Provincial office to support better services for the people of Ottawa and region
The provincial government is opening a new regional office to support better services for the people of Ottawa and the surrounding region. The new office, which opens today, will support greater engagement with both municipal and federal governments and play an important role in implementing the new deal, advancing shared priorities and ensuring that Ottawa’s unique needs as Ontario’s second-largest city and Canada’s capital are addressed and supported.
“Today’s announcement is further evidence that our government takes Ottawa’s position as our second-largest city and a service and economic hub for eastern Ontario seriously,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This new office will be critical in delivering on the new deal while identifying opportunities to grow Ottawa and eastern Ontario’s economy and supporting the hardworking people of this region. It will also be an important link between the province and the federal government.”
The office will help ensure a successful implementation of the province’s new deal with Ottawa. As part of the new deal, announced earlier this year, the province is providing Ottawa with up to $543 million in operating and capital funding, including $181 million for critical transportation projects. The deal includes a phased plan to guide the upload of Ottawa Road 174 to the province, provincial support for the repair and upgrade of the city’s major connecting routes and rural roads, a new interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road and improved public safety with a new police neighbourhood operations centre in the ByWard Market Area.
This office will provide Ottawa’s municipal government with a central link to the premier, cabinet and government. It will help ensure that the needs of Ottawa residents, including workers, families, business owners and more, are understood and met at the provincial level. It will also provide the province with additional resources to ensure Ontario’s needs are properly understood and addressed by the federal government.
Ontario’s new office in Ottawa will be led by Sean Webster. Mr. Webster draws on a track record of advocacy and leadership in the Canadian pharmaceutical and energy sectors, most recently holding senior positions at Canopy Growth Corporation and Shoppers Drug Mart. As a volunteer, Mr. Webster also served on the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Convention Centre, Exhibition Place and the Board of Providence Healthcare.