New security screenings have come to Ottawa’s city hall

Good morning! 

Environment Canada is predicting a warmer-than-usual summer in Ottawa. But the temperatures over the next few days are painting a different story. As we head into June, I’m not complaining, but I can do without all the rain. 

I was at Mooney’s Bay Beach yesterday and it was terrific seeing so many people out enjoying the picturesque evening. We are so lucky to have such wonderful outdoor attractions in all corners of our great city. 

Today we have a story about new security measures at city hall and another on the Canada Day lineup, which has just been announced. 

Let’s get to it!

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

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WEATHER

Friday: 22 🌡️ 11 | 🌧️

Saturday: 12 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Sunday: 12 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️ 

Monday: 19 🌡️ 11 | 🌤️

THE LOOKOUT RECOMMENDS

Holy ham: The world’s greatest ham? That’s what many call Iberian Bellota, Spanish pigs that feed almost exclusively on acorns. Our food editor Ralf says it’s a big pricey, but is worth it. You can snag some, or the less pricey La Barrica version, at this local Ottawa wholesaler. 

Opening up: Mark it down in your calendars, Doors Open Ottawa returns from June 7-8. There’s 100+ different buildings to check out, including a ton of embassies, religious buildings and arts buildings. 

The next best thing: While Radiohead fans patiently wait for the band to announce their fall tour, Idioteque, a Radiohead tribute band, is performing at Overflow Brewing on June 6, and are performing the band’s 1995 album The Bends. 

Getting smashed: For burgers that is! If you’re looking for a perfect smash burger this weekend, then look no further than Pearson St. Smashburger, at 1460 Cyrville Rd, Gloucester. While Ralf visited it a few years ago, the latest reviews online indicate the quality has not diminished.

CITY

City hall has new security screening measures. Do they go too far?

Heightened concern: Whether you’re attending a city council or committee meeting, getting a marriage licence, eating at the cafe, or just going in to use the washroom, you will now need to go through a security checkpoint to enter city hall. And it’s causing some controversy. 

“Over the years, security risks and incidents have evolved, resulting in various levels of government updating their security procedures for entry into their administrative and legislative centres,” the city said in a media release last week.

• “As a result, the city will be adopting security screening measures, which is a best practice model that is currently in place in other public-facing government buildings in the national capital region, as well as at City Hall buildings in Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal.”

What to expect: The new measures are similar to what you would go through at a sports game or the airport. All coats, cellphones, laptops, purses, bags and anything in your pocket will need to be placed onto a tray for X-ray screening. Visitors would then need to walk through a metal detector. 

• The cost: The city is spending $350,000 on equipment. At this point, it’s unclear how much extra they will need to spend on staffing. 

The measures aren’t entirely new: Five years ago, security access gates were installed at the two entrances to the Council Chambers’ foyer. All purses, bags and overcoats of visitors had to be checked. 

A list of prohibited items was also implemented including: Beverages, noisemakers, megaphones or air horns, signs and banners, sharp objects, blades or striking tools, explosive or flammable items, and firearms (including toy and replicas). 

• The doors to the mayor's office and councillors’ row have also been locked for some time, meaning it requires someone to buzz you in for access. 

So why add more now?: What the statement did not say was why the city felt security measures had to go beyond that. The Lookout surveyed a number of councillors’ thoughts and they said because the matter was discussed in camera, they couldn’t provide any more details than what the initial statement read. 

When asked if the measures went too far, reactions were mixed. One councillor said some city staff expressed concerns over safety and didn’t want to underestimate their emotions. Another said what they were told in camera made a compelling argument for beefing up security. But there were also concerns about what this could mean for the many people who enter city hall for leisure activities such as visiting the art gallery, sports hall of fame, cafe, or any of the many events that are held there. 

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told 580 CFRA that city hall is one of the only buildings in downtown Ottawa that did not have security measures in place, and noted the measures were meant to keep up “with what’s going on in the world.”

• “All across the country, we’re seeing civic buildings being targeted, and we want to make sure that City Hall is a safe place for our employees, first and foremost, and for members of the public who are coming to City Hall for events,” said Sutcliffe. 

The mayor referenced an incident which occurred at Edmonton’s city hall in January 2024 when shots were fired and a Molotov cocktail was thrown. 

The opposition: Toon Dreesen, an Ottawa architect who often visits city hall, told CBC he thought the measures went too far. 

• "It should be treated like a public street because it is a public building, paid for with public dollars, to create this interior street that links these sort of functions at a ground level," he said. 

