Transit, housing, safety on council's wish list as province tables budget

Ottawa city councillors are sharing their spending wish lists as they hope Thursday's provincial budget will help the city pay for its priorities.

"Our priorities are around things like public transit, public safety, downtown revitalization, affordable housing, economic development," Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said during a recess in Wednesday's council meeting.

"Some of it may show up in the budget, some of it may follow in other discussions and other announcements we make together with the provincial government."

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Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives won re-election on a platform that included billions in added infrastructure investment. Riverside South-Findley Coun. Steve Desroches, who noted that his ward is one of the fastest-growing in the city, said he hopes some of that spending will go to Ottawa projects.

"We're looking at our transportation master plan later this year, and there can always be great partnerships when it comes to the additional transit projects that we'll be looking at, as well as our road, cycling and pedestrian networks," he said.

Desroches said a transitway link between Barrhaven and Riverside South is a top priority. So is the provincial government's promise to upload the LRT system.

"I don't expect we're going to get considerable details in this budget, but I'm looking for some signal that they're moving forward with that and they're ready to sit down and talk to the city about how that happens," he said.

Affordable housing among 'critical' needs

Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Matt Luloff is hoping to see the province make good on its promise to upload Highway 174, which has been a significant financial burden for the city.

"We'd like to see that sort of codified in this budget," Luloff said.

Among his priorities for his east-end ward is scoring funding for a pedestrian bridge at Trim Station. Luloff, who chairs the Ottawa Public Library Board, is also hoping the province might be willing to help out with the Ādisōke central library project on LeBreton Flats.

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said his wish list won't come as a surprise.

"I think we're all looking for some of the usual things for municipalities: money to help us to build more affordable housing, particularly more deeply affordable housing and supportive housing, is always welcome," Leiper said. "There is no end of need for those funds."

He said OC Transpo also needs operating funding, given the gaping hole in its budget. Leiper is also hoping the provincial government will help Ottawa address the fallout from homelessness and the opioid crisis.

"There are tools that we could be using to mitigate some of those impacts: community outreach teams, drop-in centres, needle hunter programs," he said.

"Cities are really constrained in terms of how many of those services that we can offer. I think it's critical that we get help."