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...
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....
OC Transpo spotlights Route 11 data to address service reliability issues
Facing widespread public dissatisfaction with the reliability of Ottawa’s transit system, OC Transpo officials gave city councillors an overview of its performance standards at a transit committee meeting on June 12. The review focused on data from Route 11, which runs from the west-end Bayshore Shopping Centre to Waller Street in the downtown core, a key stop for University of...
‘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...
Review: Metric delivers intimate, high-energy performance at Bronson Centre
Canadian alternative rock band Metric took to the Bronson Centre stage on Monday night to play their most iconic album for Ottawa fans. The show was part of a retrospective tribute to the band’s Polaris-nominated, Juno-award-winning 2009 album Fantasies. The record was Metric’s best-selling release ever and included some of their highest charting songs. Ottawa wasn’t originally a stop in...
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.
Afrobeats jazz quintet aims to bring people and music together in a happy blend
The John Dapaah Quintet is sharing their unique fusion of African music and jazz with Ottawa this summer. “With every song we do, we try to mix it up in a sense. We kind of throw a popular song in there that the audience might not be expecting,” said John Kofi Dapaah, director and pianist of the quintet. “An example...
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...
City’s e-scooter program set for spring rollout with new rules, expanded service
Ottawa residents will soon see e-scooters roll out across the city once again for the spring and summer, but this time with 24-hour availability and in more neighbourhoods. City council has unanimously approved a five-year extension for the scooters on Ottawa roads. Additionally, councillors supported continuing to contract Bird Canada and Neuron Mobility to manage e-scooter rentals from April 30...