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A CAPITAL MYSTERY A new local mystery anthology set in many parts of Kitchissippi is turning familiar neighbourhoods into scenes of fictional crime, mystery and mayhem. Page 26

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3 • September 2026

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

EDITOR’S NOTE

Election season is here — and we’ve got you covered BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa is officially in election season, and for residents of Kitchissippi, this could be one of the most consequential municipal races in more than a decade. For the first time since 2014, Kitchissippi Ward will elect a new city councillor. Jeff Leiper, who has represented the ward for three terms, is leaving the seat to run for mayor, guaranteeing change at the council table. Four candidates have entered the race to replace him: Joanne Chianello, Subhir Uppal, Brian Innes and Xavier Commerford. This is also a ward that votes. In 2022, almost 53 per cent of eligible Kitchissippi voters cast a ballot — well above Ottawa’s citywide turnout of 43.79 per cent. Leiper

won decisively with nearly 72 per cent of the vote. There are important races unfolding next door, too. In Bay Ward, Theresa Kavanagh is seeking a third term and faces challengers Spencer Radford and Butch Moore. Kavanagh won overwhelmingly in 2022, but residents are heading back to the polls after a term dominated by issues including LRT construction, intensification and, most recently, devastating flooding in parts of the ward. In Somerset Ward, incumbent Ariel Troster faces four challengers: Robert Dekker, Dillon Anderson, Michael Tay and Nicholas

September 2026 • 4

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Gollé. Troster captured more than 61 per cent of the vote in 2022, when turnout was about 45 per cent. And those aren’t the only races we’re following. Over the coming weeks, the Kitchissippi Times will be covering the councillor, school board trustee and mayoral races, introducing you to the candidates and digging into the issues that matter locally. Election day is Oct. 26. Between now and then, there is a lot to talk about. Keep an eye on Kitchissippi.com for our latest election coverage, and sign up for our newsletter to have the biggest local stories delivered directly to your inbox.

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Great River Media Inc PO Box 91585 Ottawa ON K1W 1K0 The Kitchissippi Times is an award-winning newspaper that has serviced Westboro, Wellington West, and surrounding communities for the last 20 years. The word Kitchissippi, meaning “great river” in Algonquin, is the former Indigenous name for the Ottawa River. STORY IDEA? editor@kitchissippi.com twitter.com/kitchissippi EDITOR Charlie Senack charlie@kitchissippi.com twitter.com/charlie_senack CONTRIBUTORS Reilly Armstrong, Amanda McLeod, Dave Allston, Patrick Langston, Simon McKeown, and Nicholas Carchidi ADVERTISING SALES Jennifer Tackaberry 613-696-9482 jennifer@kitchissippi.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes creative@greatriver.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Celine Paquette celine@greatriver.ca CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Cheryl Schunk, 613-696-9490 cheryl@greatriver.ca All other enquiries 613-696-9494 info@kitchissippi.com DISTRIBUTION A minimum of 16,000 copies are distributed throughout the Kitchissippi area, from the Ottawa River to Carling Avenue, spanning the Britannia and Preston Street communities. Most residents in this area receive the Kitchissippi Times delivered directly to their door. Copies are also available at the Dovercourt Recreation Centre, Hintonburg Community Centre, Produce Depot and dozens of other convenient pickup locations. If you would like to become a distribution point, please contact us. DISTRIBUTOR Comet 2000 info@kitchissippi.com The Kitchissippi Times is published by

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AROUND TOWN

Your guide to September events in Ottawa BY CHARLIE SENACK

landscapes to events in the city’s history. adriangollner.ca/content/?p=1471

September brings one of the busiest stretches of Ottawa’s fall events calendar, with festivals, concerts, markets and community celebrations taking place across the city. Here are some of the events happening around Ottawa this September.

September 2026 • 6

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OTTAWA BICENTENNIAL: CELEBRATING THE NATIONS SEPT Andrew Haydon Park, 6 3169 Carling Ave. A bilingual intercultural celebration connecting Bytown’s origins with modernday Ottawa through Indigenous protocol, performances and family activities. The event is presented with support from the City of Ottawa through the Community Civic Event Grant. facebook.com/cbog2022/posts/ pfbid02YDm12HRRLsjTgqLgxi1fAJ4aPA13 LEC2rouiQRUPmLfwv5Yhco QLXCM49mr8gfRnl

WINDS OVER OTTAWA

MUSIC IN THE PARK PRESENTED BY OTTAWA JAZZ FEST SEPT Zibi’s Head Street Square, 9 310 Miwate Pr. Ottawa Jazz Festival’s outdoor concert series brings live music to Zibi’s Head Street Square, featuring artists and genres ranging from global rhythms to contemporary sounds. facebook.com/events/2527494327665495/ 2527494330998828/?active_tab=about

LATIN AMERICAN PARADE & FESTIVAL OTTAWA-GATINEAU Horticulture Building at SEPT 6 Lansdowne, 1525 Princess Patricia Way Latin American culture takes centre stage at Lansdowne with live music, traditional and contemporary food, entertainment and a colourful street parade. The festival celebrates cultures and traditions from across Latin America. latinamericanfestival-latino.org/

RETRO SILENT DISCO National Gallery of Canada, SEPT 12 380 Sussex Dr. The National Gallery of Canada becomes a dance floor for a retro silent disco featuring three live DJs playing hits from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s through wireless headphones. The evening also features lights, visuals and a bar. Tickets range from $55 to $90. eventbrite.com/e/retro-silent-disco-thenational-gallery-of-canada-ottawa-tickets1987676967316?aff=erelexpmlt

WINDS OVER OTTAWA Andrew Haydon Park, SEPT 8-30 3221 Carling Ave. Visitors can create wind-powered artwork as part of this interactive Ottawa 200 project centred around a large winddrawing machine. The installation explores the role wind has played in shaping Ottawa, from the lumber trade and local

DON KWAN’S CHINATOWN WALKING TOUR SEPT SEPT 930 Somerset St. W. 12 & 19 Local artist Don Kwan leads a walking tour through the Chinatown neighbourhood where he grew up, sharing stories about its history, public art and culture. Each tour concludes with a special guest

activity. The event is free. eventbrite.ca/e/dons-walkof-ottawa-chinatown-tickets1989545233350?aff=erellivmlt HARVEST — A FEAST OF FALL SEPT Ottawa Art Gallery, 10 Daly Ave. 16 Local chefs and beverage artisans come together for an evening of seasonal food and drink at the Ottawa Art Gallery. The event features tasting stations while raising money for Youturn Youth Support Services. Tickets are $125. harvestottawa.ca/ THE MAVERICKS TRIBUTE SHOW SEPT Gladstone Theatre, 16 910 Gladstone Ave. 7:30 p.m. The Black Pearl Horns perform the music of The Mavericks with a full rhythm section, accordion and four-piece horn section. Singer Andy Dore takes on the vocals of Raul Malo in a show highlighting the band’s blend of country, rock and Latin influences. Tickets are $20. thegladstone.ca/shows/the-mavericks-tributeshow/

CITYFOLK

CITYFOLK SEPT RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Dr. 17-20 CityFolk returns with more than 30 performances across indoor and outdoor stages. Despite its name, the festival stretches well beyond folk, with a lineup spanning rock, alternative, bluegrass, hip hop, country and other genres. cityfolkfestival.com/

RICHMOND FAIR 6121 Perth St., Richmond SEPT 17-20 The annual Richmond Fair returns with its midway, agricultural competitions, dairy and heavy horse shows, live entertainment and other activities. richmondfair.ca/ URBAN ART COLLECTIVE HINTONBURG NIGHT MARKET SEPT SEPT Urban Art Collective, 17 & 24 1088 Somerset St. W. The Hintonburg Night Market brings together local food, handmade goods and entertainment. The weekly market features a rotating selection of vendors alongside local musicians, buskers and other performers. urbanartcollective.ca/pages/urban-markets OTTAWA FLOWER MARKET SEPT Parkdale Public Market, 19 366 Parkdale Ave. Farmer-florists from around the Ottawa Valley bring locally grown flowers to the Parkdale Public Market. Visitors can build their own bouquet or choose from arrangements prepared by participating florists. ottawaflowermarket.ca/ WEST END STUDIO TOUR SEPT SEPT Westboro, Wellington 19-26 & 26-27 West and McKellar Park One of Ottawa’s longestrunning free cultural events returns in September. Since 1994, artists throughout the city’s west end have opened their studios to the public, offering visitors a chance to meet local artists and see their work in the spaces where it is created. westendstudiotour.com/ TASTE OF WELLINGTON SEPT Throughout Wellington West 19 More than 50 restaurants and shops in Hintonburg and Wellington Village take part in the annual neighbourhood event, with food samples, discounts, sales and entertainment offered throughout Wellington West. wellingtonwest.ca/

6TH ANNUAL ALL-STAR OTTAWA BLUES FOR YOUTH FUNDRAISER SEPT Gladstone Theatre, 19 910 Gladstone Ave. 7 p.m. An all-ages evening of blues music raises money in support of youth mental health programs at The Royal. The event also includes an auction, door prizes and a 50/50 draw. Tickets are $50. thegladstone.ca/shows/6th-annual-all-starottawa-blues-for-youth-fundraiser/

OTTAWA 200 BLOCK PARTY SEPT Ottawa City Hall, 26 110 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa marks 200 years since the founding of Bytown with a birthday celebration at Marion Dewar Plaza. The family-friendly block party will feature activities and entertainment celebrating the city’s bicentennial. ottawa200blockparty.ca/

411 DOVERCOURT AVE., OTTAWA ON dovercourt.org 613.798.8950

VEGANS WHO SNACK FOOD & ART FESTIVAL Parkdale Public Market, SEPT 25 366 Parkdale Ave. The Parkdale Public Market hosts an evening of plant-based food, local art and small businesses. Vendors will offer vegan snacks alongside handmade goods, artwork and self-care products.

