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What the school cell phone ban means for Ottawa students
Plus, some updates on school busses
Charlie Senack
30 Aug
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Good morning,
That sound, or lack of sound? What could it be? It’s the collective sigh of parents as their kids are close returning back to school. Speaking of schools, our top story today is about changes to cell phones at school and what they mean for your kids.
And a final reminder that we have no newsletter on Monday as it’s Labour Day. We’ll be back in your inbox on Wednesday.
– Geoff Sharpe, Lookout founder
Editor’s note: One part of the story on Wednesday misspelt Mathew McGrath’s name. The Lookout apologies for the error.
PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign up for free.
WEATHER REPORT
Friday: 25 🌡️ 18 | ☁️
Saturday: 26 🌡️ 14 | 🌧️
Sunday: 24 🌡️ 10 | 🌧️
Monday: 18 🌡️ 8 | 🌤️
EDUCATION
What the school cell phone ban means for Ottawa students
It’s that time of year again, as parents wave goodbye to their kids as they return to school. We’ve got a breakdown of all the biggest back-to-school stories to prepare you parents for next week.
What happened: Classrooms will look a little different this year as the province adopted a policy to ban cell phones during class time, with varying levels of rules depending on the grade, according to CTV.
Students from Grade 7 and up will not be allowed to use their cell phones during class time, unless allowed for academic purposes, but will be able to use them during breaks. Those in Grade 6 and under must have them stored the entire day.
The details: The punishments vary by school board. Staff are being trained on the new policies. For example, Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario’s policy means a student caught with their phone will have it taken by the teacher for the duration of the class. A second time means the phone stays with the principal all day, and a third requires a call to parents to come to the school to pick it up, according to CBC.
The research: More and more studies are showing the problems cell phone devices have on children and educational learning. A large study in the US showed that more time on smartphones for kids meant being “less happy and less satisfied with life.” In one study, banning cell phones helped low-achieving students more than others, and significantly improved test scores for 16-year-olds. In Spain, bullying fell as well.
Zoom out: Like all things, it can take a while for policies to catch up with what’s happening on the ground. Governments across the West have started cracking down on school cell phone usage, including in Canada. Quebec banned cell phones in classes back in 2023. BC, Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have all announced similar policies, according to the CBC. Vape pens will also be banned at schools.
Bad news: Maplewood Secondary School, the new high school in Stittsville, will not be open for the first day of classes due to outstanding safety issues, according to CTV, but only for a “minimal amount of time.” Students in Grades 7 and 8 will go to D.A. Moodie School, while Grade 9s will start school virtually.
Bus routes cancelled: Currently, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority says there is a shortage of 24 bus drivers, though 19 are being trained or are waiting to be licensed, according to CityNews. This will impact 88 routes. You can find the list of cancellations or delays here, which will be updated as time goes on.
Around 10,000 students will not have bus service in Renfrew County this year, as the contract has expired and negotiations with school bus drivers have broken down, according to CTV.
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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS
🏒 5: The ranking of the Senator’s pipeline of hockey prospects compared to other teams, a good sign for the future. [The Athletic]
🚌 3%: The yearly increase in transit fares in Gatineau from 2025 to 2028. It’s expected to help increase frequency and reliability throughout the system. [CBC]
🏢 214: The number of apartment units approved by council for a building at Cleary Avenue. It would include 66 affordable units and 148 other units in two buildings. [City of Ottawa]
⛽ 153.9 cents: The expected cost of gas today, down 2 cents and the lowest it’s been since March. [CityNews]
CAPITAL EATS
Five food stories you might’ve missed
Our food editor Ralf has been busy the past few months. He produces so many reviews, chances are you’ve missed out on some of his best stories. Here are some we think you’ll enjoy.
Is Pelicana Ottawa’s best fried chicken?
“Then I bit into my first piece of chicken. The batter had a magnificent crunch despite having been liberally dressed in a sweet garlic glaze. Coarsely chopped garlic littered each piece and I was impressed with the first bites.
This was expertly prepared and I recall thinking that this was the most tender and moist fried chicken I’d had. With each piece I noticed that the meat had been seasoned to the bone and was falling off under wisps of steam.”
Love & Electric has some of the city’s best ice cream
“Love & Electric is the latest ice cream shop to be opened by Clea and Colin Lipsett. Eight years earlier they opened The Beach Coner at Britannia Beach and it became a runaway success.
Their Hintonburg shop features the same delicious, quality ice cream that made them famous. All flavours and ingredients are naturally made and Clea adds her very own baked goods to the frozen cream.The new shop makes for a very abbreviated experience with a counter that juts so far to the front of the store that the message is very clear: no dawdling. It’s purely in and out.
Thank goodness for the ice cream which is among Ottawa’s best.”
Scratch cooking at The Noodle House
“I wasn’t expecting to be here but I’d seen The Noodle House many times in passing and I thought it was time I stopped in.
As owner Paul told me, they opened in 2017 but remained closed during COVID and I did wonder, on the times I drove past, if The Noodle House would be yet another casualty of the pandemic. Now it appeared their customers were delighted to find it reopened and firing on all cylinders.
