How to get around this Canada Day

We’ve got plenty of details for what to do this Canada Day, and maybe more important, how to get to and from all of the city’s events.

Good morning!

Happy Canada Day everyone. Hope you’re able to have a pleasant weekend with friends and family. Or, if you’ve got to work, are getting that sweet, sweet overtime.

This summer we’re doing a bunch of giveaways for Lookout readers. The first is for two tickets to see Imagine Monet, where you get to experience the great impressionist's work in an immersive experience.

One housekeeping note, because of the long weekend, there will be no issue of the Lookout on Monday.

I won’t keep you any longer, let’s get to it, and we’ll see you all again on Wednesday!

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: 27 🌡️ 16 | ⛈

Saturday: 28 🌡️ 13 | ☀

Sunday: 24 🌡️ 13 | ☀

Monday: 24 🌡️ 14 | 🌤

Your guide to Canada Day in Ottawa

Long-weekend time! This year’s Canada Day celebrations are a little different, with major construction at Parliament. The main event downtown will instead be at LeBreton Flats.

As usual, there will be a daytime and an evening show with the typical ceremony and concerts, culminating in a fireworks display. You can see a full map of official events on this interactive map.

How to get around: OC Transpo is free all day until 4 am. They’ll be running buses on a Sunday schedule, but with additional buses on busy routes, particularly after the fireworks. The LRT will also be running with increased frequency in the evening. STO will also have free service to and from Gatineau.

Driving is not recommended downtown. Because of threatened protests — more on that below — there are special control zones downtown where street parking and stopping on the road are prohibited. There will also be police checkpoints in and out of the core, and numerous road closures, including several of the bridges across the Ottawa River. You can see a map of the closures here.

  • Dig deeper: A guide to Canada Day events in and around Ottawa [Ottawa Citizen]

Outside downtown: There are plenty of other Canada Day activities throughout the city if you aren’t looking to go downtown with the crowds. There are some road closures throughout the city to make space for other celebrations.

There are Canada Day celebrations in these communities:

  • Barrhaven: There are concerts, a midway, an Indigenous display and fireworks.

  • Greely: Tug of war, plenty of kids events, and ice cream and hot dogs, followed by fireworks.

  • Kanata: Live bands, family-friendly activites and plenty of fireworks.

  • Stittsville: A concert, reptile show, bouncy castles, a zipline, and fireworks!

  • Osgoode: Parade down main street, an animal show, talent show, magic, a beer tent and fireworks.

  • Beacon Hill: Fireworks! No really, that’s it. The second-largest volunteer fireworks show in the city, all paid for by the community association.

  • Orleans: Giant birthday cake, beer and BBQ on the beach, a kids zone, a free shuttle and, you guessed it, fireworks.

  • Dunrobin: A BBQ, live music, and also fireworks!

  • Riverside South: Music and fireworks. But also glow sticks!

  • Trend Arlington: A BBQ, beer, two bands, and plenty of stuff for the kids. (And fireworks.)

What’s open and closed: Most city services are closed, and garbage collection is delayed by a day. There will be lifeguards at Mooney’s Bay, Britannia Beach and Petrie Island. Most indoor pools are open but are on a special holiday schedule, see the Ottawa website for info on each pool’s schedule.

Essentially every federal museum is open, and free today. So if you are looking for something interesting and indoors, there’s probably a museum to choose from.

CTV has a comprehensive list of what else is open across town. One you may find particularly useful, there are only four grocery stores open:

  • Farm Boy at Rideau Centre: 10 am to 6 pm

  • Loblaws on Isabella Street: 7 am to 8 pm

  • Loblaws on Rideau Street: 7 am to 10 pm

  • Whole Foods Market at Lansdowne: 10 am to 6 pm

Ottawa by the numbers

Hundreds of thousands: The number of people expected to take part in Canada Day celebrations downtown. [CBC]

$1,000: There are increased fines to this amount all weekend for unusual noise, shouting, urination on a road or sidewalk, encumbering a highway, or idling.

Anti-mandate protesters return

What’s happening: A cross-country march by anti-mandate protesters kicked off its final leg yesterday afternoon in Bells Corners. They were joined by Ottawa MP and Conservative Partly leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre, who marched with the group for two kilometres, CTV reported.

  • Four people were arrested when the march finally arrived at the National War Memorial. Ottawa police said one officer was choked after a confrontation before more officers moved in to assist.

Police preparation: Police said yesterday they stopped a small convoy just off the 417 and issued tickets before the vehicles left the city. They also have heavy tow trucks ready to haul away any large vehicles taking part in the protests, according to CTV’s Mackenzie Gray.

Lich in jail: Convoy leader Tamara Lich is being held in jail over the long weekend, CBC reported. She was brought to Ottawa on charges of breaking her bail conditions. Prosecutors have asked for a full-day bail hearing, set for Tuesday.

  • Dig deeper: Anti-mandate groups return to Ottawa, but future of movement uncertain amid arrests and divisions [CBC]

Ticket party: Bylaw officers are already out in force, handing out more than 150 tickets in the days leading up to Canada Day. They also towed more than 40 vehicles, CBC reported.

Sandwich Safari: First stop, Pop’s Paninis

Pop's Paninis

Ralf Joneikies/Ottawa Lookout

Our fearless food and drink editor Ralf has set out on a quest: to stop at all sorts of sandwich shops across the city, and see if he likes what he finds. Here is a little taste of the first stop on the Sandwich Safari.

