CBC Ottawa explains: How council's vote went down on 5 key issues

Although Ottawa's city council has a reputation for rubber-stamping files with little-to-no debate, a number of issueshave led to heated discussions.

From thecontentious Salvation Army development, to supervised injection sites to giant high-rises, the gloves have come off more than a few times in the past four years. Even storm sewers were controversial for this council.

So which side of the vote did your councillor come down on? Here's how the vote went down on five key issues.

Uber comes to town: April 13, 2016

Against: Eli El-Chantiry
In favour: 23 other members of council

There was a lot of gnashing of teeth when Uberrode into town.

Councillorsclaimed to be offended at how the international ride-app company had been operating illegally for months in Ottawa.

In the final council meetingto allowUberto operate in Ottawa, ninecouncillors StephenBlais, RickChiarelli, KeithEgli, EliEl-Chantiry, BobMonette, MichaelQaqish, Mark Taylor, TimTierneyand Marianne Wilkinson voted to makeUbercars have security cameras, the way taxis cabs do, many of them arguing passionately about how customer safety was paramount.

• Council's bumbling reaction to Uber entrance underlines lack of vision

But the motion to obligate Uber to install cameras failed. Despite their concerns for customers, the only councillor to vote against legalizing the taxi alternative was Eli El-Chantiry.

Health board chair gives thumbs down to SIS: June 30, 2016

Against: Shad Qadri, Michael Qaqish
In favour:David Chernushenko,Mathieu Fleury,Catherine McKenneyandMark Taylor

For years, Mayor Jim Watson and police Chief Charles Bordeleauopposed supervised injection sites in Ottawa. Eventually, Watson said he would leave the decision to allow the sites in thecity up to the Ottawa Board of Health, which is comprised of six councillors and members of the medical community.

• Ottawa Board of Health votes in favour of supervised drug injection sites

• ANALYSIS:Safe injection sites have come to Ottawa despite politicians, not because of them

After hearing from then-medical officer of health Dr. IsraLevy and people battling addictions about how the supervised sites can save lives, the board voted to allow them in principle.

Only two people voted against the SIS proposal: councillorsMichael Qaqish and Shad Qadri, the chair of the board of health.

Spending$1.9M to quell storm-sewer fury:Sept. 27, 2017

Against:GeorgeDarouze, JeffLeiperand MichaelQaqish
Infavour: 21 other members of council

One of the most contentious rural issues in this term of council has been the introduction of a new storm-watercharge.

It used to be that storm-water infrastructure thinkstorm sewers and culverts were paid for as a percentage of a resident's water bill, even though storm water has nothing to do with drinking or waste water. That meant that rural residents notconnected to the city's water system were, according to the city, receiving storm-water services but not paying for them.

• Councillor blasts 'disingenuous' storm water rate hike

• ANALYSIS:Councillors shirk responsibility with storm water reprieve

In 2016, the water and sewer billing system was revamped, and storm-water services where chargedto all residents separately, a move that caused an uproar insome rural communities. The unhappiness continued in 2017, when the long-term plan for water and sewer rates showed storm-waterfees rising by 10 per cent or more annually over the next decade.

The fees have to be paid by everyone. But it was rural residents and their councillors who were the most vocal opponents of the increase, even though the average rural homeowner would have had to pay an extra $3.50 a month in 2018.

Instead of taking the quick political hit, council decided to borrow $3.1 million to keep the rate increase to five per cent for 2018. There is no plan for 2019.

And that extra debt will cost $1.9 million in interest over the next decade, according to the city treasurer's office.

Adding insult to injury? Although the measure was taken to help out rural councillors, Osgoode ward Coun. George Darouze voted against the measure, which didn't win him many friends around the council horseshoe.

Salvation Army's 350-bed project: Nov. 21, 2017

Against:Riley Brockington, David Chernushenko, Diane Deans, Mathieu Fleury, Catherine McKenney, Jeff Leiper andTobiNussbaum
In favour: Stephen Blais, Jean Cloutier, George Darouze, Keith Egli, Eli El-Chantiry, Jan Harder, Allan Hubley, Jody Mitic, Scott Moffatt, Bob Monette, Shad Qadri, Michael Qaqish, Mark Taylor, Tim Tierney, Jim Watson and Marianne Wilkinson
Abstention: Rick Chiarelli

More than 140 people spoke to councillorsduring a three-day planning committee marathon meeting last November over the Salvation Army's controversial proposal to build a 350-bed facility on Montreal Road in Vanier. Many councillors not on the planning committee sat in on the meeting for hours. Mayor Jim Watson, who voiced his support for the project months earlier, did not attend on any day.

• Marathon meetings for Salvation Army plan end in tears and an approval

• Fleury says colleagues treated him as 'toxic'

Despite massive community opposition to the project expressed by members of the public, as well as some housing advocates who believe the proposal is well-meaning but essentially flawed, the planning committee approved the project. The following week, full council also approved it.

The issue continues to be controversial and is a central issue in the election campaign in Rideau-Vanier. The community is also appealing the project to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Height of controversy over 900 Albert St.: July 11, 2018

Against: David Chernushenko, Mathieu Fleury, Jeff Leiper, Catherine McKenneyand Tobi Nussbaum
In favour: Rick Chiarelli, Jean Cloutier, George Darouze, Diane Deans, Keith Egli, Eli El-Chantiry, Jan Harder, Allan Hubley, Scott Moffatt, Bob Monette, Shad Qadri, Michael Qaqish,Mark Taylor, Tim Tierney, Jim Watson and Marianne Wilkinson
Absent: Stephen Blais, Riley Brockington and Jody Mitic

Council's approval of projects that are well aboveallowable height limits are nothing new, but the decision last summer to green-light a development of three highrisesjust west of downtown one of which will be 65storeys high became a hot topic.

The project at 900 Albert St., across from the Bayiew LRTstation, is already getting an $8-million tax discount from the city. And the heights are more than double what was called for in the area's secondary plan, apiece of the city's formal planning policy that called for maximum heights of 30 storeys.

• 11 Albert Street buildings, including a 65-storey tower, approved by council

• ANALYSIS: Is community planning a waste of time?

In 2012, Watson told a planning summit that there were "too manymany surprises that upset local neighbourhoods when zoning changes." He called for more certainty in planning and that the city's official policies "had to mean something."

On the day of the council decision, Watson told reporters that community plans "are not cast in stone Circumstanceschange."