WIGGLE WAGGLE WALK & RUN SEPT Hog’s Back Park, 26 600 Hog’s Back Rd. People and their dogs take to the trails at Hog’s Back Park for the Ottawa Humane Society’s annual fundraising walk and run. Money raised supports the organization’s work caring for sick, injured and homeless animals. joinme.ottawahumane.ca/walkrun2026/

ARE YOU READY FOR FALL PROGRAMS? Get back in the swing of things with Fall programs at Dovercourt. Swim lessons, fitness, arts, sports and more are all starting soon!

OTTAWA CHINATOWN NIGHT MARKET SEPT Somerset Street W., 25-27 between Bronson Avenue and Bell Street N. Ottawa Chinatown’s annual night market fills Somerset Street with food vendors, cultural activities and live entertainment. Offerings range from traditional Chinese cuisine to fusion dishes, with performances including lion dances and martial arts demonstrations. ottawachinatown.ca/nightmarket/

OKTOBERFEST Horticulture Building SEPT 26 at Lansdowne, 1525 Princess Patricia Way Ottawa’s Oktoberfest-inspired celebration brings local breweries, German-inspired food and live entertainment to the Horticulture Building. The festival also includes traditional games, music and competitions in a Bavarian-style beer hall setting. eventbrite.ca/e/ottoberfest-free-19-ottawaoktoberfest-event-tickets-1996346202231

FLOWERS FOR FOOD SEPT Westboro Legion, 389 Richmond Rd. 26 Japanese floral art takes centre stage at this fundraiser for the Westboro Food Bank. The event includes an ikebana exhibit, flower-arranging demonstrations and an opportunity for visitors to create bouquets to take home. Children are welcome and the venue is accessible. A $20 donation is requested. westborocommunityassociation.ca/flowersfor-food-returns-this-september/

NUIT BLANCHE OTTAWA SEPT 55 ByWard Market Square 26 The free, all-night contemporary art festival transforms public spaces with installations, light projects and performances running from dusk until sunrise. This year’s event focuses on innovation and technology while bringing interactive art into the ByWard Market. nuitblanche-ottawa.ca/

SEPTEMBER UPDATES

FREE TRY IT CLASSES Check out free fitness and sessional recreation classes (arts, dance, sports & more) in the week of Sep. 8-14. See the flyer on our website; book in advance on our website. INDOOR POOL REOPENS SAT. SEP. 12 Our indoor pool is closed for annual maintenance between Aug. 24 to Sep. 11, reopening for lessons, aquafitness and drop-in swims on Sat. Sep. 12. FIT PASS Enjoy exclusive access to 56+ weekly group fit, cycle fit and aquafit classes, the strength & conditioning room, pickleball, euchre club and even access to drop-in swims with your monthly Fit Pass. FALL SPECIALTY FITNESS (Land & Water) Fall Specialty Fitness and Aquafitness courses begin in September. Anti-Gravity Yoga, Pilates, Cycle Fit 101, TRX, People On Weights, Aqua Jogging, Aqua Zumba, Aqua Power Waves, Pre and Postnatal programs and a lot more!

7 • September 2026

EVENTS Movie in the Park: Free! Friday September 25, 8-10pm Inclusion Dance: Sat. September 19, 7-9pm The Wild Cards: Pocket Band Sun. Sep. 27, 1:30-4:30pm

kitchissippi.com

OTTAWA 200+ BYTOWN TOGETHER SEPT Bytown Museum, 1 Canal Lane 26 The Bytown Museum marks Ottawa’s bicentennial with a day of activities exploring the people, cultures and communities that have shaped the city. Presented with cultural partners, the event looks at Ottawa’s history while highlighting the stories and connections that continue to shape the capital today. bytownmuseum.ca/en/event/ottawa-200bytown-together/

DANIEL LANOIS — DEUX VOIX, UNE CAPITALE The Bronson, 211 Bronson Ave. SEPT 27 Acclaimed Canadian musician and producer Daniel Lanois performs as part of the Deux Voix, Une Capitale series. Known for his atmospheric sound and work across multiple genres, Lanois has also produced recordings for artists including U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel. bronsoncentremusictheatre.com/events/ event/daniel-lanois-deux-voix-une-capitale/

Building a healthy, active and engaged community through recreation

MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2026

Public education, inclusion at heart of Somerset trustee race BY CHARLIE SENACK

September 2026 • 8

kitchissippi.com

he race to represent Somerset Ward at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is offering voters sharply different visions for public education — even as uncertainty remains over how much power trustees will have. Keelin Pringnitz is running in Zone 10, saying she wants to bring a collaborative approach back to the board while protecting special education, gifted programming and French immersion. A parent whose two-year-old son is expected to enter school in 2028, Pringnitz said her interest in politics and concerns about divisions on the previous board helped convince her to run. “I think it’s really important that we have a board that is not suspended, that can make decisions that are in the best interest of our local schools, first and foremost,” Pringnitz said. “And then I think it’s also really important that whatever board is elected can work well with others.” The Ontario government appointed Robert Plamondon as supervisor of the OCDSB in June 2025 following a financial investigation. Under supervision, Plamondon exercises the powers normally held by elected trustees. If trustee powers are restored, Pringnitz said she wants the next board to work more closely with families while protecting existing programs. “I will be advocating to the best of my abilities with the feedback that I’m getting from parents in the interests of maintaining the programs that we have currently in special education, gifted programs, and French immersion,” she said. The board has also been examining how some specialized programs, including alternative schools, are delivered as it attempts to address a structural deficit. Plamondon reported earlier this year that

the OCDSB had run operating deficits for four consecutive years and its 2025-26 budget contained an underlying structural deficit of approximately $11.5 million. Pringnitz argues the situation points to a larger provincial funding problem. “He has made all sorts of cuts, and he still couldn’t balance the books,” she said of Plamondon. “So I think it’s very important to recognize that we are not being given enough money from the province to function properly.” Another clear dividing line in the Zone 10 campaign is how schools should approach transgender and LGBTQ+ students. Pringnitz supports the OCDSB’s existing approach to inclusion and believes debates over students’ gender identities have become disproportionately prominent in school-board politics. “We have policies to accommodate transgender students,” she said. “I believe in inclusivity. I did my PhD on inclusivity in sport. So I support trans students. I support gay students.” That differs from opponent Shannon Boschy, a financial professional making his second run for OCDSB trustee and third recent attempt at elected office. Boschy first ran for trustee in Zone 6 in 2022, campaigning under the slogan “Education not Indoctrination” and opposing what he calls “gender ideology.” He finished third with 9.16 per cent of the vote. Asked whether his position had changed, Boschy said it had not. He criticized gender-affirming health care and argued schools should not be able to keep a student’s gender identity confidential from their parents. OCDSB procedure states students have a right to confidentiality regarding their gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation, including from parents or guardians, unless disclosure is required by law.

Keelin Pringnitz said she wants to see special education programs remain. PHOTO BY SIMON MCKEOWN.

Right: Shannon Boschy is running on a platform to end what he calls “gender ideology” in schools. PROVIDED PHOTO.

“I don’t care how people dress. I don’t care how people behave. I don’t care how people express themselves. That is a right in our country,” Boschy said. Now president of the Ottawa Centre Conservative Riding Association, Boschy said he deliberately chose to run in Zone 10 despite its reputation as one of Ottawa’s more progressive areas. “Conflict and confrontation drive conversation,” he said. “And it’s also, I believe, a bellwether test.” Boschy argues the board has become too focused on social justice and identity issues at the expense of academics, discipline and financial management. He wants the next strategic plan to emphasize academic achievement and has also criticized the decision to end the former School Resource Officer program. Ultimately, Boschy said the election offers voters a choice over the board’s direction. “We can double down on the chaos and vote in another progressive, or we can put

somebody in place who’s going to have a steady hand, who’s going to get back to, you know, ABCs and one, two, threes and consequences for behaviour that’s consistent across, no matter who you are,” he said. Diana Mills registered as a third trustee candidate shortly before nominations closed, after the Kitchissippi Times print deadline. YOU CAN READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON KITCHISSIPPI.COM.

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MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2026

Meet the OCDSB trustee candidates running in Zone 4 BY CHARLIE SENACK

September 2026 • 10

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wo candidates with different views on the challenges facing Ottawa’s largest school board are vying to represent Kitchissippi and Bay wards this fall. Emily Quaile and Benoit Massé are running for Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee in Zone 4. But whoever wins will take on a job that looks considerably different from what it did when voters last went to the polls four years ago. The OCDSB has been under provincial supervision since June 2025, when Education Minister Paul Calandra stripped elected trustees of their decisionmaking authority and appointed Robert Plamondon to oversee the board. The intervention followed a provincially ordered financial investigation that found the OCDSB had reported in-year deficits since

2021-22 and exhausted its reserves. Its accumulated deficit stood at $5.9 million at the end of 2023-24. There is no firm date for the restoration of local control, meaning voters will elect trustees this October without knowing when — or to what extent — they will be able to govern. For Quaile, that uncertainty is part of the reason she decided to run. The Westboro resident is a mother of two young children and a longtime service-industry worker who holds two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree in political economy. She said her decision to run was partly shaped by her own experience as an OCDSB student. “I went to five different OCDSB schools during the Bob Rae and Mike Harris years when I was a student in Ottawa. Those years were marked by exceptionally deep cuts to different programs and school closures, and I found myself bouncing

Bus trips More Trains Express routes Reliable schedules

Benoit Massé said he believes his background in finance would be vital to the OCDSB after years of deficits. Emily Quaile said the first order of business would be ensuring the OCDSB doesn’t remain under supervision. ALL PHOTOS BY SIMON MCKEOWN.

around chasing the programs that I needed to succeed academically,” said Quaile. Quaile said one of her priorities would be to push for an end to provincial supervision and to restore a stronger role

for locally elected trustees. Under supervision, Plamondon currently exercises the powers normally held by the elected board, including authority over its finances, policies and governance.

