Laine Johnson

Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre is recruiting board members. Come join a fantastic organization that offers so much support to our community!

I tried to get my first commuting bike ride in for the season and my chain was like whoooaaaa :( gonna have to take some time with that tonight!

But Laine, what about the LRT?? Here’s the reality: Council has little to no control over the issues with the wheel assemblies, the tracks, or the catenary system. A previous Council signed away our rights to manage these problems and we are dependent on the contractor to fix them.

3. Re-establishing the commuter express routes, at least until the LRT east and west extensions are both fully operational and until we can safely run a full complement of trains and cars again;

4. Rejecting development sprawl that forces the City to provide bus services beyond the urban area.

2. Re-evaluating how many buses we need in the fleet, to cover for maintenance issues and LRT “replacement bus” requirements;

Here’s what I believe we need in order to fix our bus system:

1. Dedicated bus-only lanes, particularly during peak periods, along with the development of a robust bus rapid transit system like the Baseline BRT;

Image of the text of an essay outlining problems and solutions to Ottawa's transit issues, page 1. The full text can be found on the CollegeWard website.

Image of the text of an essay outlining problems and solutions to Ottawa's transit issues, page 2. The full text can be found on the CollegeWard website.

Some excerpts from my piece about the state of Ottawa's public transit. Read it in the images or at www.college-ward.ca/out_of_servi...

Since 2022, I’ve been wrestling with myself over a feeling of powerlessness about OC Transpo, in conflict with my ability as a decision maker to affect change.

I let Andrea and Sarah know that, in the wake of synagogues in the GTA being shot at over the weekend, I have been in touch with Ottawa Police Services who assure me that they are paying extra attention to Ottawa area synagogues right now.

I met with Andrea Gardner and Sarah Caspi of Jewish Family Services Ottawa today to talk about issues facing our Jewish community. Certainly, safety and security is a central part of that discussion, given the rise in antisemitism over the past few years.

Laine Johnson with Kim Moir, Joan Wright, and Simmi Mangat at the International Women's Day breakfast at City Hall

Happy International Women's Day! Today, I join with friends and family to celebratethe contributions of women and girls to our lives. And to commit to making life better through gender equality.

On Friday, I got to celebrate IWD with amazing women in our community at the annual Mayor's Breakfast.

Laine with Dr. Saleem, Principal, Mohammad Nummer of Muslim Association of Canada, Mr. Alroz, Principal, Imam Khalil, and Constables for the schools who I didn’t catch the names of and I feel badly for that, they arrived a bit later.

Laine with Rumeysa, a passionate woman interested in sustainable and circular economies.

Many blessings to our Muslim neighbours during the holy month of Ramadan. Thank you to the Abraar School in #collegeward for hosting me at my first iftar. A central pillar of the Islamic faith is to be generous and charitable in your community, and to be reminded of our shared values buoys me up!

Page 1 of a public notification about construction at Baseline and Greenbank

Page 2 of a public notification about construction at Baseline and Greenbank

The City’s contractor plans to begin working on the Baseline/Greenbank intersection again during the last week of March. For information about the project, and to sign up for the newsletter that keeps you up to date, visit ottawa.ca/en/city-hall...

I had the chance to visit students at Our Lady of Peace earlier this year as part of the Reimagining Robertson Road project. They designed their own “dream roads” with ideas like more trees, safe bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and places to gather. Inspiring to see their vision for Robertson Road!

It was a pleasure joining Jodi Green, Kim Moir, Patricia Pepper, Joan Wright, and Simmi Mangat at this morning’s International Women’s Day breakfast. Keynote speaker former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Hon. Rosalie Silberman Abella, CC, FRSC was forthright and downright funny!

We're supposed to have warm weather (yay!) and heavy rain (boo!) tomorrow. That may increase the chances of flooding. If you're able, please clean out your block's catch basins to help drainage.

And this CAA article on home flooding prevention has many useful tips: caaneo.ca/magazine/pro...

We expect this file to come to the Planning and Housing Committee in early summer 2026. Please visit the project page on DevApps to review the studies and to provide your feedback devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applicati...

The proposal, expected to create approximately 1400 dwelling units of a mix of housing types, is designed to feature mid- to high-rise mixed-use buildings framing a pedestrian-oriented urban plaza, which will function as a shared street to prioritize walkability and foster community interaction.

I have met with the proponent and will continue to discuss this proposal with them through this process. I have also met with staff to discuss the layout to ensure that the layout of the site supports community uses and thriving pedestrian spaces.

The City of Ottawa has received a development application for 1101 Baxter Road.

The 3.13-hectare site, adjacent to the 417, has direct access to the pedestrian overpass connecting the site to the Queensview O-Train Station located 300m from this site.

Poster providing same information that's in post.

There's an exciting new initiative at Pinecrest Recreation Complex:

Woman’s Only Swim
Friday March 20th, 2027
5:15-6:15pm

This is an unstructured swim designed for females only and their children.

The programs that are being cut were practical, effective, and had creativity and humanities in common. Shame on the provincial government for this weakening of Ottawa's knowledge base and workforce.

I'm disappointed and saddened tonight by the Algonquin College Board of Governors' decision to cut 30 critically important programs. Programs that led to employment, that built our community, that made our economy stronger. This goes way beyond Mr. Ford's "basket weaving" quip.

He was hired to fight for Wales's future generations. Does Canada need a job like that? | CBC News For the last three years, Derek Walker has been advocating for the rights of Wales's youngest generations — and generations still to come. As Canadian youth grapple with issues like climate change, af...

"It is beyond contestation that we are prioritizing investments for an aging population at a scale of urgency that makes what we're doing for younger people seem absolutely miniscule," -Dr. Paul Kershaw www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Algonquin College students are fighting hard for their programs. It's time for the Government of Ontario to step in and save these programs, which contribute so much to our workforce and our economy.

Musical entertainment for guests at the tea

John and Patsy enjoying a cup of tea

Laine, Kathleen the Executive Director, and John

What better way to beat the winter blues than to join L’Arche Ottawa #collegeward for an afternoon tea. I’m so glad that you can stay on to offer services in your headquarters. Ottawa can’t afford another destabilized resource that supports persons with disabilities, we already have too few.

Laine with Cassie and big smiles!

Laine with a very stylish Fletcher

Ringette skills competition for kiddos

Gorgeous spread of treats for Mamawi bake sale

Of course the sun starts shining down as Leslie Park Community Association hosts its winter Olympics. This community has the power of love! Great idea to ask a local school to do your baking and use it as a fundraiser. Always good to support Mamawi! #collegeward

MTO said a plan for both Pinecrest and Richmond are coming soon. I believe they'll also be wider for active transportation purposes.

Rendering of the proposed Maitland Ave cross-section showing the width of each lane and active transportation facility.

Rendering of the proposed Woodroffe Ave cross-section showing the width of each lane and active transportation facility.

Thanks to work that Councillor Theresa Kavanagh @tkavanaghbayward.bsky.social and I did with City staff and MTO, these new bridges will be built wider to accommodate active transportation. A lot of kids cross the 417 to get to school and back every day and improving safety has to be a priority here.

Project timelines

The replacements are expected to take place in 2028, though MTO is hoping to accelerate that schedule. Generally, staging (i.e. building the new bridge) is done offsite – within the cloverleaf at each intersection, with these.

Photos of the Hwy 417 bridges at Maitland and Woodroffe

The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario has been replacing Hwy 417 bridges as they age out. Today, MTO announced that the next bridges to be replaced will be at Maitland Ave and Woodroffe Ave.