Call it the first political kickoff of Barrie’s stadium debate.

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“Some of that work has focused on recreation and opening up existing gymnasiums in schools, and in this case, it’s about putting a library smack in the centre of one of our older neighbourhoods – one that I believe has lacked services over the years when it comes to access to a library and, certainly, all of the things that come with the Barrie Public Library.”

Nuttall also credited Thomson with helping to bring the project to fruition.

“Deputy mayor, thank you for pushing this through and making sure that it happened,” he said.

“This is one of two libraries that are in the works right now, but this is the one that really hits home,” Nuttall said. “The deputy mayor and I both grew up in neighbourhoods just like this, and that’s why it’s so important to make sure services are available in communities like this.”

Jessop said the new branch comes at a time when Barrie’s growing population is increasing demand for community gathering spaces.

“As Barrie continues to grow, so does the need for community spaces that bring people together,” she said.

“This new location supports the library’s strategic vision to expand access to services, meet residents where they are and create vibrant, inclusive spaces that respond to the needs of a growing city.”

The Letitia Heights branch is expected to offer literacy support, programs, Wi-Fi, computers and community space.

Another library branch is in the works, which will be in the future southeast recreation complex.

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“We recognize that this has been disruptive and time consuming for residents and all road users,” said an OC Transpo representative. “We know that traffic disruptions have been impactful and frustrating for everyone.”

“My team is focused on doing better for residents,” they said. “We are taking a detailed review of our procedures for planning, coordinating, and communicating traffic impacts.”

Despite delays, work is moving forward on both east and west end extensions. For the west extension, transit staff highlighted that testing, commissions, and Line 1 integration is done.

The next step will be trial running, but this is paused until a sufficient number of carriages can be made ready.

“So, right now we’ve got 33–34 single car trains that are available for service,” said Troy Charter, Associate General Manager of OC Transpo. “We need a minimum of 46 single car trains to go into trial running to assess the service levels outlined in the project agreement.”

On the west end extension, OC Transpo staff was able to provide a more concrete timeline. “Bus loop construction is underway at Algonquin, Bayshore, Moody, Pine Crest, Lincoln Fields, and Westboro Stations, and is expected to be near completion by the end of the year,” a staff member said.

Coun. Wilson Lo (Barrhaven East) wondered about possible synergies between east and west extensions.

“When the east launches – the changes to the bus network in the east – is that going to free up any resources that we can reallocate perhaps to benefit the west?” asked Lo.

OC Transpo representatives explained that it would depend on the city’s needs.

“There will be a small number of buses that will be freed up,” they said. “What we do with them will depend on the observed travel needs at that time, and the state of the bus fleet.”

Exact timelines for various upgrades to the O-Train will be clarified at the next technical briefing. So far, city councillors generally agree that work on the project is progressing.

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The by-law, also coined a “bubble by-law”, could protect “vulnerable social infrastructure” like places of worship, schools or community centres and inhibit protest and certain activities within a certain proximity. 

Citing a rise in hate-related crime, council directed staff in October to research whether this kind of by-law would be feasible for the city, sparking support from some community groups, like the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, and backlash from local civil liberty groups that raised concerns over the possible restriction of protest and expression.

Staff were directed to examine similar by-laws, like the one enacted in Vaughan, but the staff report warned that more consultation is necessary to avoid possible legal challenges.

The report, prepared by Ryan Perrault, general manager of Emergency and Protective Services, said that “while the development and implementation of a ‘bubble zone by-law’ is feasible, this approach should be informed by research, engagement, and consultation.” 

The report will be tabled at the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services and Public Works Committee on May 15 but has been released to council, staff and media.

“It will be crucial to seek legal guidance and review relevant case law in the development of regulations to ensure that any restrictions serve important municipal purposes, are proportional, and minimally impair freedom of expression, so they can be justified under Section 1 of the Charter,” the report read. 

Perrault said a by-law like this “carries risk of being challenged” and says these regulations are “relatively new at a municipal level” and are “largely untested.”

The report also said the effectiveness of municipal bubble zone regulations in “preventing or mitigating harassment” around the designated social infrastructure sites “remains unknown.”

Perrault stressed that while some similar regulations have been enacted in other municipalities, doing so in Ottawa would require additional research and review from staff.

“As neither the Vaughan nor Calgary by-laws providing safe access to social infrastructure have been tested in court, the constitutionality of each approach remains unsettled,” Perrault wrote. “While safe access laws for abortion services have established a foundation for potential regulations, the Court has set a very high bar for justifying such limits and determining their scope.”

Should council choose to proceed with the by-law, staff recommend first conducting an extensive review that would include research on legal implications and public consultation, a process that Perrault said would likely take nine months and require an operating budget. 

The issue first went before council in October of 2024 and was met with plenty of discussion as councillors debated how much of an impact the bylaw would have and whether it could tread on protest rights.

Couns. Shawn Menard (Capital Ward) and Riley Brockington (River) shared their concerns about the by-law, arguing that there are already bylaws and enforcement protocols in place to address hate speech and violence during protests.

“If people are breaking the Criminal Code, let police do their jobs,” said Brockington. “Police already have the tools.”

On the other side, Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry said she would support the motion and “don’t know why anybody wouldn’t.”

Meanwhile, Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster said “this kept me up at night.” She said that while she is unsure if she would support a bubble bylaw, it “isn’t black and white” and “warrants conversation”.