Pop’s Paninis, 5340 Canotek Rd. 

On my way to Dominion City Brewing, I see a sign for a take-out sandwich shop and it inspired the idea for a food “Safari.”

Stopping in at Pop’s Paninis, I’m greeted in a way that makes me feel like royalty. What an unexpected moment. Opened just a few months ago, manager Laurie and server Michaela clearly appreciate their customers and it’s paying dividends.

I ordered a turkey, bacon, ranch panini ($11.29 ) and watched as it was freshly prepared. A few minutes later it came off the grill and was packaged along with complimentary house-made coleslaw and a cookie.

In the car I took a first bite and was immediately impressed with the quality of the bread and all the fillings. This is a good sandwich and there was something familiar about the rosemary-garlic bread…

Want to find out whether Ralf solved the mystery of the bread? Read the whole story here.

LRT Inquiry: Not a great day for Jim Watson

Day 13: June 29

Who testified Wednesday:

  • Peter Lauch, former CEO of Rideau Transit Group

  • Councillors Catherine McKenney, Allan Hubley, and Diane Deans

  • Citizen transit commissioner Sarah Wright-Gilbert

Councillors kept in the dark: No one on council who wasn’t a part of it knew about a WhatsApp group with top transit officials, the mayor, and Transit Commission chair Coun. Allan Hubley.

Most of the information shared in that private group chat never trickled down to the rest of council, Deans, McKenney, and Wright-Gilbert all testified. This included information about the severe difficulties the system was having in the early days of testing, CBC reported.

City’s idea to ease testing: The former head of Rideau Transit Group, the private company that runs the LRT, said it was the city’s idea to lower testing standards to make it easier for the system to pass muster. Peter Lauch’s testimony lines up with other witnesses, and contradicts the previous testimony of the city’s head of transportation, John Manconi, CBC reported.

Day 14: June 30

Who testified Thursday:

  • Derek Wynne of SEMP, and Sergio Mammoliti of TUV Rheinland/ISA

  • Mayor Jim Watson

Rough day for the mayor: Jim Watson faced difficult questions about the private WhatsApp group. Why was more information about the LRT difficulties not shared with council? Why was council not notified when the criteria for passing the test were made easier? Again and again, Mayor Watson said council was promised to be informed at the end of testing and not a moment before.

Lookout’s analysis: It was an unsatisfying series of answers to pressing questions on why the public, and council, were kept in the dark about problems with the LRT. Especially when more problems cropped up once the system was launched.

  • For a detailed look at some of the back and forth between Commission lawyer John Adair and Watson, see this story by CTV.

Looking to catch up? Check out our summary of each day of testimony in our LRT inquiry guide.

Stories you might've missed

Suttcliffe running for mayor: Founder of the Ottawa Business Journal, and long-time local media personality Mark Suttcliffe has thrown his hat into the mayoral ring. He said his platform has three main focuses: funding police and other first responders and “being tough on the causes of crime”; restoring confidence in transit and improving roads; and keeping taxes and fees low. [CTV]

Buses abandon temporary bridge: OC Transpo had to stop using a temporary steel bridge for buses in Westboro because of the amount of noise it makes. The bridge was set up to replace the shutdown Transitway. Buses are being detoured on Richmond Road. [CBC]

Adrian Harewood leaves CBC: After 20 years, local news anchor Adrian Harewood is leaving the public broadcaster. He’ll be starting as full-time faculty at Carleton University in their school of journalism. His final newscast was last night, and you can watch a replay here. You can watch a retrospective of his career here. [CBC]

Sidewalk repairs behind schedule: A contractor shortage is behind the many asphalt patches on the city’s sidewalks. They’re unable to get in proper companies to do concrete repair, so instead are making temporary fixes. [CBC]

Killer charged with assault days before murders: The man who killed a mother and her teenage daughter had been arrested and charged with sexual assault and stalking against another woman. He was released from custody last Friday, before killing the two women, and wounding a third. [CBC]

Win two free tickets to Imagine Monet

Ottawa Lookout and Imagine Monet are giving away two free tickets to the immersive Monet experience in Ottawa, featuring over 200 paintings. It's fun for the whole family! Sign-up today to enter for a chance to win.

Community highlights

  • The Ottawa Senators named Trent Mann and Ryan Bowness as assistant GMs as part of some executive reshuffling at the team. [CityNews]

  • Looking to rent a house? Maybe skip this one. A local Reddit user found a house with an unusual condition to rent: You must not know anyone in Carlington or have done any construction work in the area.

  • If you missed the Orleans Craft Beer Festival don’t worry, our food editor Ralf has a breakdown of some of his favourite finds.

  • Did you lose your Presto Card on the 88 bus yesterday? It’s been turned in to the lost and found at Hurdman Station.

Weekend Wordle

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Latest COVID stats

Note: Ottawa Public Health is now only updating COVID stats twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Because of the Lookout’s publishing schedule, this means the numbers here may be out of date. For the most recent stats, see the OPH COVID Dashboard.

  • Active Cases: 554

  • Total deaths: 819

  • Ottawans In Hospital: 10

  • Ottawans In ICU: 1

  • Acute Beds Occupied: 90%

  • ICU Beds Occupied: 66%

  • ICU Ventilator Beds Occupied: 15%

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