Ottawa Police are asking residents in the area of Gladstone Avenue and Spadina Avenue to help locate a missing woman named Lydia. Police are urging people living in the 1000 block of Gladstone Avenue, Spadina Avenue and surrounding streets to check their backyards, sheds, garages and other areas where she may have sought shelter. Residents are also asked to review doorbell camera and surveillance footage dating back to the evening of October 28th for any possible sightings.

Lydia is described as Indigenous, approximately four-foot-nine with a petite build. She has long black hair with red dye partially visible at the back. She was last seen wearing baggy black sweatpants, a black camouflage hoodie and socks. Police say she was not wearing shoes when last seen.

Anyone who sees Lydia is asked to call 911 immediately so she can receive assistance. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222.

Despite having been voted in or acclaimed in the elections earlier this week, school trustees would not have any official status in decision-making across several Ontario boards under supervision by Education Minister Paul Calandra until their finances were straightened, with the original intent of having their swearing-in delayed. 

However, that no longer was the case on Thursday, as Calandra announced that it would be waived and that trustees would soon be sworn in after all. This came after rumours surrounding the possibility of unsworn trustees exploiting that position – not being legally bound to the Code of Conduct – made their way to the Education Minister’s ears. 

However, the sworn-in trustees would still see a reduced role while under provincial supervision, and Calandra said that the swearing-in would be expected to occur in the middle of November.

Recovery is ongoing for the Belleville officer who was shot during the local synagogue terror just over a month ago, and one of the latest major milestones was his release from hospital. 

Belleville police announced on Thursday morning that Const. Jeff Smith “(was continuing) to make positive progress in his recovery…at home.” He was with another constable as the gunman firing at the Sons of Jacob synagogue was intercepted by the two men, with potential further damage having been prevented due to the evidence of the (now deceased) attacker’s intentions to execute the hate-motivated crime. 

Smith’s wife, Ashley, took to social media to express her gratitude for the work of the medical staff carrying out the necessary operations on Const. Smith.

A snapshot of the provincial budget was released on Thursday afternoon, and one of its key takeaways was a higher debt forecast than originally projected. 

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy estimated it to be just shy of $17 billion, compared to the original $13.8 billion, and cited the impact of tariffs (as a side effect of the trade war with the US) and the ongoing conflicts in Iran as major contributors, with Ontarians feeling the added pinch in increased costs of living. 

The outcome so far, however, is not believed to be the worst-case scenario, although Bethlenfalvy added that the currently slow economy has not helped with planned efforts to further improve mitigation of these debt factors. As a result, the projected timeline to balance the budget was pushed back a couple of years to at least 2029 or 2030.

After investigating a fire that took place on Sunday, Ottawa Fire Services issued a reminder to residents of the importance of the 9-1-1 emergency number, as the elderly woman who was trapped in the Sunday blaze was unaware of its existence. However, several nearby residents did make the 9-1-1 calls, which ultimately allowed firefighters to be dispatched to the scene and control the situation. 

The woman was safely evacuated but was in serious but non-life-threatening condition. When asked about her experience, she told firefighters that the only number she knew to call was that of her son, who was unable to respond at the time, so she surrendered herself in the midst of the fire and could have perished if not for the neighbours who called on her behalf. 

9-1-1 is a critical emergency number that should be kept open but also be the first line for life-threatening situations including house fires.

A generous total donation of $6 million has been put towards the restoration and updating of 24 Sussex Drive, the Prime Minister’s residence. This initial round of donations, announced on Wednesday by the Rideau Hall Foundation overseeing the project, was ahead of an overall fundraiser with a $50 million goal and a national design-and-build competition started up by Mark Carney. 

The foundation also shared details on a newly-founded council composed of volunteers from across the country who would directly act on encouraging project participation from the public through further donations, calling the restoration effort a “once-in-a-generation national project” that would be more than just about the preservation of history. 

It would “reflect the confidence and ambition of the country” represented by prominent institutions like 24 Sussex.

An announcement from the Quebec government on Wednesday included its plan to discontinue the twice-annual time changes starting next year, and for the case of Gatineau, it could mean a unique position with Ottawa. 

Since the Ontario government has not yet announced any moves of its own towards time permanence, the Ottawa River could become the difference-maker of an hour with such a close proximity between the two cities bordering it. 

This could impact workers (and travellers in general) who cross a bridge to get to their destination, during the times when Ontario and Quebec would be an hour apart, although Erin Benjamin, vice-president of the Ontario Board of Trade, said it’s still too soon to identify the side-effects. A decision would also still be made by the Quebec government on whether to adopt permanent daylight or permanent standard time.

Advance polling this year may have been optimistic, but ultimately voter absenteeism and abstinence caught up quickly on election night on Monday. 

Elections Ottawa declared a voter turnout of just over 36 per cent in the city, compared to almost 44 per cent in 2022. The last time turnout was low dates back to 2003, sitting at 33 per cent – the lowest turnout post-amalgamation when factoring in eligible voters compared to ballots cast. 

Political science expert Daniel Stockemer called this year’s election essentially “predetermined,” with only the two open wards seeing the higher turnouts due to the absence of an incumbent: Kitchissippi, for example, saw an almost 48 per cent turnout, whereas wards like

More hospitals will be joining the growing Atlas Alliance, a team of health institutions employing the use of digital health system MyChart. 

