‘Overdue’ Ontario minimum wage increase keeping workers treading water, employees, experts say
While Ontario has raised the minimum wage rate again, it's really only keeping low-income workers up with inflation and not helping them move forward, experts say.
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.
Some Ottawa Metro stores reduce daily student discount to once a week as food insecurity rises
Some Metro grocery stores in Ottawa are cutting a daily discount for students to once a week as the affordability crisis continues to grow in the capital.
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.
‘We let this happen’: Ottawa seniors fight for climate action
Ottawa seniors are turning up the heat on climate action by demanding change for the future.
Doug Ford’s push to ban speed cameras sparks public backlash over safety concerns around schools
Doug Ford's ban on speed enforcement cameras is rising safety concerns among parents and others in Ottawa.
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.
Ottawa councillors welcome plan to build Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail link
Fast train service has been a dream for decades in Canada, the only G7 country without high-speed rail, and Ottawa city councillors are supportive of the latest plan that could get commuters from Ottawa to Toronto in just over two hours.
Crossing the line? Proposed protest bylaws threaten advocacy, climate activists say
Proposed bubble bylaws including in the City of Ottawa threaten the right to free speech, activists say.
Giving a dam for 50 years: Canada’s relationship with its national animal
The beaver has been an official symbol of Canada for 50 years, but we don't treat them with the respect that deserve, experts say.
Althia Raj balances politics and community in Ottawa
Althia Raj has spent years reporting and providing analysis of the happenings at Parliament Hill. She is also active in Ottawa's arts scene.
Advocates call for sustainable climate solutions in wake of federal election
As some vote as still being counted in the federal election, environmental advocates are highlighting a gap between public concern about climate change and the need for action, emphasizing the need for more effective communication and stronger proposals from all federal parties to bridge this divide. A recent Angus Reid Institute poll indicated that nearly 70 per cent of Canadians...
‘Influencers’ a major source of election information for young people, report says
A new report from researchers at the University of Ottawa finds that social media influencers are becoming a central source of political information for young voters.
Group calls on federal candidates to support ceasefire in the Middle East
A grassroots organization representing some 250 groups across Canada is putting pressure on candidates in the federal election to support the Palestinian people and end the violence in the region.
Groups push to shape election debate around Middle East conflict, protests
As Canadians head into the final 10 days of campaigning ahead of the April 28 federal election, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group and B’nai Brith Canada — the leading voice of the country’s Jewish-Canadian community — are attempting to shape the discussion around the Israel-Hamas conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Vote Palestine says its “goal is to pressure all...
Election 2025: Observers say high stakes could offset voter fatigue
For Bella Arsenault, one word defines her feelings about the upcoming federal election: exhaustion. “It’s so sad to see how much the news and election in the United States are affecting our election,” the Ottawa resident and Dalhousie University student told Capital Current. “Everything is focused around the States, and that’s annoying and frustrating to see.” She has other grievances...
Battles in Ottawa Centre, Carleton highlight quest for local seats in federal vote
Campaigns are in full swing across the nation’s capital as federal election day — April 28 — is now just two weeks away. The parties’ local machines are humming across Ottawa’s nine ridings meaning signs are in the ground, boots are on the pavement and faces are at the doorstep. Some riding boundaries have been changed and a few ridings...
With fate of 24 Sussex unclear, experts extoll historic value of official residences
With the future of 24 Sussex Drive in doubt and Canadians two weeks away from electing a new prime minister, local heritage experts are urging protection of the historic home and turning a spotlight on the capital’s rich history of prime ministerial residences. Years of neglect have put the official residence of the prime minister at risk. In one of...
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.
Outraged by Donald Trump, demonstrators in Ottawa join global protest against U.S.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Ottawa April 5 as part of the global Hands Off! Demonstrations, publicly expressing their outrage at many policies coming from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
NCC envisions 9,000 homes as Tunney’s Pasture aims to cut federal office space
On a bright winter day, the wind howls across Tunney’s Pasture, the federal government campus envisioned seven decades ago as a way to move federal government buildings some distance from the downtown of the National Capital. In Tunney’s Pasture, the roads are narrow and the campus buildings are far apart. Government employees huddle for a smoke against buildings, while others...
Ontario young adults still struggling from COVID effects on the industry, latest labour force survey results found
Simerdeep Dhaliwal looked for a summer co-op placement in his field for a long time before he finally found a spot. The 20 year old Algonquin College information and technology student says he was lucky in another some aspect of his overall job search, such as finding a part-time job at a MacEwen gas station fairly quickly. But with the...
‘Stage, not age’: Ontarians over 65 challenge outdated retirement norms
Dave Williams had only just retired from his job in sales when he turned the key on a new career behind the wheel. At 67, he laced up his shoes, combed his silver hair and fastened his seatbelt as a school bus driver. What was meant to be a part-time job evolved into five years of driving buses, trucks, limousines,...
Money museum aquires ancient Roman coin, other ‘once in a lifetime’ items
What do a 1,700 year old Roman coin and a Canadian penny worth thousands of dollars have in common? They’ve just been added to the collection of historical currency held by the Bank of Canada Museum in downtown Ottawa. Some of the museum’s most significant artifact acquisitions in 2024 were recently highlighted in a curator’s blog post detailing the latest...
The searchers: Young Ontarians struggle to find work in current economy
Young men and women are having a challenging time searching for jobs- here's why.
Choice, no choice: More young women finding themselves in part-time jobs, data shows
Last fall, Carleton University student Kate Yoshida was juggling her studies with a part-time job. The 20-year-old media production and design student was working in the communications department of the Canadian Forces Housing Agency. “I took the job just because it was my first full-time summer job that was related to my field of study,” she said. Yoshida began working...
