Public service strike stretches into 10th day

Good morning!

The day has finally come. Wellington Street will reopen later today, as you can read here on CTV. It’s not an ideal situation: there were benefits to having it closed — walking, especially along Sparks, was much nicer without any cross traffic — but the city didn’t seem to have much choice.

While the federal government wanted to take it over, they don’t seem to have made much in the way of a serious offer to get it done. So, now we’re left with a strange compromise that no one is happy about. Plus ça change…

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And one last thing, keep an eye on your local newsstand because the final issue of Ottawa Magazine will be out in the wild any day now. The team put in a fantastic amount of work to get it done, and you won’t want to miss it.

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— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: 19 🌡️ 8 | ☀️

Saturday: 10 🌡️ 7 | 🌧

Sunday: 18 🌡️ 7 | 🌧

Monday: 18 🌡️ 7 | 🌧

PUBLIC SERVICE

Strikes enter tenth day with two sides still well apart

What happened: Federal workers on strike put more pressure on the government by limiting access to downtown offices and demonstrations at key locations across the country, CTV reported. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the union representing the striking workers, said it had moved off of its initial wage increase demands, but the government wouldn’t budge.

Red lines: One major point of disagreement between the two sides is over remote work. The union wants hybrid work put into a collective agreement, but the government wants to keep it out, the National Post reported. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, the minister in charge of negotiations, said telework policies are a “management right.”

• The union said many other items in past agreements deemed management rights, and there’s no reason this can’t be included as well.

Booming business: One of the strange ironies of the strike is the boost it’s given to businesses near public service offices picketed by strikers. Restaurants like the Royal Oak on Wellington West said business was up as much as 50 percent since the strike was announced, CBC reported.

• For some it feels like a swan song, especially if remote work rules are enshrined in an eventual contract. One hot dog vendor downtown told The Canadian Press the return of public service to the core made it seem like it was pre-pandemic.

Layoff concerns: Some outside observers warn that any pay increases could also mean layoffs for public servants, CBC reported. If budgetary pressure on the federal government grows, cutting the public workforce might be the next step.

• Dig deeper: From bookkeepers to lighthouse keepers, what striking federal workers actually do. [PressProgress]

On the line: There are strike outfits, then there are strike outfits…

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🚨 $615: The individual cost of three tickets issued to union workers who set up a BBQ on a sidewalk to grill hot dogs for striking public service workers. [CTV]

📉 $640,000: The CMHC expects home prices to decrease to this level in the city for the first time in almost three decades. That’s down from about $692,000 last year. [CTV]

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CITY HALL

Lansdowne revenue projections sink by 40 percent

What happened: The amount of money Lansdowne is expected to generate over the next 40 years dropped $218.7 million to $326 million, CBC reported. That’s a drop of 40 percent from the estimated $545 million the destination was expected to generate in a projection just last year.

The last time: The first time Lansdowne was redeveloped into its current form, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, the private company that operates the site, expected it would make profits on the site and make payments to the city. That never happened, and the company has had to cover losses every year.

Different this time, surely: The second redevelopment of the park wouldn’t be like that, city officials said. The dropping revenue projects for the park in its current form actually make the case the area needs to be further redeveloped.

• The Lansdowne 2.0 redevelopment, as its known, was projected to cost $330 million and be revenue-neutral. The city is updating those projections as well, but they have not been released yet.

Replanting trees: OSEG is trying again to get trees to grow in the park. Bigger, higher planters for trees are being installed in the hopes that this time, the trees will survive, CBC reported. Previous attempts have led to trees that lasted maybe a season before withering and dying.

Public consultation: Do you have thoughts on Lansdowne 2.0? The city is running a survey to hear from residents. You can find it here.

THE AGENDA

🚇 The LRT will close its middle section as maintenance crews inspect the tunnel’s eastern end to investigate water damage. Trains will still run from Tunney’s Pasture to Parliament, and Hurdman and Blair, with R1 bus service running between Hurdman and Lyon. [CBC]

🚮 The city is considering a tag system for curbside garbage bags to reduce the amount of solid waste. The pricing and final shape of the program have not been decided and will be presented at the environment committee next week. [CTV]

🪙 The city said the province is not giving Ottawa enough increased funding to combat homelessness. It expected to receive about $20 million in new funds, but only got $845,100. [CBC]

🚧 The city has a new machine to fill potholes on the fly. The Python 5000 can fill the average pothole in less than two minutes, and doesn’t require any lanes to be closed while it works. [CTV]

🏅 Three NAC employees received the Ottawa Fire Chief’s Award of Merit for their efforts to save the life of an NAC chef who went into cardiac arrest fighting a fire in the building’s basement. [Ottawa Citizen]

🛍️ The LCBO will be phasing out paper bags in the near future. Reused boxes will still be available at no cost. The date for the change hasn’t been announced yet. [CTV]

