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Multiple school bus routes cancelled because of driver shortage

School bus routes for nearly 20 schools at the city’s two biggest school boards have been cancelled because there aren’t enough drivers. Plus, someone was arrested at St. Brigid’s for trespassing, you’ll never guess who.

Good morning!

Sometimes I really struggle with these little intros. I usually write them last, and sometimes, at the end of the day, I end up with my brain just… empty. “What do I say in the intro,” I ask myself. “What might be interesting to people?” 

I have a feeling this sort of writerly navel gazing isn’t what you’re looking for, but evidently I’m having one of those days. So, here we are with an introduction about introductions.

Before this thing collapses on itself and goes from (hopefully) charming to played out and irritating, let’s get to your newsletter.

PS — We’ll have full coverage and analysis of last night’s Ecology Ottawa mayoral debate in Friday’s newsletter.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Wednesday: 21 🌡️ 11

Thursday: 19 🌡️ 9

Friday: 25 🌡️ 10

EDUCATION

School buses cancelled for routes across the city

What happened: With what can only be a bad the start to the school year, 20 routes to Ottawa public and Catholic schools have been cancelled because of a lack of drivers.

The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority, which is in charge of busing for the city’s two biggest school boards, said parents will have to find alternate transportation for their children to get to school.

  • The authority said some children in grades 7 to 12 will be transferred to OC Transpo routes. As a temporary measure, the bus authority is offering vouchers for young children and someone to accompany them on public transit. You can apply for that here.

Some routes are only being cancelled in one half of the day (morning or evening), while others are cancelled completely. The authority said it expects some routes to be back in service by mid- to late-September, while some others aren’t expected to be in service until mid-October. Nine of the routes have no return-to-service date listed.

Parent portal: Making things worse, the Parent Portal, where parents can access specific bus information about bus locations and times, has gone down multiple times this week. Be sure to check the authority’s Twitter feed for up-to-date info on whether it’s back online.

Affected schools: There are nine schools in the OCDSB with routes that have been cancelled, according to the bus authority:

  • Alta Vista PS

  • A.Y. Jackson SS

  • Blossom Park PS

  • Bridlewood PS

  • Broadview PS

  • Charles H. Hulse PS

  • Manordale PS

  • Pinecrest PS

  • Roberta Bondar PS

For the Catholic board, there are eight schools with cancelled routes, according to the bus authority.

The routes include Guardian Angels CS, Holy Family School, Holy Trinity HS (three routes), St. Bernard School, St. Francis Xavier HS (two routes), St. Gemma CS, St. John the Apostle CS and St. Paul’s HS.

Other school news

School zones back in force: If you’re driving in the city, be aware that school safety zones are back in force, CTV reported. There are lower speed limits and higher fines around schools. Police are also reminding drivers that failing to stop for a school bus with its lights on can include a fine of $400 to $2,000 and six demerits for the first offence. Higher fines and the possibility of jail time apply for subsequent offences.

No mask recommendation: Ottawa’s top doctor isn’t recommending students wear masks this school year. Dr. Vera Etches told CTV students should keep a mask in their pocket or backpack, and encouraged their use, but said it is ultimately up to the students and their parents on whether to wear it.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS
  • 10: The number of people charged with impaired driving over the weekend, including a driver who nearly crashed into an apartment building. [Ottawa Citizen]

  • 70%: The amount of upper tree canopy lost in two NCC parks in the Greenbelt. [CBC]

ST. BRIGID’S

Police arrest man for trespassing on church occupied by evicted tenants

What happened: Police arrested a local resident who went inside St. Brigid’s and sat on the stage, CTV’s Mackenzie Gray reported on Twitter. The United People of Canada called police saying the man was trespassing and wouldn’t leave.

  • TUPOC is in the process of being evicted from the church itself, with a court hearing scheduled for Friday.

The arrest: The man, who is identified in the video Gray shared, can be seen leaving after the police threatened him with arrest. On his way out, part way down the pews toward the exit, the man said, “Nice that you defend these guys who shut down the city for the month.” The police then ask him what his name is, and he said, “You’re a fucking hero.” The police immediately put him in cuffs.

Gray, who was on the ground during convoy occupation, summed up the police response well when he tweeted: “So whatever the reason for this arrest by the Ottawa Police, trespassing, obstruction, swearing at an officer and hurting their feelings, I'll say this: If this was the standard for arrests during the convoy, thing would have been dealt with A LOT faster."

Police told Grey the man was arrested and charged for trespassing for “refusing to leave and identify himself,” despite the video showing the man is clearly leaving the church when he is arrested.

ST. BRIGID’S

Parlê by Viet Fresh delivers ‘light and refreshing’ Vietnamese food

Parlê interior

Parlê interior. Ralf Joneikies/Ottawa Lookout

Written by food editor Ralf Joneikies.

To my way of thinking, the increasing number of noodle shops in the ByWard Market is nothing but a good thing. Now there’s a new Vietnamese restaurant to help both pho lovers and Instagram accounts fill up.

Parlê by Viet Fresh had its soft opening in January, and it’s a strikingly appealing space with newly added murals by Ottawa-based African artist Alan Andre. The work is gorgeous and a reason in itself to stop by for a meal.

