Affordable housing advocates demand action on rising ‘renovictions’ and ‘demovictions’
Housing activists in Ottawa have been deploring the use of bad-faith N13s by landlords who want to force out their renters to increase rent for the next ones and make more profit. They call this phenomenon “renoviction” or “demoviction.”
Tax experts question Canada’s expensive and overly broad GST ‘holiday’
As the holiday season approaches, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's GST tax break promises to provide some financial relief to Canadians, but critics argue it’s a short-term solution with political motives.
Vendors welcome a longer-running Christmas Market at Lansdowne Park
The crackle of fire under joyful Christmas music meant one thing for visitors to Lansdowne Park on Nov. 22: the annual Ottawa Christmas Market had begun.
Small businesses struggle with costs, loss of business as Canada Post strike continues
As the Canada Post strike drags on, small businesses are struggling with higher-cost alternatives for shipping while they try to retain their customers.
Pressure to tip more is starting to annoy Canadians
With tipping expectations on the rise, the pressure on service industry members and customers alike is creating tension.
Ottawa galleries are hard at work making art accessible
Ottawa artists and organizations are bringing a fresh and accessible approach into the local art community.
Wicked the movie draws raves from many Ottawa filmgoers
The film Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, was released in November and is already a cultural phenomenon.
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.
It might be more politics than economics, still one small business owner welcomes sales tax ‘holiday’
The GST ‘holiday’ that is about to kick in might not be solid economic policy and it may be too late for those who do their holiday shopping early, but one local business owner says she welcomes the move, mostly.
Weak currency meets rising costs: Nigerian students struggle for affordable housing
As the value of Nigerian Naira continues to tank and housing scarcity increases in Ottawa, Nigerian students struggle to find affordable housing.
Talking turkeys: Development bringing the big brown birds into more contact with humans
While the turkey population is stable, there's a reason Ottawans are seeing them more often.
“All of us have lost”: Sudanese Canadians build community at a time of war
Sudanese-Canadians are turning to each other to foster community and help their loved ones in Sudan as violent conflict rages on.
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.
Student unions oppose OC Transpo’s ‘illegal’ U-Pass fee increase, citing breach of contract
Ottawa university student unions were surprised to learn that OC Transpo is trying to unilaterally increase U-Pass transit fees, a move the student unions say violates a legal agreement.
GST tax breaks aren’t earning great reviews from some Ottawa businesses and consumers
Small businesses are not sure they will see positive impacts from the federal government's GST/HST cuts during the holiday season.
Ottawa newcomer reception centres get a hostile reception at Nepean community meeting
Around 200 residents gathered for a community meeting at the Nepean Sportsplex on the evening of Nov. 28, many of whom came to voice their opposition to the city’s proposed newcomer reception centres.
Ottawa Food Bank may have to cut food distribution in 2025
Food inflation is persistent, and demands on food banks have grown. But the city's contribution hasn't.
Fate of downtown apartment building on hold as Ottawa council considers fate of tenants
Ottawa City Council has delayed a decision on a proposed development at 219-223 Bank St. and 178 Nepean St., requesting that the developer, Smart Living Properties, address concerns about the displacement of tenants. The council called for a “right to return” agreement, ensuring tenants would be allowed to return to the new units at below-market rates. The issue was raised...
As hate vandalism incidents rise in the city, an Ottawa artist challenges stereotypes around graffiti
With an increase in hate graffiti complaints, the City of Ottawa is working to combat this. At the same time, local graffiti artists are fighting against hate in their own way by using art.
Breaking new ground: The Lookout Bar crowns it’s first king as Ottawa’s Next Drag Superstar
The Lookout Bar, Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQIA+ bar and nightclub, has crowned BJ Stroker as the winner of Ottawa’s Next Drag Superstar: All Stars, making him the first drag king to win the eight-week long competition. BJ, along with other drag artists in Ottawa, calls it a big win for drag kings because they are often overlooked and underrepresented in the community....
Thefts soar in Ottawa’s crime hotspot Rideau-Vanier Ward
Rideau-Vanier reported the highest reported theft cases in Ottawa, according to a Capital Current analysis of the Ottawa Police’s crime data.
A question of space: Jazz in Ottawa needs more and better venues, performers and fans say
Ottawa's need for dedicated jazz spaces is apparent to local artists, who find it 'disappointing and sad' that there are so few places to hear and be heard.
Local businesses look to the Ottawa Nightlife Council to address challenges in the industry
As Ottawa’s Nightlife Council gathers for its first ever meeting, members of the city’s nightlife economy have some ideas about how to make it easier for people to enjoy evening entertainment. Mike Estabrooks, owner of Irene’s Pub on Bank Street, said one of the key concerns is parking. He says that a lack of spots along with restrictions, many people...
Frigid farming: Local farmers brace for this winter’s La Niña
As the potential weather effects of La Niña approach, local farmers are preparing for an unpredictable winter.