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the control goes back to the trustees to make sure that we are on target with the budget.” Massé said restoring financial sustainability would be one of his priorities, alongside student safety, addressing bullying and harassment, and improving communication between trustees, parents and educators. “I spend some time with the teachers, and I see all the difficulties. I’m also with the Elmdale school council, so that helped me to understand all the different issues that are affecting the students,” Massé said. “I think it was the next step for me to go from the school council to the school board.” The OCDSB’s finances have been a central issue since provincial supervision began. The Ministry of Education found the board had reported in-year deficits since 2021-22 and depleted its reserves. Its financial position has since improved, with the OCDSB’s 2026-27 budget projecting a $3.5-million operating deficit, following the identification of approximately $15 million in savings. Massé said he would need to examine the board’s finances in greater detail before determining where savings could be found. “I don’t have the data to see how I can help, but something for sure, whatever we can allocate back to the student, I agree with that strategy,” he said. He also acknowledged there is considerable uncertainty about how much authority the trustees elected this fall will actually have. The province has not announced when supervision will end. Massé said his priority, whenever authority is eventually returned to trustees, would be ensuring the board does not return to its previous financial position. Massé also said he wants the next group of trustees to put greater emphasis on the board’s finances. “Not focus too much on social activists, which I think the previous trustees were involved, but really rather focused on the budget, on sustainability,” Massé said. Massé was born in Montreal and has lived in Ottawa for roughly 27 years, including the past four in Westboro. He holds a master’s degree in business accounting and said his experience on school council motivated him to become more involved in the community.

kitchissippi.com

Quaile described running for trustee under those circumstances as applying for “two different jobs” — one while the supervisor remains in place and another if local governance is restored. “The first job is going to focus a lot on ensuring that the province and board know that supervision is not the way to go,” she said. “We need proper, clear democratic channels to have our voices heard.” She said she has heard from parents struggling to obtain support for students with individual education plans, or IEPs, and other specialized needs. The debate over local decision-making has been particularly visible in the past year due to the OCDSB’s controversial Elementary Program Review. Trustees approved the overhaul in May 2025 after months of public debate. The plan would have changed boundaries and programming across the district, resulting in thousands of elementary students potentially changing schools. Plamondon cancelled the sweeping changes after taking control of the board, citing the disruption they could cause students and families. The board has instead moved toward more localized accommodation and boundary reviews. Quaile said she was pleased the larger overhaul did not proceed, but believes it was an attempt to address a much broader problem. “The EPR was a bit like rearranging the chairs on the Titanic,” she said. “I’m really glad that we aren’t fussing with those chairs anymore, but we do need to do something about the sinking ship that we’re still trapped on. That requires calling a spade a spade, calling out the underfunding as the core problem/“ Quaile said her background in political economy and more than 20 years working in the service industry have shaped how she views public education and government spending. Massé, meanwhile, is approaching the board’s challenges from a financial perspective. A Westboro resident and father of a student at Elmdale Public School, Massé is a chartered professional accountant who works for the federal government and has served on the Elmdale school council. “My strength is my background in finance and accounting,” Massé said. “I saw that our OCDSB is under control from the Ministry of Education, so I think I could make a difference or help whenever

CITY HALL

Paid parking draws mixed reactions in Westboro, Wellington West one year later BY NICHOLAS CARCHIDI

September 2026 • 12

kitchissippi.com

early a year after drivers in Westboro and Wellington West began feeding parking meters for the first time, the debate over whether paid parking is helping — or hurting — the neighbourhood’s businesses has hardly disappeared. More than 14,000 parking tickets have been issued in the area since the new system was introduced last September, according to figures provided by Bylaw Services. The data was recorded between Sept. 9, 2025 and June 30 of this year. The changes, which took effect Sept. 2, 2025, converted roughly 700 on-street parking spaces along and around Richmond Road and Wellington Street West into paid spaces. Drivers pay $3 an hour in five parking zones covering Richmond East, Richmond West, Churchill, Wellington Village and Hintonburg. The city introduced the meters following the Kitchissippi Parking Study, which found high demand for on-street spaces along the commercial corridor. The goal, city officials said, was not necessarily to discourage people from driving to the neighbourhood, but to increase turnover so spaces would become available more frequently. The parking study found increasing pressure on curbside parking as Westboro and Wellington West continue to intensify. The city projects Westboro’s population will grow by 49 per cent between 2022 and 2036, while Wellington West’s population is projected to increase by 38 per cent.

Ottawa as a whole is projected to grow by about 20 per cent over the same period. The study also found that many newer developments in the neighbourhood provide little or no parking. In Westboro, 29 per cent of developments reviewed lacked residential parking, and 71 per cent lacked visitor parking. In Wellington West, those figures climbed to 50 and 78 per cent respectively. A year after the meters arrived, however, local businesses and residents remain divided over whether charging for curbside space has improved the situation. At World of Maps on Wellington Street West, store manager Megan Bystricky said much of the initial frustration appears to have subsided. “There was a lot of push back toward the beginning of the implementation, but I haven’t heard many negative responses since the beginning of the year, said Bystricky. Others remain frustrated. Westboro resident Bonnie Laurie said she has spent two decades doing most of her shopping along Wellington Street West and Richmond Road, but believes paid parking has made visiting multiple

businesses more difficult. Laurie said she has increasingly turned to online shopping or to businesses with free parking. Those concerns aren’t new. When the meters were first introduced, local business improvement areas warned that paid parking could discourage customers from making quick stops at neighbourhood shops. Two months after implementation, the Kitchissippi Times reported that almost 3,000 tickets had already been issued. At the time, Wellington West BIA executive director Aron Slipacoff said businesses worried customers making short trips would simply continue driving until they found somewhere they could park for free. But not every business reports noticing an impact. Corrine, a manager at Home Hardware on Wellington Street West, said business has remained steady despite the changes. “Our customers are very loyal, so we get a lot of recurring visitors picking up orders or shopping in and out and getting what they need,” she said. There are signs, however, that some drivers are simply moving their vehicles elsewhere.

People ask me all the time if they can park in our spots for many things, like going to other businesses — ANTON, SUPERVISOR AT PET VALU

Some residents say they are doing their shopping elsewhere after the implementation of paid parking affected their ability to shop locally. PHOTO BY SIMON MCKEOWN.

A small private parking lot near the Home Hardware serves customers of Pet Valu and Stubbe Chocolates. Staff at both businesses say drivers regularly use the spaces before walking to businesses elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Anton, a supervisor at Pet Valu, said it happens daily and that the store owner has contacted the city about vehicles remaining in the lot beyond the posted 20-minute limit. “People ask me all the time if they can park in our spots for many things, like going to other businesses,” said Anton. Nataliia, a supervisor at Stubbe Chocolates, said she has also seen vehicles ticketed in the lot. “I know the Pet Valu manager had called bylaw many times, and it makes sense to do that because it impacts our businesses greatly,” she said. Winter created another complication. Bystricky said snow sometimes covered or reduced the available parking spaces, making an already limited supply even harder for customers to navigate. “Those instances definitely impacted customer traffic in the store,” she said.

The city has argued that some level of vacancy is precisely the point of charging for parking. Its parking strategy uses occupancy to determine where paid parking should be introduced, extended or potentially removed. Where demand is high, pricing is intended to encourage shorter stays and leave spaces available for incoming drivers. The city says it will continue to monitor parking usage and can adjust rates or hours based on demand. The changes are also bringing additional money into the city’s parking system. Ottawa’s 2025 Parking Services Annual Report found parking revenues increased 8.8 per cent following a series of changes across the city, including the introduction of paid parking in Westboro and Wellington West and expanded paid hours in other neighbourhoods. On-street

parking revenue increased by $920,000 citywide, while off-street revenue rose by $660,000. Parking revenue is used to cover the operation and maintenance of the city’s parking system, with additional money supporting the Parking Reserve Fund. For Laurie, however, the change has already affected how and where she shops. After two decades of regularly visiting businesses in Westboro and Wellington West, she now spends her time online shopping and at stores with free parking. “After 20 years of doing 90 per cent of my shopping on Wellington and Richmond Road, I have to pay at every stop. I have supported about 20 establishments along this route and never had any difficulty finding a parking spot,” she said.

Michelle Groulx withdraws from Kitchissippi council race BY CHARLIE SENACK

kitchissippi.com

13 • September 2026

Michelle Groulx has withdrawn from the race to become Kitchissippi’s next city councillor. The council hopeful announced her decision on Facebook Monday, saying “recent unforeseen circumstances” led her to step away from the race. Groulx did not elaborate on the circumstances behind her decision. She thanked residents who had supported her campaign and those who spoke with her as she knocked on doors throughout the ward. “Your kindness, encouragement, and belief in me have meant more than I can express,” she said. Groulx entered the race earlier this year as Kitchissippi prepared for its first change in representation at city hall in more than a decade. Incumbent councillor Jeff Leiper, who has represented the ward since 2014, is not seeking a fourth

term and is instead running for mayor. Despite leaving the council race, Groulx, who is chief advocate for the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (ACOBIA), indicated that she intends to remain involved in community and economic development work in Ottawa. “While my campaign is coming to an end, my commitment to Ottawa is not,” she wrote. “I look forward to continuing to contribute through the work I care deeply about — strengthening communities, supporting economic development.” There are now four names on the ballot to become Kitchissippi’s next city councillor. They include former CBC Ottawa municipal affairs reporter Joanne Chianello, former Hintonburg community association president Brian Innes, entrepreneur Subhir Uppal, and Xavier Commerford. Election day is Oct. 26.

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COMMUNITY

Bay Ward cleaning up after summer of flooding BY CHARLIE SENACK

September 2026 • 16

kitchissippi.com

hen the rain started falling again on Aug. 10, Laura Sewell went outside and watched the

Insert 1: Garbage piled up outside a Britannia-area home following the Canada Day storm. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK. Top: Emergency crews outside apartment buildings on McEwen Drive on July 2, a day after power was knocked out and basements were flooded. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Water pooling in the driveway outside Laura Sewell’s Britannia home. PROVIDED PHOTO.

