Drew Dobson, owner of Finnigan’s Pub in the heart of Vanier, said the new proposed shelter will hurt an already “vulnerable” community.

On June 22, Drew Dobson was struck by the news that the City of Ottawa is proposing a 350-bed Salvation Army homeless shelter to be built in Vanier. That night, much of the neighbourhood gathered at his bar on Montreal Road to express their grievances.

“[This shelter] will hinder and stall the progress we made, and set it back 10 years,” Dobson, owner of Finnigan’s Pub for the last 16 and a half years, said.

Vanier is tucked away in Ottawa’s core, adjacent to the affluent area of Rockliffe Park, where the Prime Minister lives. But Vanier is no 24 Sussex Drive.

One of Ottawa’s oldest neighbourhoods, Vanier boasts the lowest median income in the city, with an average of $38,000 in 2015, according to analyzed data compiled by Statistics Canada. Data also shows that most areas of Vanier has seen a decrease in median income since 2005.

The proposed homeless shelter will hurt an already “vulnerable” neighbourhood, Dobson said. He started an online petition upon hearing of the proposal, and was soon relaying the neighbourhood’s concerns on local and national news outlets.

“I’m opposed to it because of how it is going to affect the residents, and my customers and my friends and my family,” Dobson said. He added he is mainly concerned about how the community will adapt to the introduction of this new shelter.

“I don’t think it can adapt, I think it will enter a downward spiral,” Dobson said. ” … Vanier is one of the poorest areas in Ottawa right now … It’s a have-not area, it needs help, it needs a step-up, not a step-down.”

Dobson said he believes the shelter will cause affluent residents and businesses in the neighbourhood to leave, ultimately “ghettoizing” Vanier.

His grievances are shared by Nathalie Carrier, the executive director of Quartier Vanier BIA, which oversees many of the businesses in the area. Carreir said Vanier has already been struggling due to other decisions made by the city earlier in the year.

“The crime rate in Vanier has risen since June and the direct correlation with that was the, quote-unquote ‘cleaning up’ of the downtown core for Canada Day, and so lots of crime and crime-driven people … were redirected towards Vanier,” Carrier said.

She added there were “some influential companies” that were looking at opening spaces in or around Montreal Road, who have since backed out or halted their progress since the news of the proposed homeless shelter broke.

As a result of the shelter, and other planning decisions like the high concentration of social services in the neighbourhood, Dobson said Vanier is being treated like “a dumping ground” by the City of Ottawa.

“If you want to put it somewhere, put it in Vanier, no one will notice,” he said. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Montreal Road, the area’s main pass and home to Dobson’s pub, has become “social service ghetto,” he said, attracting the poorer populations of Ottawa to Vanier.

But Carrier is quick to say that Vanier is not the crime-ridden, hopeless neighbourhood people around the city make it out to be, and the proposed shelter has put light on a solidarity that exists between residents, and showing “a community that desperately cares about its neighbourhood and the area in which they live.”

The proposed shelter passed in council on Nov. 22. This decision is now being appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. Mattieu Fleury, city-councillor for Rideau-Vanier, wrote on his website that “the fight is far from over.”

“Vanier has worked hard to remove the stigma of criminality that’s haunted it since the 1990’s. The community of Vanier is improving, but it is far from being on solid ground,” Fleury wrote.

It was a chilly Thursday morning as Dhom Rosete unlocked the doors to his restaurant Ka Familia located in Barrhaven, Ottawa’s west-end neighbourhood. Greeted by a long, fully stocked bar, set tables and a twinkling Christmas tree in the corner, he begins prepping the kitchen for another day at work.

Ka Familia is one of a kind to Ottawa, as there are no other restaurants that specialize in Filipino cuisine, Rosete says. For this very reason, Rosete knew that there was a special place in the city for his business.

The inside of Ka Familia, located at 3570 Strandherd Dr. in Ottawa. 

According to an analysis of Statistics Canada’s immigration census tracts, Ottawa’s Filipino population has seen a 20 per cent increase between 2011 and 2016.

Since 2011, Barrhaven’s Filipino population has tripled and is one of the areas with the highest growth in the city.

The interactive map shows the Ottawa census tracts. The dark colours represent the areas with the highest number of Filipinos in 2016. Clicking inside the census tract boundaries produces a pop-up box with the populations for 2011 and 2016, along with the percent change.

Luisa Veronis a social geographer from the University of Ottawa says Canada’s Filipino population has been thriving since 2006. The data indicates that in Canada, the Filipino population has increased by 25 per cent between 2011 and 2016. Veronis adds that large metropolitan areas are “main gateways of entry-point” for immigrants and often reflect the increased migration.