‘It’s been anxiety-inducing:’ Ontario youth unemployment rate among the highest in Canada
In February 2025, 15 to 24 year olds in Ontario experienced the third-highest rate of unemployment in the country, according to a Capital Current analysis of Statistics Canada's labour force survey.
Canadians are cutting back on car travel to the U.S., data shows
The number of Canadian residents visiting the U.S by vehicle dropped by about 25 per cent in February compared with a year earlier, a sign that Canadians are cutting back on U.S. travel in response to threats of tariffs and annexation from American President Donald Trump.
No matter the weather, the City of Ottawa urges vigilance behind the wheel to limit collisions
With Ottawa’s weather constantly fluctuating and the new daylight hours in effect, city officials are urging commuters to be careful on the roads. On March 7, Ottawa Police responded to 36 vehicle collisions over four hours following a thaw-freeze weather event. Heidi Cousineau, the Manager of Traffic and Mobility at the City of Ottawa, says many factors contribute to the cause of...
The Beaver turns 50 as a Canadian symbol: Why we should give a ‘dam’
Before Canada became analogous with our beloved beer, hockey, and maple syrup, there was another emblem that captured the nation's heart and spirit 50 years ago: the beaver.
Watershed watchers issue flood alerts along swelling Rideau, Ottawa rivers
Flood season has arrived in the Ottawa Valley and conservation officials are warning local residents to prepare for the springtime swelling of the national capital’s waterways. After record-breaking mild weather — including a high of 16.3 C on March 16, the highest temperature for that date in Ottawa — heavy snowmelt and rain are rushing over frozen ground and gushing...
One in four struggle to afford food: How Ottawa’s Parkdale Food Centre is managing demand
The Parkdale Food Centre is barely able to keep up with the demand as amid rising food prices.
One person, two votes? What would the Ontario election look like with a different voting system?
The vote also exposed some of the oddities in our electoral system, as the Progressive Conservative majority came despite the party winning only 43 per cent of the popular vote. In an election where only 45 per cent of eligible voters showed up to the polls, the party won a strong majority with only 19 per cent of eligible voters....
Canadian voters prioritizing economic stability, incumbency amid Trump tariff threats
A perceived ability to protect Canada’s economic interests against U.S. President Donald Trump is one of the primary ballot questions uniting Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative success and Mark Carney’s popular rise with the federal Liberal party, according to one pollster.
Carleton Ravens starts USports women’s basketball championship with a big win over Bishop’s
The Carleton Women's Basketball team scored their first victory in the USports National Championship tournament against Bishop's University March 13.
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...
U.S. withdrawal from Paris Agreement may disrupt Canada’s climate push, but shouldn’t stop it, experts say
As wildfires raged across California in January, U.S. President Donald Trump lit a match on his country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change with one of his first executive orders. The move came as the World Weather Attribution, an international research consortium that tracks the impacts of global warming, says elevated carbon emissions in Earth’s atmosphere have intensified...
More government funding needed for Ottawa food banks, advocates say
Advocates say current levels of funding for food banks and services are no longer enough to address food insecurity in Ottawa.
‘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...
NAC Orchestra plans landmark spring tour to South Korea, Japan
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is to embark on a monumental tour this spring, including its debut in South Korea and a return to Japan for the first time in 40 years. The orchestra has performed in every Canadian province and territory, but it is also known as one of the most accessible and collaborative orchestras in the world. This...
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.
NCC approves sinuous ‘Motion’ design to replace iconic Alexandra Bridge by 2032
The Ottawa-Gatineau's Alexandra Bridge has had its new design approved. The new design, called "Motion" is set to replace the current bridge within seven years.
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...
Three years into war, English classes key for Ukrainian newcomers to Ottawa
Every Thursday afternoon at Ottawa’s Café Ukraine, behind the “Quiet Please – Class in Session” sign, Lisa Hrynuik and Mariia Baziuk are practicing English. Hrynuik, Baziuk’s tutor, plays the part of a patient describing her symptoms, while Baziuk intently listens to piece together a diagnosis. For Baziuk, this isn’t just role playing. Having completed her medical training in Ukraine and...
Ottawa commuters frustrated by fare hikes as city seeks transit funding
Kari Glynes Elliott, co-founder of Ottawa Transit Riders, remembers one particularly memorable conversation with frustrated commuters. A family of Syrian refugees “living on the poverty line” approached her advocacy group after purchasing a second-hand car “because they couldn’t trust the transit system,” she said. As Glynes Elliott recalls it, one of the family members, a senior, told her, “I can...
Organizers brave Ottawa cold, raising $28,000 for homeless youth in 24-hour challenge
Volunteers stayed outside in downtown Ottawa for 24 hours to raise awareness and money for homeless youth.
‘They’re saving money on the bill:’ How Canada’s GST break has taken a bite out of tips
Jeff Rheaume works the Monday night shift on Feb. 3 at his restaurant, The Broadway Bar & Grill Ottawa. [Photo by Mia Parker/Capital Current]
Tariffs could worsen Ontario rental market, expert says
Carleton University student Grace Rhodes hasn’t bought new clothes in two years. “I definitely don’t do stuff because I don’t have the money,” said Rhodes, who rents a home with five other students. Rhodes said the “crazy” state of the rental market makes it hard to afford student life and has already quashed her hopes of home ownership. “Absolutely not...
The price drop: Cheaper alcohol boosting family-owned convenience stores
Meet and Yashaswy Patel, two brothers living in Ottawa, have owned a convenience store called Our Neighbourhood Store for the past six months where the Patels know all about fluctuating prices for groceries, snacks and now alcohol. The presence of alcoholic beverages for sale in convenience stores started last fall when the province of Ontario increased the market for selling...