2021/10/14
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa has an Equity and Inclusion Lens that was developed in 2010 collaboratively with the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI);
WHEREAS the Equity and Inclusion Lens emphasizes the importance of recognizing inequalities in social and built environments and working to address these issues based on gender, race, income and ability through an intersectional lens;
WHEREAS the Equity and Inclusion Lens is intended to influence all City policy and program development, and specifically, to incorporate diverse lived experiences and to remove systemic barriers for equity-seeking groups in order to promote equity and inclusion;
WHEREAS the Neighbourhood Equity Index indicates that numerous census tracts face significant disadvantages when it comes to social determinants of health;
WHEREAS the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study indicates that Ottawa has eighteen neighbourhoods where the rate of low income residents exceeds one in five (20%) residents;
WHEREAS the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study identifies twenty-one neighbourhoods in highest need due to low incomes; high unemployment; low education levels; and a lack of adequate, suitable and affordable housing;
WHEREAS diversity, equity and inclusion are important issues in every neighbourhood in the city and need to be addressed in a holistic manner instead of through ad-hoc approaches;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Section 2.2.5 be renamed “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” and be revised to address intersectional equity issues, such as racial equity, cultural diversity, equity for people with disabilities, equity for women and gender diverse individuals, and the intersections between these groups;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the 5 Big Moves be reviewed using the Equity and Inclusion Lens in order to ensure that the plans reflect the City’s racial, cultural, economic and gender diversity; and include specific goals, assessments, indicators, targets and monitoring to advance equity and justice and linked to the Neighbourhood Equity Index;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Official Plan be amended as follows:
Amend Section 2.1, Big Policy Move 3, Paragraph 1 from “The goal of this Plan is to contribute towards stronger, more inclusive and more vibrant neighbourhoods and Villages in a way that reflects the differences from highly urbanized and dense areas in the downtown, to lower-density suburban areas farther out.” to “The goal of this Plan is to contribute toward stronger, more inclusive and vibrant neighbourhoods and Villages that reflect and integrate Ottawa’s economic, racial and social diversity in every neighbourhood, from highly urbanized and dense areas in the downtown, to lower-density suburban areas farther out.
Amend Section 2.2.1, Policy Intent, Paragraph 1, from “It will also contribute to the needs of an aging population by enhancing accessibility to more vibrant areas with social interaction, health services and community facilities” to “It will also contribute to the needs of an increasingly diverse population with a range of abilities, incomes, ages and cultural needs by enhancing accessibility to more vibrant areas with social interaction, cultural organizations, health services and community facilities”;
Amend Section 2.2.4, Policy Intent, Components by changing “A mix of housing for a range of incomes” to “A mix of housing including family-sized units for a range of incomes including core-affordable housing sufficient to meet the City’s targets under its 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan”;
Amend Section 2.2.4, Policy Intent, Components by adding to the bulleted list:
- “A variety of housing types and affordability points including core-affordable within every community to ensure equitable access tocommunity amenities;
- Supporting housing and local amenities that meet the needs of diverseracial and cultural populations within the City;”
Amend Section 2.2.5, Policy Intent paragraph 3, by adding to the bulleted list:
- “ensure public and accessible washrooms, drinking fountains and benches or other publicly-available places to sit in every neighbourhood.”
Amend section 4.4.6, paragraph 1 “d) Some parks in the Downtown Core and Inner Urban Transects shall be built to withstand the impact of high usage and may require water, lighting and electricity, maintenance, more expensive recreational amenities and event/festival spaces that are of higher cost than that of parks that are less intensively used” to “d) Some parks in the Downtown Core and Inner Urban Transects shall be built to withstand the impact of high usage and may require drinking fountains and accessible public washrooms, lighting and electricity, maintenance, more expensive recreational amenities and event/festival spaces that are of higher cost than that of parks that are less intensively used”;
Amend section 11.2, paragraph 2 f) by removing “in Kanata North”;
Amend section 11.2, paragraph 2, by adding l) Improve equity and inclusion for marginalized individuals living in and accessing these neighbourhoods.