She attributes the growth mostly to the Live-in Caregiver Program, which was offered by the federal government to foreign workers looking for employment as eldercare, childcare or special needs providers. The program closed in November 2014.

Veronis says since the termination, the Liberal government now encourages more economic migration through work permits as the main means of achieving permanent residency and citizenship in Canada.

Rosete was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Ottawa with his family in 2010 from London, England, where he spent over 20 years developing his passion for cooking. After several visits, Rosete says he quickly fell in love with the city and applied for a work permit so he could start his life in Ottawa.

“I was here for your worst weathers, but I love Ottawa. It is the best place I have ever lived in.” Rosete says.

Before opening Ka Familia, Rosete said he did some research and saw that Ottawa’s west-end overall, areas such as Kanata and Nepean, contained large populations of Filipino immigrants.

Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder said in an email that her ward has seen some of the fastest growth in recent years. She adds, “Barrhaven has developed SO much in five years…The increase in amenities, housing, schooling, shopping are all reasons why people want to live in Barrhaven!”

Although Rosete says there is a thriving Filipino population in Ottawa, he says what lacks is a physical community like what “Preston St. is to Italians” for Filipinos.

He says he sees customers from a variety of backgrounds but adds, “This is the only Filipino restaurant we have, so we should be proud of what we have… But we need the Filipinos to support us.”

Angelle Rudio a Filipino immigrant who has been living in Ottawa for the past 10 years says, “You miss your culture, you miss your food, you miss your language… I want to connect with people so I go to a community where they can relate with me as a person.”

Even though the demand is there, Rosete says, “Over the past seven years, I have seen [Filipino] restaurants open and close. Hopefully I’m not one of them.”

Jasmine Cristancho wore a tight white dress that hugged her Kim Kardashian-like curves while she sat in her luxury apartment in Medellin, Colombia. “I just love plastic surgery,” said the 32-year old from London, England. “I’ve had a lot of friends who’ve have operations over here, and the results have been amazing.” A white cardigan hid the bruises on her back from a recent liposuction. Cristancho is one in an increasing number of patients receiving cosmetic surgeries around the world.

According to an analysis of data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), between 2015 and 2016, the global number of cosmetic procedures rose by 9% to a total of over 23 million operations around the world.

Cristancho was in Colombia for the fourth time for plastic surgery. She’s now had breast enhancements, liposuction, and a buttock augmentation. High prices in North America and Europe have driven a medical tourism industry in places like Medellin—a city that’s been colloquially called the ‘silicone valley’. Medical tourists are offered multi-operation packages and post-operative care at a discounted rate. Breast implants, liposuction, and a buttock augmentation often costs less than $10,000 USD.

(Hover over each point to learn more about common cosmetic procedures. Image| Flickr: dou_ble_you)

According to an analysis of ISAPS data, Greece had the highest number of procedures per capita last year at 26 operations for every thousand people. South Korea also had a high rate at 23 people for every thousand in 2015 (South Korea was excluded from the 2016 report due to insufficient data). In Greece, the majority of operations were non-surgical face-tightening procedures and in South Korea, eyelid surgery was the most common operation.

Map: Per capita rate of cosmetic operations based on data from the ISAPS. Click on each country to see a breakdown of the type of procedures performed.

Dr. Nick Carr, head of plastic surgery at the University of British Columbia, said that figures for the number of operations done in Canada can be estimated using data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). According to Carr’s method of estimation, around 1.4 million cosmetic procedures were performed in Canada in 2016.

Carr said that a higher demand for cosmetic operations has been noticeable, with the most dramatic increase in non-surgical procedures such as injectables and laser treatments. According to Carr, social media, pop culture and peer group influence were some of the factors driving the demand. “It’s common that I’ll get people showing me pictures of a celebrity that they want to look like for a breast or buttock augmentation. They’ll often have a picture of Kim Kardashian or whoever…Megan Fox’s nose, you name it.”

Carr also said that more recently, many of the operations he performs are related to a high obesity rate. A growing East Asian population in Vancouver, B.C. has also led to a higher demand in double-eyelid surgery. A small proportion of his clients also seek operations to enhance their professional careers.

Chris Green, a 23-year-old also based in Vancouver B.C., is planning on having upper lip enhancements and a liposuction in the chin next year.  “I want bigger lips because I dance for a living,” he said. “You’ll have agents and stuff that try to push that.”

Green also said that in his field, people usually have operations either for professional reasons or out of insecurity.  “As a dancer we can work out the body, but other things can’t be corrected with exercise,” he said. “You can’t always fix genetics.”

