You are on page 1of 2

Marianne Wilkinson Councillor, Kanata North Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)

This week AMO held its annual meeting in Ottawa. As a delegate from the City of Ottawa I will be attending to learn from colleagues from other centres, to meet with various cabinet ministers on Ottawa concerns and to visit booths in the Exhibit Hall where many new products and services will be on view. I'm particularly interested in the sessions on the property tax burden, alternative finance arrangements for municipal infrastructure, ending homelessness, web based systems for managing energy and hearing from the Ontario party leaders on how they will be dealing with municipalities. I spent more than 8 years on the Board of AMO in the late70's and 80's and appreciate the work done in lobbying the provincial government on behalf of municipalities. Presently they are actively involved in discussions on 'uploading' costs for services normally paid for by a province that were downloaded to municipalities during the Harris government. Having this burden gradually lifted is important in finding the funds to maintain our infrastructure and avoid large tax increaseses.

Give Away Day and Fall Cleaning the Capital


The review of the Give Away Day in June has deemed it a success. Participation varied across the City, indicating the need to increase publicity on such events. It is planned to have two formal give-away days each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Residents are encouraged to put a 'free' sign on items that they wish to donate at any time or to use freecycle or one of the voluntary organizations that reuse items. The date of this falls give-away day will be available soon. Watch this column for details. I encourage you to participate in the Fall Cleaning the Capital and make Kanata North the cleanest ward in the City. Last spring many of you cleaned parks, creek areas, roadsides, schoolyards and bus stops. I appreciate the work that many of you continue to do by picking up litter as you walk through the community. This fall we could concentrate your cleanup efforts along fence lines, naturalized areas, and other open spaces. Leaves should be left as they are mulched to return their nutrients to the soil. You can register your cleanup location on line at ottawa.ca/clean or by calling 311. Clean up kits are available while supplies last. The campaign runs from September 15 to October 15. Register by September 14th for your chance to win early-bird prizes.

Kanata Bus Changes

On September 2nd many changes will occur on bus routes in Kanata North. Express routes 60 and 68 will have an increase in service; route 65 will pick up along Campeau; a new route 168 replaces a part of route 160 which will no longer give a full tour of Kanata North every time you use it; route 96 will have more service and routes 101 and 182 have been modified. Check your route changes by going to the OC Transpo web site, http://octranspo.com/mapscheds/Service_Changes/Fall/Fall_SC_menue.htm or pick up an information flyer on the bus.

More Services in Kanata


In response to requests by residents of Kanata, especially students, OC Transpo is providing 2007/2008 photo id service for adults, students and seniors at the City Client Service Centre in Kanata between August 20th and September 7th and from September 23rd to October 5th from 9:30 am to 1 pm and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. After October 5th this service will be only available one day per week. This service is in addition to general municipal and provincial service now available at the centre which is located at 580 Terry Fox Drive (corner of Palladium).

Serving the residents and businesses in Kanata North


To receive the Kanata North Newsletter, to deal with a concern or make a suggestion contact me at City Hall at 613-580-2474 or by email Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca or through www.mariannewilkinson.com

You might also like