Canada/New naming policy may soon be in place in Ottawa

The City of Ottawa is about to adopt a new naming policy to commemorate a more diverse range of Ottawans without targets or quotas.

The City's General Manager of Recreation, Culture and Facilities Services, Dan Chenier, explained that a new working group would select nominations from the public that represent the community in a more balanced way.

Ottawa's Community Services Committee approved the new policy on Wednesday, and it will go to the full council for final approval next month.

For Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward Councillor Rawlson King, it should help address historical inequities.

If adopted, the new naming policy will place greater emphasis on the recognition of local Ottawans, while prioritizing the inclusion and equitable representation of communities and cultures, as well as consultation with aboriginal groups.

To ensure equality and inclusiveness in the future, the policy stipulates that names received from the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation and names representing groups experiencing a lack of equity will be given priority consideration, reads a municipal staff report.

These groups include women and newcomers, as well as racialized, francophone and LGBTQ people.

Chenier also said that the task force will be responsible for vetting applications to ensure that they don't honor people who might bring opprobrium to the city.

What we want to avoid are situations where the reputation of the City or an establishment is tarnished by an association that does not reflect the City's values.

The policy explicitly excludes names that are discriminatory or derogatory with respect to race, color, ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, gender, sexual orientation, faith, political affiliation, disability or other social factors.

Name change not the only solution

Somerset Ward Councillor Ariel Troster asked if residents could use the new policy to challenge a name already honored at one of the municipal facilities.

The General Manager of the City's Recreation, Culture and Facilities Services replied that they could propose renaming the place in a different way, following the same process as for having a municipal infrastructure named. He added that the task force would assess the merits of such a request by examining the facts in order to make evidence-based decisions based on historical research.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca