“We are growing very impatient” — The debate over fixing gridlock on Bank Street

Good morning!

I’m happy to be back with you today after recovering from a nasty stomach bug and then a trip to the dentist. It’s been a whirlwind week, but a big thank you to Geoff for helping out with the newsletter while I recovered. I won’t tell you how many cavities I have, but a pro tip to everyone out there: Don’t wait as long as I did to get your teeth cleaned and checked out. You can save yourself a lot of hassle and money later. For those of you without benefits, I highly encourage you to check out the new Canadian Dental Benefit. Eligibility has recently expanded. 

When I moved a little over a year ago, I knew I wanted to be located close to the Glebe. I’m a big fan of supporting local businesses, I love going for walks along the Rideau Canal, and I’m a frequent visitor to the Lansdowne Farmers Market. But what I didn’t realize at the time was just how flawed transit was in the area, for being in the middle of the city. 

There are many hopes for Bank Street: Bus-only lanes, cycling infrastructure, more parking to make it easier for cars. But with it being such a small area, how can you fit it all? That is one of the questions we explore today as our insider members get to read about some of the ideas that have been brought forward. 

And for all our Lookout readers, we have a story about the Osgoode by-election which is just days away! 

Let’s get to it.

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

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WEATHER

Friday: 22 🌡️ 14 | 🌧️

Saturday: 18 🌡️ 13 | 🌧️

Sunday: 21 🌡️ 12 | 🌤️

Monday: 21 🌡️ 12 | 🌤️

THE LOOKOUT RECOMMENDS

Art for good: Ottawa’s Fringe Festival started yesterday. Not only is it a great opportunity to explore diverse theatre performances and local artists, the festival also gives back 100% of revenue to the artist themselves. Check out the full list of shows and locations. 

New spot: Ralf reviewed a new spot called Skewer Mainia at 1445 Merivale Rd. #103. It specializes in Chinese skewered meat. But there are a few other dishes worth checking out. 

Summer drinks: It’s getting a little warmer over the weekend so that means it’s time for some summer drinks. Last year Ralf recommended a few, including Founder’s Tequila Cocktail Box and the Miele Sour Amaretto Lemonade which can be found across the river at SAQ.

CITY

“We are growing very impatient” — The debate over fixing gridlock on Bank Street

If you’ve taken transit down Bank Street during rush hour, chances are you’ve felt the commute gridlock. One solution? Bus-only lanes. But the idea is garnering mixed reactions from locals and businesses. 

Last June, the City of Ottawa launched the Bank Street Active Transportation and Transit Priority Feasibility Study, which introduced four options to improve how people get around. 

BETTER HOMES OTTAWA

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Heat pumps keep your home warm in winter, cool in summer, and use far less energy than traditional systems. Through the City of Ottawa's Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program, you can access zero and low-interest loans of up to $125,000 to make the switch. Repay over 20 years via your property tax bill—no penalties for early payment. 

Learn more and start saving energy: betterhomesottawa.ca 

THE OTTAWA NUMBER

2,700

🚎 The number of tickets issued to riders for not paying fares on buses and the O-Train so far in 2025. The spots with the most tickets issued were Hurdman Station (687), Rideau Station (500) and St. Laurent Station (348). [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🧪 People are not happy that Ottawa Public Health has decided to reduce water testing at beaches across Ottawa. The change means OPH will only test once a week starting on June 21. They say that testing isn’t the best way to gauge safety, as it can take up to a day to get results. But Ottawa Riverkeeper says it’s a mistake and puts residents at risk. [CBC]

🚎 OC Transpo has bought 11 buses to help manage the expected delay in the rollout of zero-emission buses. They won’t be able to start immediately as they will require upgrades. There is currently a backlog in maintenance, as well as aging buses. [CTV] 

🔋 Rural residents aren’t happy about a battery facility in west Ottawa on Marchurst Road. The facility is jointly owned by Evolugen and the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation. Residents voiced concerns over the loss of farmland and water contamination. Council voted 20-3 in favour. [CBC

📻 In some sad news, Corus has laid off some local on-air personalities on their radio station, including the host of Boom, Dylan Black, and Tim Morgan. [Ottawa Citizen]

WEEKEND EVENT GUIDE

Family Paint Party | The Bridge Public House, 1 Donald St | June 13, 7 - 9 pm | A Night of creativity and fun to celebrate Pride | Tickets $ 47.08 

Canada Day EH-Esentials | 100percentcanadian.ca| Get ready for Canada Day with an assortment of hard-to-find Canadian wines + craft ciders | Order here>> [Sponsored]

Osgoode PorchFest | Various porches in Osgoode | June 13–15, various times | Live music on porches across the community | Free

Celebrate Pride with Author Emily Austin | Bayview Yards, 7 Bayview Station Rd | June 14, 7 - 8 pm | Emily will be in conversation with Francesco MacAllister-Caruso, discussing her novels | Free

Star Trek vs Star Wars | Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St | June 14, 7:30 - 9:30 pm | Which universe will triumph in this cosmic showdown? | Tickets $22.08 

Navy Bike Ride | Hog’s Back Park, 600 Hog's Back Rd | Jun. 14, 8:30 am | 5K run, rides & family-friendly cycling | Free to register.

Villages Community Association Garage Sale | Villages area, Ottawa | June 14, 8 am | Community-wide garage sales, 6-hour event | Free

Fiesta Cubana Fest | Horticulture Building, 1525 Princess Patricia Way | Jun. 13, 7–11 pm & Jun. 14, 2–10 pm | Salsa, dance, Cuban food & culture | Tickets $15+

Live from the Booth | The Booth on Sparks Street, between Elgin St & Metcalfe St near 56 Sparks Street | Jun. 14, 7 pm | Free electronic music DJ concert series | Free

Britannia Village Community Arts Crawl | Britannia & Howe, Ottawa | Jun. 14, all day | Outdoor showcase of local artists and musicians | Free

Kanata North Book Fair | Royal Canadian Legion, 70 Hines Rd. | June 14, 12 pm | Local & Canadian books at great prices | Free

Star Trek vs Star Wars | Carleton Dominion Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St. | June 14–15, various times | Epic orchestral battle of two sci-fi legends | Tickets $49

Art Lending of Ottawa Art Show | Jim Durrell Recreation Centre, 1265 Walkley Rd. | June 14, 10 am to 4 pm | Come and view the latest work of 40 local juried artists. Art is available for rent or sale | Free

Ottawa Retro & Antique Market | 955A Gladstone Ave | June 14–15, 11 am to 5 pm | Vintage decor, fashion, vinyl, and collectibles | Free

Saravah Brazilian Festival – 2nd Edition | ByWard Market, York St. strip | June 14, 9 am | Street shows, food vendors, live Brazilian music & dance | Free

Orléans Pickleball Festival | Orleans Tennis Club, 1257 Joseph Drouin Ave. | June 15, all day | Family-friendly pickleball fun and tournaments | Free (tournaments extra)

Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club | TD Place, 1015 Bank St. | June 15, time TBA | Pro basketball and family fun at Lansdowne | Tickets $30

EU Cultural Fair 2025 | Canadian Museum of History, 100 Laurier St. | June 15, 10 am to 4 pm | Music, food and culture from EU countries | Free

Rossini's Petite messe solennelle – Ottawa | Southminster United Church, 6 Aylmer Ave. | June 15, 4:30 pm | Operatic mass with choir, piano, and four soloists | Tickets $12

Spring Workshop: Tropical Terrarium Workshop by The Urban Botanist | Wallack's Art Supplies and Framing, 305 Bank St | June 15, 12:45 - 3 pm | create stunning, nature-inspired masterpieces | Tickets $218.54

Aurora's Reef LIVE at Irene's with Special Guests Unsociably High | 885 Bank St. | June 27, 9 pm | Live Reggae and Soul All Night | Tickets $15 adv. $20/Door

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

CITY

Meet the candidates running in Osgoode Ward

Are you feeling election fatigued yet? After voters headed to the polls both provincially and federally earlier this year, Osgoode residents will now cast their ballot for a third time in a city byelection on June 16. 

The rural Ottawa council seat became vacant after longtime representative George Darouze won the Carleton seat provincially for the Progressive Conservatives in April. 

In total, 11 names are on the Osgoode ballot. Here is a rundown of who’s eyeing the council seat. 

