Work began on the disassembly of ByWard Square in the Market area earlier this week following the expiry of the pilot project’s timeline. 

The initiative of having the square host events and concerts for 12 weeks during the summer aimed at boosting foot traffic around the streets of the ByWard Market, despite closing off vehicle traffic to the square and reducing street parking nearby. However, the unexpected turn in Ottawa weather, along with artist cancellations among other factors, hampered the ability for the space to deliver as promised. 

The ByWard Market District Authority, the area’s governing body, has not yet released a conclusion on the results of the pilot project and has not ruled out future opportunities for similar establishments.

As part of an ongoing restructuring process company-wide, Starbucks has had to close several of its stores across North America, with the latest incorporating Ottawa. Two locations in the city were selected for immediate closure: one in Centretown and the other in New Edinburgh. 

The total number of Ottawa closures has now reached 11, following the previous round of reductions that took place last year. 

The coffee company has been attempting to turn around its sales figures and this has included the closure of “underperforming” locations, with the latest round of closures amounting to around 250 locations across the continent.

The new import bans on certain Canadian goods previously announced by US President Donald came into effect on Tuesday. 

The affected goods include, among others, alcohol, dairy byproducts and motorcycles – another escalation step in the trade war between the US and Canada following the fallout in recent trade talks in August. When asked about next steps, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that there were no additional plans to further escalate the situation, although it would not be completely ruled out. 

The question posed to Carney also came out of awareness of the upcoming US midterm elections and possible impacts on trade based on the results in November.

Wednesday, September 30 marks the end of the month, but above all, the nationally-observed Day for Truth and Reconciliation. 

Though treated in Ontario and Quebec as a holiday with an approach similar to Remembrance Day, the day of observation impacts banks and federal services. Some public establishments may be closed, but many will be offering activities relating to education and discovery, including the commemorative gathering on Parliament Hill starting at noon. 

This year’s observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be in its 5th year, with emphasis remaining on wearing  orange in solidarity with the Indigenous communities.

Two officers under the Ottawa Police Service are under investigation for misconduct following a poorly handled scene response from earlier this year. 

They were called to the scene of a crashed vehicle operated by a man twice over the legal limit for blood alcohol, who was ejected from the vehicle and critically injured. However, these attending officers prematurely left the scene to tend to another call, leaving the critically-injured driver to succumb to his injuries. 

Although no error was found on procedural adherence, the two officers were found to have performed inadequate work on locating the driver’s body and filing the necessary reports prior to taking on their next call.

Just a couple of days after the official decision from the City Council to rename Trump Avenue in the city’s Central Park neighbourhood, one of the existing street signs experienced quite the journey. 

It was first discovered to have gone missing sometime between last Thursday and Friday, before resurfacing on Monday as a listing on Facebook Marketplace, advertised as a “rare find” priced at $700, which appeared to have sold later in the day. The City of Ottawa has a formal process for the decommissioning of discontinued signs, thus making this a case of theft. 

A formal report with the Ottawa Police Service was filed, and a work order is underway for the replacement sign, although it is yet to be determined if it will bear the old name or the new one pending public consultation.

An Ottawa Baby could take the prestige of being named “Baby of the Year”. The contest, hosted by Jessica Alba and run annually by Variety magazine supporting a non-profit cause, includes five-month-old Sasha Vuk Spelliscy of Ottawa, whose smile could light up any room, in the running for the top prize of an ad campaign and $25,000. 

Sasha’s mom, Danijela, said that he had to undergo a stay at the NICU for “the first 12 days of his life” following complications just after being born, but she considered his smile as a form of resilience. 

He is currently fourth (as of 5am today) out of the remaining 10 candidates, with voting (by donation or with two free daily votes) to round off the top 5 babies set to close on Thursday.

The OPP, Ottawa Police and city paramedics were occupied with two incidents this past weekend. The first was the stabbing of a teenager on Saturday evening in the 1200 block of Donald Street. 