Alex Cullen, the former councillor for Bay Ward and spouse to current representative Theresa Kavanagh, agrees. 

• “Decisions about denying the public access (through these "security" measures) to a public building built to be accessible to the public (and paid for by the public), should have been debated and voted on (accountability!) in the public. This decision is bad policy,  bad politics,” he said on Twitter.

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SPONSORED BY LET'S BIKE OTTAWA

Let’s Bike Month starts June 1—are you in?

Join thousands of Ottawans taking part in EnviroCentre’s annual cycling campaign, encouraging people to choose biking over driving for their daily commutes. Log your rides, join a workplace team, take part in events across the city, and get in on the thousands of dollars in prizes we’re giving away throughout June! With our app, you can also track how much greenhouse gas you’ve avoided by leaving the car at home. Sign up today at letsbike.ca.

THE OTTAWA NUMBER

$19,000

🚗 The amount of money in fines handed out to drivers who have been parking illegally in accessible spaces across the city. A total of 1,798 tickets have been distributed. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🏫 The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is still struggling with its finances and has admitted it almost didn’t make payroll. “We’re overspending over $14 million on special education, and we have a lot of programs where we’re overspending,” Randy Gerrior, the board's chief financial officer, has warned. It comes as cuts are being made to administrative staff. [Ottawa Citizen]

✏️ The Minister of Education has announced broad legislation that could change the future of how school boards operate in Ontario. It would make it easier to allow the province to take over boards that it believes are acting irresponsibly. “I think it’s really important for there to be an opportunity for the minister to hear from school boards before the decision is made and to only take over a board where the board is clearly refusing to carry out its responsibilities in accordance with the applicable legislation,” said Lynn Scott, the chair of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. [CTV]

👑 When King Charles and Queen Camilla were in Ottawa this week, the Royal couple brought many tourists to the city. Now tourism groups want to build on that momentum. They are also optimistic about a new direct flight being offered from London, England, to Canada’s Capital. [Ottawa Citizen]

⛺️ An encampment that has been set up outside the ByWard Market’s Salvation Army will be dismantled later today. Area councillor Stephanie Plante says those living on the site are clients of the shelter, and admitted the Salvation Army was not cooperative in asking them to leave. On Thursday, groups including the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa and Encampment Justice Coalition rallied at Ottawa City Hall against a provincial bill that would crack down on encampments and public drug use. [CTV]

🚎 The union representing OC Transpo drivers is calling on the City of Ottawa to conduct a “serious, honest review” of the transit system, warning the service is “spiralling deeper into dysfunction.” It comes after the controversial ‘New Ways to Bus’ was launched late last month. “Riders are frustrated. Operators are exhausted. And yet, the voices of those most impacted continue to be ignored,” the union said. [CTV]

📢 Ottawa Police arrested 13 people who were protesting at the CANSEC weapons fair near Uplands Drive. According to authorities, somewhere between 75 and 100 gathered outside the EY Centre. Those arrested dumped paint on the road and blocked traffic. [CBC]

👮‍♂️ Const. Goran Beric is being forced to resign from the Ottawa Police Service or be fired within a week. It comes after he was convicted in 2023 on criminal charges of assault and assault with a weapon for stepping on a man’s neck for two minutes and striking his head with his police-issued baton two years earlier. The Ottawa Police Association is reviewing the disciplinary panel’s decision, but would not say if it plans to appeal. [Ottawa Citizen]

ENTERTAINMENT

Here is who is playing at the LeBreton Flats Canada Day celebrations this year

Happy Birthday, Canada: At a time of enhanced patriotic pride, the lineup for Canada Day 2025 has just been released, which is encouraging citizens to put their “elbows up” and celebrate the country they call home. 

Because of ongoing construction work at Parliament Hill, this year’s birthday bash will again be held at LeBreton Flats. 

The acts: The national noon ceremony at 12 p.m. will feature Amanda Marshall, Garou, Thompson Egbo-Egbo, Rafaëlle Roy and Alli Walker. Then in the evening from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. A number of other well-known artists will take to the stage, including Sarah McLachlan, Randy Bachman, Mitsou, Amanda Marshall, Roch Voisine, Tom Cochrane, Coeur de Pirate, Josh Ross, Dumas, Ivan Boivin-Flamand and Ottawa’s Talk. 

For those watching the show on TV, performances will also take place in various parts of Canada, including Dear Rouge and Alex Wells in Vancouver, Crook The Kid and Brenda Montana in Yellowknife, and Blue Rodeo in Summerside, P.E.I. 