Doug Thompson 

Seen as a frontrunner to many, Thompson is no stranger to municipal politics. He represented Osgoode Ward from 2001 until 2014, when he stepped down and the seat went to Darouze. 

In 2022 Thompson decided to make a political comeback and ran against the incumbent Darouze. He came in second place with only a 238-vote difference. 

The Lookout sat down with Thompson earlier this year. He said rural roadsdesperately needed more funding, additional resources are required for police to crack down on stunt driving, and says the stormwater tax for rural properties should be removed. 

• You can read the Lookout’s full interview with Thompson here. 

Colette Lacroix-Velthuis

Lacroix-Velthuis has a degree in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Ottawa and an executive certificate from the Harvard School of Business. She built a 35+ year career in the high-tech sector, including 26 years as an executive with IBM Canada. 

According to her website, if elected, Lacroix-Velthuis intends to: improve core and emergency services, protect the rural way of life, establish a comprehensive strategy for roadway improvements, and maintain an advisory board of community leaders and business owners.

Peter Scott Westaway

There are little details about this candidate online, but Westway said he chose to run as an act of protest against the Ottawa Greenbelt, which he considers a “geographical flaw.” 

Westaway resides in Nepean but says he’d move to Osgoode if elected. 

• You can visit his website here. 

Dan O’Brien 

A lifelong resident of Osgoode, O’Brien has experience in small business ownership and management. If elected he intends to: strengthen relationships between the city and volunteer groups, support farming and food initiatives, and find ways to build more non-profit housing. 

According to his website, O’Brien notes that over 20 road improvement projects have already happened in Osgoode Ward, but he’d like to build on that momentum. The council hopeful also wants to fund the Solid Waste Strategy to ensure another landfill doesn’t open in the Ward after the Trail Road site reaches capacity. 

Isabelle Skalski

According to Skalski’s website, she has a plan to “protect Osgoode and fix what’s broken.”

She most recently served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Privy Council Office, and used to work as a Senior Advisor at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and before that in various managerial roles at Health Canada. 

If elected, Skalski says she will fight for well-maintained roads, low taxes and less red tape, safe streets, core services that show up when you need them, and “life kept local.”

Dalton Holloway 

Holloway is a first-generation Canadian, born and raised in the Nation's Capital. His professional experience includes a decade in social services, marketing and Parliament. 

His website states Holloway doesn’t live in Osgoode, but “is passionate that the rural voice that comprises 80 per cent of  the city is not lost.”

Key campaign priorities include: responsive emergency services, cross-government partnership, reliable infrastructure, and an amplified rural voice. 

Jennifer van Koughnett

Van Koughnett has centred much of her campaign around the controversial Tewin development. 

A resident of Carlsbad Springs, she holds a degree in Kinesiology from the University of British Columbia. 

According to her website: van Koughnett wants to reinforce speed limits on rural roads, inspect and maintain sidewalks, and expand local trail networks. On the Tewin file, she says the project should not proceed. 

• You can read the Lookout’s latest coverage about Tewin here. 

Gregory Vail

Greely resident Vail has worked in business for the last 40 years, and most recently served as the PEM General Manager of Cummins Canada, a subsidiary of Cummins Inc. 

Like many of the candidates, he wants to strengthen roads in Osgoode, enhance community policing, and form better relationships between farmers and the city.  

• You can visit his website here. 

The other candidates 

According to the City of Ottawa website, Arnold Vaughan, Bobby Gulati, and Guy Clarence Boone have all registered as candidates, but no websites or platforms could be found. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Dow’s Lake is officially open for swimming, though they are reminding people that there is no lifeguard. [CTV]

• The Ottawa Tool Library hosts a free Repair Café on Saturday, June 14, 10 am–2 pm at Tom Brown Arena—bring your broken items to fix! [Sponsored]

• Looking for a delicious soup recipe? Our food editor has a homemade classic hot and sour soup that’s easy to make. 

• Not only are churros good, they helped inspire an Ottawa pharmacist to find a new way to treat blocked arteries. [Ottawa Citizen]

• The Senators have a new third jersey design.

• Good news! Pimisi Station will be open on Canada Day this year. [CTV]

• Best Price Oriental Market has apparently closed down.

OTTAWA WORDLE

Think you can guess today’s Ottawa Wordle? Play it here.