New legislation renders OPS special event staffing process non-compliant
The Ottawa Police Service may need to change its administrative process for staffing special events such as professional sports games, festivals and construction sites following a change in provincial legislation. On July 7, the Ottawa Police Service Board’s policy and governance committee received an update on which body has the authority to oversee the staffing of these shifts, which are...
Wartime convalescent home in Sandy Hill to be granted heritage designation
Ottawa’s built heritage committee has voted to designate a property that once served as a hospital for wounded soldiers returning from the First World War. Located in Sandy Hill, 410-412 Besserer Street — built by the famous engineer and inventor Sir Sandford Fleming in 1904 — served as part of The Fleming Convalescent Home from 1917 to 1921. It later...
‘We have to show our patriotism,’ says seamstress behind anti-Tesla flag protest
In March, when the Canada-U.S. trade war erupted, Graziana Marcantonio decided to use her sewing skills to make a statement to the powerful. The Ottawa seamstress took it upon herself to ask her fellow residents of the Sidney Towers Housing Co-operative to hang Canadian flags on their balconies, situated beside the Tesla auto showroom on Carling Avenue in Little Italy....
New print magazine issues ‘wake-up call’ about Ottawa’s coolness, creativity
On a Saturday afternoon, in an event space located on a quiet stretch of Gladstone Avenue, about a dozen creatives scrambled to apply the finishing touches of art and décor before their guests began to arrive. The setup was a team effort, including strategically placed photographs, a DJ set, a band, balloons and (of course) oranges. After all, there was...
Ottawa’s first Craig’s Cookies shop draws Canada Day crowd in ByWard Market
José Mari Perez says the smell of freshly baked, candy-filled cookies wafting through Union Station draws him in every time he visits Toronto. On Canada Day, he got the chance to try the treats from the popular Toronto-based chain, Craig’s Cookies, at its new location in the ByWard Market on George Street. “I’ve been to the shop in Toronto multiple...
From swamp to swim spot: Why Dow’s Lake is cleaner than you think
Last month, the NCC officially opened a swim spot off a new dock in Dow’s Lake, part of the Rideau Canal just north of Carleton University. National Capital Commission CEO Tobi Nussbaum, Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi and others enthusiastically jumped in, partly to demonstrate to the public that the water is safe to swim in and had consistently met...
After referendum motion pulled, residents speak out on Lansdowne 2.0
Fifteen delegates voiced concerns about the city’s proposed Lansdowne 2.0 project as part of a June 23 “people’s committee” hosted by the community group Better Ottawa. Better Ottawa’s Neil Saravanamuttoo said he decided to organize the event after a motion by Capital Coun. Shawn Menard — which proposed a public referendum on Lansdowne 2.0 — was withdrawn during a June...
City proposes new open data dashboard for indicators of community well-being
Open data on the well-being and safety of Ottawa residents is about to get more accessible. Last week, staff attending the city’s community safety and well-being advisory committee presented plans to develop a new dashboard that would display data on city-wide population-based indicators. The committee, which met June 18, is made up largely of community volunteers and includes Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun....
Stella Luna hopes ByWard Market-goers chill out with pop-up gelato this summer
An Ottawa father-son duo is transforming a ByWard Market landmark this summer into a family-friendly spot serving what may be the city’s most recognizable gelato – for better or for worse. In March 2024, Jonah Trevor-Deutsch, 31, purchased the Old Ottawa South location of Stella Luna Gelato Café with the help of his father, Lawry, 68, of Dreammind Hospitality Group....
‘A big shift’: Centretown business owner hopeful as city proposes façade fund
Historic buildings in Centretown may soon be eligible to receive funding from the city for something that’s often relegated to the bottom of a business owner’s to-do list: Beautification. On Tuesday, Ottawa’s built heritage committee unveiled a $500,000 Centretown Heritage Façade Improvement Pilot Program. If approved by council, it could allow property owners of buildings along Bank and a small...