In Ottawa and the surrounding area, Hôpital Montfort, the Queensway-Carleton Hospital and the Royal are among the eight announced by the institutions on Tuesday. 

CHEO, The Ottawa Hospital and uOttawa’s Heart Institute are among those already part of the alliance mostly serving Ontario’s eastern region (including Ottawa), and the group’s MyChart aims to provide patients with more direct and improved access to their health records through the portal, with seamless coverage across the region.

Five Canadian finalists remain for the opportunity to represent the country at Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria. 

The CBC, overseeing the artist selections, announced the finalists on Tuesday: Ottawa’s pop-rock artist Talk was joined by Montreal’s Rêve, Québec’s William Cloutier, New Brunswick singer-songwriter Josiane and B.C.’s Tyler Shaw as the five that remain out of 325 artist applications from across the country, and the winner heading to Eurovision will be decided by audience vote. 

This will be the first year that Canada will have participated in the contest.

The people of Ottawa had spoken in Monday night’s election, and made their choice clear. Mark Sutcliffe, in a field of 13 candidates for mayor, led the polls to eventually win the mayoral race with almost 45 per cent of the vote. 

Challengers Jeff Leiper, Neil Saravanamuttoo and Alex Lawson came closest, from Leiper’s 34 per cent to Lawson’s 7 and a half, in an election that saw a 36 per cent turnout – some seven per cent less than the 2022 election, despite strong advanced polling numbers. 

Only one incumbent councillor was unseated by a new challenger: along with the new faces in the wards of Stittsville and Kitchissippi, they will be joining city council for their first term.

VIA Rail announced the switch to its fall schedule last September, and the change took effect on Sunday. 

This resulted in reduced service along the Ottawa-Toronto corridor, with some trips having been cancelled entirely or reduced to certain days in the week. 

The train operator said in its announcement that the changes aimed to “better align with passenger demand,” among other benefits related to “more reliable and predictable service”; however, the announcement did not sit well with mayors of Eastern Ontario, citing likely inconveniences to commuter travel in townships where rail transit is heavily relied upon.

Along with the Ottawa Police Service, the Cornwall and Brockville agencies suspended their use of Crime Stoppers after warnings of a potential data breach that took place before at least last Friday. 

The police services announced their decisions throughout the day on Monday, though reassured that the breach did not impact any internal police systems, as the breach affected a third-party organization incorporated by Crime Stoppers in their systems. 

The direct non-emergency line, for the police agencies suspending Crime Stoppers use until further notice, is still accessible for reporting crime or leaving tips on possible incidents.

It’s Election Day across Ontario with Ottawa being no exception. Advance voting showed signs of increased turnout by just over 7000, compared to the last election in 2022. Two wards – Stittsville and Kitchissippi – will usher in a new councillor, with incumbents having announced that they would not seek re-election there. 

As voters head to the polls across the city today, the city is reminding of the requirement to bring identification bearing the voter’s full name and address. 

Voting runs from 10am to 8pm, with an unofficial tally to be announced at around 11pm.

The deadly fire that consumed Alberta’s CFB Wainwright on October 17 still haunts Canadians to this day, particularly fellow troops. 

This encouraged five members from the garrison located over 150 km east of Ottawa to take up a charity walk to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Sunday. It was a trip that took around 35 hours, with the group battling the cold evening, the pain and the fatigue, Canadian flags draped across their backs. 

Some of them were friends with some of the victims in Wainwright. The walk aimed to raise $10,000 to directly support the families of the fallen victims and for those still in hospital.

Three men from Sudbury went east of Ottawa to go on a hunting trip – but only two came back. The OPP that the excursion occurred on October 14 in the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet, and that one of the men struck the other two with gunfire. 

One of the struck victims succumbed to his injuries while the other was taken to hospital in serious condition. 

Officers charged the remaining man with criminal negligence and careless use of firearms, and while the investigation is ongoing, he appeared in court on Tuesday.

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a death at a residence on Wheeler Road in South Stormont Township.

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry OPP say officers were called to the residence shortly before 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 23, after an individual was found with serious injuries.

The individual was taken to hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.

Police say preliminary information suggests the incident is isolated, with no indication of a broader threat to the public.

The investigation is ongoing with assistance from the Office of the Chief Coroner, the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service and OPP Forensic Identification Services.

Residents can expect an increased police presence in the area as investigators continue their work.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

A 47-year-old Petawawa man is facing impaired driving charges following a traffic stop in Carleton Place. Lanark County OPP say an officer stopped a vehicle on Townline Road shortly after 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, after noticing it was being driven at night without its rear lights illuminated.

Police say the driver, identified as Gregory Lavallee, was arrested and taken to the OPP detachment in Carleton Place for testing. He faces five charges, including impaired operation with a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit, impaired operation by alcohol, driving without proper rear lights, driving without a licence and having liquor readily available in a motor vehicle.

Lavallee was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Perth on November 23. His driver’s licence has been suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle was impounded for seven days, according to police.

Plans are underway for the release of the province’s fall economic statement in less than a week. 

At a breakfast speech in Toronto, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said that the summary, set to be shared on October 29, would outline the current state of the province’s finances and next steps towards a “focused, disciplined and responsible approach” in future spending. 

