City council voted unanimously on Wednesday to declare an affordable housing and homelessness emergency, making Ottawa the first Canadian city to do so. The motion was brought by Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, who is council’s liaison for housing and homelessness.
The challenge, which ran from Feb. 4 to 10, resulted in a higher lack of productivity than usual, with only three of 23 councillor seats occupied throughout the week. (Councillors who were not part of the challenge still used it as an excuse for their absences).
The City’s voter turnout increased by three points from the 2014 municipal election, at 42 per cent.
Ottawa heads to the polls on Oct. 22 to vote in this year’s municipal election. The Fulcrum spoke to candidates in five wards surrounding campus to hear their priorities and ideas on issues affecting students.
Dorimain said the march had two goals, to raise money for BLM Toronto and to get politicians to say they support the movement. “We were asking our mayor and councillors to support what’s going on over there because it also happens here in Ottawa,” she said.
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