Richie Araish, a 25-year-old hairstylist from Markham Ont., had difficulty with breathing, nosebleeds, and infections from breaking his nose. He decided to give his reconstructive rhinoplasty a cosmetic spin. “I’m in an industry where appearance is everything, so I was so self-conscious about my nose,” he said. “It’s like 300 times better. I think if anybody is really willing to do it then they should. It’s for them and not for anybody else.”

Richie Araish’s rhinoplasty, before and after

According to an analysis of data by the City of Ottawa, the number of complaints about discarded needles has increased by nearly 50 per cent from 2015 to 2016.

A total of 144 complaints were filed with Ottawa’s 3-1-1 Contact Centre in 2016 – the centre then makes arrangements for discarded needle pickup. According to the City’s website, workers “make an effort to respond to all needle retrieval requests within one hour.”

Current data shows that the first eight months of 2017 is recording an even higher volume of complaints than 2016 did.

Total Number of Complaints by Year

This graph shows the number of complaints about discarded needles per each year since 2013, according to City of Ottawa 3-1-1 data.

Total Number of Complaints per Month (2016 vs. 2017)

This graph is a comparison between the first eight recorded months of 2017 with the same months in 2016 in terms of the number of complaints about discarded needles filed monthly, according to City of Ottawa 3-1-1 data.

Councillor Mathieu Fleury, whose ward, Rideau-Vanier, has the highest number of complaints, says that the increase of complaints over the years show a “shift” in drug use.

He says the rise of Canada’s opioid crisis has signified a change in the types of drugs being used. Opioids, like heroin, are usually administered intravenously. Fleury says the increased usage of injection as the preferred drug intake method has naturally led to more needles being found in the streets.

Discarded needles present a danger to residents, especially children and pets like dogs, as they are sharp and may be contaminated.

Julia Paulson has worked for the past two summers as a City of Ottawa parks maintenance worker. She says that a portion of her duties were to safely retrieve needles from parks when complaints were called in to 3-1-1.

She says she noticed more needle retrieval requests this past summer than last. “We get in our truck and usually go immediately to the area, as the City takes these complaints seriously and want someone to get the needles as soon as the complaint is filed.”

Even for a trained worker with safety equipment, she says that the pickup process can be uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. As she mimes the proper way to pick a used needle up off the floor, she says she can understand the fear the complainants have when they spot one.

“You can’t help but think, ‘There could be infectious diseases on this,’ she says, with a note of tension in her voice. “I’ve heard horror stories from other city workers.”

During training sessions for the job, Paulson says a story was told where one employee wasn’t holding the end of the needle away from his body and accidentally stabbed himself when he stumbled.

Hannah Walt is a Masters of Social Work student at Carleton University who has worked in several harm reduction programs over the past few years.

Walt says that discarded needles do present a danger to residents – but that’s why supervised injection sites are so important. Drug users need a place to safely administer drugs under supervision, where they can be watched for danger of overdosing but also to make sure these used needles are safely disposed of properly.

She says many people who are critical of the injection sites don’t understand that it actually makes everyone safer – the users and the community residents, by keeping discarded needles off of streets.

Fleury says that he’s filed two inquiries to Ottawa Public Health, one about treatment options and the other about needle hunters, since the opening of the new supervised injection site in his ward at 179 Clarence Street.

He wants to know what kinds of treatment services Public Health is providing at the injection site, and if there are plans to expand needle hunters’ contracts in his ward. Needle hunters are those who specifically patrol areas to find needles and dispose of them – before they are complained about. Currently, he says hunters don’t work weekends but he is interested in seeing if that needs to be changed to meet demand.

Fleury wonders, “Are we flexible enough to respond to these new needs of both the drug users and the community?”

By Hayley Kirsh

According to an analysis of data from the City of Ottawa’s monthly service requests, dog barking consistently has the highest number of complaints regarding animals in the city.

The data comes from Ottawa 311, a non-emergency system that allows citizens a fast and easy way to make complaints about issues they’re experiencing in the neighbourhood regarding animals, garbage, noise, and more.

In 2016, dog barking made up one third of the total number of complaints submitted to the system. Between January and October 2017, dog barking still saw the highest number of complaints with a total of 1757 complaints being made.

(The following Ottawa 311 data from 2016 shows the top ten complaints made in regards to animals in the city)

Trina Etmanksie lives in the Gloucester-South Nepean ward just south of Carleton University. This past September, she came home to find a Chihuahua named Chester waiting for her at the front door.

She was so excited that she tried to let him sleep in her bed but after the first night his cries were too much, she says.