He projected a higher debt forecast of almost $14 billion come the spring (although this would be in line with expectations) and that a possible budget balancing could occur by 2028 or 2029.

The total number of road-related deaths this past week in Ottawa doubled on Wednesday evening following a pair of additional incidents. 

The first occurred in Barrhaven just after 6pm, where an elderly woman was struck by a vehicle. She succumbed to her injuries on-scene and the driver sustained minor injuries, although he was taken to hospital. 

The second was a two-vehicle collision in the area of Devine Road and Frank Kenny Road just after 8pm, with one of the vehicles towing farm equipment. That driver left unharmed, but the other driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

A case of major theft is finally seeing some closure as Ottawa Police arrested a suspect wanted for activity between June 2022 and September 2025, resulting in losses totalling $7 million. 

Officers said on Thursday that the man, 45-year-old Rabih Kassis of Ottawa, exploited his sister’s position as a then-Bell Canada employee through threats, harassment and extortion, in order to nab the more than 5000 devices reported to be stolen. 

Leading detective Suzanne Dallaire said that the nature of this particular theft investigation was “unusual in the sense of the corporation that was victimized…[and] in the amounts.” The case is now ongoing with the courts.

For three upcoming weekends, the Alexandra Bridge will be closed due to planned maintenance. Drivers will need to use alternates over the Ottawa River on the weekends of October 24, October 31 and November 7, although pedestrians and cyclists can continue to access the boardwalk during the planned windows. 

Public Services and Procurement Canada said that the bridge reached “the end of its service life; therefore, regular interventions are necessary to ensure its continued safety.” 

The planned work will involve welding repairs on the steel grating, serving as a preventive measure until the eventual replacement of the more than 125 year-old bridge from 2028 to at least 2032.

A school bus serving a Kemptville school suffered major delays, but, with no immediate updates for parents waiting at bus stops for their children, anxiety and frustration mounted for everyone. 

First Student, the bus line operating the affected route, said that the assigned driver did not report for work for undisclosed reasons, which led to the decision to dispatch a nearby school bus to take the stranded kids home, but only after its own route was completed. This resulted in some children from the stranded route being on the bus for over two hours, and several parents phoning police to report the unannounced bus delays. 

STEO, the transportation authority, eventually posted an update, but it was seen as too little, too late. An investigation is ongoing between STEO and the school board.

A business in the Ottawa Valley area that has been open for 26 years will be closing up its physical location and shifting to fully online operations. 

Darrell Thomas Textiles, in Almonte, was hit hard by the US tariffs, and owner Darrell Graham said that this partly impacted the store’s decrease in sales and increase in operating costs. 

The business’ international sales were among the hardest hit on their ledger, due to some orders needing to be shipped out solely through American outlets, resulting in inflated delivery costs. The last day of operations for the physical store will be on Saturday, October 24.

Maintenance and repairs are underway along a pedestrian overpass coming from Place d’Orléans. 

The bridge, connecting travellers between the mall and a nearby OC Transpo terminal, was closed on Monday and OC Transpo said in a recent update that it will remain off-limits until at least mid-November as crews perform the planned work. 

An alternate option on the ground has been outlined with wayfinding signage, and the other overpass in the area (connecting the terminal to the park-and-ride lot nearby) will remain open.

Tuesday was a busy day for Ottawa emergency services, who tended to at least three incidents on the road throughout the day. 

The first incident, early in the morning at 4:30am, involved a woman who was struck by a vehicle near Billings Bridge and suffered life-threatening injuries. Then, later in the day, the second and third incidents occurred just after 2pm, with one involving a vehicle crash with an elderly man on a bicycle in Alta Vista, and the other involving a man struck by a vehicle in Riverside South. 

Both victims were sent to hospital with situations ranging from serious but non-life-threatening to critical, and Ottawa Police are continuing to investigate.

The race for Stittsville councillor has become a competition among new faces, and no longer against an incumbent, after Coun. Glen Gower announced that he would not seek re-election. 

Nine candidates are registered on the ballot for the ward’s leadership seat, many boasting unique qualities such as bilingualism, age and experience. One of the hot items of discussion for the community has surrounded infrastructure, with ongoing debates on transportation and road issues. 

Stittsville residents, along with the rest of Ottawa, will head to the polls during the currently ongoing advanced voting period until Monday, October 26, Election Day itself and the final day for votes to be cast.

A Stittsville bakery saw extensive damage to its storefront following a vehicle that crashed through the front window. Ottawa paramedics said that the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon just before 4:30pm, and affected two women and a young child who were near the site of impact inside the bakery. 

They suffered minor injuries and were treated on scene, and the driver of the vehicle left unharmed. Firefighters assessed the building structure and deemed it not to be a factor in the single-vehicle crash. 

The investigation remains ongoing, and charges by Ottawa Police have not yet been announced.

Over the past weekend, Ottawa Fire crews tended to two separate incidents across the city. The first was a house fire in Barrhaven early on Saturday morning, which was later deemed suspicious as damage to the house was substantial, although no injuries were reported. 

The second was a fire in a mobile home in Bells Corners, which took place on Sunday morning but was not regarded as suspicious. 