Police did not announce any arrests, but paramedics said that the victim was being treated for “penetrative trauma” and was in serious but stable condition. The second incident was a two-vehicle crash on Sunday morning near Kemptville, resulting in the death of one person, and five others leaving with “varying injuries” according to the OPP. 

A road closure took place but was eventually reopened, although no further details were released following the investigation.

The humble beginnings of a land once called Bytown have blossomed into a city of great magnitude 200 years later. Saturday was the official bicentennial for Ottawa, filled with festivities and tributes on Parliament Hill, Marion Dewar Plaza and many other places. 

Appearances were made by mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Chief Greg Sarazin of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and musician Jamie Fine, among many others. 

Alongside the city block party, Nuit Blanche lit up the downtown core on Saturday night, OC Transpo celebrated with free rides all weekend, and the 163rd edition of the Carp Fair closed its successful season on Sunday.

One person is dead following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 17 in the Township of McNab/Braeside. Renfrew OPP say emergency services responded to the crash shortly before 3:30 a.m. Saturday, September 26, near Calabogie Road. The collision involved a transport truck and an SUV.

The driver of the SUV, a 49-year-old from the Golden Lake area, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the transport truck was assessed by paramedics and did not report any injuries.

Members of the Renfrew OPP continue to investigate with assistance from the OPP East Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement team. Anyone who witnessed the collision or has dash-camera footage and has not yet spoken with police is asked to contact Renfrew OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

The Hawkesbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is investigating a fatal collision that occurred Friday morning on McGill Street in Hawkesbury. Officers responded to reports of the crash at approximately 8 a.m. Initial investigation indicates that a tractor-trailer collided with another vehicle.

The lone driver of the tractor-trailer, 45-year-old Martin Duranleau of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, was pronounced deceased despite lifesaving efforts. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a local hospital as a precaution. An OPP Technical Collision Investigator and Reconstructionist are assisting with the investigation.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has dash-camera footage and has not yet spoken with investigators to contact the Hawkesbury OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous information can be provided through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online through Ontario Crime Stoppers.

An inmate who escaped the Collins Bay Institution is being sought after by Kingston Police. They said that Mason Jenkins was unaccounted for during a morning roll-call on Thursday, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. 

His jail time–a life sentence–came from charges for first-degree murder and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. 

Jenkins was described as five feet, nine inches tall, heavy build, and fair complexion with brown eyes and a shaved head. He was last seen wearing a light green jacket, jeans and rubber boots.

Moose sightings in Canada are often known to be in the wild or along the road, but the people of Merrickville encountered one on a Thursday morning that was hard to forget. A concerned resident spotted a moose stranded atop the Merrickville Locks, the system feeding into the Rideau River, with the canal walls too high for the moose to escape and the water level inhibiting most of the moose’s movement. 

A collaborative effort ensued between the Grenville wing of the OPP, the Merrickville Fire Department, the Ministry of National Resources and Parks Canada among others, who slowly guided the moose down the locks and gradually drained the system at the bottom for the moose to then escape. 

The process spanned several hours, but Grenville OPP expressed their gratitude for all involved and those who supported.

A man’s remains have been identified after being discovered in Gatineau Park, and police in western Québec connected them to a missing man from Ottawa. 

Officers from the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais said on Thursday that, following the reports of the remains on September 7 and the resulting analysis of the findings, they were deemed to be those of Ludovic Anthony Florent Chauvin of Ottawa, who had been declared missing since February 8 earlier this year. 

His whereabouts were initially ruled unknown following discovery of his vehicle in a parking lot of the park far from the site of the remains. However, the police unit said that the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

The suspect injured during an attempted strike that ended in a shootout near a Belleville synagogue has died of his injuries, the SIU said on Tuesday amidst ongoing investigations. 29-year-old Sean Ward pulled up to the Sons of Jacob synagogue and shot at Const. 

Jeff Smith, the surveilling Belleville officer at the time. It was on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and the synagogue was occupied as the faithful prepared to start the evening service. A shootout ensued between the suspect and officers who joined Const. Smith, resulting in serious injuries to both named individuals. 

