Letter to Councillors Cathy Curry and Allan Hubley
February 24, 2022
Councillor Cathy Curry
Ward 4, Kanata North
Vice-Chair, Transport Committee &
Vice-Chair, Light Rail Sub-committee
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Councillor Allan Hubley
Ward 23, Kanata South
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Dear Councillor Curry & Councillor Hubley:
On Thursday, February 23rd, the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation announced that the Ontario Government would be providing over $379.5 million to municipalities through the Gas Tax Program. The purpose of this funding is to support the expansion and improvement of public transit services. I was pleased to announce that Ottawa’s share of this funding is just over $37 million.
As the local Member of Provincial Parliament for both of your wards, I wish to draw to your attention a concern that is raised in many of my meetings with our local BIAs, businesses both small and large, and with constituents. Their concern is that Kanata is not well served by the current city bus transit system. This lack of practical bus transit in Kanata to shopping centers, restaurants, and cultural centers along with the inadequate bus transit to Kanata workplaces makes it more difficult for residents and employees of Kanata. This has resulted in many business leaders facing unprecedented challenges in attracting and retaining employees with the talents and skills they need.
Councillor Curry as the Vice-chair of the Transport Committee and Councillor Hubley as a former Transport Committee Chair, you are both well positioned to help the constituents and businesses of Kanata thrive by ensuring more dependable, frequent, and consistent bus service. I ask that as the local councillors, you work with Renée Amilcar, General Manager for OC Transpo, to ensure a portion of the funding provided by the provincial Gas Tax Program goes towards making bus transit better for the people and businesses of Kanata.
Sincerely,
Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, MD, MPP
Kanata—Carleton
/enclosed (2)
c.c. His Worship, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of the City of Ottawa
Councillor Glen Gower, Chair of the Transport Committee
Renée Amilcar, General Manager, OC Transpo