Updates from City Council – July 2026

Storm Relief Assistance

On Wednesday, Ottawa City Council approved a series of measures to help residents recover from the devastating July 1 storm and flooding including:

Canadian Red Cross Partnership

One of the most significant decisions was Council’s approval of a partnership with the Canadian Red Cross.

This partnership means that every resident affected by flooding will have access to personalized recovery support over the next six months. Working alongside the City of Ottawa, the Canadian Red Cross will help residents navigate what can often be a complicated recovery process by connecting them with available services, assisting with insurance questions, providing access to engineers and renovation specialists, and helping residents identify additional community and social supports.

Residents impacted by the floods can access support by emailing Red Cross at NavigationSupportON@redcross.ca or leaving a voicemail at 1-800-863-6582. Calls will be returned within two days. More information and resources to help those impacted in their recovery are available at redcross.ca/2026OttawaFloods.

Financial Relief for Flood Recovery

Council approved several measures to reduce the financial burden facing residents as they begin repairs.

These include:

• Waiving building permit fees for flood-related repairs.

• Waiving encroachment permit fees for waste containers used to dispose of flood-damaged materials.

• Expanding eligibility for the Compassionate Grant Program.

• Expanding the Residential Protective Plumbing Program so more homeowners can access financial assistance for flood prevention improvements.

Additional Provincial Assistance

Council also highlighted that the Province of Ontario intends to activate the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program for eligible flood-affected areas.

Once available, the program will help residents with eligible clean-up, repair, and emergency expenses that are not covered by insurance, providing another important source of financial support for those facing significant losses.

Looking Ahead

The July 1 storm affected thousands of Ottawa residents, including families in Gloucester-Southgate Ward. In total, there were more than 6,000 reported basement floods, widespread property damage, prolonged power outages, and hundreds of families requiring emergency assistance. Council’s decisions acknowledge both the scale of the event and the reality that recovery will take time.

As recovery continues, the City will also review its response to the storm, identify lessons learned, and bring forward recommendations to better prepare Ottawa for future extreme weather events.

New Fall Transportation and Mobility Plan

On Wednesday, Council approved a Transportation and Mobility Plan in recognition of what is expected to be a busy fall commute.

To help address these seasonal challenges, the approved plan is focused on practical steps to improve how people move around the city—whether by transit, car, bicycle or on foot.

The strategy includes improvements to transit service, better traffic management through signal timing and coordinated construction, expanded Park & Ride and parking options, continued investments in walking and cycling infrastructure, and clearer travel information to help residents plan their commutes. The City will also monitor how these measures are performing and make adjustments where needed throughout the fall.

For Gloucester-Southgate Ward residents, there are a few changes worth highlighting.

This fall, the Trillium Line will begin weekday service earlier, with the first trips starting at 6:00 a.m. This will provide more flexibility for early morning commuters and improve access to the transit network.

There will also be service enhancements to Routes 98 and 6, which are important routes for many residents travelling within our community and connecting to other parts of the city.

OC Transpo will release the detailed schedules and information on these route changes in August, and I’ll be sure to share those updates once they’re available.

While these improvements won’t solve every transportation challenge facing Ottawa, especially with the increased pressure of return-to-office policies, they are practical steps that recognize the increased travel demand we see each fall.