A petition calling on the Metropolis of Ottawa to re-evaluate a call to incorporate a web site in Kanata as a attainable location for momentary housing for asylum seekers has rapidly gained consideration.
Greater than 3,000 folks have signed the petition in lower than 24 hours.
It comes after a metropolis memo introduced that 40 Hearst Approach, a part of the Eagleson Park & Journey in Kanata South, can be used for a “newcomer welcoming centre” as required. The primary such construction is deliberate for 1645 Woodroffe Ave., close to the Nepean Sportsplex.
The 2 websites recognized by Metropolis of Ottawa workers for sprung constructions that will function welcome centres for asylum seekers.
“Whereas our group appreciates and understands the necessity for humanitarian help, we maintain legitimate considerations relating to the security and stability of our well-established and peaceable communities,” mentioned the petition.
“It is a well-known indisputable fact that shelters typically expertise important challenges related to infrastructure and security protocols, which might doubtlessly disrupt the concord of mature neighbourhoods and compromise the standard of lifetime of native residents.”
The petition is demanding a “strategic reevaluation of the proposed areas” and is urging the Metropolis of Ottawa to “think about alternate options that may accommodate these shelters with out impacting established communities.”
A gaggle of involved residents held a protest on the Eagleson Park & Journey Friday afternoon, with plans for a bigger protest this weekend.
Kanata residents protest towards the Metropolis of Ottawa’s choice choosing 40 Hearst Approach as a web site for a sprung construction to deal with asylum seekers. Nov. 8, 2024. (Andrew Adlington/ Ontario Chronicle Ottawa)
“It actually would not help the individuals who will likely be coming right here and in want of all this help,” mentioned resident Maureen Taylor. “The providers aren’t native to right here. As residents of Kanata, we do not have lots of the providers as effectively.”
Mike Gia, one other Kanata resident, mentioned he has lots of questions in regards to the plan.
“They did not do sufficient session to the general public,” he mentioned. “What is the impression to our lives? We’re actually involved about this. Hopefully residents right here can arise, can have the possibility to talk out and that the town take heed to us.”
Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley says he is been advised the construction wouldn’t be constructed instantly and would solely go up if the Woodroffe Avenue construction is inadequate to satisfy demand; nevertheless, he additionally prompt that the federal authorities’s present insurance policies might result in extra such constructions in Ottawa.
“Except we get some management over this concern, we might have 10 of those constructions. Sure, in the event that they need to construct a second one, then that is extra of a priority for us, however I see the potential right here, primarily based on previous actions of the federal authorities, that we’d want 10 of these items,” he advised Ontario Chronicle Ottawa Thursday evening, inside hours of the announcement.
Along with the petition, a number of residents have been sending a type letter to Hubley and different metropolis officers, which have been copied to Ontario Chronicle Ottawa.
“Firstly, there was a notable lack of transparency within the web site choice course of. Many residents, together with myself, are pissed off by the absence of clear, accessible details about the factors used to establish this location and the broader decision-making course of. Public session and transparency are important, particularly when such a serious choice impacts our group,” the letter reads, partly.
“Moreover, the 40 Hearst Approach location seems to lack the mandatory infrastructure to adequately help asylum seekers, akin to entry to healthcare, transit, and employment alternatives. For asylum seekers to efficiently combine into our society, it’s essential that they’re situated in areas the place important providers are inside attain. This web site appears to fall wanting these necessities, and it raises considerations in regards to the well-being of those that can be housed there.”
Metropolis workers say Stantec Consulting was employed to undertake an impartial technical overview of the highest 5 websites the town was contemplating, ultimately selecting the properties on Woodroffe Avenue and Hearst Approach, which have been introduced Thursday. Thursday’s memo described the 40 Hearst Approach web site as having neighbourhood facilities, together with a grocery retailer, inside a 15-minute stroll from the positioning, and it’s near bus fast transit, being situated throughout the Eagleson Park & Journey, which has been beneath capability for a number of years.
