Update from Councillor Cathy Curry
Other than emails about the golf course and greenspace (more on that below), the number one topic of emails for the past two weeks has been coyotes. There have been numerous sightings and frightening and distressing encounters. I encourage all interested residents to attend the following event.
Coyote Information Session – Join us on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Tony Graham Recreation Complex, Hall A (100 Charlie Rogers Place, Ottawa, ON K2V 1A2) for an information session with Coyote Watch Canada (CWC). Attendees will learn about coyotes in suburban settings and how to foster safe human-coyote interactions. CWC, a federal not-for-profit organization advocating positive human-wildlife coexistence with a focus on canids, will be represented by Founder and Executive Director Lesley Sampson, who will discuss best practices for residents living with coyotes. A brief Q&A session will follow, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions. The event is free, offered in English, and no registration is required.
Manning Court Lights – I had been hearing from residents that the lights on Manning Court had been out for some time. We heard from City staff that the problem was quite complex and involved underground work. They weren’t sure when it might be able to be fixed given the complexity. We were quite concerned as lighting is very important for any community. The thought of having no lighting on the street for many more months was worrisome. City staff agreed. With some ingenuity and thoughtful planning, City staff came back to us to tell us that they were on the job! Many thanks to City staff who are working together to get this fixed before winter!
Invention Blvd. – Intersection needed – When knocking on doors last week in the new Brookline Development to welcome new residents to Ward 4, we heard at almost every door that the intersection of Invention Blvd. and March Road is very dangerous and needs to have a traffic light. There have been a number of accidents and many near misses. We are pleased to say that the steps required to get an intersection installed there have begun. There are multiple stages to getting a new light, but those stages have begun. I will keep you posted as we get updates. As well, we met with representatives from Minto who indicated that they would also look at reducing the speed there, as they, too, are challenged getting construction vehicles in and out of that subdivision safely. We will keep you posted on that as well.
Nuisance Feeding of Wildlife – I had a resident write to me to let me know that it might be a good time to remind people that feeding squirrels and chipmunks with nuts and seeds on the ground also attracts mice, foxes, rats….and coyotes. Bird feeders are a common way to feed the birds. And, squirrels do get into bird feeders to get their food, but throwing seeds and nuts on the ground or on your deck railing invites other wildlife that can create other problems. I would encourage residents to consider only using bird feeders in order to minimize the attraction of other wildlife that may bring unintended consequences.
Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras – With the Province stopping the use of Automatic Speed Enforcement Cameras, I have received many emails from residents asking why the cameras can’t be used for something else, whether it be our own speed enforcement, red light cameras, data collection etc. The first thing to note is the City does not own the cameras. The City would have to go through a procurement process to purchase them from a vendor. The cameras can’t be used for anything else without making some modifications to the sites which the City would have to consider. There are also restrictions in the Highway Traffic Act that dictate what they can and cannot be used for. For example, they cannot be used for Stop sign enforcement. It is a frustrating situation that we are still working on to address what traffic calming in our neighbourhoods, especially around schools, will look like now that the speed cameras are no longer in use. Stay tuned as we learn more.