Insert 2: Water being pumped out of the basement at 30 McEwen. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Below: Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles meets with victims of the flooding in west Ottawa. PHOTO BY ELLEN BOND.

water rise. The drain in the driveway of her Britannia home she shares with her neighbour was not keeping up. Before long, there was about a foot of water sitting above it, spreading across her lawn, reaching her house and flowing downhill toward neighbouring properties. For Sewell, it was a scene that had become disturbingly familiar. Just six weeks earlier, on Canada Day, four inches of water had filled the basement of the home she had owned for less than a year. “Every time it rains, you feel this feeling of dread, and you’re going down to check the basement to make sure everything’s still dry,” Sewell told KT. “I’m going out to stand on the driveway in my boots trying to clear the drain.” Nearly two months after one of the most intense rainstorms in Ottawa’s recorded history, the cleanup is far from over in some of the hardest-hit parts of the city’s west end. The first storm on July 1 dumped as much as 167 millimetres of rain on Britannia in about five hours. The city has characterized the worst of the rainfall as exceeding a one-in-200-year event. City officials have said the sheer intensity and volume of rain overwhelmed sanitary sewers, storm sewers and local drainage systems in the hardest-hit areas. In some places, the systems could no longer carry the water underground, sending it across streets and properties instead. Sewell was at her moms Crystal Beach home when the rain started. Her basement also flooded. Sewell was unaware her home might have been impacted until getting a text from a

neighbour. She returned home to see pooling in her driveway had drained, but the basement had not. At her end of the street, she said, almost every house had flooded. Sewell and one neighbour had about four inches of water. Another neighbour had water roughly thigh-deep. Sewell said her insurance company was so overwhelmed that weeks went by before an adjuster arrived. A restoration company took measurements, but nobody removed the damaged flooring or walls. Eventually, she hired someone herself. Forty-seven days after the flood, Sewell said she finally received an estimate for repairs, only to find she believed the work had been significantly under-scoped. Her basement now needs new walls, doors and flooring. But after seeing water return during the August storms, Sewell is questioning whether rebuilding it should even be the first priority. “If the city drain is going to repeatedly flood my property, then I think I need to be looking at, instead of refinishing my basement, I need to be looking at something like a sump pump or a backflow valve,” she said. “Definitely I need foundation work now.” A ONCE IN 200-YEAR STORM The scale of the cleanup became apparent across the city almost immediately after the Canada Day storm. By July 15, Ottawa reported conducting more than 3,300 wellness visits and collecting more than 2,600 tonnes of storm debris. More than 1,000 visits had been made to city information hubs and sessions established for affected residents. At a Crystal Beach home operated by Total Communication Environment, a non-profit that provides residential and other support to adults with multiple disabilities and special communication needs, the water rose rapidly.

increasingly difficult. Elevator service remains limited, with the service elevator the only elevator travelling to the ground floor, according to residents. One tenant said she knows of roughly 30 people planning to move out of the building over the next month.

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A LACK OF PROVINCIAL SUPPORT Provincial disaster relief has become one of the biggest sources of frustration. Ontario activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program following the July 1 storm, but only for properties in the Graham Creek and Stillwater Creek areas. The program can reimburse eligible homeowners, tenants, small businesses, farms and non-profits for some emergency, cleanup and essential repair costs not covered by insurance. That leaves residents in several of the west-end communities hit hardest by flooding outside the designated area. Ottawa-West Nepean MPP Chandra Pasma has been collecting petition signatures and residents’ stories while urging the province to expand the disaster assistance program to include everyone affected by the July 1 flooding. She also brought Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles to Ottawa West—Nepean to meet directly with residents and hear about the financial and emotional toll the disaster has taken. “It has a real impact and not just in terms of financial, but emotional, mental, physical, needing to throw away things that were incredibly meaningful and valuable, to fighting the insurance company, fighting the province, and feeling like people just had no help,” Pasma said. Pasma said what has particularly frustrated her is that senior provincial officials have not come to the affected west-end neighbourhoods to see the damage firsthand. “The premier hasn’t come, the Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response didn’t come, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing — and all three of them were in Ottawa for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference this weekend,” Pasma said. “In fact, Jill Dunlop ran a tabletop exercise on emergency response, but none of them could be bothered to come and actually meet with people who had been affected.”

kitchissippi.com

Robin Barrett, the organization’s executive director, said what began as a small amount of water became about a foot and a half of sewage in a short period of time. The five residents living there had to leave. They were split among other TCE properties while staff dealt with the emergency. The organization operates numerous locations across Ottawa, several of which were also dealing with water during the storm. The Crystal Beach house was uninhabitable for more than 10 days. Its furnace, hot water heater and air conditioner had to be replaced. Fireprotection equipment was also damaged. Flooring and drywall needed to be ripped out, and the washer and dryer were lost. The final repair bill is expected to reach roughly $55,000 to $60,000. That does not include all of the costs TCE faced elsewhere. “We’d like to see really good investment into that area,” Barrett said. “What was interesting is we have a newer property that’s also in Crystal Beach that has all of the things that it needs to manage water, and it did not sustain any damage at all.” Bay Ward Coun. Theresa Kavanagh told KT that questions about aging infrastructure are now being raised throughout her ward. Lakeview is one example. Unlike neighbourhoods with conventional underground stormwater systems, parts of the community still rely on roadside ditches. Kavanagh had been pushing for ditch renewal before the Canada Day flood and said work is planned there. Crystal Beach presents different questions because it does have storm sewers. “It never had flooding before, so why now?” Kavanagh said. “You know, 60 years, people have been in their houses.” Perhaps nowhere has the long tail of the Canada Day storm been more visible than at 30 McEwen Ave. The 228-unit Park West apartment tower was heavily flooded on July 1, with water covering its main floor and basement and knocking out the building’s electrical transformer. The basement and first floor remain closed because of the damage. Laundry facilities are unavailable and the garbage chute is not functioning. Residents say general maintenance has also become

EARLY DAYS

September 2026 • 18

kitchissippi.com

The forgotten builders who helped shape Kitchissippi Farley & Davis built more than 100 homes across Ottawa, many of which still define west-end neighbourhoods a century later

BY DAVE ALLSTON

he 1920s and 1930s were a period of major growth in Ottawa’s west end. The economy was strong, and building space was plentiful. Many chose to build their homes themselves. They had plans drawn up or used a standard kit. Many simply winged it. There was also, of course, the option of purchasing an older home of unknown quality in a period when standards were low. Yet, for a soaring middle class, having a professionally built house in a higher-class neighbourhood was desirable, and an escape from soaring rents. Names such as Younghusband, Noffke and Bower were prolific in building some of the stately homes that still contribute to the character of neighbourhoods like Wellington Village, Civic Hospital, Island Park Drive and Hampton-Iona today. However, one of the era's top and most

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A photo of houses just built on Heron Ave. S.

Farley and Davis.

A photo of a double wedding taken in 1911.

PHOTOS 1 THROUGH 3: PROVIDED BY BARBARA BROWNLEE AND DIANE CALLAHAN.

4 & 5. : Ottawa Citizen advertisements from 1934 and 1936 advertising the homes that were built.

September 2026 • 20

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The forgotten builders Continues from page 19 Here at 1281 Wellington, for the next 20 years, Charlie and his family would both reside and operate the small headquarters office for his new firm with his new partner, Edgar Davis. Edgar James Davis was born in Portloe, England, in 1886 and came to Canada in 1906, taking on masonry jobs in Ottawa. In 1915, a year into the First World War, Davis enlisted. He joined a unique unit, the 2nd Division Cyclist Company, which, as the name suggests, used bicycles to travel quickly to perform scouting, dispatch communications and provide support to the front lines. This unit demanded high cardiovascular endurance and strength. However, Davis was discharged after just three weeks, noted as being “unlikely to become an efficient soldier.” Davis returned to Hintonburg and worked for various

contractors in Ottawa before leading his own home-building projects. Soon after moving to Wellington, Farley became very active in building houses in the immediate neighbourhood. One of the first houses he built was the brick bungalow at 10 Clarendon over the winter of 1924-25. Meanwhile, Edgar Davis was constructing 39 Julian on his own. Sometime in the summer of 1926, Farley and Davis decided to combine forces and establish a house-building firm, Farley & Davis. Barbara Brownlee is unsure how the pair met. They may have been related in some way, but they became not only great partners, but the best of friends. “The two are buried side-by-side at Pinecrest Cemetery,” notes Barbara. The first project Farley and Davis worked on together was the construction of 19 and

21 Harmer Avenue North. These two fine houses were built in the fall of 1926. Their next two years of building included more houses on Harmer, at numbers 25 and 41, as well as houses on Granville (21), Kenora (16), Julian, Grange, Warren and Parkdale. The two were certainly contributing extensively to the construction boom in Wellington Village in the 1920s. This was how many home builders at the time commonly operated. They would acquire a lot and build one house. Once completed, they would purchase another lot — and at the time, there were still ample empty lots available in the area, typically for well under $500 apiece — and the process would begin again. If the builder had trouble selling the home, they might move into it and sell their own house. Previous research has shown some small-time builders living at a new address practically every year! However, when times were prosperous, the builders were never at a loss for work. The demand for fine housing was strong. Though the Great Depression hit in 1929, it did not seem to slow business much for Farley & Davis. The early 1930s saw the pair continuing to build, both within Kitchissippi and beyond it, constructing houses in Old Ottawa South and Britannia. They were particularly busy in the Civic Hospital area, south of what is now the Queensway. In 1935, they purchased a block of eight lots on Huron Avenue South and built eight houses, including 382, 386 and 388. They also built many homes on Harmer and Hinton, as well as on Byron (26 and 28) and at least three homes on Island Park Drive (741, 745 and 749).