Debate delayed on fossil fuel ad ban as city targets ‘greenwashing’ instead
Members of the city’s finance and corporate services committee have delayed debating a staff recommendation against banning fossil fuel advertising on municipal property. Instead, staff outlined a plan in a memo presented to the committee on June 3 to ensure ads on city property would comply with new provisions under the Federal Competition Act targeting misleading environmental claims, also known...
Algonquin elder still ‘frustrated’ by explorer Champlain’s prominence at renaturalized Kìwekì Point
The effort to preserve two 80-year-old elm trees in the recently rehabilitated Kìwekì Point reminded designers of one thing not reflected much in the national capital’s downtown landscape: that we are living in relationship to nature. “Those two trees are probably the main reason for how the pathway system for the park actually worked itself out,” said Garry Meus, a...
City begins grappling with projected $10.8-billion infrastructure gap by 2035
City councillors at a finance and corporate services committee on Tuesday debated how the city should close a projected $10.8-billion infrastructure gap over the next 10 years. As required under provincial legislation from 2017, the city presented asset management plans across 12 infrastructure areas, including drinking water, transportation and solid waste services, creating a “snapshot” of the projected deficit. “We...
Pilot program allowing alcohol consumption in parks heading to council
Ottawa residents of legal drinking age appear likely to be allowed to crack open a cold one in a city park this summer — but not without a few restrictions. On Tuesday, councillors on the city’s community services committee approved plans for a pilot program that would permit alcohol consumption in select parks as part of a revamped Parks and...
King Charles and Queen Camilla mingle with ‘thrilled’ Lansdowne royal watchers
What might have been a sleepy Monday afternoon at downtown Ottawa's Lansdowne Park was transformed into a historic spectacle as King Charles III and Queen Camilla made their first public appearance in the nation's capital during their 2025 royal visit.
City waters down proposed ban on smart-consumption monitoring devices
The City of Ottawa is aiming to strengthen regulations around smart-consumption monitoring devices on water meters, which could include working with the private company Alert Labs. On Tuesday, members of the city’s environment and climate change committee discussed changes to the Water Bylaw, which regulates municipal water services. A report released on May 8 outlined a potential ban on renters...
Ottawa Centre pits Liberal Yasir Naqvi and NDP’s Joel Harden in election re-match
Along the streets of Ottawa’s trendy Glebe neighbourhood, election signs are out in an Ottawa Centre rematch between incumbent Liberal Yasir Naqvi and NDP Joel Harden.
Cozy reads and romantasy: Ottawa library users increasingly turning to fiction
Ottawa public library users are increasingly turning to fiction, according to data from the Ottawa Public Library.
As Canada’s big banks leave Net-Zero alliance, young people think about alternatives
The move by Canada’s biggest financial institutions to walk away from the UN-backed Net-Zero Banking Alliance has many Gen Z young people pondering a breakup with their bank, though some admit that the convenience is a major stumbling block.
Ottawa councillors deny developer request to add units to keep agreed amenity space in high rise
Ottawa’s housing committee turned down a developer’s request to add five more units to a pair of student high rises in the ByWard Market, citing concerns about “quality of life” for residents due to reduced amenity spaces.
Ecology Ottawa urges the city to fund a community-run air quality monitoring program
Ecology Ottawa is asking the city to create a budget for local climate initiatives, such as Breathe Easy which monitored air quality in 46 locations across Ottawa.
City to try out new sidewalk machines in a collective push to reduce road salt use
The city will pilot new sidewalk machine salt controllers this winter. Others are pushing to reduce salt usage, due to its ecological damage.
City builder: Rae Landriau uses passion for nature to fuel volunteer work in Ottawa
Activist, volunteer, author and master's student Rae Landriau was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award from Volunteer Ottawa.
‘I have started to buy only the necessities:’ Food inflation threatens students’ ability to consume a balanced diet
High food inflation in Ontario has forced students to cut back on essential food groups.