Nuclear dump on the Ottawa River approved

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Good morning!

Would you believe we have more winter snow news today? I’m sorry to say, there’s another storm coming tonight. We’ve got the details on that.

But that’s not all! We’ve also got news about a just-approved nuclear waste facility up river from the city, a bunch of events to keep you occupied this weekend, a recap of all the food news this week, and a bunch more.

Let’s get to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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WEATHER

Friday: -6 🌡️ -6 | ❄️

Saturday: 0 🌡️ -10 | ❄️

Sunday: -9 🌡️ -13 | ❄️

Monday: -8 🌡️ -14 | 🌤/❄️

ENVIRONMENT

Nuclear dump on the Ottawa River approved

What happened: A proposal for a nuclear waste dump near the Chalk River plant was approved, CBC reported. The dump is in a controversial location, near the Ottawa River, raising the objection of environmental groups and Indigenous peoples.

• The approval is for the design and construction of the dump. The actual dumping of waste will require a second round of federal permits.

The site is on the Chalk River property and is 1.1 km from the river, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission said, and sits on bedrock that slopes in the opposite direction of the river.

What will be dumped: The above-ground site will hold “low-level radioactive waste,” which includes contaminated building materials and personal protective equipment. 

• “The majority of the waste to be placed in the [new facility] is currently in storage at the Chalk River Laboratories site or will be generated from environmental remediation, decommissioning, and operational activities at the…site,” according to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The concerns: The site is upriver from Ottawa, Montreal, and numerous other communities that draw their drinking water from the river. Ten of the 11 Algonquin communities near the site or along the river objected to the proposed site, CBC reported. 

• Researchers at the Museum of Nature also worry it puts certain endangered species in the Ottawa River — including sturgeon and mussels — at risk of contamination. 

Lifespan: It’s expected once construction begins it will take three years to complete. The site is expected to have a 50 year active lifespan, followed by a three decade closure phase. After that there will be a 300-year post-closure phase while the isotopes are still radioactive. 

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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

💐 $23.5 million: The amount of money the city has had to pay out, so far, to victims of the 2019 Transitway bus crash. Three people were killed in the crash. [CBC]

🚘 50 seconds: The amount of time added to the travel time for the average 10 km trip in the city. Ottawa drivers take about 15 minutes to travel that distance, the ninth worst of Canadian cities. [CTV]

WINTER

City cleans up from storm as another approaches

What happened: Well, buckle up one more time. Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for this evening. Anywhere from 10 to 25 cm of snow is expected to start falling tonight, but the exact amounts and severity are a bit uncertain because forecasters aren’t sure the exact path it will take.

• “Snow is forecast to begin Friday evening and will quickly become heavy at times Friday night, before transitioning to periods of light snow Saturday morning. Strong easterly winds gusting up to 70 km/h will combine with this heavy snow to cause significantly reduced visibility at times,” the weather warning said. 

Cleaning up: Tuesday’s overnight storm caused its share of havoc. While the city avoided the worst of the storm, only getting about 9 cm of snow, the 417 closed between Metcalfe and Carling because of flooding, CTV reported. The snow then rain combination led to large puddles of slush to build up throughout town.

• There were 4,536 tickets handed out by Bylaw for parking ban violations Wednesday, CTV reported. Those tickets are worth at least $476,280 if every ticket is paid early for the $105 fine. If violators wait and pay the full $125 amount, that figure could rise to $567,000.

The good and the bad: On the transit front, the good news is the snow and freezing rain didn’t affect LRT service. Trains ran through the night, and worked the next day. But bus service suffered across the city. Suburban Coun. Tim Tierney told the Ottawa Citizen the unreliability of the buses left him with serious concerns about the system. The city told the paper 630 of 8,258 total bus trips were cancelled.

• “We need to make sure we’re getting people from their doorstep to work and back home at night.… When you miss the first one, and the GPS shows a bus coming that doesn’t show, you’re already out there in a glass shelter with no heat.”