In 1939, when the new St. Matthias Church was built on Parkdale Avenue, Farley was heavily involved, and again in 1951 when a new rectory was constructed. The firm remained busy until 1942, but the scarcity of building materials made home building a challenge. The pair decided to fold Farley & Davis for the duration of the war. Undaunted by his previous experience, Davis, now in his mid-50s, enlisted in the RCAF, which enthusiastically gave him oversight of the construction of airfields and training stations. “Now he has all the building materials he needs, with no priorities or permits to worry about,” reported the Citizen. According to Barbara Brownlee, Charlie was a great family man and sentimental. “He was very sentimental. When he built 188 Huron [which remains in the family today], it was a unique little house. I remember the stained glass window going up the stairs was a rose, and my grandmother was named Rose. It didn’t hit me until later that he had done that for her.” Farley also became increasingly involved with the Masons, and specifically Ionic Lodge No. 526, out of the Westboro Masonic Hall on Churchill Avenue. His family even recalls he likely contributed to the building’s construction, or at least lent a hand during later renovation projects. Following the war, it appears Farley & Davis took on a few, if any, new homebuilding projects. They did maintain a handful of homes rented to tenants, but, interestingly, Edgar Davis saw an area of need and became one of Ottawa’s first house inspectors! He began offering his services as an inspector and valuator, boasting that he could provide “advice given on safe amounts to put on mortgages.” “If you are buying or building a home, let a reliable builder inspect it for you at a small fee,” he advertised. There would have been few in Ottawa with Davis's knowledge and expertise—a fun way to stay busy during quasi-retirement. Farley died in 1963 and Davis in 1968, but their important legacy lives on in the many beautiful Kitchissippi homes they built during the golden years of our neighbourhood.

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Upstream Ottawa Mental Health Community Support is a part of your community and has been providing mental health and substance-use health supports to youth, adults, and families across Ottawa since 1985! We are inviting you to support us at the Upstream Classic, our most important fundraiser of the year, in one of these ways: Golfers: Register your golf foursome for $800 (no HST) Businesses: Become a sponsor to bring your clients out for a day and get some great marketing benefits. If you can’t join us, consider donating an item for our silent auction instead — a huge help! Interested? Please contact Jake Naylor at jnaylor@upstreamottawa.ca or 613-325-0555 and he will provide you with all the tournament details.

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21 • September 2026

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COMMUNITY

Meet some of the vendors at Westboro’s Farmers Market BY REILLY ARMSTRONG

September 2026 • 22

kitchissippi.com

y the time the first shoppers wander beneath the trees at Byron Linear Tramway Park on Saturday morning, many of the farmers waiting behind the market’s white tents have already been working for hours. There are vegetables to harvest and pack, animals to feed and move, trucks to load and stalls to assemble. Then, for six hours each Saturday, the people who grow, raise and make the food become its salespeople, too. For many vendors at the Westboro Farmers’ Market, what sits on their tables represents far more than a product for sale. It is the result of months — sometimes years — of work, and a livelihood built from the ground up. Jaymie Thurler knows firsthand how much work goes into getting food from a farm to a market table. The owner of Rutabaga Ranch grew up on a dairy farm in Brinston, about an hour south of Ottawa, where farming was part of everyday life. “I did that my whole childhood… that’s what my parents did, what my brothers do. And I wasn’t in line to take over the family farm, cause I was a girl,” said Thurler. “I just kind of fell into vegetables, and it seemed like the easiest, cheapest entry point for us to become farmers.” Thurler and her husband, Robert Henderson, eventually found their own way into agriculture, purchasing a property in Brinston in 2019 and building Rutabaga Ranch into a certified-organic vegetable farm. Today, the farm grows more than 45 crops, including some less commonly grown

locally, such as organic ginger. Despite the financial and personal challenges that come with starting a farm, Thurler says she has no plans to leave agriculture. Part of the reason is the life she wants to give her young son. “I want him to be outside. I want his feet on the earth. I want him to protect his little time on earth to just be as a human should be.” For some of the farmers who arrive in Westboro each Saturday, market day begins long before the tents go up. Trevor Cooper starts around 6 a.m., moving his sheep and pigs onto fresh pasture before packing up for the trip to Ottawa. Cooper, owner of Terraform Farm, has been farming and selling at farmers’ markets since 2016. He raises grass-fed Katahdin lambs and heritage pigs, using rotational grazing practices that regularly move the animals onto fresh sections of pasture. Despite the long days, Cooper says coming to Westboro gives him something farm work often does not: face-to-face interaction with the people who eat the food he raises. “That’s the real value of coming to the market, is getting to have that contact,” said Cooper. “(It’s) kind of my outing and socialization for the week.” The connection goes both ways. Vendors say Westboro customers have become a dependable part of their

businesses, showing up each Saturday even when the weather is less than cooperative. 1 “Rain (or) shine, this is where they come to spend some money and get good food… Westboro really shows up,” said Thurler. After nearly a decade at the market, Stuart Oke, co-founder of Rooted Oak Farm, says one of Westboro’s greatest strengths is its location. Rather than being separated from the community, the market unfolds each Saturday in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. “What’s good about this market in particular is that it’s situated in the middle of a neighbourhood. Lots of people come here weekly and are doing their shopping. It’s part of their routine, which is what you want,” said Oke. “People that are sort of interested in knowing how their food is produced – there’s accountability here, because all the producers that sell here are the ones who grow it.” That model is at the heart of the Ottawa Farmers’ Market organization, which operates Westboro along with markets at Lansdowne, Main Street, Orléans and

Barrhaven. The organization is produceronly, meaning the people behind the stalls are the people who grew, raised or made what they are selling. Products also come from within 100 kilometres of Ottawa. For shoppers like David Hadden, that local connection is part of the appeal. He and his wife have been coming to Westboro for years. “These are the local spots now,” said Hadden. “You’re just supporting your local community… the local farmers.” For Greer Knox, that connection between producer and customer is something she has watched develop almost from the market’s beginning. Knox, who sells homemade pickles, jams and jellies, was among its earliest vendors. She believes being able to meet the person responsible for the food on the table is central to what a farmers’ market should be. “What I really like about it is that there’s no reselling. You know where it comes from, you meet the farmer, you meet the processor at the market. (I think) that’s very important – that people know where their food is coming from. And understand that local is healthier,” said Knox. “It’s authentic, too.” To Knox, supporting local agriculture is about more than what shoppers take home in their bags each Saturday. It is also about whether small farms can continue to exist. “If people don’t buy from and support

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Locals shopping for produce at Microgreens.

PHOTO BY REILLY ARMSTRONG.

Darien Gibson and Chris Bentley holding goods at the Westboro Farmers’ Market. PHOTO BY REILLY ARMSTRONG.

Produce at Rutabaga Ranch.

Rutabaga Ranch grows more than 45 kinds of crops.

PHOTO BY REILLY ARMSTRONG.

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23 • September 2026

relationships are ultimately what make the long hours worthwhile. A farmers’ market allows producers to do something that is largely absent when food travels through conventional grocerystore supply chains: meet the people who ultimately eat what they grow. “It’s cool to see people coming back week after week, (who) come back year after year,” said Bailie. “(To) see people, see the relationship they’re having with our food – we’re literally feeding our community.” The Westboro Farmers’ Market runs Saturdays from May through October, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Byron Linear Park.

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kitchissippi.com

local vendors, you will have no local farmers,” she said. When Knox first began selling at the market, she was looking for a way to help support the rescued horses on her North Gower farm. Over the years, she says she has watched markets create opportunities for a new generation of farmers. “The average age of a farmer in this area was probably close to 60. And so, farming was going to die out,” she said. “We’ve encouraged young people to get into farming… there is an opportunity to make a good living as a farmer.” For David Bailie, who runs Vintage Soil Farm with his partner Isabelle Rodé, those

Greer Knox sells homemade jams and jellies at the market.

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Westboro and Tunney’s Pasture become the scene of the crime in new mystery anthology BY CHARLIE SENACK

September 2026 • 26

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estboro might seem like an unlikely place for a disappearance. The tree-lined streets are quiet, the houses picture-perfect, and, on most days, the biggest mystery might be finding a parking spot along Richmond Road. But somewhere behind that peaceful façade, a man named Raymond has vanished. A few kilometres away at Tunney’s Pasture, a police officer and his granddaughter have a mystery of their own to solve at Statistics Canada. Across the city, there is more trouble along the Rideau Canal, at Lansdowne Park and even at the Tulip Festival. Thankfully, it’s all fiction. The imagined crimes are among 23 stories included in A Capital Mystery Volume 2, a new anthology that once again hands Ottawa over to local mystery writers and lets them do their worst. The book is the follow-up to A Capital Mystery, which was released last fall and brought together 21 Ottawa writers who transformed familiar neighbourhoods, landmarks and institutions into settings for fictional crime. Mike Martin, co-editor of both volumes, said the response to the first book made a sequel an easy case to solve. “I think what’s different about this particular book is that there were more new authors,” Martin told KT. “The other

Andrew Kohut and Jennifer Jorgensen both set their murder mysteries around Tunney’s Pasture. PHOTO BY SIMON MCKEOWN.

thing I would say is that the last time the stories were more spread out, some more suburban and rural Ottawa. This time, more of the stories are set in what I would call the downtown core.” That includes Parliament Hill, the ByWard Market and Rideau Canal. Organizers are hoping to create a map showing readers where the stories take place and are also planning a mystery walk with Susan Johnson, who leads historical walking tours in Ottawa. The walk would take readers to the settings of four or five stories in

downtown, allowing them to see the fictional crime scenes for themselves. “Ottawa itself has a dichotomy, which is this quiet, staid civil service town, you know, and nothing happens. And that’s not true,” he said. “As we all know, anybody who lives here knows that’s not true, but that’s the image.” SOMETHING SINISTER IN WESTBORO For local author Jennifer Jorgensen, the mystery begins inside a suburban Westboro home.

