Mayor Mark Sutcliffe insists there will be “no effort to direct people to stay downtown longer than they want to,” despite a city report outlining an advertising campaign that would encourage people to stay downtown after work to help alleviate pressure on the O-Train, buses and the roads this fall. As part of the plan to keep commuters moving in September, the City of Ottawa plans to launch an ad campaign focusing on downtown Ottawa and “supporting extended stays” in the core. A report for council last week said the communications strategy will include “targeted efforts to promote downtown activity, events, and businesses, with the objective of encouraging workers and visitors who travel to the downtown core to extend their time in the area in order to spread the egress from downtown over a longer period.” Public service unions and public servants have criticized the plan by the City of Ottawa to encourage people to spend time in the downtown core at the end of the workday. In a letter to City of Ottawa employees, obtained by CTV News Ottawa, Sutcliffe said he wanted to address “misinterpretations and mischaracterizations” that have been circulating on the city’s approach to communicating transportation plans this fall. “Let me be clear: there is no plan to encourage employers to keep employees downtown longer, nor to do any marketing or communications along those lines,” Sutcliffe said on Tuesday. “I have asked city staff to ensure that any and all communications will be to inform residents of the 48 different measures the city is taking to make traffic flow more smoothly. There will be no effort to direct people to stay downtown longer than they want to, and any suggestion of that is misleading.“ In a post on social media, Sutcliffe reiterated there had been “misinterpretations and mischaracterizations” about the city’s approach to communicating travel plans this fall. “I have asked city staff to ensure that any and all communications will be to inform residents of the 48 different measures we are taking to make traffic flow more smoothly. That includes increasing the frequency of Line 1, adding more bus service, including express routes, and addressing other issues including parking and traffic flow.” The City of Ottawa’s $29 million, 48-point plan to keep commuters moving this fall includes $110,000 for promotion and paid advertising to share mitigation measures and travel tips, and $50,000 for a transit communication campaign geared towards federal employees. A report for council last week outlined the objectives of the city’s communications approach: Some councillors have raised concerns about capacity on City of Ottawa roads, the Queensway and OC Transpo as public servants and students return this fall. OC Transpo and the city are expecting an additional 65,000 trips a week into the downtown area this fall, with federal public servants required to be in the office for a minimum of four days a week. OC Transpo advertising campaign In a separate memo to council today, OC Transpo manager of strategic communications Amanda Thompson outlined its communications and marketing campaign for the fall. Thompson said it will focus on “increasing the awareness of enhancements that make transit more frequent, direct and reliable,” including: Thompson said in addition to the mobility act plan, the city will work with Business Improvement Areas to “showcase the neighbourhoods and business districts downtown and near employment hubs across Ottawa.” “The plan aims to highlight local events, restaurants, shops, cultural attractions and new public spaces that contribute to vibrant, welcoming communities,” Thompson said.