Co-owner David Wen is one of four partners in the multi-pronged enterprise under the name Viet Fresh. The other three came from hospitality and David, who also works as a realtor in both Ottawa and Toronto, received his civil engineering degree from the University of Ottawa. David said their vision was to create a “newer generation style of Vietnamese food,” one he said they feel is “a healthy cuisine that’s light and refreshing.”

HEALTHCARE

Province pushing through bill forcing patients into LTCs

What happened: The provincial government is pushing ahead with legislation to allow hospitals to ship patients off to long-term care homes without patients’ consent.

The Progressive Conservative government passed a motion this week to skip debate on the bill and move it to third reading, meaning there will be no public hearings on the proposed law, The Canadian Press reported.

No details: Some of the key provisions of the bill have yet to be released. It’s not clear how far hospitals will be allowed to transfer patients. The government said it would only publish that information after the bill has become law.

  • The opposition has said people could be moved to care homes 30 kilometres away from their homes if they live in a city, or 100 kilometres if they live outside a city.

Move, or else: The point of the bill is to move patients out of hospital beds to free up healthcare capacity. To do so, it makes it possible to transfer people to “temporary” a temporary long-term care home against the patient’s consent.

Yes, but: The bill doesn’t allow for patients to be physically transferred against their will, but hospitals can charge more than $1,500 a day for anyone who refuses a transfer.

STORIES YOU MIGHT’VE MISSED

Dangerous staffing at health centre: Staff at the Pinecrest Queensway Community Health Centre are warning the clinic is critically understaffed. A month ago, four staff were fired from the clinic. Typically, it has six doctors on staff, but is down to four. Current and former staff said other healthcare workers are being forced to take on jobs beyond their scope of practice to fill gaps left by management. The clinic's CEO told the Citizen everything was fine, and it was a part of the typical ebb and flow of staffing. [Ottawa Citizen]

Cubs relocated, skunk freed: A mother bear and her cubs were safely relocated by Gatineau firefighters and wildlife officers after they were spotted near a Chelsea elementary school. The bears were moved together several hundred kilometres away to somewhere further from people. In Ottawa a skunk was saved by by-law officers after it was spotted with its head stuck in a jar. [Ottawa Citizen]

Convoy trial set: Tamara Lich and Chris Barber will go on trial in September next year for their role organizing the convoy. Both are out on bail pending the trial. [The Canadian Press]

Several shootings: There have been four shootings in the city since Friday. No one has been killed, but several people have been wounded and needed hospitalization. Police said the events are not connected, and there is no risk to public safety. [CBC]

No link between vaccine, birth complications: There is no link between the COVID vaccine and complications like premature birth or stillbirth, according to a new CHEO study. Researchers went through birth records between May and December 2021 and found people who had been vaccinated gave birth early or had a stillbirth at rates less than or equal to those who were unvaccinated. [Ottawa Citizen]

FOOD

Unlock our Pizza Safari review for just $1

To celebrate the launch of Capital Eats, we’re giving away a discount to our Insider membership. Try a membership for just $1 and get access to reviews like our Pizza Safari.

For only $1,you can try out an Insider membership for one month. But hurry, we’re only made 10 of these discounts available.

Try an Insider membership for $1 for your first month. Try it now.

HOUSE OF THE WEEK

This three-storey house in Centretown has many goodies. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fantastic cozy backyard, it also features plenty of recent upgrades. Plus! Solar panels with revenue of about $1,800 per year.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
  • OC Transpo is going back to its fall service schedule, and on Monday will run on a Sunday schedule for Labour Day.

  • For a genuinely welcoming meal with a variety of special Croatian wines, you need to try Bistro Ristoro.

  • The OPP will be out in force on the highways this Labour Day weekend, looking to crack down on impaired, distracted, and aggressive driving. [CityNews]

  • Unsure of what wine goes with that dinner your planning? Never fear, our food editor’s wine recommendations have just what you’ll need.

  • Want a horse? About a dozen are going up for sale from the RCMP’s Musical Ride breeding program. [CTV]

  • Studio Peachy is bringing original and ever-updating fashion accessories to a market near you. [Apt613]

GOOD NEWS

Special tour: A six-year-old with hearing and speech difficulties was given a tour of the Manotick fire station by a volunteer firefighter fluent in American Sign Language. Sam Balmadani has an auditory neuropath spectrum disorder, and firefighter Angus McDougall gave him a special three-hour tour of a fire truck, CTV reported. Sam loves firetrucks and got the tour during the Taste of Manotick Festival. [CTV]

OTTAWA GEOGUESSER
A bridge! Some water! Those are your hints!

Google Maps

Congrats to Louise and Randy, who knew the answer to Monday’s quiz that the first Pride event in the city was in 1986.

Can you name the bridge in today’s Ottawa GeoGuesser? Special points to anyone who knows which body of water it is crossing!

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.

  • Active Cases: 635

  • Total deaths: 873

  • Ottawans In Hospital: 29

  • Ottawans In ICU: 1

  • Acute Beds Occupied: 96%

  • ICU Beds Occupied: 72%

  • ICU Ventilator Beds Occupied: 36%

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