Public consultations begin on winter convoy's effects on city

The city's auditor generalwants to hear Tuesday and Wednesdayabout how Ottawa residents and business ownerswere affected by the winter's weeks-long convoy protest-turned-occupation and how the city could have done better.

The reviews were requested by both city council and the police services board, whoagreedthe Office of the Auditor General would consult thepublic aboutwhere tofocus.

"We really want to understand how they felt the city responded to the protest as a whole and understandhow they were impacted," said Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon.

Gougeon saidthisincludes issuespeople encountered with services such as public transportation, community and social services andemergency services.

Any person or group in Ottawa can participate, includingresidents, stakeholders,communities, schools and businesses.

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"What we're hoping to get out of these sessions is that they help us further clarify the key areas that we should be focusing our audit work on," Gougeon said.

Roughly 25 speakers will talk at eachsession, she said. No more slots are available.

There is an onlinesurvey availablefor those who still wish to provide input. Gougeon said they have already received over 500 responses as of Monday.

The scope of the audit will be limited to the convoy protest that occurred overJanuary and February of 2022, not subsequentprotests such as those duringCanada Day weekend.

An independent Ottawa People's Commission launched late last month, with organizers saying they didn't feel government hearings and inquiries were focusing enough on the convoy's impact on residents.