Her contribution moves between the past and present and centres on Louisa, whose husband, Raymond, has been missing for more than a week. As she waits for answers, the disappearance brings back memories of the last time police came to her home. Jorgensen lives in Barrhaven, but Westboro was not chosen at random. Her husband spent part of his childhood in the neighbourhood, and a recent drive past his former home gave her an idea. “I thought, what a quaint little pictureperfect community this looks like,” she

said. “And then I was percolating a story in my head about something. And I thought, it’s always the perfect, picture-perfect, unassuming places that have the deepest, darkest undertones and secrets to draw out of. So I thought it’s a perfect place to set my story.” The inspiration for the story itself came from a considerably more mundane activity: organizing her house after both of her children left for university. Jorgensen said the process got her thinking about the idea that everything has its place — not only around the house but in life — and about the need to reassess where things belong from time to time. That became an overarching theme for Louisa’s story and the mystery surrounding her husband’s disappearance. Jorgensen has been writing in one form or another since childhood. Growing up in British Columbia, she entered a writing contest at a local children’s bookstore when she was about 10. She didn’t win, but received an honourable mention. After moving to Ottawa and having children, she continued writing whenever she could and eventually joined a writers’ group. That led her to Capital Crime Writers, where she has been a member for about 12 years. She later placed third in the organization’s Audrey Jessup Short Story Contest.

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FROM STATISTICS TO STORYTELLING A few kilometres east of Westboro, another mystery unfolds in a place Andrew Kohut knows particularly well. Kohut spent 34 years working at Statistics Canada, much of it at Tunney’s Pasture. After retiring a few years ago, he

started writing short stories for fun. His wife came across the call for submissions and encouraged him to submit one. There was just one problem: after a career spent working with numbers, Kohut wanted to write fiction about something entirely different. “I’d had enough working with numbers. I wanted to write stories,” he said. “But they say you should write about what you know. So I set my story at Statistics Canada.” His contribution begins when someone calls the police with a complaint for investigation by the federal agency. The officer dispatched to the call has an unusual partner in tow: his granddaughter, whom he is looking after for the day. Together, the unlikely crime-solving duo set about cracking the mystery. Kohut had always enjoyed writing, dating back to high school, but chose what he considered a more practical path when he went to university. That eventually led to Statistics Canada, where he worked on surveys in a variety of fields for more than three decades. Writing remained in the background through letters and poems, but there was little time for stories. Kohut has since had another story and several micro-stories published and has won prizes through Capital Crime Writers. But he has no plans to turn his retirement hobby into a second career. “I’m going to keep writing because I enjoy doing it, but I am retired, so I’m not going to make this a career or anything,” he said. “I do it for fun, and I share it with people, friends and family and stuff, and they seem to enjoy them. They say they do.” A Capital Mystery Volume 2 book launch will be held Sept. 17 at the Metropolitan Brasserie in Downtown Ottawa. The book is expected to be available for readers to purchase on Sept. 16.

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Ten years after Abdi’s death, advocates ask what has changed BY AMANDA MCLEOD

kitchissippi.com

September 2026 • 28

en years after Abdirahman Abdi died following a violent encounter with Ottawa police, advocates say many of the reforms recommended in the aftermath remain unfinished, raising renewed questions about how officers respond to people experiencing mental health crises. Abdi, a 38-year-old Somali-Canadian man, died in hospital on July 25, 2016, one day after an encounter with Ottawa Police Service officers outside his Hintonburg apartment building. His death galvanized Ottawa’s Somali and Black communities and became a rallying point for calls to reform police responses to mental health crises, use-offorce practices and systemic anti-Black racism. A decade later, Ifrah Yusuf, chair of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, says that work is far from over. “The Ottawa Police Service has a lot of work to do to fully implement the recommendations that were set forth by the inquest,” Yusuf told KT. “We see a lot of the recommendations still in progress — none are considered fully implemented.” The coalition was formed following a town hall meeting held by Ottawa’s Somali community in the days after Abdi’s death. Yusuf, who attended that meeting, says its calls for change remain relevant 10 years later. A DEATH THAT SPARKED CALLS FOR CHANGE Abdi emigrated from Somalia in 2009 and settled in Hintonburg, where he found work at a local car wash. On July 24, 2016, police were called to the Bridgehead coffee shop at Fairmont Avenue and Wellington Street West after reports that a man was groping women in and around the coffee shop. Abdi left and was followed to his Hilda

Abdirahman Abdi died in hospital on July 25, 2016, after an encounter with police outside his Hilda Street apartment. PROVIDED PHOTO. Justice for Abdirahman Coalition organizers hold a banner outside 55 Hilda St. on the fourth anniversary of his death. FILE PHOTO BY MAUREEN MCEWAN. Street apartment building, where two officers attempted to arrest him. During the confrontation, Const. Daniel Montsion struck Abdi several times. Abdi lost vital signs and was transported to hospital, where he died the following day. Montsion was later charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault and

assault with a weapon. He was acquitted on all charges in 2020. A mandatory coroner’s inquest into Abdi’s death began in November 2024, more than eight years after he died. The jury classified his death as a homicide — a finding that, in the context of an inquest, does not assign criminal or civil responsibility.

The jury determined Abdi’s cause of death was a combination of post-cardiac arrest brain injury following blunt-force trauma and physical exertion, with underlying coronary artery disease contributing. A psychiatrist who reviewed the case testified that Abdi’s behaviour that day was characteristic of someone experiencing schizophrenia. His family and healthcare providers had confirmed he was experiencing hallucinations and symptoms of psychosis. The inquest produced 57 recommendations, including 28 directed specifically at OPS, calling for changes to mental health crisis response, training, data collection and accountability, while addressing anti-Black racism and biases toward people experiencing mental illness. Lawrence Greenspon, the lawyer who represented Abdi’s family during the inquest and in a civil lawsuit against the city, says the shortcomings the recommendations sought to address were hardly new. “It should have been painfully evident that they were dealing with somebody who had mental health issues — that became one of the focuses of the inquest. Systemically, there has been, for the longest time, a problem with the police’s ability to respond to people who have mental health issues,” said Greenspon. Greenspon says he has met with the last four police chiefs, who have shared statistics showing that 75 to 90 per cent of calls the OPS receives involve people who are experiencing mental health crises. “The average police officer responding to the call simply doesn’t have the training to be able to handle the situation,” he continued. OPS POINTS TO CHANGES — BUT ADVOCATES WANT MORE Ottawa police say work is underway to respond to the inquest’s recommendations. The force has pointed to its Mental Health C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative, which brings together police and community partners to improve

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The city’s Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response program, known as ANCHOR, launched in August 2024 as a 24hour community-led alternative for certain mental health and substance-use crises. The Abdi inquest later recommended OPS continue referring suitable mental-health calls to the program. In its first year, ANCHOR received 4,464 calls. Of 1,874 calls where crisis workers were dispatched, more than 92 per cent were handled without police involvement. Yusuf says the coalition has advocated for approaches similar to CAHOOTS — Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets — an Oregon-based mobile crisis intervention program where crisis workers and medical personnel can respond to appropriate calls without police. “Another aspect is race-based training. We want to see the police being trained on racial sensitivities and cultural sensitivities,” said Yusuf. “Ottawa is a very diverse city, with people from all walks of life. Something that would also be very important is for the [training] curriculum to be mindful of that.” The inquest similarly called for training incorporating anti-Black racism, intercultural competency and traumainformed approaches. The coalition has also created a postsecondary bursary awarded twice a year to “students who identify as Black, who are active in their community and are passionate about social advocacy.” A decade after the meeting that brought the coalition together, Yusuf says community support has helped sustain its work. “The community has been standing by us, and it means a lot. It shows that the work is meaningful and resonates with folks in Ottawa,” said Yusuf.

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interactions with people experiencing mental health crises. The OPS said the initiative has been meeting since September 2025 “to focus on providing advice and recommendations that improve police interactions.” The force has also increased staffing in its Mental Health Crisis Unit, which works with The Ottawa Hospital’s Mobile Crisis Response Team. “As a result of the increased staffing and operational restructuring, joint responses have increased from an average of approximately 250 annually to approximately 450 annually,” the statement read. The unit has trained 50 officers in crisis intervention. OPS has roughly 1,600 sworn officers. For Greenspon, that is insufficient. “Whatever percentage that is — if it’s two per cent, or I don’t know — but it’s not enough and it’s not reflective of the recommendations that were made by the jury,” said Greenspon. “If the majority of their calls are dealing with mental health, then the officers need to have the training. Officers are doing a very difficult job … if they don’t have the training, it’s a recipe for tragedy,” he continued. OPS also began a body-worn camera pilot in November 2025 involving members of its Crisis Intervention Team and selected officers in response to recommendations from the inquest. But Yusuf says community trust remains shaken and wants greater transparency about OPS training. “What concrete changes have been made in their use-of-force curriculum, training and definitions in order for our communities to feel safe around them?” said Yusuf. “It would build more trust if they were more transparent with their programs.” Another change has occurred outside the police service.

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Residents and business owners in Chinatown say social disorder has only gotten worse over the summer. KT FILE PHOTO. Police responding to an incident on Somerset Street. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Chinatown residents and businesses say public safety concerns persist BY NICHOLAS CARCHIDI

September 2026 • 30

kitchissippi.com

n little more than a year, much has changed within a few blocks of Ottawa’s Chinatown. A supervised consumption site closed its doors. A new provincial addiction treatment hub opened in its place. A controversial safer-supply

clinic moved into the neighbourhood, changed ownership and faced calls for investigation. But despite the changes, residents and businesses say the effects of Ottawa’s opioid crisis remain highly visible on Chinatown streets. Ryan Turley, president of the Dalhousie Community Association,

lives just steps from the Somerset West Community Health Centre and around the corner from New Dawn Medical. Turley said he continues to see open drug use, discarded paraphernalia and people overdosing on neighbourhood streets. “Just yesterday, I had to call 911 because there was somebody, a potential

overdose, around the corner from my house,” Turley told KT. Business owners tell similar stories. Dennis La has operated New Pho Bo Ga La in Chinatown for more than two decades. “I’ve been here 26 years, and things haven’t gotten better,” La said. “I had someone break in through our windows once and also had others smash cars parked close by that belonged to customers.” Phong Chau of Hoang Lan Jewellery said people openly inject drugs near his store and regularly gather outside its entrance. “A lot of them stand in front of my front door, which isn’t good for business,” Chau said. Ottawa police data has historically shown higher crime rates in Somerset than the city as a whole. Data obtained through a freedom-of-information request found a rate of about 5,079 incidents per 100,000 residents in Somerset, compared with 4,430 citywide — about 14 per cent higher.