Const. Smith continues to recover in hospital, while the motives for Ward’s grisly actions continue to be investigated, with very high probability of the incident being hate-motivated following discoveries of antisemitic remarks around friends and anonymously online.

The Ottawa Police Service said that a man died and another was seriously injured following a crash at a barber shop in Vanier. 

The incident occurred on Tuesday just after 5:30pm, in which a red SUV backed into the storefront of the barber shop on McArthur Avenue, striking the two men who were nearby before falling back out towards the street. 

Paramedics said that the deceased victim succumbed to his injuries en route to the hospital, while the critically injured victim continues to be treated, though was already stabilized. Police arrested the driver, who was found to be impaired likely by drugs.

City Council has approved a motion to rename a Central Park street away from an individual with a legacy that has sharply changed since the street’s inception. Trump Avenue, in the Central Park neighborhood, will be renamed as decided through a public consultation process for potential candidate replacements. 

Some residents of Trump Avenue still remain split on the decision, which is the ultimate factor that halted a previous motion raised in 2021, mainly fearing for the cumbersome and inconvenient process of updating their street address on all their correspondences, although most appeared to support or tolerate the decision this time. 

The name change process is set to go in motion ahead of a potential spring 2027 vote date.

Amidst a protest for stronger government action on climate change, several members of a group of seniors were arrested after attempts to forcibly enter Parliament Hill. 

The protest, held on Tuesday, began to make its way towards the doorway into the West Block of Parliament in an effort to hand-deliver related photo and print materials to the desks of MPs in the House of Commons. 

After having been asked by an officer of the Parliamentary Protective Service to stand down and clear the doorway, the group refused to yield and eleven of its members were subsequently charged with trespassing once Ottawa police assisted in handling the situation. Those arrested remained cooperative and did not suffer any injuries.

Ottawa Police and Fire Service crews were tipped to an illegal after-hours business operation following ongoing complaints and concerns from the surrounding community. 

The calls directed them within the 100 block of Bentley Avenue, where they executed a search warrant at the property in question in the late hours of Saturday night and into Sunday morning. At the time, 125 individuals were seen engaging in the operations and officers safely dispersed them off the premises, charging one individual for obstruction of justice. 

Crews said that several fire and life safety violations were cited and the property owner was notified, as the investigation continues.

An Ottawa-based writer was awarded the 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize for a piece that “was a real pleasure to read,” as per the jury. Jenna Timmons-Oikawa, author of Wawa Indian, had her piece selected by the award’s judging committee from a pool of five finalists out of over 1900 submissions at the start of the judging rounds. 

She said the writing process, originally inspired by themes of renewal and reclaiming stolen heritage, became an enlightenment moment that “brought to (her) consciousness many things (she) had not been allowing (herself) to believe.” 

The jury praised her writing as a delicate balance between complicated and empathic in journeying through history and truth.

With the sitting members of Parliament having reconvened on Monday, some key focus areas remain top of mind, especially with what has unfolded during the three-month recess. 

The trade war with the US, the opportunities for strengthened partnerships with the European Union and related impacts on living costs for Canadians will likely be the first to be tabled as Prime Minister Mark Carney was fresh off his visit to the EU, and having welcomed the French President and the Prime Minister of Norway on separate meetings on Sunday. He set off for New York on Monday to address the United Nations General Assembly. 

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to counter the costs that Canadians could have to bear as a result of any newfound ties with the EU, although the Liberals currently hold a slim majority in terms of seat counts.

A synagogue’s assembly witnessed a terrifying scene on Sunday as a man fired shots outside of their place of worship, culminating in a shootout that involved officers and injuries, including the suspect and the local officer surveilling the synagogue. 

Sean Ward, the 29-year-old accused from Quinte West, arrived in the area during the synagogue’s Yom Kippur service in a truck loaded with a shotgun and opened fire at the officer on duty, identified as Const. Jeff Smith, of Belleville. The exchange of gunfire left bullet holes in several vehicles and even one of the synagogue’s stained glass windows. 