One occupant was inside at the time of the fire but evacuated promptly after discovering it and thus left unharmed. Both fires were contained by crews within reasonable periods of time.

The SIU has cleared the involvement of two Ottawa Police officers who were involved in an attempted nabbing of a runaway suspect that ultimately led to his death. 

They recapped on Monday the incident that occurred this past May at a downtown bar, where the suspect broke into during cleanup hours before fleeing from two officers who were alerted to the situation not long after. Management led the man to an attached parking garage in the hopes of the police investigation taking over from there, but instead, it led to the man attempting to flee off a third-floor balcony but with insufficient grip to hang on. 

The officers, though intent on arresting him for break and enter, were unable to prevent his fall to do so, and were initially accused of poor handling of the situation, before the latest update cleared them.

It’s better late than never for an Ottawa team that has seen one of the longest losing streaks in CFL history – and what better way to snap the skid than at home? 

After starting the season with 16 losses, on top of a previous season that ended in another six straight L’s, the Ottawa Redblacks secured their first win this year during their second-last game of the season at TD Place Stadium, narrowly defeating the second-place Toronto Argonauts by a score of 40-39. 

What’s more, it took the last 30 seconds of the final quarter to secure the game-winning touchdown with just six seconds left after the play, thanks to a clutch rush and pass from rookie Bryson Barnes. The final game of the Redblacks season will be played in Hamilton against the Tiger-Cats.

As election day nears for the City of Ottawa, one ward in particular will have a more involved decision to make regarding who their next leader will be. 

With incumbent Jeff Leiper running for mayor and thus giving up his position as councillor, Kitchissippi Ward, which saw one of the higher voter turnouts in 2022, will see a new face overseeing the needs of the neighbourhoods of Westboro, Hintonburg, Mechanicsville and Hampton Park. 

Four of the candidates for the position expressed excitement at the nature of this particular election, and how residents of the ward also have shared in their concern for local issues and the optimism of a new face in City Council representing their best interests.

An Eastern Ontario health expert has warned of the early arrival of flu season in the region this year. Unlike most years where it peaks between late November and throughout January, Dr. Paul, CEO of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, said that this year’s peaks could be observed as early as “the middle of November.” 

Ottawa Public Health said that this year’s flu vaccines would be publicly available after October 26, except for those in high-risk and high priority groups, to whom doses have already been made available. 

This is not to be confused with West Nile Virus, with more severe symptoms compared to the flu, although Ottawa confirmed ten cases in the city thus far.

An Ottawa police officer has been charged with impaired driving-related offences following an off-duty incident earlier this month.

The Ottawa Police Service says 25-year-old Constable Clay Berrea was charged after an incident on October 10th.

Berrea faces two charges: operation while impaired and operation while having a blood alcohol concentration at or above 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Police say Berrea remains employed and on active duty with the service but has been reassigned to administrative duties. He is not currently working in frontline patrol.

In a statement, the Ottawa Police Service said it holds all officers to a high standard of conduct, both on and off duty, and expects their actions to reflect the trust and values of the community.

The charges have not been proven in court.

A 39-year-old Toronto woman is facing multiple charges after an incident in Clarence-Rockland that left an Ontario Provincial Police officer injured. Russell County OPP say officers responded to a report of an unwanted person on a property around 11:54 a.m. on October 15th. The complainant reported that a woman appeared to be consuming alcohol and had driven onto the property several times, raising concerns for their safety.

Police say officers located the vehicle and attempted to investigate, but the driver allegedly reversed into a police cruiser before fleeing the scene. An officer sustained injuries and was taken to hospital for assessment and treatment. The vehicle was later located by Hawkesbury OPP in Alfred-Plantagenet Township, where the driver was arrested. Police say the woman showed signs of alcohol consumption and allegedly refused to provide a breath sample when required.

Samantha Lawlor, 39, of Toronto, has been charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, dangerous operation, flight from a peace officer, failure or refusal to comply with a demand, and resisting a peace officer. She was held in custody and was scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in L’Orignal on October 16th. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Russell County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Plans have begun on a data centre facility somewhere in the National Capital Region. The federal government announced last week that the project is estimated to cost at least $1.5 billion, with a projected energy consumption of 60 megawatts, the equivalent of some 30,000 homes. 

However, it is only at the stage of advance procurement notification and does not yet formally consist of a contract or bid framework, which won’t be until early next year if the required clearances have been obtained. 

The posted notice also indicated “no guarantee that (the) contract (would) proceed” to reinforce the advisory nature of the announcement.

The City of Ottawa recently warned downtown travellers around a particularly busy intersection of major work coming that would further disrupt traffic flow for extended periods of time. 

Safety improvements at the intersection of Laurier Avenue West and Elgin Street began in November 2025, implementing lane closures and pattern realignments which are set to continue in this latest wave of updates on the intersection project. 

Cyclists and pedestrians will be directed to alternate crossings due to parts of the intersection seeing bike lane and sidewalk closures while work, including maintenance hole reconstruction and eventual barrier additions, is underway.

The first signs of permanent daylight time will be coming to Ontario on Nov. 1, the day when clocks would otherwise fall back one hour. 

According to Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford, municipalities in the province’s northwest region reached a largely “unanimous consensus” on alignment with nearby Manitoba, following Premier Wab Kinew’s recent announcement of the province adopting permanent daylight time across its zones. 