The closest grocery retailer is the Meals Fundamentals at Kanata City Centre, which is simply over one kilometre away from the Hearst Approach web site. Roger Saint Denis Catholic College is roughly 1.4 km away, and Katimavik Elementary College is inside 1.5 km. The Eagleson transit cease contains buses that connect with downtown Ottawa, Stittsville, and elsewhere in Kanata.
The closest Service Ontario location is at 1626 Stittsville Essential St., about 9 km away from 40 Hearst Approach. It is roughly 25 minutes by bus.
‘Preserve the politics out of this’: Sutcliffe
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe held a information convention Friday afternoon to handle considerations, saying Ottawa is coping with an inflow of newcomers like many cities in Canada.
“I definitely perceive the considerations which were raised by members of the group. Change is troublesome, uncertainty is difficult, so individuals are asking a lot of questions and we’ll do our greatest to reply these questions within the days forward,” he mentioned. “However I wish to remind everybody that workers on the metropolis are doing the whole lot they’ll to handle a really troublesome scenario with the restricted assets now we have on the Metropolis of Ottawa. There isn’t a excellent resolution. Employees are doing the most effective they’ll.”
He referred to this because the “center of the method” and never the start or finish of it. He additionally mentioned that the sprung constructions that will be constructed are meant for momentary stays of 60 to 90 days earlier than newcomers will be moved into extra everlasting housing. The constructions would additionally enable the group centres at present getting used to deal with folks to return to their unique features.
Sutcliffe burdened that the choices made by workers aren’t political selections.
“Now we have to ensure we preserve the politics out of this. These are workers selections. These are citywide options… We can not flip this right into a battle over what a part of the town, in what a part of the town these providers are delivered,” he mentioned. “Now we have to offer an answer as a group, and now we have to ensure your complete group is behind that resolution.”
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe speaks to the media in regards to the metropolis’s newcomer welcoming centres, a.ok.a. sprung constructions, whose proposed areas have been introduced the night prior. Nov. 8, 2024. (Peter Szperling/ Ontario Chronicle Ottawa)
He additionally shared his mother and father’ tales of coming to Canada as immigrants. His father got here from England and his mom got here to Canada to flee Communist China, he mentioned. And he mentioned Ottawa has a historical past of welcoming folks from all around the world.
“Now we have at all times been very welcoming. I keep in mind once I was a toddler, Marion Dewar, the mayor on the time, welcomed the Vietnamese boat folks to our metropolis,” he mentioned. “That is a kind of instances. This can be a time when we have to lengthen a hand to people who find themselves escaping very, very troublesome circumstances of their dwelling communities and transferring to Canada and looking for asylum and looking for refuge. So, we should put our arms round these folks and welcome them. This could not grow to be a political combat. This could grow to be a chance to share generously with individuals who need assistance.”
Nepean MPP speaks out about Sportsplex web site
Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod mentioned on X Friday that she is looking for extra public session round using the 1645 Woodroffe Ave. web site for a sprung construction.
“I want to categorical my concern that residents in Knoxdale-Merivale haven’t been adequately consulted relating to this matter,” MacLeod mentioned in an open letter. “Previous to the announcement, it seems the native ward councillor was smitten by welcoming this construction with out first looking for the enter of the group. The method has sadly undermined our collective response to Metropolis Corridor.”
MacLeod is asking for Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine host a public assembly to handle residents’ considerations, attain out to all residents within the space to tell them about “the proposed tent at Nepean Sportsplex” and arrange a webinar that can characteristic a panel dialogue to additional discover the problem.
Devine advised Ontario Chronicle Ottawa Thursday evening that he’s irritated with the method however would welcome newcomers to his ward.
“A very powerful factor I can say is that if Ward 9 has been chosen as a location for this, then I consider Ward 9 is able to assist. I perceive folks could have a powerful response to this, however prefer it or not, asylum seekers are coming to Canada and coming to Ottawa. They’re escaping horrible circumstances, they usually want and deserve assist.”
–With recordsdata from Ontario Chronicle Ottawa’s Kimberley Fowler