👕 Clothing, bags, and phones are the top three items most often left behind in Ubers in the city. [CTV]

🏟️ Bayview Yards is emerging as another possible contender for a new Sens arena location. [Ottawa Citizen]

🏢 Two Ontarians have started a website for tenants to rate their landlords that has exploded in popularity. You can find it at ratethelandlord.org. [CTV]

⚖️ Randy Hillier, the former MPP, had a motion denied to move his trial outside of Ottawa. [CBC]

📚 Kingston will trial run a library branch without staff for 22 hours per week. Users will need a library card to enter while it is unstaffed. [CBC]

🏥 The Quebec government pays significantly more for medical procedures done at private clinics compared to public hospitals — a warning sign for privatization efforts in Ontario. [CBC]

📖 The Ottawa Trans Library is celebrating a successful first year in Hintonburg. [Kitchissippi Times]

EVENTS

Your weekend guide

Music

🎼 Divertimento Orchestra Spring Concert, Friday and Saturday 8 pm: A concert of Canadian and British music featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams, William Walton, and Edward Elgar. At Woodroffe United Church, 207 Woodroffe Ave. Tickets start at $10.

🎹 Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, A Rising Star, Sunday 7 pm: Part of a master piano recital series, Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko is playing a selection of pieces from Beethoven, Medtner, Scriabin, and Schumann. At Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Ave. Tickets start at $23.

Market

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day, Sunday: Indie bookstores across the city are celebrating with activities, contests and more. Find a seller near you.

🌼 Orchidophilia, Annual Orchid Show, Saturday and Sunday: The annual orchid show and sale by the Ottawa Orchid Society featuring 15 vendors from all over, workshops, and educational displays. Free parking. At Algonquin College, Building D, 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Tickets $14.

Culture

🇦🇫 A Night To Remember Afghanistan Fundraiser, Friday 5:30 pm: An evening showcasing Afghan culture, food, music and more. Includes a silent auction and raffle, plus dinner. At Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Ave. Tickets $55.

🛍️ Ottawa’s 2nd Black Business Expo, Sunday: A showcase of Black-owned businesses, organizations, and service providers. Shop local businesses, see some entertainment and network. At the EY Centre 4899 Uplands Dr. Tickets $7.

🕯️ The Artisans & Small Business Expo, Sunday: Check out local makers, service providers, artists, and more showcasing some of the best of Ottawa. At Bell Sensplex, 1565 Maple Grove Rd. Tickets $11.

🏛️ Navigating Our City, A Civic Education from Synapcity, Sunday 12 pm: A day to learn all about how the city works, inside and out. At Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Dr. Tickets are free.

Other

🪴 Plant Your Own Square-Foot Planter, Saturday 10 am and 2pm: A guided workshop on how to build your very own planter that lets you grow plenty in a small space. Tickets include all the materials you’ll need. At Lee Valley, 900 Morrison Dr. Tickets $45.

OTTAWA FOOD

What happened this week in food

Every week our team at Capital Eats scours Ottawa for the best places to eat, drinks to try and events to attend. Here’s a breakdown of all the biggest stories.

🇮🇹 Roman-style pizza from this Italian-trained chef brings a symphony of aromas and tastes.

🍕 It’s pizza, but it’s also focaccia. Whatever you want to call it, you won’t regret giving it a try.

🍷 (Insiders) This weekend, why not try this Italian wine made of pecorino grapes. A value wine that goes great with a lemon risotto.

🇫🇷 (Insiders) This downtown French bistro will have you coming back again and again.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The original OTTAWA sign from the ByWard Market has found a new home beside Highway 31 near Metcalfe, after years spent in a Findlay Creek backyard. [CTV]

• Do you know someone or an organization who is a local champion for cycling in our city? Nominate them for the annual Bruce Timmermans Cycling Awards by April 28th!*

• Looking for a weekend longread? CBC traces the history of smuggling along the St. Lawrence River. [CBC]

• The Sens will be headed to Sweden for two regular-season games next November. [The Canadian Press]

• After several rough pandemic years, the city’s music scene is finally bouncing back. [Ottawa Citizen]

• The Ottawa BlackJacks signed G League guard Elijah Pemberton from the Santa Cruz Warriors. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Contact our partnership team for more info.

TOP PHOTO

Today’s photo comes from Murray Angus, who grabbed this shot along the Ottawa River this week. “Taken at sundown at Britannia Point, where the waters have risen above the wall and covered most of the lawn,” he said.

Do you have a photo you’d like to share with the Lookout community? Send it in!

OTTAWA GAMES

It’s possible we missed an answer in our inbox, but it does not seem that anyone got this week’s Ottawa Guesser. It was just at the edge of Bells Corners, where Northside Road turns into Cassidy. Better luck next time! (Or, maybe we should make it a little next difficult.

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

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