This follows recent announcements from leadership in British Columbia and Alberta also adopting permanent daylight time in their respective regions.

Even though school trustees have been running for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) in the upcoming municipal elections, they would be unpaid and carry no official bearing on their otherwise usual duties in school councils. 

Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra said on Wednesday that “no immediate plans” were in place to reinstate the role of trustees in the board despite the ongoing move to elect them this year due to the OCDSB still being under direct provincial government supervision, as is the case with other major provincial school boards. 

Financial deficits and alleged budget mismanagement have caused the board to be sent into this monitoring state, although Calandra also said that “really good progress” has been made since the indefinite takeover.

The newest school under the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will bear the name of a former Prime Minister. 

Brian Mulroney Elementary School, named after the late federal leader, opened this year, with an inauguration ceremony that took place on Wednesday. In attendance were members of the Mulroney family, who participated in the ribbon-cutting and shared some remarks with those in attendance. 

It was an event that son Ben Mulroney said was “deeply impactful”, along with knowing that generations of children to come would gain memories being at the school named after his father, whose leadership ran from 1984 to 1993 and who passed away in 2024.

An underage driver took their younger sibling on an early morning Thanksgiving joyride in Ottawa Valley. The children, aged 11 and nine, snuck their parents’ car out onto the streets on Monday just before 3 am, and proceeded to attempt burnouts in an undisclosed area. This caught the attention of a nearby officer on foot patrol, who called for reinforcements.

 After an initial attempt to stop the vehicle, it sped away but officers did not pursue it immediately. It didn’t take long before they found the vehicle crashed into a nearby cornfield, and the youths, spotted by an OPP canine unit that hour later, were found without serious injuries and returned to their parents. 

However, due to their ages, no criminal charges could be laid, although the family was informed at length of the incident and its repercussions.

The board of directors overseeing the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario announced changes on Tuesday to the administering and preparation of “safer supply” drugs – those in cautious quantities for patients at risk of opioid overdose. 

All patients receiving safer supply medications will have to consume them in the presence of a healthcare professional rather than at home, in an effort to curb the recent increase in opioids on the street. 

Currently, the safer supply drugs consist of alternatives to illicit versions found on the street, and board chair Dr. Patrick Safeh said that the aim of the practice is to limit the circulation of these illicit street opioids and instead, with the offering of opioid agonist therapy in the safer supply program, “ensure that the public is safe…so that eventually no one is on this and needs this.”

The Petrie Island Canoe Club in Orléans is at risk of closing by the end of October if it cannot make ends meet. 

Sarah Kennedy, club commodore, founded the club ten years ago and was faced with unforeseen challenges in maintaining it, primarily rising costs following the COVID-19 pandemic and an unprecedented budget overage in the construction of a recent but much-needed storage boathouse. Kennedy hopes to have the City of Ottawa share in the annual operating expenses, as the club has 250 members and is unique due to its offering of French-speaking and other specialty programs. 

The club has an ongoing fundraiser in an effort to come up with the remaining balance on their lease.

Two power outages affected system operations at Kemptville District Hospital on Tuesday. It was one of just over 7300 customers impacted by the outages in the Kemptville area, according to Hydro One, prompting staff to place the hospital under Code Grey. 

Non-urgent patients were asked to seek treatment elsewhere with the hospital’s systems on paper methods, since their phone, internet and electronics records systems were all down. 

Power has since been restored, although the Code Grey may not yet be fully lifted as the hospital continues to ensure all systems are updated and fully running.

Tensions are on the rise between two Centretown institutions following concerns regarding child safety and rowdiness – sometimes related to illegal drug activity. 

Centre 507, a drop-in centre for those in need, is situated within walking distance from nearby Glashan Public School, where kids from the latter have complained about aggressive behaviour coming from clients of the former. 

Executive director Richard Leblanc said that his centre is one of the only locations all across Ottawa, causing the client base to become heavily concentrated in Centretown – a situation that has “absolutely gotten worse.” Various stakeholders are continuing to search for answers to the complex relationship between Centre 507 and its surrounding neighbourhood.

Ottawa Police were busy this past weekend tending to two separate fatal crashes. The first occurred on Saturday evening at around 9:30 pm in the east end, which involved a motorcycle and an SUV. The motorcyclist was declared dead on scene by the OPS while the SUV driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. 

Not long after, the second collision took place early Sunday morning in Kanata. It was a single-vehicle crash, and the driver, who was the lone occupant, succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to hospital. 

The Fatal Collision Investigation Unit continues to look into both incidents and still has an open call for witnesses and relevant details that may be known regarding each incident.

As predicted, the Ottawa Mission was busy this past Thanksgiving, and its meal-serving ritual broke records on Monday. 

Almost 20,000 meals were served to the community this year, involving 8500 pounds of turkey, 3500 pounds of peeled potatoes and 2000 pounds of glazed fresh carrots, among other ingredients for the Mission’s servings of Thanksgiving dinner. 

Alongside the hospitality and camaraderie at the downtown flagship shelter, the Mission’s mobile meal unit was out and about serving another 3000 meals across 42 different stops, as noted by CEO Peter Tilley, in an effort to support and bring a sense of community to the homeless and financially struggling in the city.

