Damage is worse than expected to Mackenzie Bridge, says new report

Good morning! 

Is it just me or is it becoming increasingly unaffordable to eat out? My partner and I did a tally, and we spent over $1,500 on Uber Eats last month. That is in part thanks to our crazy schedules. As a journalist, I spend a lot of time on the road and in various communities around the city. He is a nurse at the Civic and works crazy long hours. 

This is also part of the reason why I probably gained five pounds. We have decided to start cooking more this month and enjoy some of the fresh produce that is starting to become available. I’m so thankful to live near the weekend Lansdowne Farmers Market where we can support local businesses. 

But while out taking photos for a future assignment yesterday, I decided to briefly break our rule and stopped by the famous Mello’s on Merivale Road. And I'm so glad I did. Besides the 60s diner vibe, the meal for both of us cost only $20! How is that even possible in 2025? I remember frequenting it often as a kid and it was great to be back for some cheap nostalgia. 

Luckily I’m not the only one who enjoys this place. Our food editor, Ralf Joneikies ate there earlier this year for breakfast and shared his views. You can read that here. 

Let’s get to today’s headlines.

— Charlie Senack, Ottawa Lookout managing editor, [email protected], X: @Charlie_Senack

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 26 🌡️ 18 | 🌧️

Thursday: 24 🌡️ 18 | 🌧️

Friday: 27 🌡️ 19 | 🌤️

THE LOOKOUT RECOMMENDS

Something to drink?: Our food editor Ralf samples his fair share of drinks in the city and in the surrounding area. If you’re looking for something to imbibe this weekend, we’ve got over 48 different stories at Capital Eats focused on different drinks. You’re sure to find something!

Go local: It’s Bluesfest this weekend. Most people already know the bigger acts, but there are also quite a few local Ottawa and Gatineau performers. This includes Claude Munson, Kristine St-Pierre, Funk Yo Self, Leverage For Mountains, We Were Sharks and J.W.-Jones. [Ottawa Citizen]

Holy cannoli: If you’re looking for a sweet treat this weekend, may we suggest the best cannolis in Ottawa? Our food editor says his favourite so far is over at Dolci Sapori, at 939 Somerset St. W.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Mackenzie King Bridge damage worse than expected, says new report

Worse than expected: If you take the Mackenzie King Bridge to enter or exit the downtown core, it might feel like consistent work on the aging structure has lasted forever. While work was supposed to wrap up last year, it will now continue until the summer of 2027. 

Initial plans called for three sections of the bridge to be rehabilitated. As part of that $25-million work, raised cycle tracks would be installed along with wider sidewalks. There would also be work done on the joints, concrete, and waterproofing. 

So why more now? The crossing is in worse shape than expected. Components over Nicholas Street — originally labelled in “good condition” — are in an "advanced state of deterioration,” said the city. 

Parsons and Bridge Check Canada were assigned to do a detailed report of the bridge. They found cracks on the underside of the bridge deck, and the girders and piers that support it. The bridge is also suffering from "spalling" and "delamination”. 

• “When rebar corrodes inside concrete, it expands, and those expansive forces can cause concrete on the surface to fall off, and we call those spalls. If it happens over a larger area, we can sometimes call that a delamination. With the delamination, the rebar can completely separate from the concrete, and that's a very dangerous situation,” said Ted Sherwood, an associate professor in structural engineering at Carleton University, according to CBC. 

Sherwood said that, as a result, now is the best time to fix the bridge and also the cheapest because work is already underway. It’s believed that some whole sections of the traffic crossing will need to be replaced. 

A new pricetag: The extra work will cost the city an additional $5.4 million on the Mackenzie King Bridge. In the meantime, the city says the crossing is safe and can continue to be used. 

But it is causing traffic disruptions: Drivers and those who live in the area understand the need for the work to be done, but say it’s causing additional headaches for getting around. 

• “I’m a senior and I’m not very good at biking. I often will walk past some of the stuff rather than chance it, because it’s a little iffy if you’re down to a single lane,” said resident Hum-Hartley, according to CTV. 

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THE OTTAWA NUMBER

$25,000

🥗 The amount of money Shania Twain is donating to Harvest Ottawa. The singer will officially give the local charity the money when she plays Bluesfest on July 13. It will help the organization “rescue and redistribute 75,000 meals” to people in the nation’s capital. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🏒 A new community centre in Russell is causing quite the stir after original designs had to be scaled back due to soaring costs. The $104-million project — the township's largest infrastructure investment — will have three ice rinks. The number of dressing rooms has been reduced from 18 to 12, which local hockey groups say will be too cramped. [CTV]

🏠 If you’re renting in Ottawa, there is some good news: the cost to rent in this city should soon (hopefully) be going down. A new report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows the city saw an annual increase in average advertised rent prices, but at a slower pace. The year-over-year increase in advertised rent prices for a two-bedroom purpose-built apartment from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025 was a little over two per cent, while the year-over-year increase over the same period from 2023 to 2024  was almost four per cent. [Ottawa Citizen]

