Experts warn of rising Xylazine-linked overdoses in Ottawa and nationwide
Experts warn the surge in Xylazine-tainted drugs is part of a wider national pattern that is threatening the lives of addicts and users on the streets
The Ottawa Hospital bringing ER care to the home
The Ottawa Hospital is running Ontario's first Hospital at Home program.
Internationally educated nurses are untapped assets in solving nursing shortages
A recent Statistics Canada report explores how many internationally educated nurses are underutilized even in the midst of a national nursing shortage.
Families on standby as child care costs plummet, while waitlists hit record levels
Child care is cheaper but that lower price is driving more demand leaving many families waiting for access.
More discarded needles found as Ottawa Public Health expands search
Ottawa is reporting an uptick in discarded needles found across the city, according to a Capital Current analysis of City of Ottawa data.
Ottawa Charge and PWHL right to reject plans for smaller arena, fans and experts say
The Lansdowne 2.0 project will reduce the size of the arena that housed the PWHL Ottawa Charge team.
“This is what I am meant to do”: Cara Vaccarino works to reinvent mental health care in Ottawa
Cara Vaccarino stepped into her first CEO position in January 2024 at the Royal Mental Health Centre, and strives to destigmatize mental health.
Christine Crump: Hard Rock’s powerhouse with a heart
Christine Crump has spent more than 25 years in the gaming industry. She is known for her people-first leadership philosophy and commitment to philanthropy. Her work leading Ottawa’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, along with her philanthropic ventures, reflects the values that have guided her for her entire career.
From identity to initiative: Jennifer San works to make Ottawa safer for Indigenous people
Jennifer San, an Indigenous well-being worker, details how her journey inspires her work as coordinator for the Indigenous Women's Safety Table.
Rosey Edeh powers on from Olympian to on-air role model
The co-host of CTV Your Morning Ottawa since 2020, she is a familiar face in the local arts, sports, music and technology communities.
A cure for health care: Ottawa doctor, Alykhan Abdulla, has a mission to fix the system
Dr. Alykhan Abdulla cares for more than 5,000 patients in his family practice. He still has time to work of a fix for the ailing health-care system.
Young people taking risks chasing beauty ideals with Botox, dermal fillers, experts say
Statistics show more youth are getting cosmetic injections because of beauty trends on social media.
Physicians sounding the alarm (again) over health misinformation as disease cases rise
Earlier this year, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) published findings from a joint survey with Abacus Data on health and the media. The report notably suggested that encounters with health misinformation have been on the rise, and respondents are increasingly recognizing the prevalence and harm of misinformation.
Gender-based violence support groups criticize planned federal funding cuts
Support services and organizations may face significant challenges because of a proposed 80 per cent budget cut towards their federal funding.
Advocates work to fill gap in breast-cancer care for Black women in Ottawa
Black women in Canada have the highest breast cancer mortality rates. They are diagnosed at later stages and screened less.
New Ottawa workshop addresses stigma around men’s mental health
A new Ottawa workshop offers men an opportunity to open up about their mental health.
Uncertainty about federal funding cuts raising concern for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ Ottawa programs
As the federal budget fast approaches, women and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations demand funding levels for Women and Gender Equality Canada be maintained.
Crafting combat: How veterans turn memories into models and help ease mental concerns
After facing challenges on and off the battlefield, veterans are using model building as a way to find community support.
Many Ottawa Valley residents unhappy about glyphosate spraying
A recent aerial-spraying campaign using the herbicide glyphosate prompted the emergence of a citizen-based action to oppose such spraying campaigns in the Ottawa Valley and Ontario.
Perley Health turns to children to help improve dementia care
Ottawa’s Perley Health is building a dementia-friendly daycare to explore how children may improve quality of life for seniors with dementia.
Chinatown BIA director wants his community to be safe
Yukang Li is executive director of the Chinatown BIA. In his four years in the job he has become more and more concerned about public safety in his community.
