Sewer maintenance costs may force tax hike
OTTAWA—THE COST OF maintaining Ottawa’s water and sewer system is rising, and according to Peter Hume, city councillor for the Alta Vista ward, the city should carry out its $2.1-billion revitalization plan sooner. Many of the city’s pipes are over a century old, with recent breaks resulting in flooded schools, damaged basements, and closed-off streets.
The proposed 10-year plan would include $460 million in borrowed money and a price increase in water rates of 74 per cent over the next decade. This would result in the average household paying $1,045 annually for water, up from the $636 paid currently.
Marian Simulik, city treasurer, said the city will pay off the debt over the next 30 years so current residents don’t have to foot the entire bill for a construction project that will last 90 years. Councillors will vote on the proposal on Feb. 21.
—Ben Martin
Dismissed Concordia president returns to teach
MONTREAL (CUP)—AFTER WALKING AWAY from the top position at Concordia University with just over $700,000 in severance pay in late 2010, former president Judith Woodsworth has been teaching at the university since the start of the winter semester.
This time she’s not returning to the executive offices on the upper floors of the administration GM building, but to an office building where the études françaises department is located. Twice a week, Woodsworth teaches two small 400-level courses on translation.
Returning to Concordia in 2008 as president was like a “homecoming,” said Woodsworth, though she lasted only two and a half years as president.
“It wasn’t all smooth when I came back, but I feel still that this is a place where I belong,” she said. “Some people might find it strange, but they’re focusing on the wrong things, maybe.”
—Sarah Deshaies, CUP Quebec Bureau Chief
Protesters barred from occupying University of Alberta campus
EDMONTON (CUP)—Dozens of protesters were forced to stay off University of Alberta grounds by police on Feb. 1 after announcing their intent to rally on campus.
The group of protesters, which included participants from the Occupy Edmonton movement and the Faculty of Arts solidarity group, were stationed across the street from the university for several hours after being barred entrance by university officials and Edmonton Police Service (EPS).
Nearly 20 uniformed EPS officers blocked the protesters’ entrance to campus. The officers stated non-students would be charged with trespassing if they crossed the street, while students would also be punished if they set up tents on U of A grounds. Students were only allowed on campus provided they showed their student cards.
Some of the protesters’ complaints included the budget cuts and rising tuition fees affecting the U of A, which Occupy member Katie Nelson called a “huge standard of inequality.”
—Andrew Jeffrey, the Gateway
Impeached director of finance sues interim KSA board
SURREY, B.C. (CUP)—RECENTLY IMPEACHED KWANTLEN Student Association (KSA) executive Balninna Sandhu is attempting to undo the results of the Nov. 30 special general meeting (SGM) where she and 12 other directors were kicked out of office.
Sandhu, the KSA’s former director of finance, and student Gary Singh Dhaliwal filed a petition Jan. 10 in the B.C. Supreme Court claiming the SGM was invalid, seeking a court order to reinstate the impeached directors and to place 14 other current and former students and staff members back in good standing as KSA members.
As members in bad standing, they are currently not allowed to run for positions in the KSA or vote in KSA elections.
The new KSA board has not yet filed their statement of defence.
—Matt DiMera, the Runner
