Ottawa – The City of Ottawa today approved a 20-year strategic plan to make Ottawa’s urban forest healthier, more diverse and resilient.
The Urban Forest Management Plan focuses on working towards sustainability, protecting existing trees, increasing knowledge about the urban forest, expanding community engagement, minimizing risk, fostering resiliency and diversity, managing the urban forest more proactively and providing resources to urban forest management.
Due to its requirement for the implementation of Stage 2 of the light-rail project, Council approved the results of the class environmental assessment for a stormwater management pond at Baseline and Woodroffe. This pond is also part of the Ottawa River Action Plan and will help mitigate the impacts of stormwater runoff.
Council received the 2016 Annual Report of Hydro Ottawa, which included audited financial statements for the year. Highlights for the power corporation, which is owned by the City of Ottawa, included an annual dividend to the City of $20.6 million, the largest Hydro Ottawa dividend to date.
Council approved a two-year pilot to encourage responsible waste management in Sandy Hill. The Property Maintenance By-law and the Property Standards By-law will be amended to limit the number of waste and recycling containers and stipulate where they are stored.
Council also approved its Municipal Sport Strategy for the next five years. It will focus on access to facilities, collaboration between programming providers, accessibility, volunteer engagement and growing sport tourism.