Thread by @HorizonOttawa

As we noted the other day, we will not be able to give regular updates to today's @ottawacity council meeting but you can watch below.

Discussion around #HeronGate is happening now.

@ottawacity Here is the agenda for today's meeting:

ottwatch.ca/meetings/meeti…

@ottawacity There was a motion from @ShawnMenard1 to continue having discussions with @OttawaACORN and other groups before moving forward, were not sure if that passed or not.

As we said, we will be trying to catch some of the meeting but will not be able to catch all of it.

@ottawacity @ShawnMenard1 @OttawaACORN .@cmckenney is trying to amend the motion that is being put forward right now from @catherinekitts and @AltaVistaWard18 to make units affordable for 15 instead of 10 years.

They are trying to amend it to make affordability not based off tenancy.

@ottawacity @ShawnMenard1 @OttawaACORN @cmckenney @catherinekitts @AltaVistaWard18 The motion from @AltaVistaWard18 and @catherinekitts is very convoluted but better.

It means that the unit will remain affordable if ANYONE moves in within the 15 year period so if you move in during year 14 it remains "affordable" for 15 years after that.

@ottawacity @ShawnMenard1 @OttawaACORN @cmckenney @catherinekitts @AltaVistaWard18 At the end of 15 years says @MeehanCarolAnne, we are going to lose affordable housing units. If a family moves in on year 16 they won't be able to afford these homes, what will happen then?

@ottawacity says they will be subject to rent increases.

Councilor Matt Luloff expresses "appreciation" to Hazelview/Timbercreek for their social contract.

Appreciation for what? Doing less than the absolute bare minimum?

.@ShawnMenard1 clarifies @AltaVistaWard18 and @catherinekitts motion, @ottawacity staff CONFIRMS that if tenants move out, Hazelview/Timbercreek would actually be allowed to raise rents within guideline RTA increases - so Cloutier's explanation of his motion was actually wrong.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity .@ShawnMenard1 says that Hazelview/Timbercreek can if they are following the guideline rent increases then they can apply within the Residential Tenancy Act for above guideline rent increases.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity .@JimWatsonOttawa cutting off @ShawnMenard1 on this saying: "I am cutting you off now because I know that you will be speaking on many other occasions," making his bias known as always.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa .@RiverWardRiley says about the @catherinekitts/ @AltaVistaWard18 motion that "this motion is better than no motion"

It is really disappointing to see that councillors are only committed to doing less than the absolute bare minimum for working class tenants.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley .@RiverWardRiley says he wants more action for affordability in the long term.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley .@JLeiper says Hazelview/Timbercreek's interest is profit and profit only.

Leiper says that not forcing Hazelview/Timbercreek to do more is putting a huge burden on @ottawacity to build more affordable housing.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper .@JLeiper says that these units are clearly not affordable housing, these are hundreds of units that we are going to have to find a way to fund publicly and these are a huge burden to the #ottawa taxpayer.

We are only going to perpetuate the housing crisis, motion not far enough

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper .@JLeiper says he is going to vote in favour of this motion but we are going to have to pay for this 15 years down the road and this is coming up fast.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper The low expectations of staff and councillors when it comes to housing residents in #ottawa is on full display here today as they keep calling this motion "good enough".

We need better than good enough. Housing is a right.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper Councillor @MathieuFleury says he recognizes the shortfalls of the motion but will be supporting it.

He says we should also look to the province to re-introduce rent control.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury .@catherinekitts wrapping up on this motion, she thanks @AltaVistaWard18 for the motion - again we want to re-emphasize that this motion and the social contract is less than the bare minimum.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury The motion from @catherinekitts and @AltaVistaWard18 passes, only @cmckenney and @rawlsonking vote against.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury @cmckenney @rawlsonking We forgot that @JennaSudds is also present at the council meeting and how weird it is that she is allowed to sit at the council table and unfairly build her profile while she is also running for the federal @liberal_party at the same time.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury @cmckenney @rawlsonking @JennaSudds @liberal_party .@ShawnMenard1 criticizes councillors who are saying that we are "lucky" that Timbercreek/Hazelview is doing this.

This isn't our of the goodness of their hearts and they are getting 1000+ more units than they wouldve gotten, so they are benefitting out of this, he says.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury @cmckenney @rawlsonking @JennaSudds @liberal_party .@ShawnMenard1 says that in Toronto there have been deals with private developers to have affordable housing for 99 years and some in #Ottawa for 25-30 years, this "social contract" isn't historic. More has been done before.

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury @cmckenney @rawlsonking @JennaSudds @liberal_party We're taking a bit of a pause for now from livetweeting @cmckenney is speaking now to their motion they are seconding with @ShawnMenard1.

You can also follow @KatePorterCBC for updates on today's debate as well!

@ShawnMenard1 @AltaVistaWard18 @catherinekitts @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa @RiverWardRiley @JLeiper @MathieuFleury @cmckenney @rawlsonking @JennaSudds @liberal_party @KatePorterCBC We won't be able to follow the rest of the meeting today unfortunately thanks for following along albeit briefly.

Follow @KatePorterCBC for more info.