• “It features colourful musical performances and an electric atmosphere. As we celebrate our national identity, waves of red and white will flow through LeBreton Flats Park, filling the streets of the capital with excitement that will resonate all across the country,” says Canadian Heritage on its website.  

Other locations: Celebrations will also be held at other sites across Ottawa. On Parliament Hill, there will be a Changing of the Guard Ceremony, the Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums, and a Snowbirds show at 4 p.m. Events will also occur outside the Supreme Court of Canada, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary. 

• In Hull, activities will take place in the Laval Street pedestrian precinct where The Strumbellas will perform from 10:15 pm. to 11:30 pm.

Ending with a bang: Like every year, a gigantic firework show will light up the skies between Ottawa and Gatineau starting at 10:00 pm. 

A time for unity: Canadians have come together in many ways over recent months since U.S. President Donald Trump began talks of making the country a 51st state. 

• "This year, more than ever, Canada will shine with its shared energy, diversity and the spirit of unity that connects us from coast to coast to coast," said Steven Guilbeault, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture in a news release. "As a country, we form a vibrant mosaic and we become stronger when we honour the ties that bind us and celebrate together."

WEEKEND EVENT GUIDE

"Name That Tune!" Fundraiser | RCMP Curling Club | May 30, 8 pm | Music trivia night supporting women's shelters | Tickets $28+

Nature Nocturne | Canadian Museum of Nature | May 30 | Dance party with DJs, exhibits, and bar service | Tickets $35

City of OM 2025 | Lansdowne Park, Marché Way | May 30–June 1 | Yoga, wellness, 75+ classes, vendor market | Tickets $38+

Funny in Translation - An Immigrant Standup Comedy Show | Cultures Comedy Club, 291 Dalhousie St | May 30, 7:30 - 9:00 pm | perspectives on Canadian culture | Tickets $8.66 

Tufting Workshop | Motif Boutique, 980 Wellington St. West | May 30, 6 pm | Make a custom pillow or wall hanging | Tickets $100+

Westboro Market | Byron Linear Park, between Golden and Redwood | Saturdays May 31, 9:30 am | Weekly market with 30+ local vendors | Free

Fantastic Fibres & Terrific Textiles | Upper Canada Village, 13740 County Rd 2 | May 30–31, 10 am–3 pm | Sheep shearing, wool processing demos, Indigenous craftwork | Tickets $17+ 

Street Food Showdown | All Saints Anglican Church, 347 Richmond Rd. | May 31, 2 pm | Sample street food, vote for your favourite | Tickets $28+

Shania Twain Tribute, Tex Mex & Country Night | Mexicali Rosa’s, 540 West Hunt Club Rd | May 31, 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm | The best of Shania Twain's hits | Tickets $11.98

Happening next month 

Gisèle Lullaby | House of TARG, 1077 Bank St | June 1, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am | Gisèle captivates audiences with her elegance, professionalism, talent and humour. | Tickets $22.63 

Sala San Marco Presents: Disco Inferno | Sala San Marco Event & Conference Centre, 215 Preston St | June 6, 8:00 - 10:30 pm | Disco dance party | Tickets $31.15 

Family Paint Party | Broadway Bar and Grill, 3777 Standherd Dr | June 14, 7:00 - 9:00 pm | night of creativity and fun at Broadway Bar and Grill | Tickets $47.08 

Repair Café | Tom Brown Arena, 141 Bayview Station Rd | June 14, 10:00 - 2:00 pm | Repair Cafés are an international concept that has come to the National Capital Region | Free

Ottawa Knit in Public Day BBQ | Vincent Massey Park - Picnic Area, Heron Rd | June 14, 12:00 - 3:00 pm | Celebrated of World Wide Knit in Public Day | Tickets $11.98 

Want to see your event here? You can purchase them through our self-service portal here.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

People out enjoying the sun at Mooney’s Bay Beach on May 28, 2025.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Did you know Champlain Park used to be cottage country? Here’s when baseball first made its way there in the early 1900s. [Kitchissippi Times]

• Nepean High School educator Jeannie Hunter has been recognized as 2025 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year  [Kitchissippi Times]

• A community group has taken over the Mayfair Theatre marquee to promote the need for bike lanes. [CTV]

• Ottawa high school students are taking part in ‘Sandstorm’, one of the largest high school beach volleyball tournaments in North America. [CTV]

• The Diefenbunker has been named the Best 20th Century History Attraction by Corporate Vision Awards. [Apartment613]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

OTTAWA WORDLE

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STORIES THIS WEEK