Similarly, Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Matt Luloff said he felt the motion had “noble intent” and despite claiming to be “as close to a free speech absolutist as you can be,” he “will hear staff out”.

In College Ward, constituents have been asking for support from the municipality and for the “exploration” of such a bylaw, said River ward Coun. Laine Johnson.

Speaking to reporters after council adjourned, Sutcliffe said he was expecting public consultation to ensure there is proper engagement with the community during the feasibility study, but did not elaborate on why staff was given such a short timeframe.

“I have deep respect, especially as a former journalist, for everyone’s right to free speech and everybody’s right to demonstrate. It’s vitally important in our democracy,” Sutcliffe told reporters. 

“At the same time — and that’s why these issues often bring a lot of internal conflict and and a lot of thought that I think you saw reflected in the day today.

“I have heard from many residents in our community of concerns they have about a number of different events that have taken place or could take place in the future, near schools, near places of worship, and near other important cultural and community institutions in our city,” he continued. “So we must strike the right balance going forward.” 

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City process requires Darouze, who has represented Osgoode on council since 2014, to officially resign his seat on city council on March 26, at which time either a byelection is triggered or a replacement is appointed to the seat.

On Wednesday, council unanimously directed staff to lay the groundwork for a byelection process to replace Darouze.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he believes a byelection was the right choice because the current city council is only halfway through its term.

“I find it interesting that municipal government is the only level of government where there is a choice in the matter,” said Sutcliffe. “If a seat federally or provincially is vacated, it’s automatic that it’s filled with a by-election. 

“I think the default should always be a by-election, unless there’s a good reason for there to be an appointment,” he continued. “In this case, it’s far enough from the next election that the voters of Osgoode deserve to have a voice in the decision.”

In the meantime, Orléans South-Navan Coun. Katherine Kitts and Rideau-Jock Coun. David Brown have been appointed to oversee Osgoode ward.

Council is expected to officially declare Darouze’s seat vacant at the next council meeting, which is on March 26, and pass a motion requiring a byelection. The byelection must then be held between 75 and 105 days later, city staff said, so Osgoode residents will likely cast their vote in June 2025.

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The motion requires that after a certain amount of time, and if specific steps have been taken by city staff without response or progress from the province, staff are directed to assess the feasibility of implementing a city bylaw on this issue.

The motion, tabled by Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster, was passed at the planning and housing committee last week after hearing from 24 public delegates.

The motion requires staff to advocate that the province step in on this issue and, if the provincial government does not, staff are directed to review similar bylaws implemented in other cities and identify possible funding sources for a renoviction bylaw. 

The bylaw would impact situations where landlords evict tenants to complete a unit renovation or repair, then replace the tenants with a new resident at a higher rent cost.

Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill was the first councillor to speak in opposition of the motion, arguing that the priority should be increasing the rental market rather than “lumping” bad faith evictions in with routine landlord operations. 

Coun. Hubley echoed Hill’s concerns, while Orléans East-Cumberland Ward Coun. Matt Luloff suggested renovictions fall outside of municipal purview, and instead are the responsibility of the Ontario government.

“We are moving into an area of provincial jurisdiction, and when we do that, it weakens our case when we go to them for funding for areas that are, in fact, our jurisdiction,” Luloff argued.

Bay Coun. Theresa Kavanagh said the City has been “doing our part” in approving housing developments, but that more needs to be done to combat homelessness.

“We need more housing, overall, and that’s the part that we’re responsible for. What the province is responsible for is landlord and tenant rules, and we’re trying to fill the gap because they’re not doing it.” she told council. “I would be very happy if they would just do their part so that we do not have this stress.

“I wholly support this, and I hope that we didn’t need it, because I hope the province acts,” she continued.

College Coun. Laine Johnson added that shying away from issues that overlap with provincial jurisdiction is a “narrow view of why we were elected.”

“Let’s be courageous here, and let’s try and figure out what is possible, instead of being concerned about who does what where,” she said. “This motion has done all that work for us, it is a cautious, incremental motion on a serious issue for which we have determined is a grand priority. 

“So let’s be courageous here. It’s been very moderate in its approach, and I think we can have a nice win to start off 2025.”

The advocacy portion of the motion passed unanimously. The feasibility assessment portion for developing a bylaw passed with six councillors opposed: Hill; Luloff; Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo; Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Steve Desroches; Osgoode Coun. George Darouze; and, Rideau-Jock Coun. David Brown.

In her closing remarks, Troster said that paying to house unsheltered people is just as expensive as some preventative measures.  

“When folks end up in shelters, the outcomes are not good across the board, and they are very, very expensive. I might remind the economically conservative among us here that we are adding 400 new shelter beds this winter alone,” she said. “The only way to end homelessness is to stop it at its source. I will simply say that. I will remind folks that this is a vote to further study the issue. It is not a vote on a bylaw itself. 

“When I hear from rural colleagues that a roundabout is not going to work for a truck, I believe you, and I need you to open your hearts and to believe urban counsellors… that these renovictions are real…” she concluded. “So I hope you’ll join me in trying to do something concrete to end homelessness in our city.”

City staff will continue to advocate for provincial legislation protecting tenants from renovictions, and then conduct a feasibility assessment should the province fail to meet the motion’s standards. Staff will likely report back to council in 2026.

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