THE AGENDA

🚨 An elementary school in Hintonburg has asked parents to speak to their children, after a number of children were heard using racial slurs against other students at least twice before the holiday break. [CBC]

🚰 For the second time in a month, the community of Chelsea was put under a boil-water advisory. The municipality needed to complete maintenance work, causing the latest advisory. [CTV]

🟧 Former NDP leader and longtime Ottawa resident Ed Broadbent died Thursday. He was 97. [Broadbent Institute]

🚔 The provincial police watchdog cleared an Ottawa police officer of wrongdoing after a man died of apparent drug toxicity after being arrested. The officer was cleared despite leaving the man handcuffed while he was in medical distress, until paramedics arrived when he then helped with resuscitation. The investigator said being handcuffed may have made it harder for the man to breathe before he died. [CBC]

🏠 A builder in Carleton Place has relisted several new homes for $400,000 less than their initial asking price. The original buyers bought at the height of prices and low interest rates, and couldn’t keep up with payments. Now the builder has had to drastically lower the asking price to move the homes. [CTV]

🍻 Ontario craft brewers said that unless there’s a major overhaul to alcohol taxes in the province, many smaller brewers may have to close. While the expansion of alcohol sales in 2026 was welcomed by the industry, they say it won’t come fast enough. [CBC]

🏥 A new state-of-the-art gender affirming healthcare clinic has opened at the General hospital. The clinic helps coordinate healthcare for trans and non-binary people, and offers procedures previously only available in Montreal. [CTV]

EVENTS

What to do this weekend

Arts

🎨 Wilfrid Flood - A Passion For Pictures, Until Feb. 4: A painter in his off hours, Wilfrid Flood was a prolific cataloguer of the city through the 1930s and 40s, as the city went through significant changes in the Depression and through the war. At the Ottawa Art Gallery, 50 Mackenzie King Bridge. Free admission.

Music

🎹 Duelling Pianos, Saturday 6 pm: Two pianists and a guitarist duel through tons of classic tunes, and take your requests! At Sens House, 73 York St. Tickets $21.

🎻 Siaka Diabaté & Raphael Weinroth-Browne, Saturday 8 pm: A double-bill night of dynamic collaborations, starting off with the unique sounds of Diabaté and Weinroth-Browne, followed by two DJ sets. At Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St. Tickets $14.

🪩 Targ Dance Mix ’97, Saturday 9 pm: Want to head back to the mid-to-late 90s for a night of dancing and glow sticks? This is the dance party for you. At House of Targ, 1077 Bank St. Tickets $12.

Culture 

🍾 Ottawa Malanka 2024, Saturday 6:30 pm: A traditional Ukrainian “Old New Year” celebration with everything you’d expect. Music, drinks, dinner, and more. At Café Ukraine, 913 Carling Ave. Tickets $50.

CAPITAL EATS

This week in food

🍛 Tucked in the back of a grocer on Merivale is some of the city’s best takeout biryani.

🫔 Already the makers of some incredible tortillas and salsa, Tortilla Maker has added several varieties of tamales to really fill your appetite.

😻 (Insiders) What keeps folks coming back to the Cheshire Cat? The food, the atmosphere, the service. Quite a bit, it turns out! 

🥃 (Insiders) Next time you’re mixing a cocktail, try this American bourbon and French vermouth for a  great Manhattan.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Ottawa’s PWHL game against Boston, cancelled by an earlier snowstorm, has been rescheduled for Feb. 19. [CTV]

• 50+ and having tech issues? Jim from PCfixr is here to help. He offers home visits, tech support and a no fix, no fee promise. Learn more. [Sponsored]

• Electronic music fans rejoice, the lineup for this year’s Escapade Music Festival, including Shaq’s alter ego Diesel, has been released. [CTV]

• Now that the original iteration of Mickey Mouse has entered the public domain, an Ottawa-filmed horror film with the mouse as the, uh, star can be released. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Jazz trombonist Nick Adema makes a return to Ottawa, his hometown, next week. [Ottawa Citizen]

• These are some interesting maps of surface parking in different Ottawa neighbourhoods. [Reddit]

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

OTTAWA GAMES

Congrats to James, the only person who knew this week’s Ottawa Guesser was of Castlefrank Road.

Think you can solve this week’s Ottawa Wordle? Play now.