PODCAST · news
Better Ottawa
by with Neil Saravanamuttoo
Local issues examined in depth through interviews and with our municipal panel.https://betterottawa.ca/panel/ the613.substack.com
Episodes
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New Candidates for Mayor and Orleans-East
It was a surprisingly busy week in Ottawa city politics. The Panel covers: * Orleans-East Cumberland Councillor Matt Luloff’s trail on charges of driving under the influence (1:10) * a new candidate, Barbara Daniela Gandolfo, has come forward to contest the Orleans-East Cumberland Council seat....
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Our 2026 Outlook
The Municipal Panel is back to talk about the year ahead. RogersTV hosted us in their studios for this special episode. 2026 is a municipal election year, and we talked about: * Who on Council is planning to run again, and who else has put their name forward, * What we see as the main issues for...
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Train to Somewhere
I sat down with Gio Petti, the local filmmaker behind the recent YouTube documentary on OC Transpo, Train to Nowhere — Gio’s follow up to the 2024 release Dude, Where’s My Bus? Gio and I talk about the history that brought us to the current Line 2, and the original O-Train that preceded it. We…
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2025 in Review
As 2025 comes to an end, the Municipal Panel did a special year in review episode. RogersTV hosted up in their studios for this special episode. We each picked: * One big theme for Ottawa City Hall in 2025, and discussed what those themes mean for 2026. * The worst decision at City Hall in 2025.…
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Budget Passed. Campaign Season Starts Now!
With the approval of the 2026 city budget, we are unofficially into campaign mode for the 2026 municipal elections. This week the Municipal Panel covers: * Council approves the 2026 budget * Tim Tierney’s Ottawa Citizen op-ed criticizing other councillors * The Mayor’s public safety message * The...
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This Project is Not in Jeopardy!
Budget season continues at the City of Ottawa. This week the Municipal Panel covers the Finance and Corporate Services Committee: * $156 million more for new (and old) LRT construction (1:00) * The City’s overdue long-term financial plan is coming in early 2026 (22:15) * Are delays to the Adisoke...
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Joanne has Something to Tell You!
It’s budget season at the City of Ottawa. In this episode, we cover: * whether City Council agreed to have staff buy us a new landfill * how every year the transit budget is pumped up with phantom money * how the City should push back against the province on where we can build bike lanes, and the...
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Trash Talk!
We’re coming to you a few days later than usual, as there was an important discussion at Ottawa City Hall this past Friday. In this episode, we cover: * how much the police budget is actually increasing * whether the city should take up an opportunity to bid on a landfill site * new movers and...
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Budget 2026 Comes In At 3.75%
The City released its draft 2026 budget this week. We cover: * Headlines from the Budget * What strong mayor powers mean for budgeting * The Mayor’s explanation for why Ottawa tax increases are lower than other cities * The City’s new window to make voluntary contributions * The City rejects…
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A Divided Council Approves Lansdowne 2.0
Late last week, City Council approved Lansdowne 2.0. The panel talks about that decision, as well as the related Audit Committee meeting and Lansdowne 2.0 Public Forum earlier in the week. Let us know what you think. Leave a comment here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch the...
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The (Alternate) Facts on Lansdowne
Our extended Lansdowne coverage continues! We recap the 2-day Committee meeting that sent Lansdowne to a final vote at Council on Friday, November 7. The episode covers: * The PWHL comes to Committee — who won the PR battle? * The facts and alternate facts around Lansdowne financing * Housing at...
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The Mayor Comes Out Swinging on Lansdowne
For the next few weeks, it’s going to be all Lansdowne all the time! There was a big announcement from the PWHL right after we finished recording. We’ll talk about that next week. Here’s what we covered this week: * Vibe check! What Lansdowne 2.0 is really all about. * The Mayor’s unusual Monday...
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Muni Panel: Tewin is Back ... and Things Got Spicy
See my latest Lansdowne YouTube video: This Time is Different This week, we cover one and only one issue: Tewin, the controversial development project in south-east Ottawa. It was a long discussion. But a great one. Towards the end, we talk briefly about what to expect with Lansdowne over the…
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Muni Panel: The City Takes a Stand on the Premier's Need for Speed
It was a fairly quiet week at Ottawa City Hall moving into the Thanksgiving Break. This week’s Municipal Panel covers: * The Housing Acceleration Plan gets approved by Council (4:53) * Ottawa takes a stand on speed light cameras (11:22) * Council tries to advance negotiations on uploading the LRT...
