Culture, craft and community converge at Lansdowne’s Expo Mexico Mujer
For one weekend, Lansdowne Park became a meeting place between Mexico and Canada as artists, entrepreneurs and artisans gathered for Expo Mexico Mujer to celebrate culture, community and commerce. Held June 5-7 at the Horticulture Building, the event featured exhibitors in gastronomy, fashion, tourism and visual arts, while highlighting the contributions of Mexican women entrepreneurs and creators. Organized in partnership...
ACORN pushes Ottawa to strengthen renoviction bylaw ahead of council vote
Ottawa tenants and housing advocates rallied outside City Hall on Tuesday, July 7, urging councillors to strengthen the city’s proposed rental renovation licence bylaw before it heads to committee this week. Members of ACORN Ottawa — a nationwide grassroots network representing low-to-moderate income residents — gathered with signs and chants calling for stronger protections against renovictions. A renoviction occurs when...
Ottawa’s love of shawarma on display with inaugural festival, record sandwich
The smell of garlic sauce and grilled meat filled York Street on June 7 as thousands gathered in the ByWard Market for Ottawa’s inaugural Shawarma Fest, a day-long celebration of one of the city’s most recognizable foods. Visitors lined up for shawarma wraps, watched live performances and cheered on a Guinness World Record attempt as organizers sought to cement Ottawa’s...
Ottawa’s last supervised consumption sites close amid fears of overdose risks
Ottawa’s last supervised consumption sites have closed, ending a model of care that health advocates say saved lives and connected some of the city’s most vulnerable residents with healthcare. The closures are part of the Ontario government’s shift away from supervised consumption services and toward Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, a treatment-focused model that the province says offers...
Canadian flotilla activists recount detention after Gaza mission, press Canada for more action
Activists who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza shared accounts of detention, mistreatment and their calls for stronger Canadian action to protect human rights during a panel discussion in Ottawa on Wednesday.The event, organized by the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, featured five Canadian flotilla participants. They were among hundreds of activists involved in a...
ByWard Market’s new Vendor Village still finding its audience in busy retail district
The ByWard Market’s new Vendor Village is meant to bring more local makers into the retail district, but some vendors say its early success depends on whether shoppers can find it. The village, launched in mid-May, was created by the ByWard Market District Authority as a curated outdoor vendor area featuring local goods, including crafts, clothing, food, flowers and gifts. The authority...