Noise complaints climb in September as academic year begins, data shows
A Capital Current analysis of data using the City of Ottawa’s 311 data portal, shows reported noise complaints for music and shouting in wards surrounding the University of Ottawa and Carleton University increased significantly in the month of September.
Ottawa graffiti artists say more legal spaces, better education could lead to fewer complaints
Graffiti complaints in Ottawa have risen in recent years, but local artists argue that providing more legal spaces for street art could reduce negative perceptions of graffiti.
Ottawa councillors tell OC Transpo that residents are getting frustrated with LRT construction
City councillors told OC Transpo officials that many Ottawa residents are getting frustrated with the disruptions caused by ongoing construction of the LRT expansion.
Carleton University provides historical context on issues about Indigenous identity
Last month, Carleton adopted two policies focused on verifying Indigenous identity for hiring, admissions and awards.
As strike enters third week, Canada Post workers appeal to public for patience
With pressure mounting for an end to the Canada Post strike as it enters its third week, picketing workers remained steadfast as they walked the picket line on a blustery cold Friday morning outside a main Ottawa postal station.
Lagging disability supports in Ontario just trap people in poverty, say advocates
Navigating the daily challenges of life, individuals on social assistance in Ontario find themselves struggling within a system that many feel traps people in poverty.
Flourishing street art prompting important conversations in the Glebe
Eighteen pieces of art can be found on the sides of buildings in the Glebe. And people agree it makes the area more attractive for all.
Ottawa EV drivers navigate shift to battery-powered vehicles as charging infrastructure slowly improves
Ottawa is getting greener by shifting to no fuel emission vehicles. EV drivers say the battery range on their electric vehicles can be worrisome.
Members of Nightlife Council eager for a community approach to promoting Ottawa’s culture
Recently-announced volunteer members of Ottawa’s Nightlife Council say they are looking to highlight and promote the city’s cultural and artistic diversity, as well as safety, in their inaugural term.
Ottawa cyclists fear for bike network after passage of ‘Reducing Gridlock’ bill
Cyclists worry that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s recently-passed Bill 212 will hinder the ability to get more Ottawa residents out for a ride.
‘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
Ottawa Council approves Lincoln Fields Secondary Plan despite community concerns
Ottawa Council has approved the Lincoln Fields Secondary plan, giving residents a look at the future of the area.
As Budget 2025 nears approval, OC Transpo faces a reckoning amid ridership, financial and reliability woes
Chronically late buses, an ever-shifting opening date for the long-delayed Trillium Line, serious deficits and irate transit passengers appearing at committee meetings are just some of the pressing issues OC Transpo has been dealing with over a challenging year.
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.
The Papery finds its way back home, two years after a fire drove it out
The Papery, a staple of the Glebe's business community, returns to their original location. Their return comes two years after a fire displaced them.
Ottawa Food Bank declares record high food bank use in Ottawa
In its eighth annual Hunger Report, the Ottawa Food Bank (OFB) reported that one in four households in Ottawa experienced food insecurity in 2023, up from one in seven households in 2022. In 2023 there were 556,232 visits to food banks.
In Ottawa, ‘renovictions’ represent the front lines of housing crisis
While federal policy makers deliberate over the best way to fix the crisis in the housing market, the battleground over affordable rental units in Ottawa is getting uglier.
Traffic calming project doesn’t please everyone on one Ottawa street
Some say it's inconvenient for the neighbourhood, while others expressed frustration with the way the city held consultations about the plan.
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.
City Builder: Sarah Onyango’s mission: to honour the story Black veterans in Canada
Who is she? Sarah Onyango is a fixture on the Ottawa television and radio landscape, and a driving force in Ottawa’s Black community. She often lends her voice, global fluency and support to telling the often forgetten stories of underrepresented communities. Onyango told Capital Current her life’s objective is “building community, by facilitating connections for the good of the wider...
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...
Victims of Communism memorial fenced off as Nazi revelations complicate the inauguration process
For now, all that’s visible to the public is a black fence—a barrier around what should be Canada’s Memorial to the Victims of Communism.
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.
State of Indigenous languages worse than it appears, but hope is not lost, expert says
Data from Statistics Canada paints a bleak picture of Indigenous languages in Canada but a linguistics professor says the picture is even worse than it appears, due to the self-reporting nature of the Census.
City Builder: Chef Ric Allen-Watson cooks up some hope with the Ottawa Mission
Ric Allen-Watson is the Ottawa Mission's Director of Food Services. He started the Mission's Food Truck in 2020, now serving 10,000 meals weekly, and founded the Food Services Training Program in 2004.
City Builder: Wendy Leung helping communities access surplus food with Foodsharing Ottawa
Who is she? Wendy Leung is the volunteer executive director of Foodsharing Ottawa. The organization collects surplus food from local businesses and distributes it to people in need. What is her background? Leung’s background combines biochemistry, regulatory affairs and public health, with experience in business development and digital services. “I love connecting the dots across various fields and using what...