No one inside the place of worship was injured, but many inside were left stunned, terrified and worried.

After warning in April that a considerable staffing reduction would be taking place, the Ottawa Hospital, in a recent update, mentioned a much smaller outcome. 

Spokesperson Michaela Schreiter announced the latest number to be around 17 involuntary departures, or approximately 0.15 per cent of the hospital staff – down from the originally projected 3 per cent, or around 400 positions. 

Vacancy management and the alleviation gained from those who accepted early retirement were two of the factors that helped towards the reduction of the number of involuntary cuts, although hospitals in Ottawa still continue to see financial pressures and ongoing exploration of cost-saving measures.

This year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival overlapped with a day Canadians will never forget: the honouring of the late Terry Fox, as his walk was lived on Sunday. 

The red carpet event was graced by Canadian athletes attending the Saturday screening of “Run, Terry, Run”, a new documentary from known filmmaker Sean Menard with a behind-the-scenes look at Terry’s mission in 1980. 

Also present was Terry’s brother, Darrell Fox, a senior advisor of a research group in Terry’s name and who was an executive producer on the documentary. Drawing on his own experience during the original Marathon of Hope, he said at TIFF that he would always “cherish those moments of spending 93 days in a row with (his brother).”

A school board continues to investigate after a first-week-of-school error that severely worried an Ottawa school child and his parents. The kindergartener was found wandering an apartment building on August 26 after having been dropped off at the wrong bus stop – one too early. 

It wasn’t until the boy’s cries for help were heard by tenants that police were called to bring the child back to his parents, who also called in to say that they did not see their child at the actual bus stop. 

The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (the Ottawa-and-area school board), the French-language student transport body and the school bus line carrying the child have been in talks and have since taken steps to ensure proper school bus practices are followed for prevention of such lost child cases.

Emergency crews in Ottawa were called to the scenes of two separate crashes this past weekend involving motorcycles. 

The first took place in the Osgoode area on Friday just before 6pm, where a vehicle had collided with a motorcycle and flipped onto its roof, killing the motorcyclist and trapping the occupant of the vehicle inside. 

The second occurred on Sunday just after 2:30pm in Ottawa’s south end, also involving a vehicle and a motorcycle. In that instance, the motorcyclist was taken to hospital for critical injuries and what paramedics said to be “multi-systems trauma,” while the vehicle driver was treated on scene and released. Investigations remain ongoing for both cases.

The 46th annual Terry Fox Run takes place today as runners with people across Ottawa joining communities across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Participants can run, walk, ride or wheel as part of the non-competitive community fundraiser, continuing Terry Fox’s vision of bringing Canadians together in the fight against cancer.

The Ottawa event will also result in some temporary road closures including Colonel By Drive which will be closed between Hog’s Back Road and Clegg Street from 8 a.m. until noon. Motorists are being asked to use alternate routes and follow posted signage, while the adjacent multi-use pathway will remain accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

The Terry Fox Run continues the legacy of Fox’s 1980 Marathon of Hope and marks 46 years of Canadians coming together to support cancer research. More than $1 billion has now been raised for cancer research through Terry Fox fundraising efforts, with participants in hundreds of communities across the country taking part this weekend. More information is available at terrryfox.org.

by Parker Cameron, Reporter

Four people are dead following two separate serious collisions in eastern Ontario Thursday night.

The first crash happened just before 7:45 p.m. on County Road 43 near Burritts Rapids Road in North Grenville. Grenville County OPP, the North Grenville Fire Department and EMS responded to a single-vehicle collision. Police say the 44-year-old driver from Ottawa, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. County Road 43 was closed in both directions between Burritts Rapids Road and County Road 25 for several hours while investigators were at the scene, but has since reopened.

Later that night, shortly after 9:45 p.m., SD&G OPP responded to a three-vehicle collision on County Road 17 near County Road 27 in South Glengarry Township. Three people were pronounced dead at the scene: a 61-year-old driver and a 54-year-old passenger, both from South Glengarry, and an 18-year-old driver from North Glengarry. The occupants of a third vehicle were transported to hospital for assessment. County Road 17 remains closed in both directions between County Road 27 and Fairview Road.

