Tewin Too Expensive To Service: BRADLEY
At last week’s planning and housing committee meeting, Bay Councillor Theresa Kavanagh introduced a motion to remove the Tewin lands from Ottawa’s urban boundary — a decision I believe deserves serious consideration.
As you might know, the Tewin lands located near Carlsbad Springs were added last term to the city’s Official Plan in 2021 through a last-minute motion that went against city staff recommendations. At the time, staff had advised that other parcels of land, including areas closer to existing infrastructure and transit, would be less expensive and more sustainable to develop. Despite this, Ottawa City Council chose to include Tewin, located well outside the current urban area, with limited servicing and transit connections.
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This newsletter excerpt from Gloucester-Southgate Councillor Jessica Bradley is courtesy of the city-wide community group Your Applewood Acres (And Beyond) Neighbours
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I remain concerned about the financial implications of this decision. Extending infrastructure and city services to such a remote area is expensive. And while the expectation is that the new residents of Tewin will bear that cost, the reality is that the long-term costs will ultimately be carried by all residents via property-tax increases. These costs have already been identified in the city’s infrastructure master plan and are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
There are also important questions about reconciliation. While the Tewin project was presented as a partnership with the Algonquins of Ontario, many Algonquin leaders have since voiced that this development does not represent true reconciliation and that meaningful consultation was lacking.
As council re-examines this issue, we must ensure that our planning decisions reflect fiscal responsibility, environmental sustainability, and genuine respect for Indigenous voices. I welcome your thoughts on this issue. The motion will be debated at the Oct. 15 planning and housing committee.
For You:
Key To Good Transit Not Raising Fares: BLUESKY
Signs Of Our Time Distract: CRERAR
Lansdowne: City’s Priorities Skewed: Cullen
Minority Government: Canada’s New Normal
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If this comes to a vote, I wonder if council support for Tewin might be pretty similar to the support for Lansdowne 2.0.
We rarely hear from Jessica Bradley on this forum. Her comments above are concise and well-written. Maybe she’s another voice to add to the group of non-crazies who sit around the council table. I know of some investors in my ward who have put money into Tewin. All investment opportunities are a crapshoot, Sometimes you hit 7 or 11 on the first roll and win, other times you hit 2, 3 or 12 and lose. And then there are instances where you have to make point and time tells whether you win or not. Let the debates begin – hopefully the natives have representation at the table .
‘Against staff recommendations’ … so who pushed this and why?
This city doesn’t have the financial capacity to provide for existing communities in terms of transit and infrastructure.
Might this project be developer driven and should it be supported by council especially if staff isn’t supportive?
Yes to the 1st … No to the 2nd.
John:
I fear you might be correct.
cheers and thx
kgray