Ottawa Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision involving a motorcycle and an SUV on Trim Road. The crash happened at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, about 100 metres south of Watters Road. A 21-year-old man who was riding the motorcycle died as a result of the collision.

Police say the female driver of the SUV was transported to hospital with minor injuries. The Ottawa Police Service Fatal Collision Investigation Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has dashcam or other video footage of the incident to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Fatal Collision Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 2345. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at crimestoppers.ca.

Ottawa Police laid 31 charges during a targeted traffic enforcement operation in Orleans aimed at aggressive driving, excessive speeding and nuisance driving. The operation took place Thursday evening, October 8, following ongoing concerns from residents about dangerous driving in the area. Officers from the Road Safety Unit and East District Traffic Unit focused on several locations, including Fallingbrook Mall on Tenth Line Road, where about 20 vehicles attended a weekly gathering. Police reported no incidents on the property that evening.

One notable incident involved an 18-year-old G2 driver allegedly travelling 127 kilometres an hour in a posted 60-kilometre-an-hour zone at Tenth Line Road and Amiens Street. The driver was charged with stunt driving, speeding and failing to surrender an insurance card. Their licence was suspended for 30 days, and the vehicle was impounded for 14 days. In a separate incident, a 50-year-old driver was charged with driving while under suspension after being stopped at Innes Road and Tenth Line Road following an automated licence plate reader alert related to unpaid fines.

In total, officers issued 27 Provincial Offence Notices and four Part III court summonses. Other offences included speeding, unnecessary noise, using a handheld communication device while driving, and vehicle documentation and equipment violations. Ottawa Police say targeted enforcement will continue in response to community concerns, with a focus on improving road safety and addressing dangerous and disruptive driving behaviour.

The Ontario Provincial Police have arrested and charged a 53-year-old Ottawa woman with first-degree murder in connection with the 2025 homicide of Robert Prevost, 63, of Clarence-Rockland. Cathy Percey was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant and remains in custody. She is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in L’Orignal on Friday, October 16.

Prevost’s body was discovered in the Ottawa River near Dallaire Street in Clarence-Rockland on May 17, 2025, at approximately 5:30 p.m. He had been reported missing in early March and was last seen at his home on Laurier Street in early February 2025. Police determined his death was a homicide. With Percey’s arrest, six people have now been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation since June 2026.

The Russell County OPP Crime Unit continues to investigate under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, working with the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Russell County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

Ottawa Health warned on Thursday of the risk of measles exposure following confirmations of two cases in the city. A list of locations possibly connected with the two infected are as follows, as per the health unit’s website. 

• Tim Hortons at 3224 Hawthorne Rd.
  When: Thursday, Oct. 1 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. (Monitor until Thursday, Oct. 22)
• Your Independent Grocer at 1910 St. Laurent Blvd.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 3:15 and 5:45 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• Rexall Drugstore at 1910 St. Laurent Blvd.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 3:45 and 6 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• Metro Supermarket at 2261 Walkley Rd.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 4 and 6:15 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• Subway at 3190 Hawthorne Rd.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• McDonalds at 1796 St. Laurent Blvd.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• Ruby’s Restaurant at 10 York St.
  When: Friday, Oct. 2 between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. (Monitor until Friday, Oct. 23)
• Tim Hortons at 2800 Lancaster Rd.
  When: Saturday, Oct. 3 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. (Monitor until Saturday, Oct. 24)

Anyone who has attended these locations is encouraged to closely monitor for symptoms until at least the end of this month, even if already vaccinated, due to the highly contagious nature of the illness that may lead from high fever, cough, runny nose and other minor side effects to more grave outcomes such as rashes starting from the face and spreading to the rest of the body.

Ottawa Police are looking to identify a man connected to several break-and-enters in Sandy Hill. Though no count was provided in the update, the incidents were believed to have occurred between August 12 and September 25 across several commercial properties. 

The man is described as having a fair-to-tan complexion and average build with a dark beard and moustache. In the police image released, he was described as wearing a green and white baseball cap and mostly dark-to-black attire – from his shirt to his shoes – and a dark backpack.

With a record number of meals anticipated for serving this coming Thanksgiving week, the Ottawa Mission received some help from friends at an Ottawa School. 

Students attending Elmwood School hosted a frozen turkey drive, alongside monetary fundraising to support initiatives like the Ottawa Mission that help serve hot meals to the needy. 

To date, some 37 frozen turkeys were personally dropped off by Elmood students at the Mission on Thursday, with one of the students saying that this was the fifth year that their school organized the drive – fittingly called the “Elmwood Turkey Trot.”

OC Transpo announced last week that testing on the upcoming O-Train extension would be delayed. Software issues with the train control program, operated by a subcontractor, postponed a planned October start date to sometime in November in order to thoroughly address the troubleshooting of the problem area. 

“This is exactly what is necessary to protect the safety and best interest of our passengers,” general manager Rick Leary said. 

At least five weeks would be needed by OC Transpo to perform the entire span of the pre-trial run, before the east end extension, mostly running along Highway 174, will be opened to the public.

Someone purchased a lottery ticket in the Prescott-Russell area for Tuesday night’s draw – and could possibly have become a winner. 