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SEARCHING FOR A WAY FORWARD The Chinatown BIA has been pressing Ottawa police for greater visibility, and Li said there has been some improvement since May. But he wants a more permanent police presence, including regular foot patrols and potentially a neighbourhood police office or community safety point. “If a dependable public-safety presence cannot be established, I am concerned that the BIA may eventually have to consider hiring a private security company,” Li said. That could mean diverting BIA money currently spent on street cleaning, public art, cultural programming and events. Turley said police are only part of the answer. He would also like more social workers and outreach workers regularly on neighbourhood streets. The city has expanded its 24-hour Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response, or ANCHOR, program, which dispatches community-based teams to mental-health and substance-use calls across a larger portion of central Ottawa. Turley said he would like to see that kind of street-level support continue, while also calling for greater accountability from New Dawn. “I think that if that clinic can’t be reformed and they can’t start delivering services in an accountable manner that they should be shut down,” Turley said. Li said governments also need to improve access to addiction treatment, mental-health care, recovery programs and supportive housing. “People struggling with addiction need effective treatment and support, while residents, employees, customers and smallbusiness owners have an equal right to safe and accessible public spaces,” he said.

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and reopened as New Dawn Medical. Turley said residents have not seen the improvement they hoped for. “We haven’t seen a slowdown,” he said. “The issue of diversion and dealing around that clinic is as bad or worse than ever.” The Dalhousie Community Association is not opposed to safer supply, Turley stressed, but has concerns with the current model. “We want to put that front and centre, that we’re not against it in principle,” he said. “And we think that there are ways that it could be done properly. But we don’t support the current model that’s being used.” Turley said the association is concerned about oversight, wraparound supports and whether prescribed medication is reaching the illicit drug market. “I don’t think the clinic is doing enough to prevent the diversion and the drugs falling into the hands of drug dealers or being traded for harder drugs,” Turley said. “I don’t think there’s enough wraparound care being provided to the clients.” McKenney and Troster previously called on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to investigate New Dawn over concerns about prescribing practices and alleged diversion. New provincial rules also came into effect this June requiring physicians prescribing narcotics as safer supply to personally conduct an initial in-person assessment and repeat that assessment at least every three months. Some Dalhousie residents have also filed complaints with provincial regulators, Turley said. “We’d like to see more action from whatever level of government can address that,” he said. “We’d like to see more action from the government to investigate what we’re seeing.”

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A CHANGING ADDICTION LANDSCAPE Somerset West Community Health Centre previously operated a supervised consumption and treatment site at 55 Eccles St. It closed on March 31, 2025, after the Ontario government prohibited supervised consumption sites within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres. Somerset West transitioned the following day into one of the province’s new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment, or HART, Hubs, which offer treatment, primary care, mental-health and housing supports but do not allow supervised drug consumption or safer supply. The closure coincided with an increase in overdose calls nearby. City data previously obtained by the Kitchissippi Times showed paramedics responded to 106 overdose calls in the immediate Somerset West area between March 1 and Sept. 30, 2025, compared with 89 during the same period a year earlier — an increase of about 19 per cent. The number of supervised consumption sites downtown has since dwindled further. On June 12, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and Ottawa Inner City Health closed Ottawa’s two remaining provincially funded consumption and treatment sites after Ontario suspended funding for CTS sites

in communities already served by a HART Hub. Some Chinatown residents and businesses believe those closures have put additional pressure on Somerset, although Turley said he cannot confirm whether people previously accessing the Sandy Hill site have moved into the neighbourhood. Turley nevertheless questions removing supervised consumption while continuing to offer other addiction services. “I would rather have a consumption and treatment site than just a HART Hub on its own because I feel like there are people that are going to use the services of the HART Hub, but they are also people who use hard drugs,” he said. Without somewhere to consume those drugs, he said people instead go “around the corner, down the street, to a parking lot, wherever, and use there.” New Dawn Medical has faced a different set of concerns. The clinic began as Northwood Recovery, which opened in Hintonburg in September 2024 and prescribed hydromorphone, commonly sold as Dilaudid, as an alternative to toxic street opioids such as fentanyl. Northwood moved to 838 Somerset St. W. in March 2025 after Hintonburg residents raised concerns about drug dealing, discarded prescription bottles and the alleged diversion of medication. Somerset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster and Ottawa Centre MPP Catherine McKenney subsequently pushed for greater security, wraparound support and measures to prevent prescribed drugs from being diverted. Northwood announced in June 2025 that its Ottawa clinic would close, but the facility instead changed ownership

2026-0111

But much of what residents and businesses describe does not fit neatly into crime statistics. Chinatown BIA executive director Yukang Li said problems with overdoses, open drug use and discarded paraphernalia are nothing new. “Frankly, I have seen no meaningful improvement in those conditions over the past seven or eight years,” Li said.

COMMUNITY

Carleton Tavern development proposal scaled back BY CHARLIE SENACK

he developer behind a controversial proposal to redevelop the Carleton Tavern block has revised its plans, reducing the height of the project’s signature tower while leaving many other elements of the proposal unchanged. New documents recently submitted to the City of Ottawa show the proposed tower at 340 Parkdale Ave. would now rise 32 storeys, down from the 38-storey building first proposed earlier this year. The revised submission also includes

an updated Transportation Impact Assessment, but retains the six-storey podiums wrapping the base of the building and the planned Privately Owned Public Space that would create a new public gathering area on the site. The application covers the entire block bounded by Parkdale Avenue, Armstrong Street, Hamilton Avenue North and Spencer Street. It would require the demolition of the Carleton Tavern, along with several neighbouring commercial buildings, to make way for a mixed-use development featuring hundreds of new apartments and ground-

floor commercial space. When the proposal was first unveiled in February, it called for a 38-storey tower containing approximately 465 residential units, four levels of underground parking with about 322 vehicle spaces, nearly 500 bicycle parking spaces and a new public plaza. Although the tower has been shortened by six storeys, the revised plans suggest the overall vision for the site remains largely intact. The Carleton Tavern’s owners say the building cannot realistically be incorporated

into the redevelopment. Taggart president Jeff Parkes said the soil and underground water at the site, which covers nearly an acre, are contaminated and need to be remediated, “which involves excavating about four storeys deep across the entire property.” The Urban Design Review Panel has previously endorsed the overall site planning approach, including plans to reinterpret elements of the Carleton Tavern within the redevelopment and frame the new public space, while encouraging continued refinement of the podium design.

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A heritage home in a new build

HOMES

Heritage home When she couldn’t find an old home she could love, designer Sonya Kinkade built a replica one instead

HOMES & CONDOS • September 2026 • 36

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By Patrick Langston An entire kitchen design inspired by a stove? Seems unlikely, but that was what happened when Sonya Kinkade, owner of Sonya Kinkade Design, planned her rural home near Ashton. Winner in a custom home category at the 2025 Ottawa Housing Design Awards, the home is a quiet haven on a large, well-treed property dubbed Pine View Acres. Kinkade and her family moved into the home, which was built by her husband’s company, D.E. Kinkade Konstruction Ltd., only two years ago, but the welcoming space has a distinctly heritage feel. That’s thanks in no small part to the elegant kitchen, which is framed by repurposed, hand-hewn barn posts and beam and anchored by a commanding 48-inch Italian ILVE Nostalgie II range with unlacquered brass hardware that promises to acquire a rich patina as it ages. “The range is the star of the show,” says Kinkade, a multi-award winner specializing in luxury interior design. “I had it in storage forever.” As to designing the kitchen around it, she says, “Yeah, that’s how I roll.” Abutting the range is lightcoloured custom cabinetry with Shaker-style doors built by Lauysen Kitchens. Kinkade opted for Shaker doors because they are timeless and an ideal match for the heritage ambience that defines her home. A mix of woods, including oak, and varied stains in the kitchen create texture. “I always mix woods as long as it's within the same family and they make sense together. It creates a lot of interest and again,

age. It looks like one was applied one year and then 10 years later something else was done. I didn't want everything to be brand new, even though it is.” While a quick glance at the kitchen might not reveal it, because of construction considerations the area around the range is asymmetrical — an esthetic problem when our eye is used to symmetry. Her beloved range, for instance, is off-centre, as is the island in front of it. Kinkade resolved the issue through strategies such as insetting the cabinetry to the right of the range and keeping to a light palette so it recedes into the background, leaving the range and the wooden beam above it to create a visually satisfying symmetry. The island achieves its own balance thanks to the wood cabinet to its left and the lamps above. “There were lots of design changes,” says Kinkade with a laugh. “I kept changing my mind.” In the end, the kitchen is a lovely example of what design wizardry can do with a challenging space. Like the range, the antique, bi-fold French doors leading to the adjoining walk-in pantry are European and were part of an inventory Kinkade had stashed away over the years until she had a home large enough and appropriately designed to showcase them. The pantry, which includes cabinetry by Laurysen, a smaller version of the kitchen’s apron sink and gleaming small appliances, grew larger when Kinkade realized she could steal space from an adjacent garage — another of her

multiple design changes. She uses the space as a second kitchen when she’s entertaining and doesn’t want a mess in the main kitchen. While she can’t name a single favourite spot in the 2,500-squarefoot home, “I’ve always loved our little pantry because of its ‘treasure wall.’” That wall features reproductions of old paintings, antique timepieces and kitchenware, and her late mother’s handwritten recipe for cranberry pie. “She died when I was young. It's just handwritten, but I wanted it to be like that. A lot of the things in here are family things.” Items from long ago enrich other areas of the home, which blends heritage with a contemporary open-concept layout in the main living area. Old books and clocks — the latter a reminder of passing time — line the bookshelves around the living room fireplace with its custom-made replica of a European mantelpiece and stone surround that has been over-mortared to give it an old appearance. A large blackand-white photo of her late fatherin-law as a youngster on a sled, likely taken in the 1930s or ’40s and housed in a well-aged frame, also graces the living room, prompting Kinkade to say, “I like anything with history.” The dining area includes a large, repainted cupboard that Kinkade