🧑‍🎓 It’s been a tough few years for Ontario post-secondary institutions, which have been faced with cuts to programming and staff. We saw the impact here in Ottawa when multiple well-loved programs were cut at Algonquin College. Now a new report is showing that 600 programs have been cancelled or suspended across Ontario over the last year, with 10,000 plus layoffs reported. [Toronto Star] 

🙏 A woman in her 20s who was critically injured when she was hit by a pickup truck Monday afternoon near a crosswalk at Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue West has died. Ottawa paramedics were called to the downtown intersection around 5:45 pm and found a pedestrian who had sustained "multi-system trauma." [CBC]

🚔 If you’re heading to the ByWard Market, expect an increased police presence this summer. The aim is to be part of a “focused initiative to address crime and social disorder.” On July 5, the force said there were 15 alcohol pour-outs; four business safety inspections; four medical calls; one edged weapon seized; one firearm seized; one fight broken up; and one property found. [Ottawa Citizen]

💨 Ottawa Police are investigating a weekend stabbing at Bruce Pit. An investigation found the victim had stopped to have a smoke when he was approached by an unknown man who asked to share the cannabis he was smoking. When the victim refused, police say the suspect stabbed him in the leg and fled the area on foot. He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. [CTV]

⚽️ Aletico Ottawa won a thrilling victory 4-3 over York United in the quarter-final of the Canadian Championship. They’ll face the winners of CF Montreal and Forge FC Hamilton. 

Business and development 

A vacant office tower at 77 Metcalfe Street is being torn down to make way for a new residential development. The 70-year-old property has been vacant since Nav Canada moved out of the 14-storey, 140,000 square foot building in 2022. Inside the new space will be 234 rental apartments with retail on the ground floor. [Ottawa Business Journal]

Ottawa-based Kardish Health Food Centre has announced it will be closing all its remaining locations after nearly five decades in business. The health food retailer that once operated at least six locations in the nation’s capital said changes in consumer behaviour in the natural food industry and “increased competition” have made its business model unsustainable. [CTV]

Another Amazon warehouse is being built in Barrhaven, and local residents are concerned about the traffic impacts it could bring to the growing suburban neighbourhood. Located at Leikin Drive and Bill Leathem Drive, a five-storey, 3.1-million-square-foot distribution facility is planned for the 75-acre site. [Ottawa Business Journal]

HOME OF THE WEEK

So, what does around a million get you in Hunt Club?

Quite a lot. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, 3,000 square feet of living space, it’s a very classic home, with ample space, a brick back yard, so you have minimal maintenance and room for a big family.

Is it over one million? Under? Find out here.

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

OTTAWA ARTS GUIDE

Performance

There are a couple of movies worth seeing this week at ByTowne Cinema, including Seline Song’s second debut, Materialists, the romantic In the Mood for Love, and a movie our colleague Geoff loved at the Vancouver International Film Festival called Super Happy Forever.

Add this one to your calendars — Ottawa Little Theatre’s next performance is Always a Bridesmaid, a story of beleaguered bridesmaids as they navigate the choppy waters of love and marriage, starting July 16.

Sea shanties? Your darn right! The Bytown Sea Shanty Collective are performing on July 19. The Ottawa acapella quartet are taking on, and bringing their own takes, to swashbuckling sea music.

Music

Jeff Meleras & The Bokonons play Red Bird on 10 July. The Americana band celebrates their recording Love Trumps All with soulful storytelling, tight harmonies, and reflections on humanity. Tickets $33. 

KAR33M celebrates the music of Fela Kuti at Club SAW on 11 July. The Nigerian‑Canadian Afrosoul artist fuses Afrobeat, R&B, and soul as part of Felabration Canada. Tickets $25.

Wedding performs at Art House Café on 11 July. The Toronto-based experimental bedroom-pop project debuts fresh, ethereal sounds with intimate charm and genre-bending artistry. Tickets $12.

Monique Messier comes to LIVE! on Elgin on 12 July. The Brazilian‑born singer-songwriter blends soul‑baring vocals with vulnerable storytelling, straddling soft pop and acoustic rock. Tickets  $15.

Blue Standard plays 10,000 Hours on 13 July. Featuring Maple Blues Award-winner Raoul Bhaneja and pianist Jesse Whiteley, they deliver elegant jazz vocals and classic standards. Tickets $22.

Listings for music shows are provided by Ottawa Gigs, the best place to discover live music in Ottawa. Check out Ottawagigs.ca for full listings across the city. 

PROVINCE

Opposition to new inter-provincial bridge increases with new idea tabled

A bridge to nowhere? In December last year, the federal government announced it would explore building a sixth inter-provincial bridge connecting Ottawa to Gatineau. Some applauded the idea, saying it would take traffic out of the downtown core, and others criticized it, saying it could make congestion worse in other areas. 

