In the four years that I have had the honour to represent West Carleton-March as your Councillor, I have worked with residents on many longstanding and complex issues. One of those has been parking management in Constance Bay during the busy summer months. After hearing from residents, holding a Constance Bay Town Hall meeting, and conducting a community survey, we have now reached a decision. The survey closed on June 28th, and we received over 350 responses. We have reviewe

Residents who have submitted a service request for a flooded basement or storm-related waste can dispose of eligible materials at the Trail Waste Facility Landfill free of charge. To receive the fee waiver, residents must provide: · Their service request number (digital or printed copies are accepted) · Valid photo identification and proof of address. Residents who have already brought eligible storm-related materials to the Trail Waste Facility Landfill a

This week, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approved a one-year extension of the expanded all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail network pilot in parts of West Carleton-March, Osgoode, and Rideau-Jock wards. In April 2025, Council approved expanding ATV routes onto more City-owned lands for a two-year pilot. The change added approximately 242 kilometres of new routes to the existing network. A formal agreement between the City and ATV clubs was finalized in November 2025.

In December of 2022, I initiated and championed the City of Ottawa's 2024 Rural Summit, our first in over 15 years. The goal was to improve services and investment in our rural communities. We held multiple Summit workshops to address rural concerns, culminating in a November 2024 summit with City leadership. On Tuesday, at the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting, we received an update on the work the City has been doing since the 2024 Rural Summit to support our

Today we celebrate Canada, the strong, resilient, diverse and amazing nation we are proud to call home. I believe that West Carleton-March is a shining example of what we know Canada to be. This community is hardworking, generous, and full of people who care. What makes this place special is the volunteers, the neighbours, the families, the small businesses, and everyone who steps up. We may argue, debate, and disagree, that’s part of democracy, but when times get hard, we sh

The City of Ottawa is conducting a traffic calming study for Old Carp Road (between Old Second Line Road and Halton Terrace) in response to traffic safety concerns raised by the public. The purpose of this study is to: Reduce excessive vehicle speeds Improve safety for all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. Support walking and cycling along the corridor Develop context-appropriate traffic calming solutions. For more project updates and information, please see bel

In the follow up to the ongoing issues and confusion around recycling pick up, I went on CFRA yesterday with Kristy Cameron to discuss the issue and the challenges it has posed to Ward 5 residents. Here's the link to the interview, which begins at the 19:13 mark: Councillor Kelly addressed the current recycling issue on CFRA radio Wednesday afternoon Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron In the interview, I highlighted the lack of information and communication provided by Circular M

June 16, 2026 Statement from Councillor Kelly On Monday, at a Joint Meeting of the Environment and Climate Change and Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committees, I spoke in support of a new three-year pilot Extreme Weather Preparedness Grant Program, aimed at helping our great community organizations further strengthen their role in helping residents with emergency preparedness. Drawing on West Carleton-March's experiences with floods, tornadoes, the derecho, a

June 15, 2026 I have heard from many residents who received stickers on their collection day for their recycling bins. Most of these concerns came from residents who used larger, 240L bins with wheels for their recycling. Since the change to Provincial responsibility for this collection, the City of Ottawa is no longer the group collecting these items. Having said that, the approved bin sizes contained within the Solid Waste By-law were still being applied until just recently

At the June 11, 2026, City Council meeting, West Carleton-March Councillor Clarke Kelly discusses the City's Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) with City staff, and looks for answers on what the LRFP will mean for the funding and long-term condition of our roads in rural Ottawa. Below, you can read the summary of his comments and questions, or watch the clip of discussion right here: Opening comments: Council is being asked to approve a funding strategy without being clearly to

May 27, 2026 Over the past couple of weeks, my office has fielded several calls about noise concerns from residents who live near the ongoing work at 2555-2565 Marchurst Road. This week, the contractor applied for an overnight noise exemption to allow two diesel generators to run all night in order to maintain food refrigeration on site. I have denied their request for Councillor concurrence as I do have serious concerns. I understand the proponent’s position that this appli

To help provide more context on how our Ward 5 road resurfacing projects are prioritized, here's a brief power point presentation from City staff. It outlines our road budget, how we prioritize scheduled projects, the inspection process, and the various projects that are planned in Ward 5. You can watch the video slide show directly below or download the standard power point version in the second link below.

Councillor Kelly and his team met earlier this month with members of the Infrastructure and Water Services Department (left to right, far side of table) GM Tammy Rose, Scott Laberge, and Douglas Rathwell to discuss road resurfacing priorities in Ward 5. Statement on Road Resurfacing in Ward 5 May 26, 2026 Over the past several years, I have consistently advocated for greater attention to road resurfacing priorities in Ward 5 and have shared many of the frustrations residents

The Planning and Housing Committee today approved changes to the Official Plan that will help reduce delays in new housing construction. The changes will allow the City to approve new subdivisions faster while still making sure water, sewer and stormwater systems are in place before people move in. Right now, an area must have water, sewer and stormwater systems fully in place before the City can approve a subdivision layout. This step, called draft approval, is needed befo

We’ve been sharing regular West Carleton Spring flooding updates here to keep residents informed on conditions, along with the City's response and information. On Thursday May 14, 2026, the City shifted from response activities to recovery operations. May 14, 2026. Conditions along the Ottawa River continue to improve overall, and water levels are gradually receding. While local rainfall this week may temporarily slow the current decline in river levels, current forecasts con

Today at Council, we carried the report from our last ARAC meeting which includes the new Economic Development Rural Plan. Importantly, this plan reflects input from the 2024 Ottawa Rural Summit, and also provides a refreshed, evidence-informed framework to support rural economic growth. It builds on previous initiatives and aligns with municipal, provincial, and federal priorities. I am very excited that the Rural Plan includes the City's first-ever dedicated rural economic

The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, of which Councillor Kelly is Vice-Chair, today approved a new rural economic development plan to help rural businesses grow, create jobs and strengthen Ottawa’s rural economy. The plan sets out actions to support rural businesses directly and to foster more collaboration between them. It includes a new rural business liaison who would provide dedicated, one-on-one support and help rural businesses navigate City and partner servic

If you are planning to visit City Hall or are just in the area, take a journey back in time and explore Ottawa’s farming history at the City of Ottawa Archives latest exhibit, Cultivating Community: Agriculture Rooted in Ottawa’s History – now open at the Barbara Ann Scott Gallery. The exhibit offers a dynamic and engaging experience for visitors of all ages. Interpretive panels, display cases with artifacts, and archival photographs will guide visitors through Ottawa’s agr

I am very proud of the two motions that I have been working on that were both carried at Council today. In 2022, the City of Ottawa took down their public-facing staff directory, citing cyber security concerns as the reason for doing so. I believe this approach was more forceful than necessary, ultimately leaving residents without a directory to consult, and feeling like their city is less navigable and open. My motion will re-establish a public-facing staff directory and org

Councillor Kelly's statement, following the April 16th Huntley Community Association AGM, held at the HCA Mess Hall. Last Thursday, I had the honour of helping welcome guests and board members to the Huntley Community Association ’s AGM. It never ceases to amaze me just how much they do for our community each year, from creating sports opportunities for youth and lining Carp Road with Canadian flags, to organizing parades, carnivals, and so many other community-building initi