Report
to/Rapport au :
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
23 August 2006 / le 23 août 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : Councillor/Conseillère Janet Stavinga
Contact Person/Personne ressource: Janet
Stavinga, Councillor, Goulbourn Ward
(613)
580-2476, Janet.Stavinga@ottawa.ca
|
SUBJECT: |
MOTION – TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH
|
|
|
|
|
OBJET : |
MOTION – TRANSPARENCE ET RESPONSABILITÉ EN MATIÈRE DE COMMUNICATIONS |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
WHEREAS, the purpose of the city's
$2 million LRT communications budget was intended to be a long term program of
communicating with Ottawa taxpayers about the city's transportation program;
and
AND WHEREAS, Council Motion 53/2 (of
February 22, 2006) mandated "City Staff be directed to bring forward to
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council all light
rail project communications plans and related budgets for approval";
AND WHEREAS the communications
planning materials presented to date do not provide adequate information to
allay concerns or indicate how city staff intends to promote this project;
AND WHEREAS, the Council Motion
approved in July 2006 provided direction that the $250,000 allocated to 2006
LRT communications be accessed to provide LRT Project Information to citizens
clarifying the rationale for the projects, the context of priorities within the
TMP, and the financial sustainability of these projects including capital and
operating costs and sources of funding;
AND WHEREAS, the remaining $1.75
million is to be subject to annual approval during the budget process;
AND WHEREAS, it was never the intent
of Council to engage in a significant media advertising venture in the last 90
days before a municipal election about issues that are clearly the topic of
significant debate in that same election; and
AND WHEREAS, it is inappropriate to
use city funds in this way to promote the electoral positions of some
candidates; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, given that
the LRT project will span nearly four years, that the city of Ottawa not rush
to conduct paid (e.g., radio, TV, newspaper) advertising until after the Nov.
13, 2006 municipal election as there is no pressing need to do so other than to
attempt to affect the outcome of the election.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
ATTENDU QUE le budget de 2 millions
de dollars que la Ville a affecté aux activités de communication liées au train
léger sur rail devait servir à financer un programme de longue durée visant à
informer les contribuables d’Ottawa au sujet du programme de transport de la
Ville;
ATTENDU QUE la motion 53/2 du
Conseil municipal (adoptée le 22 février 2006) enjoignait le personnel de la
Ville de soumettre tous les plans de communication concernant le train léger et
les budgets connexes à l’approbation du Comité des services organisationnels et
du développement économique et du Conseil municipal;
ATTENDU QUE les documents de
planification des communications présentés jusqu’à maintenant ne renferment pas
suffisamment d’information pour apaiser les inquiétudes et n’indiquent pas de
quelle façon le personnel de la Ville compte promouvoir ce projet;
ATTENDU QUE la motion que le Conseil
a adoptée au mois de juillet 2006 ordonne que la somme de 250 000 $
affectée aux communications relatives au train léger sur rail pour 2006 serve à
informer les citoyens à ce sujet ainsi qu’à clarifier la raison d’être des
projets, leur priorité par rapport au Plan directeur des transports et leur
viabilité financière, y compris les coûts d’immobilisation et d’exploitation et
les sources de financement;
ATTENDU QUE les crédits de 1,75
million de dollars restants doivent faire l’objet d’une approbation annuelle
dans le cadre du processus d’établissement du budget;
ATTENDU QUE le Conseil municipal n’a
jamais eu l’intention de lancer, dans les 90 jours précédant les élections
municipales, une vaste campagne de publicité dans les médias sur des dossiers
qui feront manifestement l’objet d’un intense débat au cours de ces mêmes
élections;
ATTENDU QU’il est inopportun
d’utiliser ainsi les fonds de la Ville afin de promouvoir les positions de
certains candidats aux élections;
IL EST RÉSOLU, étant donné que le projet du train léger sur rail durera près de quatre ans, que la Ville d’Ottawa ne manifestera pas d’empressement à faire de la publicité payée (à la radio, à la télévision et dans les journaux, p. ex.) avant les élections municipales du 13 novembre 2006, étant donné qu’il n’y a pas un urgent besoin de faire une telle publicité, si ce n’est pour tenter d’influer sur le résultat des élections.
At the 15 August 2006 meeting of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee, Councillor Stavinga gave Notice of the aforementioned Motion, for consideration by the Committee at their next meeting.