Even though the grand prize of $75 million went unclaimed, many of the secondary and tertiary monetary amounts were confirmed to have been won. One of the draw’s $1 million prizes was drawn by two customers, with one of them having purchased their ticket in Prescott-Russell – the other half was won in Quebec. 

The jackpot for Friday will climb to $80 million, with 14 draws for $1 million each and 80 draws for $100,000 each.

The Ottawa Flying Club will celebrate 100 years of operation in 2028, but that is also the same year when their lease on their current ground is set to expire without renewal. 

An upcoming airport project is slated to use the lands currently occupied by the school, which was last renewed in 2021. It is one of, if not the last of the academies of its kind being housed at a major Canadian airport. 

Club president Rod Cross expressed concern regarding where the club’s population of over 150 comprising students and members would be able to continue, lest the club fold in its centenary year.

Ottawa Police have observed an increase in thefts from vehicles between July and September, with known cases totalling over 1100 compared to just under 850 in the same period last year. 

The trend in the thefts of the vehicles themselves in Ottawa is still on the decline, but the recent spike in stolen vehicle property had officers issue a reminder to the public to do their part to lock doors and keep interiors free of visible articles that could be deemed as valuable. 

Inspector Ian Hayes, of the West District, noted that “(the) crimes are often preventable” as the service has noticed most cases simply involving suspects checking for unlocked doors with varying degrees of theft that follow: from stolen valuables in-car to even home burglaries, due to garage remotes being left in vehicle compartments.

A new series of flights are slated to enter service next spring, with one providing a new way for travellers to head between Ottawa And London, ON. 

Porter announced on Tuesday that new flights from London would connect travellers to five domestic locations including Ottawa, as part of an ongoing initiative to expand travel to and from London International Airport. 

Porter Airlines president Kevin Jackson said that an immediate use case would be for same-day business travellers, but the opportunity for usage could expand to domestic vacationers as well.

The provincial government has asked for the OPP’s involvement in an escalating investigation on the potential for criminal activity regarding OSAP payments at private career colleges. 

An audit was initiated in August by KPMG in response to growing concerns about OSAP misuse and unusually high numbers of student applications for OSAP tending to be fraudulent, particularly for the reception of grants as opposed to loans. Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn and the Ford government have been under fire for a lack of oversight and of proper action to look into this suspicious growth rate. 

Public domain statistics revealed that career colleges accounted for 95 per cent of the year-over-year OSAP growth between 2024 and 2025.

Following the close of the special advance polls on Sunday, the Ottawa Election Office observed that around 27,000 voters headed to the designated centres to participate, which is a considerably higher turnout compared to previous special advance polls. 

Of the previous three elections featuring the special advanced period, the 2022 election year last   saw the highest turnout at almost 19,000. The spread of special advance voters this past weekend was relatively even, with Sunday bearing the highest volume of voters at just over 8000. 

The next opportunities for voting will be the regular advanced day on October 16, and the official day itself on October 26.

Two men were charged in unrelated offences following acts pointing to the exploitation of child vulnerability. 

The first was Adam Daniels of Ottawa, an Uber Eats driver at the time of his crimes in August, who attempted to unprofessionally keep in contact with a child customer following a delivery, circling her parents’ home on various evenings and even twice leaving her paper bags of money and goodies at her door, addressed from a “secret admirer”. 

The second was Troy Latham of Carleton Place, who was behind an online child luring scheme, with a total case count of five based on findings from a search warrant executed last Thursday.

This past summer’s deep puddles of rain may have benefitted some crops, but not of the Halloween variety. 

The record-breaking downpours seen in Ottawa have led to excess water around some pumpkin farms, damaging the crops and affecting their yield. Mel Foster, co-owner of a farm in North Gower, less than half an hour away from downtown Ottawa, said on Monday that their main plot there saw “almost a 100 per cent write off” due to the lack of sufficient drainage on the field. 

Mark Saunders, of his eponymous farm on Bleeks Road, put into perspective that the 700 millimetres, or 27 inches of rain observed at his farm over the summer was “two-and-a-half times more than the average rainfall.”

Two Ottawa establishments saw very different updates this past week. The owners of Pancho Villa, a Mexican cuisine spot, announced the “heartbreaking” closure of their restaurant after a stay at their downtown location on Elgin Street that lasted for over 40 years, although no explicit reason was mentioned. 

Meanwhile, members of the Carleton Heights Curling Club were excited to return to their newly renovated arena in South Ottawa, which reopened 18 months after the accidental kitchen fire that almost destroyed the facility beyond repair. 

A fundraiser and an ever-growing curling community in and around Carleton Heights helped to raise funds for the building’s renovation.

The OPP have charged two suspects from Arnprior in relation to the death of a man in a vehicle fire last month. Local police were originally called to the scene, a wooded area off Ramsay Concession 12 in Mississippi Mills, eventually involving the OPP. 

The deceased was identified at the time as Colin Campbell, a local; the two charged – declared by the OPP to be Lindsay Dolan and Dylan Zoobkoff of Arnrior in an update on Friday – were stopped in Regina, SK this past Wednesday, and are awaiting their court date for later this week. 

The charges for each suspect include second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body, and the incident is still believed to be isolated.