Those who love Vietnamese cuisine appreciate its lightness, its lower calorie count, and robust mix of spices and herbs. It also, quite organically, offers dishes for almost any diet with gluten free noodles, tons of veggies, and savoury meats and seafood.”
Getting to know more local grocers
“Rising food prices don’t affect everyone, only the majority. Yet the majority are the voiceless and it always appears to be up to ordinary citizens to find solutions to any social problem.
One example is Creatively United. They highlight eight apps that will help Canadians curb food waste and they provide community resources for those wanting to become more engaged.
We all feel powerless from time to time but small incremental changes can result in bigger long term shifts in our practices.”
Noodle House 79 offers some of Merivale’s best dishes
“It’s difficult to think of a dish bigger in flavour and yet modest in calories than Vietnam’s national dish: Pho. In this wide world, there will be people who don’t like it, but I’ve yet to meet one.
For historic reasons (a continued thank you to former mayor Marion Dewar) Ottawa has a rich selection of good Vietnamese restaurants. Apart from its obvious deliciousness, you can eat like royalty for relatively little money.”
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THE AGENDA
🔎 In case you missed it, Charlie had a deep dive story on the questionable disappearance of Carleton Place resident Matt McGrath. You can read that story here. [Ottawa Lookout]
🚗 That’s definitely not where that belongs… A vehicle drove through a home on Wednesday at Locheland Crescent in Nepean, and required firefighters to stabilize the wall due to structural damage. [CityNews]
❤️ Jennifer Edmonds-Zabarylo is being remembered as someone who loved her friends, job and family dearly. She was allegedly killed by her husband in what police are calling femicide, an act of intimate partner violence. [CTV]
🏢 Barrhaven residents are voicing their opposition to a plan to build a 26 and 35-storey building at 1034 McGarry Terrace, with 592 apartments. The area is considered a major transit area, which could create a 15-minute community in the city. City council still needs to approve the building as it’s greater than the 30 storeys set under the Barrhaven Downtown Secondary Plan. [CityNews]
🏊 Ottawa beaches are officially closed and will no longer have lifeguards. There are still splash pads available throughout the city. This followed a number of beach closures this year, including Petrie East Bay which was shut down for 26 days this summer. [Ottawa Citizen, CityNews]
🧑⚖️ After an audit of Horizon Ottawa’s municipal election spending, a city committee approved legal proceedings against the organization, after auditors said the organization contravened three campaign finance rules, worth $947.24. The organization says they look “forward to being fully vindicated in the judicial proceedings to come.” [CTV]
👮 Ottawa police are asking for help to find Rene Farley, who was last seen on Aug. 28 at Trim Road and Brian Coburn Boulevard. [Twitter]
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WEEKEND GUIDE
Fever Pitch Hot Jazz | Art House | Aug. 30, 8 pm | Outdoor monthly jazz patio show with music from the 1920s | Tickets $17
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Ottawa Little Theatre | Now until Sept. 7, 7:30 pm | A performance about a man determined to find out who killed his neighbourhood dog | Tickets
Broken Stick Weiner and Beer Fest | 600 Du Golf Road, Hammond | Aug. 31, 12 pm-10 pm | Celebrate 10 years of Broken Stick Brewery with hot dogs, music, craft beer and events | Tickets $70
Capital Pop-Up Cinema | Jules Morin Park | Aug. 31, 8 pm | Come watch the latest pop-up movie, Space Jam | Free
17th Annual Ottawa Serbian Festival | 1989 Prince of Wales Drive | Aug. 31-Sept. 2 | A celebration of Serbian culture, music and gastronomy | Free
Family Paint Party | Broadway Bar and Grill, Nepean | Aug. 31, 7 pm | Come learn to paint with artist Cecilia Chan with step by step instructions | Tickets $39
Hummingbird Chocolate Factory Tour and Tasting | Saturdays, 11 am and 1 pm | Tour the award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate factory | Tickets $11
Joplin Meets Hendrix and Morrison | Rideau Carleton Casino | Aug. 31, 8 pm | Blend of iconic music playing all their hits | Tickets $31
Lansdowne Outdoor Market | Aberdeen Square | Sundays until Oct. 27, 9 am-3 pm | Shop local farmers wares, including fruits, veggies and crafts | Free
PHOTO OF THE DAY
This photo of Britannia Beach proves summer isn’t over yet!
Do you have a photo you’d like to share with the Lookout community? Send it in!
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Ottawa cyclist Derek Gee has had an incredible season this year, finishing 9th at the Tour de France. [The Star]
Speaking of athletes, Ottawa’s Trinity Lowthian is representing Canada in épée (fencing) at this year’s Paralympic Games. [Ottawa Citizen]
Here’s a list of all the convenience and gas stores in Ottawa where you can score alcohol starting next week. [CTV]
This is a wonderful story of how some University of Ottawa students are helping make gyms more accessible. [Ottawa Citizen]
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OTTAWA GAMES
Congrats to Kuawa and Anne-Marie who guessed the correct answer to Wednesday’s Ottawa Guesser, which was General Burns Park on Chesterton.
Think you can solve this week’s Ottawa Wordle? Play now.
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