The small, brown and white speckled puppy has high and loud levels of energy throughout the day, she says as he jumps around playfully behind her chair. “Now, before bedtime, I try to tire him out by playing with his toys. He loves to chew things,” she says, lifting a pale brown boot in the air. Last week, Etmanskie came home to find her new shoe had tiny teeth marks.

“We’re crate training him, so at night if he’s too loud we’ll throw a blanket over the crate to trick him into sleeping,” she says. “His barking has gotten a little better, but Chihuahua’s are known for their ‘sass’.”

Elise Muchmaker lives in the Alta Vista ward. Two weeks ago she made a call into 311 after a barking dog kept her up until two in the morning. “I heard it before I went to bed at around 11 p.m.,” she says. The barking continued for the next few hours but she was too tired to call in.

Muchmaker said the dog slipped from her mind until later the following day when her daughter said she had also heard it in the early morning. “I’ve owned a dog all my life and if they’re barking that much, something’s wrong,” says Muchmaker.

Muchmaker then dialed 311, “Come to think of it, I haven’t heard the dog since,” she says.

She says she is happy with how fast the City responded to the situation, evident by the lack of barking she hears now.

According to the City of Ottawa website, after a complaint is made an officer is sent to examine. A courtesy warning is often issued first but continued violations may result in fines or court proceedings.

All animal-related issues are under the Animal Care and Control By-Law. The by-law specifically states that, “No person shall keep, own, or harbour in the City any animal which makes or causes noises that disturb or are likely to disturb the peace, quiet, rest, enjoyment, or comfort of any person in the vicinity or the neighbourhood.”

Kevin Burns has been a dog trainer for the past 37 years and says the best way to deal with a barking dog is to ignore them.

A big issue he finds with his clients and dog owners in general is that they think all dogs want to be leaders. The barking is them acting out to protect their property, he says, “In truth, the owners need to act as the leaders. Once the dog sees you’re not afraid then they won’t be.”

In his training Burns emphasizes, “It’s about changing the dog’s brain and then their behaviour will follow.”

Roadside garbage collection has been a cause for concern in Ottawa according to an analysis of the city’s 2017 monthly 311-request datasets.

From the beginning of the year until October there has been just over 29,000 complaints to Ottawa’s 311 service concerning garbage.

Kaitlyn Leigh, a resident of Barrhaven, has accounted for five of those complaints and argues that the city needs to do a better job when collecting garbage.

Her frustration comes from multiple instances where Leigh returned home from work to find remaining debris and bins sprawled out among her front yard.

“They’re just lazy, they pick it up and toss it in without caring if the bags rip or if they leave anything behind,” said a frustrated Leigh outside her home.

Leigh’s complaints are no stranger to Barrhaven as the ward has accounted for the highest amount of roadside garbage complaints in Ottawa so far this year. Their 1,921 complaints are 140 more than the next closest area in Kitchissippi.

This comes as no surprise to Leigh who moved to Ottawa in early 2016. She says that it has become a trend in the area and that she and her neighbours are growing tired of picking up after the garbage collection workers.

“If we follow the schedule and place the correct items in the correct bins we shouldn’t have to wake up and find it on our lawns,” said Leigh.

When it comes to garbage, 311 requests can be made to the city if there were items left behind or if a street has been uncollected. Which is another type of complaint that Leigh was forced to make.

After Easter weekend, Leigh made another call to Ottawa 311 to report that her street had been uncollected. She was told that there had been a mistake in the schedule after the holiday and that it would be picked up the following week.

“The most annoying part of it was having to stash the garbage and wait a whole week for it to be picked up again,” said Leigh, “I never understood why they couldn’t have sent another truck out the pick up what they had missed.”

Almost 45 per cent of the garbage-related requests this year have involved organics. Kina Leclair, the city of Ottawa’s senior communication officer, says that often times animals can get into green bins overnight causing a mess to be left behind. Her advice for homeowners is to make sure the bins are secured or if possible take them out the morning of collection day.

“It’s the best way to avoid the mess and to avoid having unwanted animals getting into your garbage at night,” said Leclair.

Garbage complaints account for over 11 per cent of the city’s total 246,000 service requests that have been recorded until October of this year.

The city has remained fairly silent on the issue however Leclair has stated that the city tries to attend to as many issues as possible. However, with the overwhelming number of complaints each month it becomes difficult to keep up.

“We encourage those who have an issues to keep reporting to the city and we’ll do our best to resolve it,” said Leclair.

As of October in 2016, the city had exactly 1,000 less complaints concerning garbage than they’ve had this year. But the city feels as tough this trend will not continue in the years ahead.