When they’re not on duty, Ottawa firefighters still keep in shape – and one in particular will showcase her skills on the world stage. 

The winner of local and national contests, Marisa Tremblay has been a key player of Ottawa’s FireFit team, for a global competition showcasing the world’s most effective firefighters under immense physical and mental pressure with their everyday tasks, even though rounds only last for roughly two minutes. 

She placed for medals in local and the national level contests and will advance to the world finals in Las Vegas, the meeting place for hopefuls from teams across Europe, the US and Canada.

Ottawa Police are reminding people attending this weekend’s Panda Game celebrations to keep things safe, lawful and respectful. The annual university football rivalry takes place Sunday, October 4, and police say residents and visitors should expect an increased police presence throughout the city.

Police say officers will be out to help ensure celebrations remain safe and orderly. Fans are being asked to enjoy the festivities responsibly and to respect other people, nearby residents and the community.

The Panda Game is a major annual event involving students from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, with celebrations traditionally taking place both on and off campus. Ottawa Police are encouraging everyone taking part to have fun while making responsible choices and following the law.

Two people have been charged in connection with a homicide investigation in Mississippi Mills. Lanark County OPP say officers and the Mississippi Mills Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire in a wooded area off Ramsay Concession 12 shortly before 5:15 p.m. on September 11. A 37-year-old Mississippi Mills resident was found deceased inside the vehicle.

Police say two suspects were arrested in Regina, Saskatchewan, on September 30 with assistance from several police agencies. Lindsay Dolan, 37, and Dylan Zoobkoff, 33, both of Arnprior, have each been charged with second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body. Both accused remain in custody and were scheduled to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Perth on October 2.

The investigation is being led by the Lanark County OPP Crime Unit under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance from the Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario Forensic Pathology Service and OPP Forensic Identification Services. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lanark County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

The minimum wage in Ontario rose to $17.95 on Thursday, up 35 cents from the previous rate in place since October of last year. But experts say it’s not enough to meet today’s living wages. 

Anne Coleman, executive director of the Ontario Living Wage Network, said that expenses in the food and living categories have been the “two biggest costs in the living wage calculations” and that these “tend to increase at a higher rate than just general inflation.” 

But Amy Peng, economics professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, said that the decisions that go into determining the minimum wage also impact employers, who has less flexibility with resource management when wages rise, leading to “higher prices for consumers or…[even] (turning) to automation.”

An Ottawa man was arrested early on Thursday morning for two serious stabbings in the streets of downtown Ottawa. The first incident occurred just before 2:50am and involved a woman who rushed onto an OC Transpo bus, following her stabbing, seeking medical treatment. 

The second incident took place, not far away, just after 3am and affected a man, and both victims were rushed to hospital on separate dispatch calls with life-threatening injuries. The suspect, aged 42, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon among additional citations. 

The investigation is ongoing with Ottawa Police, and they have not yet ruled out the possibility that these attacks were random.

It took a media outlet in Türkiye to expose the true nature of a supposed journalist of Canadian affairs as one that was purely AI-based. Articles from “Daniel Robson”, claiming to be from Montreal, appeared on various Canadian news websites dating back to last year, including on a column for the Ottawa Citizen. 

Following an attempt to collaborate with a news outlet in Türkiye to report on a sensational story tied to Canada, the foreign outlet sought to verify the writer’s identity, eventually leading to evasive behaviour from the author (particularly avoiding non-text communication) and thus confirming the AI suspicions. 

Outlets like the Citizen have begun tightening identity verification measures, including what editor-in-chief Nicole Feriancuk described as the requirement to pose for an in-person profile photo.

The fall months may be a good time to check on interest rates or buyer climate if you are actively in the housing market. 

Real estate agent Greg Hamre said recently that the autumn housing market, including in Ottawa, tends to involve higher listing inventory and less of a buyer population. But even if buyers may not be in a rush, Hamre advised a quick check on current interest and mortgage rates, among other measures to confirm a house shopper’s buying power before proceeding with any offers. 

On the seller side, he said that the buyer market should be studied to optimize listings due to the higher inventory and thus some increased competition between sellers. With house prices not fluctuating more than 0.7 per cent month-to-month, Hamre said that the buying and selling decision should, overall, be based on “family situation.”

An Ottawa Valley woman who went missing in 2023 has yet to be located, and OPP said on Tuesday that they suspect foul play in the disappearance. 

Brianna Traversey, who was 29 when she went missing, was last seen leaving a home in Petawawa in August but was not declared missing until mid-September just a few weeks later. The missing woman’s family has expressed ongoing concern for her safety, including her two young children and her father, Brian, who appeared in an OPP video. 

The investigation remains ongoing, and a $50,000 reward has been posted by the OPP for any information tipped on the circumstances regarding her disappearance or where she may be now.

Voters can head to special advance voting locations starting today. With the 2026 city elections for Mayor and City Council less than a month away, the special advance voting window is open until Sunday, available at a list of specified locations regardless of voter’s residential address. 

This period differs from the advance voting period as it does not require voting by geographical location, unlike the sole advance voting day on Oct 16 which is determined by the voter notification letter received in the mail. 

Polling stations for all voting periods will be open from 10am to 8pm, and eligible voters must present a valid piece of identification bearing their name and address when visiting a polling station to be able to cast their vote.