CJRO News Dec. 14 to Dec. 20, 2020
Hello, bonjour, and welcome, to CJRO News on Carlsbad-Vars Radio, CJRO, 107.7 and 107.9 in Carlsbad Springs, Vars, Edwards, parts of Ottawa and Russell, and online, at CJROradio.com.
I’m Candice Vetter, reporting from near Carlsbad Springs.
First of all, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has joined most politicians in Canada (and probably a large part of the world) in granting Santa Claus a travel exemption. In some cases Claus has written to premiers and mayors stating that the North Pole has no cases of Covid and that Claus, Mrs. Claus, the elves and reindeer are all taking the necessary precautions. So children of the world need not fear.
Next, the big news of the year. The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine have arrived and are being administered in two centres in Ontario, including Ottawa. The province should be receiving 2.4 million doses, with two doses required per patient, between January 1st and the end of March. Those doses will target specific high priority groups, starting with long term care workers. It is expected that vaccines will be available to the general public in April. Vaccination of all Ontarians who want it is estimated to be completed in six to nine months. This does not include other vaccines rapidly coming on, including the Moderna vaccine, which is expected to be the next approved. Yes, dear listeners, there is still a long road ahead of us but the end is in sight.
Sienna Senior Living Inc. runs the Madonna Care Home in Orleans, which has been very hard hit by the pandemic. Numerous violations were recently reported following an inspection at the care home. These were not only related to COVID, but also to a lack of fire safety drills and plans, alleged abuse of seniors by workers, improper sanitation and other violations.
However, CJRO News has learned that Sienna has paid dividends of 7.8 cents per share to its shareholders in every month so far this year. CJRO News has asked Sienna to respond, but had not had a response by the time this news was recorded. Sienna’s website states its “approximately 13,000 employees are passionate about helping residents live fully every day.” It does not say if shareholders agree.
Ottawa City Council at its meeting December 9th, carried a resolution to approve the Ward Boundary changes as recommended by the Finance and Economic Development Committee. This agrees with the unofficial seventh option (which was not recommended by the City’s consultants and for which residents were not provided a map or consultation opportunity) that would divide Cumberland Ward into three parts, all to be amalgamated with other wards.
This seventh option would carve off Cumberland Village and attach it to Orleans, would add Navan and Sarsfield to Avalon and Notre-Dame-des-Champs, and leave Carlsbad Springs and Vars floating over to Osgoode Ward, which many of those villages’ residents have stated they do not want.
The land south of Wilhaven Drive, west of Canaan Road, north of Russell Road and east of the VIA Rail corridor/Milton Road will be added to the new suburban Cumberland ward (RW-6); south of Russell Road and west of the Via Rail corridor/Milton Road will be added to Osgoode Ward (RW-1). And the land north of Wilhaven Drive will be added to Orleans Ward (RW-4), as described in the consultant’s recommendations report.
Several Cumberland Ward residents had requested that the City postpone any voting on the proposal, considering that the so-called seventh option was not part of the consultation period. It was an 11th hour option proposed by the City’s Finance and Economic Development Committee, and was never part of the process from a citizens’ point of view.
When asked for clarification, Kiel Anderson, Manager of Policy and Business Operations at the Office of the City Clerk, said, “We are in the process of updating Ottawa.ca/wardboundary to include the final maps, including an updated GeoOttawa map, which allows you to layer the current wards over the new wards to see the exact change. The site should be updated by Wednesday.”
All changes take effect for the 2022 Municipal Elections.
Another resolution contained a recommendation to future Councils that staff be directed to review the population and growth numbers every four years, beginning in 2024, to determine whether population figures have varied sufficiently from the projections forecast in the Ward Boundary Review to warrant a scoped ward boundary review, including but not limited to, Cumberland and Barrhaven.
In nearby Crysler, both lanes of the bridge over the Castor River have reopened—a great relief to travelers.
The Russell Kin Club’s next Catch the Ace lottery jackpot is estimated at over one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars. The weekly prize is estimated at about six thousand dollars. Online ticket sales end Saturday, December 19th. Go to the kinclubofrussell.ca/catch-the-ace-tickets/ to buy tickets.
The Navan Village Christmas Food Drive will be this Sunday, December 20th, from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
To participate leave non-perishable food donations for the Food Bank in a bag on your front steps or front walkway. Donations will be picked up by the McWilliams family. Cash donations will also be accepted at J.T. Bradleys Country Convenience from December 12th to the 20th. A truck will be at the store on the 20th from 12 noon to 3 p.m. for food donation drop-off.
For more information contact navandale@outlook.com.
Do you have news that matters to our area? Do you have an experience you’d like to share? Do you have a story about how COVID has affected you or your business? If yes, I’d like to hear it. Contact me by emailing newsCJRO@gmail.com.
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