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

Statement from Councillor Kelly: Yesterday at Council the 2026 budget was tabled. Over the next week or two, I will be doing a lot of reading and digesting to determine what this budget will mean for our ward. I will also be having meetings with our City Manager and delegations at committees such as Public Works and Infrastructure, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Emergency and Protective Services. Once I have had an opportunity to fully review the Ward 5 highlights and dis

Carp Airport Please be advised that West Capital Power will be hosting a Virtual Community Information Session about their proposed 20 MW BESS project at the Carp Airport. It's set for Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. For more details and how to register, visit the link below: Marchurst Please be advised that Brookfield Renewable, in partnership with The Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn, will be hosting a Community Town Hall to discuss the Marchurst BESS propos

This morning, on November 11, I was honoured to join many members of our community in paying tribute to those who serve and have served our great nation and, of course, the many Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect democracy and the freedoms we value and enjoy, but often take for granted. As I reflected during the ceremony, it was impossible not to think of my grandfathers, Patrick Kelly and Martin Dickson, who both served Canada during WWII. I am proud to be

In a special meeting on Friday, City Council voted 15-10 in favour of approving Lansdowne 2.0 , the $418.8 million plan to, among other things, build an events centre and new north-side stands at Lansdowne. Councillor Kelly made the following statement after the meeting: Today, I voted in favour of the final recommendations from City of Ottawa staff to support the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park. As I always do, I would like to explain how and why I came to the decision to do

Please be advised that there will be some temporary lane reductions in Ward 5 (no full road closures) starting on Monday (Nov 10). This isn't coming to us with the usual notice, but it will allow for completion of culvert replacement work and prevent any scheduling conflicts with next year’s resurfacing program. The duration of construction is expected to be brief, with approximately one day allocated for pipe replacement at each site and two additional days for paving across

The City is conducting a review and update of the Private Approach By-law, which regulates the construction, use and maintenance of private approaches in the city. A private approach is the part of a driveway or vehicular access to private property that is on the City’s right of way. Stay informed and get engaged City staff are hosting an online public information session, tailored to rural communities, on November 10, 2025. The session will cover how the City reviews and per