Editorial

Am I imagining the parking and traffic increases?
The City seems to say so.

In the last issue of IMAGE, I reported on property standard frustrations in Sandy Hill. For this issue, I wanted to tackle another common downtown-living complaint: traffic and parking. Unfortunately, the best I can put together as we go to print are speculatory thoughts based on limited available information. I do hope, however, that this can launch a more in-depth discussion around traffic management within Sandy Hill.

Having lived on the same street of Sandy Hill for 20 years, I can state for a fact that on-street parking has increased exponentially. It is not uncommon for every single street parking spot on our block to be taken, something that was not a problem only a few years ago. Another relatively recent development is the complete backing up of Lees Avenue traffic between the 417 access ramps during rush hour.

Unfortunately, obtaining information from the City of Ottawa is an exercise in extreme patience, especially if several departments need to be consulted. Staff are not allowed to actually speak to the media, and if you don’t word your written question exactly right, you better ask it again differently to get useful data.

With respect to an increase in on-street parking, the response from Byron Hemlow, Program Manager, Traffic Investigations & Surveys, implied there is no problem:

“Current service requests suggest limited reported issues with on-street parking. However, zoning changes and infill development in the area can affect the number of on-street parking spaces, which may contribute to the perception of reduced availability.” (emphasis added)

Regarding misperceptions, a line I have often heard is that uOttawa students don’t own cars. As recently as the last Action Sandy Hill (ASH) annual meeting on April 27, Councillor Stéphanie Plante said that the addition of new high-rises on Lees Avenue will not pose traffic congestion problems because they are mainly intended for students and students don’t drive. (For more information on these buildings, see Ralph Blaine’s article “Another Roadside Attraction” in the October 2025 issue of IMAGE, available online at www.home.imagesandyhill.org). In fact, that development will have twice as many bicycle parking spots (most of them outdoors) as spots for cars—presumably because cycling is an easy mode of transportation in the middle of winter. The Transportation Impact Assessment (TIA) done for the 2 Robinson Ave/320 Lees Avenue development also stated that the increase in residential population (1,534 apartments) will not require additional service from OC Transpo. That I believe, given the state of our transit system!

However, data provided to IMAGE by the City shows that many more on-street parking permits are issued during the school year. Sandy Hill is broken into four segments for issuing parking permits. In the area known as Sandy Hill North, for example, 24 parking permits were issued in July 2025 compared to 81 in September. In the Sandy Hill East-Osgoode section, the number went from 14 to 51. It turns out there is more to this issue than just perception, and maybe students do own cars and need somewhere to park them.

As for traffic along Mann Avenue, the TIA, referred to earlier, stated that there was no “vehicular movement data” available for the eastbound on-ramp of the 417, and in response to my request for data, the City could provide no traffic counts for Lees between the 417 on-ramp and King Edward.

I am left with so many more questions, and not much confidence that City staff understand the realities of downtown residents who use vehicles to get around, including students!

Please share your thoughts with IMAGE by writing to: editor@imagesandyhill.org.

Christine Aubry

Editor