ABOVE: The claw-foot bathtub in the ensuite sat in storage until Kinkade had a home suitable for it. LEFT: The pantry’s “treasure wall” with the cranberry pie recipe in the upper right corner. discovered in Almonte, while the master bedroom sports an antique fireplace mantel that Kinkade has left, chipped paint and all, as she found it. “I liked all the years and years it's been hanging around before me that gave it that character, and I didn't want to touch it.” The ensuite, with its claw-foot bathtub and antique French doors, speak of character and history as well. “I love old English homes,” says Kinkade, explaining she’d long hankered for a heritage home but couldn’t find one whose character hadn’t suffered over-renovation or had other drawbacks. “So, finally, after looking and looking, I said, ‘Why don't we just find the land, and we'll build something ourselves that replicates what I want?’” With its gleaming shiplap and stone exterior, generous windows, a three-season sunroom with walls of rough-cut pine and that magnificent range, the home wound up being exactly what she wanted.

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A daytrip to Ashton and Carleton Place By Patrick Langston Sonya Kinkade and her family live in a lovely part of the Ottawa Valley, with easy access to both Ashton and Carleton Place. If you’re looking for an easy day trip, why not head to both spots?

the Ottawa Valley, it serves traditionally brewed IPAs, brown ale and more, offers scrumptious pub fare and takeout, and boasts a neighbourly vibe. The village also has a scattering of historic buildings, including Christ Church, Ashton, dating to the mid-19th century.

ASHTON

CARLETON PLACE

HOMES & CONDOS • September 2026 • 38

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About 30 minutes southwest of downtown Ottawa and close to the headwaters of the Jock River, the small village of Ashton was settled in 1817. It’s now best known for the Ashton Brew Pub. One of the oldest public houses in

Ten minutes southwest of Ashton, the town of Carleton Place was settled in 1819. It’s since evolved into a town that blends older homes and businesses with contemporary housing developments and modern amenities.

Self-guided walking tours of Carleton Place’s heritage downtown include Moore House, built by the town’s founder, James Pearson Moore, and reportedly haunted by a ghost, as is the lovely CP and Beckwith Heritage Museum with more than 10,000 local artifacts. Also on the tour: The Roy Brown Museum and Information Centre, which celebrates its native son Captain Roy Brown, the First World War flying ace widely credited with shooting down the dreaded Manfred von Richthofen, aka the "Red Baron," over France.

The Mississippi River flows through two-century-old Carleton Place. PHOTO CREDIT: ALLTHINGSHOME.CA Elsewhere in and around Carleton Place are multiple walking trails, a smorgasbord of restaurants, boutique shopping, and a beach at Riverside Park along the Mississippi River, which flows through the town.

Patrick Langston is the co-founder of All Things Home Inc. The veteran journalist has covered the Ottawa housing industry since 2008.

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We wanted our residents to become part of that community rather than creating a building that turns inward. — Maureen Flanigan of ML DEVCO Inc.

The Westmount: In the heart of Westboro, a new boutique apartment building is taking a different approach to rental living. Opened May 1, 2026, The Westmount brings together thoughtful architecture, sophisticated interiors and a neighbourhood-first approach to urban living. The philosophy is simple: home should be a place to enjoy life, not something that takes up your life. Developed by ML DEVCO Inc. and designed by renowned Ottawa architect Roderick Lahey, The Westmount was conceived as an intentional, timeless mid-rise that feels connected to its surroundings. With just 61 residences, the building offers an intimate alternative to larger rental communities.

“There is a real emotional component to simplifying your home,” says Maureen Flanigan of ML DEVCO Inc. “People want to make a change, but they don’t want to sacrifice the things they have worked hard to achieve. The Westmount is designed for that moment—when it is not about having less, it is about having less to manage.” That idea of redefining lateral living is central to the building’s philosophy. The Westmount offers bachelor, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences designed for people who want the benefits of a well-appointed home without the responsibilities that can come with a larger property. “A large part of our resident demographic is exactly who we envisioned,” says Flanigan. “They are well entrenched in the community but no longer want or need a large home. They are not necessarily looking to downsize their lifestyle— they are looking to simplify it. They want beautiful spaces, excellent finishes, security and a home SPONSORED CONTENT

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of The Westmount is what isn’t inside the building. Rather than creating an oversized collection of private amenities, ML DEVCO has taken a neighbourhood-first approach, positioning Westboro itself as an extension of the resident experience. “We believe the greatest amenity The Westmount has to offer is its location,” says Flanigan. “It has incredible restaurants, cafés, shops, services, and outdoor spaces. We wanted our residents to become part of that community rather than creating a building that turns inward.” It is an approach that reflects a broader shift in how people think about home. For many, luxury is no longer defined by having more space or more things. It is having a home that is beautifully designed, a neighbourhood that offers everything close by, and the freedom to spend less time maintaining a property—and more time enjoying life. For more information or to set up a private tour visit: westmountliving.ca or contact Luigi Aiello or Danitra LaurenMcMullen @ Royal Lepage Team Realty 613-729-9090

39 • September 2026 • HOMES & CONDOS

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they are proud of, but they also want to spend their time enjoying their lives rather than maintaining a property.” To learn more or arrange a private tour,

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Minimizing insurance claims

HOMES & CONDOS • September 2026 • 40

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By Patrick Langston Torrential rains, wild wind, fires: all are leading to increased home insurance claims — a timeconsuming and often emotionally draining exercise for homeowners. Insured damage caused by severe weather events exceeded $2.4 billion in 2025, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. That made 2025 one of the costliest years on record for severe weather-related insured losses across the country. The previous year, 2024, was worse, with a record-breaking $8 billion in losses from home, business and auto claims, says the bureau. It’s still too early to project this year’s severe weather costs, but the flooding of some 6,500 Ottawa basements when a once-in-200year rainfall hit several areas of the city on Canada Day will be part of 2026’s severe weather bill. Rainstorms in August flooded more homes. By preventing or minimizing damage to your home, including harm caused by climate change, you can avoid or reduce the misery of home insurance claims. Here are our top tips for doing that.

WATER & HOME INSURANCE CLAIMS

• Gutters plugged with leaves and other debris overflow in heavy rainstorms, potentially causing both cosmetic and structural damage to your home. Check that drainpipes extend at least two metres away from the foundation.

• Window well covers, available at building materials stores, can help ward off basement flooding. Also make sure the grading of your property means water drains away from the foundation, not toward it. • Backflow valves and sump pumps with backup battery power help prevent indoor flooding when water levels rise. Check your sump a couple of times a year and especially when extended wet weather is forecast. • Water leak detectors and alarms, some starting at under $20 at building materials stores, can be a good investment

WIND & HOME INSURANCE CLAIMS

The powerful derecho that devastated Ottawa in 2022 was the city’s biggest storm yet, according to Hydro Ottawa, leaving “a trail of destruction like nothing Ottawa has ever seen or experienced before.” While trees are often defenceless in the face of strong winds, proactivity can minimize the cost and trauma of other damage to property and the ensuing home insurance claims: • A semi-annual roof inspection, which you can do safely from the ground with binoculars, will alert you to damaged or missing shingles, faulty flashing and other problems that need to be fixed before a high wind makes the situation worse. Remember to check your roof carefully after your neighbourhood experiences high winds.

TOP LEFT: More than 6,000 Ottawa homes were flooded in this summer’s downpours. ABOVE: Home fires are one of the most common emergencies experienced by Canadians, says the Canadian Red Cross. • Keep trees close to your home safe by ensuring they are trimmed and dead branches or limbs promptly removed. • Do you have loose or damaged boards on fences, decks or other outdoor structures? They can come free and fly off in a windstorm, causing damage to your or others’ properties. • Windows, entry doors and garage doors can be damaged by heavy winds and provide an entry point for rain or snow. Keep them in good repair and close and lock windows in a windstorm.

FIRE & HOME INSURANCE CLAIMS

“Home fires are one of the most common emergencies experienced by Canadians,” says the Canadian Red Cross. “In as little as 30 seconds, a small flame can grow into a dangerous fire. Within minutes, an entire home can be filled with black smoke and large flames.” • Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries, according to Statistics Canada. Never leave stovetop cooking unattended, even for “just a second,” and use a CSA- or ULCcertified deep fryer, turning it off

as soon as you’ve finished cooking. • Barbecues need to be used and maintained properly to avoid a potentially deadly fire and home insurance claims. Grill only in a well-ventilated space, always lift the lid before starting and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for lighting and turning it off. Clean all burner pipes annually and check for leaks when you change the tank by wetting all connections with water and a bit of dish detergent — if bubbles appear, you have a leak. Store propane tanks outdoors. • Extension cords can be a fire hazard if you overload them, run them under a rug or allow them to become frayed. If you find you’re regularly using an extension cord in one area of your home, consider having an extra electrical outlet installed. • Candles are great for an intimate dinner or bedroom romance, but they are a fire hazard. Don’t put them near draperies or other flammable materials and never leave them unattended. Sources for this article: Insurance Bureau of Canada, Desjardins Insurance, others.

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