CONSULTATION
In response to this motion, the City Manager’s office has provided the following comments:
Background:
On July 14, 2006, City Council approved the contract award for the design, construction and 15-year maintenance of the Downtown to Barrhaven O-Train line. In order to communicate with residents about the project and keep all stakeholders informed, City staff were directed to work with the Siemens-PCL/Dufferin Team to finalize a long-term communications and public consultation strategy. In addition, Council approved the following motion regarding the immediate development and implementation of the communications plan in 2006:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the $250,000 allocated to 2006 LRT
communications be accessed to provide LRT
Project Information to citizens specifically clarifying the rationale for the
projects, the context of priorities within the TMP, and the financial
sustainability of these projects including capital and operating costs and
sources of funding;
Since receiving Council’s direction, staff have developed ‘Ottawa On the
Move’: Building a More Liveable City”, a plan that will keep Councillors
informed, provide residents with the information they need about construction
issues, and build awareness that the Light Rail system will be in operation in
2010. This education effort is multi-phased and is essential to inform citizens
about the new transportation system that integrates the current bus system,
walking and cycling trails and the new Light Rail line. City Council has
endorsed the goal of moving people from their cars onto public transit. Public
information will assist Council to achieve that goal.
There are many provincial and City transportation improvements that will be underway in the fall. Widening Highway 7 from Highway 417 to Jinkinson Road starts this fall. Construction will begin on the West Transitway Extension from Bayshore to Pinecrest. Work will begin to improve Highway 174 at the Split. Construction will begin on the new Downtown to Barrhaven O-Train line. Rural areas will also see a number of road upgrades from gravel to hard surfaces, better maintenance, and improvements at key railway crossings. The City and the National Capital Commission are also working together to further improve our network of walking and cycling paths.
The City has an obligation to
provide information about these upcoming changes in advance of construction
beginning, and to provide on-going information through all stages of the
projects. By communicating the various modes of transportation and
transportation improvements under the umbrella title of ‘Ottawa On the Move,’
the City can simplify and focus its efforts more efficiently, improving public
awareness and understanding across the board. The campaign creates one stop for
information by driving citizens to the City’s Website. All relevant information
will be easily accessible for anyone interested in information on these
projects.
“Ottawa On the Move” meets Council’s specific directions by explaining the rationale of building the Barrhaven-Downtown LRT, while highlighting improvements being made to the City’s transportation network overall. It provides information on the City’s top transportation priorities contained in the Transportation Master Plan. Information on the financial sustainability and sources of funding for the project is available on the Website.
Through an integrated Website, advertising and other City-generated content, drivers, public transit users, walkers and cyclists will be able to more easily access information on the improvements to the infrastructure they use every day.
The communication plan has the following goals:
· build greater understanding of the improvements to the entire transportation network in Ottawa with a focus on how the Barrhaven-Downtown LRT Project meets the overall transportation needs of the City
· provide factual, relevant information to Councillors, community groups, and individuals about the transportation network and changes in their communities
· reinforce the importance of transportation as a key building block in improving the City’s quality of life by improving our environment and reducing traffic congestion
· provide factual information about the funding arrangement and budget impacts of the LRT Project and other related transportation investments
In order to achieve these goals, City staff have recommended a combination of print and radio advertising, earned media, Website and regional pamphlets to provide transportation information to all residents.
Councillors’ offices, events, householders and Websites are primary sources of information for citizens to access when looking for information about City activities. In order to maximize this information, the City has developed a citywide pamphlet to explain the new transportation initiatives. Regional pamphlets have also been developed to help residents understand how changes in the transportation system will impact their own communities. The regions identified are Central, East, West, Rural and South.
This same concept has been extended to the “Ottawa on the Move” Website. The site will provide information on transportation improvements in the City of Ottawa as a whole. In order to help citizens understand transportation plans in their neighbourhoods, the Website will also contain an easy to understand regional breakdown of transportation improvements by area. There will be a clickable map and descriptions of the areas. Citizens will also be able to find the information by clicking on their ward.
As with other major initiatives, staff are proposing a plan that uses a variety of strategies and media to reach out to citizens. In order to ensure that the City is informing as many citizens as possible about this important project, staff have developed a plan that also includes some use of print, radio and television. By using all communications channels available to the City, citizens will gain an increased awareness of the City’s many transportation projects, including the Light Rail Project.
The City will also provide information through earned media events, featuring transit announcements such as participating in the Super Ex by having a booth, and highlighting milestone developments in the project. The Rideau Canal Pedestrian Bridge is scheduled to be opened in September as well. There is also Transit Customer Service Week for OC Transpo in the last week of September. These opportunities for earned media will enable City spokespersons to re-iterate the information about the City’s transportation plans within the TMP.
Staff propose to undertake a concerted, targeted advertising campaign at this time, designed to drive people to the new integrated Website to ensure easier access to all of this information. This will maximize the communications effort and ensure the best return on the City’s investment in providing information on the City’s fall transportation initiatives. The campaign will start in early September and finish by the end of September.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
It is anticipated that the education campaign will cost between $150,00 and $175,000.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Copies of the “Ottawa on the Move” print ads, brochures and the text of the radio ads are issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk.
DISPOSITION
N/A