Either way, it’s not like the crossing over the Ottawa River would soon be completed, with the earliest opening in 2034. And even then, the first phase that would need to be completed is a plan to design a new “multimodal bridge.” 

A different idea: But now, some politicians from various levels of government are calling for a pivot to a different, bigger priority instead. 

Ottawa’s public works and infrastructure committee has endorsed a motion encouraging the feds to consider a southern ring road to relieve congestion on the Queensway.

• “Three billion dollars for an interprovincial bridge, we have no interest in that. We have a bigger issue where all our traffic is going through downtown, and we see highway closures that affect people's lives right now,” said Innes Ward Coun. Tim Tierney, according to CBC. 

There is support: Coun. Laura Dudas, who represents Orléans West-Innes, endorsed the motion but noted it would cost a lot of money. Ariel Troster, the councillor for Somerset Ward, had a different view and said the city should not spend money promoting vehicle use instead of transit.

Opposition to the new inter-provincial bridge also comes from within the Liberal government. Ottawa-Vanier-Gloucester MP Mona Fortier said she didn’t think the crossing would help east traffic congestion. 

• “The eastern bridge project via Kettle Island – specifically the corridor between the Aviation Parkway and Montée Paiement does not meet Ottawa’s needs. It does not guarantee the removal of heavy trucks from the King Edward corridor, which is a crucial issue for safety, air quality, and traffic flow in the downtown core,” said Fortier in a letter to constituents, according to CTV. 

Fortier also noted that Public Services and Procurement Canada did not consult with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation about “the already overcapacity Highway 417” and the Highway 174 interchange in the east end.

A refined plan for the Alexandra Bridge replacement 

Backup: The aging Alexandra Bridge needs to be replaced, near the new interprovincial plan at Kettle Island on the Ottawa River. 

If you recall, three designs were proposed, and in January, “Motion” was identified as the preferred candidate. Inspired by the American eel, it features three arches, but looks nothing like the current structure that’s there — a decision skew said ignores its century-old heritage. 

But now some modifications have been made to the drawings.  

• “The bridge features several comfortable seating areas along its length, designed for pedestrians and wheelchair users. There are also sheltered nooks under the arches, and shading structures could be provided at seating locations along the bridge. Within the arches, two rows of timber panels protect from the wind, with additional wind protection provided at seating locations to improve comfort,” wrote the NCC on its website. 

It also said the lookout spaces could feature generous seating areas and central lookout points, “offering uninterrupted views of the river and the central capital scene.”

There will also be improvements to noise. 

• “The design of the new bridge will present a significant acoustic improvement compared to that of the existing Alexandra Bridge,” the NCC says. “The new continuous asphalt roadway will be more beneficial than the open steel grillage roadway on the existing bridge, reducing overall noise emissions and creating a quieter, more comfortable environment for all users, including individuals with sensory sensitivities or hearing impairments.”

Have some thoughts on this story? Want to share some insight with the Lookout community? Share your opinion in our Comment Corner and it could be featured in future newsletters.

OTTAWA GUESSER

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Step into the mystery! Murdoch Mysteries comes to life with the NAC Orchestra. July 10–11. 🎟 Save 15% wit PROMO CODE: MURDOCH15 [Sponsored]

• With Bluesfest here, you may want to see how to avoid traffic delays

• It looks like green bins may not be safe from racoons, at least according to this video. 

• What do beans and pop have in common? Our food and drinks editor suggests these Canadian-made products.

ON THIS DAY

Here is what Ottawa newspapers were writing on this day throughout history.

July 9, 1912: The Ottawa Journal reported “Hector, the seven year old, deaf and dumb son of Alex Blanchard, was “on a two months’ vacation from his deaf and dumb school” when he set his fathers Main Street, Eastview barn on fire. The blaze was extinguished a few minutes later when a nearby hose was attached to a new fire engine. 

Obviously, such horrific language would never be used today. Thankfully, in at least some areas of life, progress has been made. 

July 9, 1936: Excessive heat was blanketing the Capital and 15-year-old Aurele Dumouchel of 87 Armstrong Street, drowned in a small Mechanicsville Bay. The water was 20-feet deep and the teenager did not know how to swim. Almost 100 years later, we are sadly seeing another year of deaths in the Ottawa River.

• A cat caused an “unusual accident” at Laurier Avenue East near Goulbourn when the feline jumped onto a driver's knee. Oscar Dufour of 514 Bessemer Street told police he was taking the cat to the pound when the incident occurred. Thomas Harris, a civic street cleaner who lived at 78 Daly Avenue, was injured and transported to the Civic Hospital with “a possible fracture of the skull, possible fracture of the right leg, body bruises, and shock.” 

Archie Young died from a fractured skull he sustained after falling off a wagon at Gamble’s Farm on March Road. The 28-year-old Renfrew native worked at the farm for nine years.

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