Remote rituals: The Jewish community is sustaining faith, upholding sacred traditions during the pandemic
In a pre-pandemic world, eight-day-old Theo Rapkin would have had his bris ceremony in a Montreal synagogue, surrounded by friends and family, his parents and a rabbi. There would have been prayers and a brunch. The bris — formally known as the brit malah, or the “covenant of circumcision” — is a ceremony performed on the eighth day of a...
Four Ottawa-area public health units issue mandatory-mask directive for enclosed public spaces
Ottawa Public Health has shifted its approach to reducing the spread of COVID-19, and is now officially requiring that city residents wear face masks in indoor public spaces. In a statement issued jointly on Monday by four regional public health units in Eastern Ontario, including Ottawa Public Health, the agencies stated that they were “invoking a directive under the province’s...
Keep cats inside to reduce toll on birds, small mammals and other urban wildlife: conservation experts
Wildlife experts list cats as one of the greatest threats to urban wildlife caused by ordinary people.
Drive-in film series just one of the initiatives aiming to give Canadian culture a boost
The Summer Blockbuster Series will be popping up in cities across several provinces, and the event will give Canadians a chance to enjoy free movies while maintaining physical distance at a drive-in. It will also be a celebration of Canadian film, an industry that has been hit hard by pandemic restrictions.
Pets, vets, vaccines and the pandemic: Animal and human health entwined more than ever in COVID times
With COVID-19 forcing people to practise physical distancing, a pet can make a big difference in terms of emotional support. Fortunately, while the novel coronavirus is believed to be a zoonotic disease – which means it was transmitted from animals, presumably bats, to humans – research shows it’s very unlikely people can get it from their pets. And despite some...
Canada’s Borer War: Ottawa on front line in fight against ash-killing beetle that has wiped out 50,000 trees
Ottawa's war on the Emerald Ash Borer enters a new phase.
Liberal MP Francis Drouin open to renaming federal riding that honours 19th-century slave owner Peter Russell
Liberal MP Francis Drouin, who represents the Ottawa-area constituency of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, says he’s open to renaming his riding to erase its association with 19th-century slave owner Peter Russell. Russell, a top-level administrator in Upper Canada in the late 1700s and early 1800s, fought for special exemptions for slave owners, including himself, when the British colony passed the Anti-Slavery Act in...
Vehicle collisions biggest threat to urban wildlife, say experts, but little roadkill data available to alter course
In Ontario alone, 14,000 wildlife collisions occur annually. Vehicles continue to be a major threat to the province's urban wildlife, according to experts, but the government has fallen short of implementing necessary policies to protect them because of the lack of records and data available.
Scenes of Canada: Spellbinding, diverse and gorgeous
Capital Current reporters gathered together photos of their favourite places in Canada.
Canada Day, your way: How these patriots are celebrating their Maple Leaf pride during the pandemic
With major celebrations cancelled across the country, Canadians are finding different ways to celebrate Canada Day during the current pandemic.
A Capital Current Explainer: Benefits for Canadians struggling during the pandemic
The federal government several benefits to assist those who are struggling financial as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let's break each benefit down from the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit to the Canadian Emergency Business Account!
‘My Ottawa’ includes a new saving pass for residents to boost local businesses
Ottawa Tourism launches #MyOttawa pass to incite local residents to explore the city in efforts to revitalize the visitor economy.