Submitted by Jeff Leiper, Kitchissippi ward councillor
Fall is finally here in Kitchissippi! Read on to learn more about city and ward news that affects you.
The week that I’m writing this is the week that Ottawa saw one of many nation-wide anti-2SLGBTQIA+ demonstrations in the downtown core. I know that many of us have been deeply affected by these demonstrations, but I have also been moved by the show of solidarity, allyship, and affirmation that our local counter-protest produced. In Ottawa, the counter-protest in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, and specifically the rights of transgender youth to feel safe in schools, far outnumbered the other demonstration. Remember that you are not alone; I and so many others have your back.
October means the return of municipal budget season. The City is currently developing the draft budget for 2024 and they are soliciting resident feedback on the draft budget until Oct. 27.
There are lots of ways to have your say – check out the Budget 2024 page on the Engage Ottawa website for all the details and key dates.
The draft budget will be tabled at Council on Nov. 8, after which point you can continue to provide feedback through various channels until Dec. 6, when the budget is adopted by Council. As always, we will have a ward-specific budget consultation to give Kitchissippi residents a chance to share their perspectives. More details on that will be coming soon, so contact our office at jeff.leiper@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2485 to get subscribed to our weekly email newsletter.
Even though fall is upon us, I want to remind everyone that you can still get a bounty of local produce and goods at the local markets. The Westboro Farmers Market is running every Saturday until Oct. 28, and the Parkdale Market is still going strong, giving you plenty of time to enjoy all that autumn has to offer.
In closing, I wanted to remind folks as the season of giving starts to ramp up that the Parkdale Food Centre and Westboro Region Food Bank are worthy local organizations that need support. Check out the Parkdale Food Centre website and the Westboro Region Food Bank website for all the ways you can support them in their work of reducing barriers to accessing food.