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Muni Panel: Will the City's New Housing Plan Get Builders Building?
It was another busy week at Ottawa City Hall! In this episode, we cover: * The Housing Acceleration Plan goes to Committee (0:13) * Should there be bus lanes on Bank Street? (19:07) * NCC plans for a Confederation Boulevard gets a reaction out of the Mayor (30:35) * The Police Chief says a 6.5%...
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Muni Panel: Councillors Duck and Weave on Return to Office
It was a busy week at Ottawa City Hall, and the Municipal Panel has thoughts.In this episode, we cover: * the Return to Office debate goes to Council (0:42) * Doug Ford plans to outlaw speed cameras (13:38) * the City introduces a new Housing Acceleration Plan (21:53) * the City finds a new way…
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Pre-Election Positioning Moves Into High Gear
The Municipal Panel took a week off, and boy, was there a lot to cover when we got back. In this extended issue, we discuss: * the Mayor’s pledge to end youth homelessness by 2030 (2:58) * the investigation into Councillor Menard’s election spending (10:47) * Jeff Leiper turns the City’s return…
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Muni Panel: So Who Actually Made the City's 'Return to Work' Decision?
Ottawa City Council is back in full swing, which means the Municipal Panel is here to provide our colour commentary.This week we cover: * the Integrity Commissioner’s report on Councillor Plante’s social media postings (0:15) * the City’s decision that all staff will return to office full time in...
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Muni Panel: Is the City Breaking the Law?
Break’s over, and the Better Ottawa Municipal Panel is back! If you appreciate the work of the Panel, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. This week, Joanne, Jon and Neil cover: * What to expect for the 2026 City of Ottawa budget (0:40) * Why beaches don’t stay open in late season…
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Muni Panel: Hot Takes on Lansdowne
We did an extended summer recording all about Lansdowne 2.0. The local RogersTV station filmed us on location at the Great Lawn. We talk about finances, benefits and risks, but perhaps most importantly, our perspectives on what Lansdowne 2.0 is in really about. Let us know what you think. Leave a...
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Muni Panel: Transportation Master Plan Reaching the Finish Line
The Municipal Panel looks at Ottawa municipal issues over the past two weeks: * the City’s updated Transportation Master Plan clears Committee. We discuss the big issues, including mode share, Airport Parkway, Alta Vista Transportation Corridor, and a ring road to the south of the city (1:30). *...
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Muni Panel: 2026 Election Season Kicks Off
The Municipal Panel looks at the past week in Ottawa municipal issues: * Jeff Leiper considers running for Mayor (00:50) * Ottawa’s paramedic response improves (15:50) * What happened last year with bylaw … and why all the talk about dogs (27:49) * Our lightning round (34:40) We are taking the...
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Muni Panel: billion dollar burn
This week’s Municipal Panel looks at the past week in Ottawa municipal issues: * Isabelle Skalski wins in Osgoode Ward by-election (00:21) * Options for replacing the Trail Road landfill (10:31) * Fossil fuel advertising on city properties (20:50) * Swimming at Dow’s Lake (26:08) * Rats in the…
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Municipal Panel: Our Mid-Term Grades for Council
This week’s Municipal Panel looks at highlights from the past week in Ottawa municipal issues: * battery energy storage systems take a step towards coming to Ottawa * we provide our own mid-term evaluation of Council * six weeks in how the New Ways to Bus is performing, and * our lightning round....
