registration period to find you favourites. Registration opens Tuesday, January 20 and 9

Blue and black bin recycling now managed by Circular Materials   Responsibility for residential blue and black bin collection and processing was transferred to Circular Materials on January 1, 2026. Their contractor, Miller Waste will be collecting your blue and black bins starting today. This transition is due to regulations from the Government of Ontario.   The City continues to manage garbage, green bin and leaf and yard waste collection.   Collection calendar The collecti

The City of Ottawa hosted a virtual information session on Monday, December 8 to share information about the ongoing low water conditions affecting some areas of Ottawa. View the presentation: Dry wells and low water information session Frequently asked questions and answers Emergency situation 1. Why did the City of Ottawa not declare the recent low water situation as a municipal emergency? We understand the inconvenience and stresses of operating a daily household with redu

As groundwater levels are still gradually recovering, the City asks residents with private wells not to use their water supply to create and maintain backyard rinks. Building and maintaining outdoor rinks requires extensive flooding, which could place a strain on your household’s and your neighbours’ water supply.   Community outdoor rinks to open in rural areas All community outdoor rinks, including those operated on a well water system, will open this season. This decision

The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes for the holiday season between Wednesday, December 24 and Friday, January 2.   Client Service Centres The City’s 3-1-1 Contact Centre will be open for urgent matters only on Thursday, December 25, Friday December 26 and Thursday, January 1. Please visit ottawa.ca/311  to submit a service request online. All ServiceOttawa’s Client Services Centres, Provincial Offences and Administrative Penalty

Residents in eligible areas can now apply for their 2026 Open Air Fire Permits through the new online portal. Open air fire permits • A permit is required for all open-air fires on private property. Permitted open air fires include campfires, backyard fireplaces, chiminea, brush piles, and agricultural burns. • Use the address look-up tool to check if your property is eligible for a permit. • Before you burn: o Understand your responsibilities as described in the Open Air Fi

Forestry’s fall planting season has wrapped up, but as the calendar turns to winter in the coming days, there is still plenty to keep staff busy over the next few months.   Year-round trees and forests inspections   Our Forestry Inspectors are busy all year long. They continue to oversee tree care and maintenance throughout the winter months while responding to public requests and inquiries.   Pruning trees in the winter: a healthy choice   Pruning is a tree maintenance activ

Please see the above video for my full statement at the Council table yesterday evening. Yesterday was the final opportunity to debate the Marchurst BESS as the zoning by-law amendment (ZBLA) was before council for the final vote after the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee voted against giving the applicant the ZBLA they required to execute the project.   Knowing the likelihood that the majority of Council was going to approve zoning, I moved a motion to add a holding p

Councillor Kelly's Full Statement on City of Ottawa's 2026 Budget: Yesterday, Council discussed priorities, strategies, and funding during a roughly 10-hour long conversation about the 2026 budget. My priorities have not changed since I was first elected. I intended to work to keep West Carleton-March rural, which is why I opposed Urban Boundary Expansion. I intended to bring rural concerns to the table, which is why I brought back the Rural Summit last year. I worked very ha

West Carleton-March Councillor Clarke's Kelly's Statement Nov 18, 2025 Last week at Council, I was very happy to get the full support of my council colleagues and the mayor in voting to support the staff recommendation to deny the most recent application to expand the urban boundary in South March. If this application had succeeded, it would have brought the urban boundary all the way to Dunrobin Road on the East side, to Old Second Line Rd. on the Northeast side, and Cameron

Please be advised that we'll be hosting a Community Information Session: Dry and Low Water Wells – Winter Season on Monday, December 8 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. This session will be open to any resident who is interested in attending. Here is the agenda for the meeting: Community Information Session: Dry and Low Water Wells – Winter Season Welcome and Introductions (Councillors) Purpose of the Meeting and How It Will be Run (Councillors) Information Updates/Formal Short Presenta

Carp Airport Meeting Review On Wednesday night (Nov. 19), West Capital Power held a Virtual Community Information Session about their proposed BESS project at the Carp Airport. The company discussed the following subjects: • Overview of the proposed project • How it would operate and its timelines • System technology, safety, and fire protection • How to provide feedback You can listen to the audio from the meeting here:  https://westcapitalpower.ca/capacity/community-engagem

It's that time of year again. The trees have shed their leaves, pumpkin spice season has come and gone, and there is a chill in the air – winter is here. As the coldest season of the year begins, the City is already working to keep our roads and sidewalks clear and our communities safe throughout the winter months. Winter weather parking bans Between November 15 and April 1, winter weather parking bans may be called to support winter operations  when Environment Canada foreca