Judy Trinh’s journey from refugee to reporter
From fleeing Vietnam as a child to becoming a national correspondent with CTV News, Judy Trinh has built a career uncovering stories and giving back to her Vietnamese community.
Marisa Moher breaks down barriers for youth through community and compassion
Marisa Moher's position at Youturn is more than operations and finances. She is driven by the goal to give all youth in Ottawa the opportunity to succeed.
Suzanne Obiorah offers leadership in improving access for all to public health in Ottawa
Suzanne Obiorah, CEO of the Somerset West Community Health Centre, works to minimize racial and social disparities in Ottawa.
Support for dads: Ottawa Public Health set to provide new fatherhood service
Clad in a paper gown, Tom Gardener was led into the emergency operation room with the instructions to not touch anything in blue. In front of him lay his partner, unconscious on the table and her stomach cut open, while he cradled their newborn daughter for the first time. For 21 hours Gardener had been left alone in the hospital...
Committee OKs plan to move French childcare service to West Centretown
The City of Ottawa’s community services committee has approved a plan to move the Centre éducatif Pinocchio — a city-run French-language childcare service — to a high-needs area in West Centretown. The city is proposing to move the municipally-operated centre from its current location at 111 Sussex Drive in Lowertown — the former Ottawa City hall — to a new...
Ontario paramedics work to curb high rates of assaults, threats faced on the job
Time stood still for Brampton-area paramedic Mandy Johnston as a patient tried to strangle her work partner. They had sped to the scene with a brief summary from the 9-1-1 dispatcher. When they arrived at the property, they were met by a man at the end of the driveway, hurling threats at them. They were trying to de-escalate the situation...
Children’s mental health appears poorer than parents think, study indicates
Children are more likely to perceive their mental health negatively than their parents, according to data from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth.
Photography program helps people with Down syndrome explore their visual creativity
The True to Life project is the work of photographers Kelly McDonald and Emillie Swain, who have taught photography to students with Down syndrome for roughly a decade.
‘Set up for failure:’ Harm reduction advocate slams transition to HART hubs
A leading defender of harm reduction services in Ottawa says the Ontario government’s push to convert safe consumption sites to HART hubs is misguided. Rob Boyd, CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health — one of just three remaining safe consumption sites in the capital — said the province’s new approach to Canada’s overdose and toxic drugs crisis means Ontario is...
Trump tariffs add uncertainty as hospital finalizes build plan for new Civic campus
As The Ottawa Hospital continues finalizing costs and construction plans for its new Civic campus near Dow’s Lake, the task has been complicated by the uncertain impact of the ongoing controversy around Canada-U.S. tariffs, which began after the January return to the White House of U.S. President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, though, early-stage preparation of the 50-acre building site — including...
Neighbourhood health hubs playing key role in city immunization efforts
Any Ottawa parent with a child who’s missing immunizations should be expecting mail soon — if they haven’t already received it. Since December, Ottawa Public Health has mailed about 11,000 incomplete immunization advisory letters to families with children missing one or more vaccines on their health record. Soon, the agency will send school suspension notices to those who have not...
‘At the tip of your fingers’: Survey points to growing plague of health misinformation, experts say
Nearly one-third of Canadians have taken medical advice they found online over recommendations from their doctors, according to a new survey. Conducted by Ottawa-based polling firm Abacus Data and commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association, the survey found 51 per cent of this group appear to be “highly susceptible to online misinformation.” As well the survey found that more than...
Carleton’s gender support hub expects backlash after Trump’s ‘two sexes’ edict
Advocates and members of Carleton University’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community say they’re bracing for the possibility of “more abuse” and discrimination in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proclamation that the American government will only recognize “two sexes, male and female.” Following Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, he swiftly rescinded 78 of former Democratic president Joe Biden’s executive orders and began...
The 25th Hour: At the heart of the problem
Julia DeJong explores how women have been excluded from research on heart disease in the past and how this has severe impacts on their health and futures.
