The Ward with Erin Coffin

Climate Resilient Infrastructure in the Ward

Kanata South was promised that no new development would happen in our neighbourhoods before investment in infrastructure was completed. This promise was not fulfilled. Increasingly frequent and severe weather has exposed all the shortcomings of our built infrastructure, and development has outstripped the ability of our different systems to manage our needs for safe and healthy neighbourhoods. * In working with my council colleagues, we will encourage our infrastructure service providers, such as Hydro Ottawa, to invest in continued improvements to services, built infrastructure, and maintenance, with particular attention to greener opportunities and mitigating the effects that ever-increasing severe weather events have on our neighbourhoods in Kanata South

Confessions of a Ward 23 Candidate

There is a democratic deficit at City Hall and here in Kanata South. For too long, Ottawa’s City Council has been beholden to big money donors and property developers and not residents like you. As a result, the services we pay for with our tax dollars have suffered and deteriorated. This election is about returning power to you, my hardworking neighbours and friends. You deserve better. To ensure this happens: * I will work constructively with all colleagues in the City Council Chamber and vote on Council based on the best needs of Kanata South and the wider City of Ottawa. If an issue is contentious, I will seek input from you to guide my decision making * My campaign has been financed through small dollar community-based donations. I accept no contributions from property developers or their families * I will be present in the community and available to all residents of Kanata South. I will ensure my Ward Constituency office is accessible, open and staffed so we can continue to be present for you and address your needs. * I will seek feedback on my performance as your Councillor each year I represent you and always work to improve how staff and I attend to your concerns * Leadership requires presence and hearing hard-truths about the community, my record and my performance. I will be attentive during community consultations, and will hear you out if you raise questions about me or challenge my record

A safe Ward

Residents must feel safe and secure in our city. This means making road safety for all users a priority by adopting Vision Zero in all road design, construction, and upkeep. Ottawa needs to make proactive investments in services that have shown to reduce crime, and we must work to rebuild trust between our community and Ottawa Police Services. * Following best practices from other municipalities in Canada and throughout the world, I will move that Ottawa City Council adopts a strategy for road safety with the primary goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries, and ensuring the safety of all users,  including pedestrians and cyclists * . This will promote and require: * Better road design with expanded traffic calming measures * Separated active transport infrastructure * Connecting our existing paths and active transport lanes together (an example, being the TransCanada Trail crossing at Eagleson) * I will push for proactive programming to reduce crime, including services that fight the causes of crime: investments in public health, social and community services, children and youth services, and educational opportunities for our community to grow to be safer and more inclusive for all of us * I will support council efforts to create mental health and crisis teams that respond to emergency calls related to mental health, substance use and addictions * I am committed to restoring trust in our police force by supporting and championing initiatives such as protection for OPS officers and civilian employees who report activities and complacency of misconduct

Dollars and Sense in the Ward

We need critical investments in areas that have been neglected such as infrastructure, transit, social services, and affordable housing. The time for these investments is now since continued neglect will cost us more in future years. * Affordability is a big concern for most residents. Inflation is putting pressure on all budgets, including the City’s * These costs can’t be entirely borne by homeowners, so there is a need to look at the entire city budget to identify where savings are possible and what additional revenue can be generated

A healthy Ward

To thrive, Ottawa needs healthy and happy residents. We are struggling and increasingly concerned about a lack of family physicians, the availability of ambulances and paramedics in a medical emergency, and even general proactive public health measures and education. At a basic level, health begins with a roof over your head, access to affordable, good, and healthy food, and support services to ensure we can live comfortably.