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Municipal Panel: An $11 Billion Hole in Our Budget
This week’s Municipal Panel looks at highlights from the past week in Ottawa municipal issues: * alcohol in parks is coming to Ottawa * how the City is going to pay for its $11 billion infrastructure renewal gap * whether there should be a referendum on Lansdowne, and * our lightning round. In…
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Municipal Panel: the good, the bad and the ugly of public engagement
This week’s Municipal Panel was recorded in front of a live audience at the Ottawa People’s Summit. It was a standing room only. Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss questions sent in : * are new security measures at City Hall a sign of a government increasingly trying to distance itself from its…
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Muni Panel: When the Water Bill Arrives 8 Years Late
We’re taping a live episode on 27 May and you’re invited to join us. Get yourself a ticket to the People’s Summit to see the Municipal Panel in person. Leave a comment if there is any local issue about Ottawa you would like us to discuss at our live recording. On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon…
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Muni Panel: Where Traffic Camera Money Goes and New Legislation to Deal with Bad Councillors
We’re taping a live episode on 27 May and you’re invited to join us. Get yourself a ticket to the People’s Summit to see the Municipal Panel in person. On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * where the money from red light cameras goes * coming provincial legislation designed to...
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Muni Panel: KINGSLAYER!
On this week’s Panel, Jon, Joanne and Neil discuss the recent federal election and what it means for the City of Ottawa. We cover: * the big story of the night in Carleton riding * the sea of red that swept the City * potential Cabinet picks from among the local representatives * Liberal campaign...
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Muni Panel: Ottawa's Coming Tsunami
On this week’s Panel, Jon, Neil and our guest, former City Councillor Mathieu Fleury, discuss: * the new draft of the comprehensive zoning bylaw * OC Transpo reliability * Pedestrian bridges in the winter * Fast tracking shelters across the city And we have the lightning round, where we respond…
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Muni Panel: Why is the New Transportation Plan So Unambitious?
On this week’s Panel, Jon, Neil and our guest, Sarah MacFarlane of iPolitics and Ottawa Compass, discuss: * the joint demands of the Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau of the federal government * the new transportation master plan that is out for public consultation And we have the lightning round,...
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Muni Panel: LRT Secrecy, e-Scooters and Front Yard Tomatoes
On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * the upcoming Osgoode by-election, to fill the Council seat vacated by George Darouze * e-Scooters are back for 2025 * why so many City reports are not written in plain English * changes coming to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, and...
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Municipal Panel: LRT East Coming Soon, But Still No Answer for Train Derailments
On this week’s Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * Transit, whether OC Transpo should be ramping up fare inspections, timelines for LRT expansion east and west, and still no answer for why trains derailed four years ago * Salt, and if the City is putting too much of it on our streets and...
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Municipal Panel: the City Dumps Sprung Structures
On this week’s Municipal Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * What does a new Prime Minister and federal Cabinet mean for the city? * Why did Ottawa reverse its decision on Sprung Structures? * What does the recent announcement on NCC bike days say about who’s winning the “war on cars”? And the...
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Municipal Panel: Should Ottawa Post on X?
On this week’s Municipal Panel, Joanne, Jon and Neil discuss: * Should the City of Ottawa continue to post on X (aka Twitter)? * What do recent court decisions on federal payments to the municipalities of Ottawa and Chelsea mean for the Mayor’s Fairness for Ottawa campaign? * What does a surprise...
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Our Municipal Panel On What the Provincial Election Means for our City
Many of you have been waiting patiently for the official launch of the Better Ottawa Municipal Panel. The wait is over! Here it is. This week, we look at the Ontario election, which saw the Progressive Conservatives returned with a third majority government, and what it means for the City of...
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Introducing the Better Ottawa Podcast's Municipal Panel
A sneak peak of the Better Ottawa Municipal Panel, coming in March. Find the Better Ottawa podcast here on Substack or on YouTube, Apple and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the613.substack.com
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Introducing the Better Ottawa Podcast
In March, I’m launching the Better Ottawa podcast. That podcast will explore in depth the issues affecting your city. I’ll do that through long-form interviews with different people around town. It will also include some regular guests who you are going to be very excited to hear from. I’ll tell...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Local issues examined in depth through interviews and with our municipal panel.https://betterottawa.ca/panel/
the613.substack.com
HOSTED BY
with Neil Saravanamuttoo
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Better Ottawa have?
Better Ottawa currently has 38 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Better Ottawa about?
Local issues examined in depth through interviews and with our municipal panel.https://betterottawa.ca/panel/ the613.substack.com
How often does Better Ottawa release new episodes?
Better Ottawa has 38 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Better Ottawa?
You can listen to Better Ottawa on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Better Ottawa?
Better Ottawa is created and hosted by with Neil Saravanamuttoo.
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