The 25th Hour: Is Carleton one of Canada’s most accessible campuses?
Journalist Caelan Monkman investigates the physical accessibility of Carleton University's campus.
Naloxone, safe-injection sites may be helping bring down fatal opioid overdose deaths
The devastation of the opioid epidemic has taken the lives of many Canadians, but experts say access to safe, clean spaces for users — and naloxone — are among the possible reasons for a change in trajectory.
Ottawa Public Library’s Memory Cafés create community for people touched by dementia
Loneliness is gaining recognition for its profound impact on health — particularly on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The growing need and awareness have sparked some community solutions, including Memory Cafés run by the Ottawa Public Library.
In Ottawa, staving off the winter blues is getting harder
The winter blues are common in Ottawa — and the rest of Canada. Here's how some of the locals are combatting the annual phenonemon.
Ottawa ex-smokers grapple with new regulations governing sale of nicotine pouches
Zonnic nicotine pouches, a new smoking cessation product in Canada, have been moved from convenience stores to private pharmacies.
‘Maama Watali’ aims to build 14-unit transitional housing for victims of gender violence
Maama Watali: How a mother’s death led to the building of a Non-Profit Organization helping rebuild people’s lives
Federal government’s $3.7 million for homeless veterans in Ottawa a start but more needed, experts say
The federal government has announced $3.7 million in funding over four years to help Canadian veterans dealing with homelessness in Ottawa. Veterans House Canada, an organization supporting homeless veterans, will receive over $2.6 million as part of the initiative.
City Builder: Najia Haneefi advocates for Afghanistan women and girls’ liberation
Najia Haneefi is a long-time advocate for the educational freedom of Afghan women and girls. She is a co-chair of Right to Learn Afghanistan Ottawa, which is responsible for educating young Afghan children via online libraries and classes.
Health experts urge Ottawans to roll up their sleeves for a flu/COVID-19 double vaccination
This year, many Ottawa residents are rolling up their sleeves to get a flu shot in one arm and an updated COVID-19 vaccine in the other. At Whole Health Pharmacy on Bank Street and Fifth Avenue, owner and pharmacist Renu Pillay says he’s been busy preparing appointments for people getting their COVID-19 and flu vaccines. “[We need to] stem the...
City Builder: Sheena Brady builds ‘something big’ with Tease Wellness and the Founder’s Fund
Sheena Brady is the Founder and CEO of wellness brand Tease Wellness, along with starting the Founder's Fund to support other entrepreneurs.
City Builder: Dr. Christina Romulus works to inspire the next generation of Black doctors
Dr. Romulus is known for her work as a mentor and physician in Ottawa. Her involvement in mentorship and outreach has made her well known in spaces that support women, racialized communities, and small business owners.
City of Ottawa’s new focus on person-centred, long-term care a welcome shift
Francis Dixon says the City of Ottawa’s shift toward person-centred care has enhanced his sense of independence and dignity at Carleton Lodge, a long-term care home by the Rideau River — one of four run by the city. “I can wake up when my body allows, and the staff genuinely care about my needs,” the 87-year-old retired clergyman told Capital...
So far, so good: Person-centred care pilot program in Ottawa long-term care deemed success
Person-centred care is an integrated health-services approach that relies on a variety of factors to strengthen resident comfort and safety.
Ottawa homeowner dismayed to find high levels of radon, a potentially deadly gas
A 2024 Health Canada statistic showed that radon exposure may result in as many as 3,200 deaths annually, more than car accidents (1,898), carbon monoxide (300) and fire (109) deaths combined.
Ottawa set to require new licensing fees for vendors selling vaping products
Ottawa’s Emergency and Protective Services Committee approved a new licence for retailers that sell vapour products on Thursday, Oct. 17, which would impose additional licensing fees on vape shops if adopted by City Council. Staff said licensing fees collected through this new regime will be used to hire more enforcement officers to help reduce youth access to vapour products. According...