I was born and raised in Ottawa, and I lived there my entire life until about a year ago. Now, after spending some time living abroad, I'm getting ready to head back to Canada.
I'm glad to be from the capital, but I'm also not wearing rose-coloured glasses when it comes to my hometown.
So, if I had a magic wand and could make some serious changes to the city, these are the six I'd make first.
Make public transit cheaper and more reliable
Talk to almost any Ottawa local or spend a little time on the city's subreddit, and you're bound to hear complaints about OC Transpo.
I'm grateful that we have public transit when plenty of cities don't, but I still want it to be affordable and reliable.
I've spent years leaving early and still arriving late, waiting for buses that never showed up, and watching the LRT break down every winter...
First, I'd make transit cheaper. If I had my way, I'd even make it free.
I'd also seriously rethink our LRT infrastructure. I'm not an engineer — so I can't say whether putting the entire system underground would be feasible — but we get snow, freezing rain and all the other joys of an Ontario winter, and yet the train tracks are left out in the elements.
I want locals to get around without planning their entire day around transit and its potential mishaps.
Give our wallets a little breathing room
This wouldn't be my article if I didn't talk about affordability. The cost of living is out of control across Canada, and Ottawa is no exception.
Rent prices, in particular, seem to have completely lost the plot.
I remember when a one-bedroom apartment cost around $1,200 to $1,400 a month, sometimes with utilities included. Gone are those days...
Of course, prices vary by neighbourhood, but I have a hard time believing that most Ottawa residents can realistically keep up with housing costs these days. And it's not just rent either. Groceries, eating out and everyday activities could all be cheaper.
According to Numbeo, the estimated monthly costs for a single person are about $1,500 (without rent), and rent for a one-bedroom in the city centre averages around $2,018. Yikes!
When covering the basics takes up so much of your income, going out for dinner or doing something fun starts to feel like a luxury.
I think people (myself included) would be more inclined to enjoy the city if it didn't come with so much financial stress.
Put more public bathrooms around the city
After spending almost a year in Japan, I can confidently say that its public bathroom game is on point.
You can find washrooms in the usual places—like malls and stores—but also in parks, along roads, and in convenience stores.
And as a bonus, they're usually super clean.
By comparison, Ottawa's public washroom situation leaves a lot to be desired...
As a kid, I remember being at a park, needing the bathroom and having to run all the way home. Even now, if you're walking along the canal, you can't always count on finding a washroom when nature calls.
I'd love to see more clean, accessible washrooms in parks, along popular walking routes and in busy public spaces.
It might not be the fanciest city improvement, but I think it would make a real difference.
Offer more support for people who need it
This one's near and dear to my heart.
I'd really like to see more support for people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and addiction in Ottawa.
According to a Nanos Research Survey for The Ottawa Mission, "concerns have grown by almost 10% since 2019 as homelessness and related conditions reach catastrophic levels."
While how to approach this complex issue often leads to debate, I think most of us would agree that seeing people struggle is difficult.
We do have social supports, like shelters and social workers, but more funding and easier access could benefit the city.
These challenges won't disappear or change overnight, but I think increased compassion and advocacy is a needed change.
Make street parking a little more flexible
I know Ottawa already has some free street parking, but I'd definitely appreciate more, especially downtown.
Honestly, if I had a say, parking would be free across the city.
My biggest downtown pet peeve is the one-hour time limit on certain streets. If I'm going out for dinner, I'll probably need more than an hour. And who wants to run out of their meal to move their car?
I've also had situations where I've come to my car just a couple of minutes late to find a parking ticket waiting for me. At least give me a five-minute grace period!
I understand that parking rules exist for a reason. We don't want people leaving their cars in the same spot forever. But I'd love to see some of those one-hour limits extended to three hours or longer.
More flexible parking would make it easier for Ottawans to visit downtown, support local businesses and enjoy the city without constantly watching the clock or worrying about the cost.
Bring a little more neighbourhood spirit to everyday life
Ottawa has plenty of fun activities that get people out and about, but I feel like we're missing that sense of community in some of our local neighbourhoods.
The Great Glebe Garage Sale, festivals and holidays always bring people together — so I'd love to see more of that throughout the year, on a smaller scale.
Imagine more neighbourhood garage sales across Ottawa, block parties, potlucks and casual hangouts where locals can listen to music, play games, meet their neighbours and have some fun.
I also recently saw a video of a neighbourhood pooling money to buy groceries in bulk from local farms, then dividing the order between participating households.
I thought that would be such a smart way to save money, get fresh food, and support Ottawa businesses!
The city already has little free libraries in some neighbourhoods, so why not build on that spirit of sharing?
Here's to more opportunities for Ottawans to connect with their neighbours and make their communities feel a little more like home.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