Both investigations are continuing with assistance from the OPP East Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team. Police are asking anyone with information or relevant dashcam footage from either collision to contact the Grenville County OPP or SD&G OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

The OPP shared information on two separate cases on Thursday. The first was related to the Deep River stabbing that took place last week and sent the town into a hold-and-secure, in which two suspects were identified and charged. 

They were 26 and 69 years of age, and were both residents of Deep River. The second was related to an ongoing investigation on reports of rocks and other debris being thrown from overpasses onto vehicles travelling on the 401 in South Dundas. 

Several calls were received, with the incidents described to be occurring between 4:30 and 6am over the past few weeks. To date, aside from extensive vehicle damage in some cases, no injuries have yet been reported.

Ottawa police are continuing to investigate after a disturbance in the Carlingwood area culminated in a teen being sent through a window and sustaining serious injuries. 

Officers said that the incident took place just after 12 noon, near a storefront in the Carling and Broadview area, and involved several young people. They were all taken to hospital by Ottawa paramedics and mostly were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, save for the one through the window, who was said to be in serious but stable condition. 

Police arrested the offending youth with assault involving a weapon, aggravated assault and mischief.

Following an international visit to speak to members of the European Parliament, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday that a special trade relationship with the EU will be up for discussion and a vote in Parliament. 

He connected the remarks of EU President Ursula von der Leyen on Canada’s unique position as a potential first associate member, and the “overwhelming majority of Canadians [who] support much closer ties,” to reinforce the fact that, should a relationship materialize, it would be more than just a simple trade agreement. 

Areas of focus would include deeper ties on the trade of minerals, defence, artificial intelligence and energy, as well as increased study and financial service integrations between the two regions. An EU-Canada summit is scheduled to be held in October, in Montreal.

As the clock ticks for the upcoming municipal elections in October, mayoral candidates have continued their tour of debates across the city, with their latest stop being at a packed university lecture hall. 

The 400-seat venue at Carleton University on Tuesday evening was full of student attendees eager to listen to the candidates’ responses to important questions concerning how their campaign would address student needs, namely public transit, housing and infrastructure. 

Some were optimistic about the influence that student voters could have if they turned out in larger numbers, as suggested by the overwhelming interest in Tuesday’s debate –  in fact, some hopeful walk-ins had to be turned away at the door with just how full the hall was.

Following an increase in price at the pumps earlier today, it may be wise to hold off on refuelling until at least tomorrow. 

Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, recently predicted a price drop of up to 11 cents a litre for regular fuels on Friday, citing the transition from summer to winter blends as well as markets capitalizing on profits from the higher gasoline prices seen lately. 

He warned, however, that diesel prices would trend in the opposite direction, potentially jumping by around 14 cents a litre. The average price for gasoline as of this morning is $1.899 per litre, while the average for diesel sits at $268.9 per litre.

A women’s cycling event is returning to the streets of Gatineau today, and will impact traffic in the area. The world-renowned Tour de Gatineau kicked off on Wednesday with a time trial that saw some street closures, and today’s schedule for the road race will have similar impacts. 

Boulevard Alexandre-Tâché will be a primary piece of the route, so it will be closed east of rue Scott, and other nearby streets towards Gatineau Park forming the race track will be affected from at least 9am to 3pm. One exception to the general closure is rue Wellington, of which a couple of blocks will see longer closures – until 8pm. 

Hundreds of cyclists from around the world are slated to participate in the elite event.

It was a busy Sunday night for Ottawa fire crews, who tended to two consecutive fires in the Greely community before they began to spread. 

The Fire Service said that the first case was reported just after 9pm in the 500 block of Shoreway Drive, where a basement office sparked the blaze all over the unoccupied house and damaged an attached air conditioning unit. The second fire occurred on Monday morning just after 7am in the 1200 block of South Beach Boulevard, where the evacuated occupants reported the source coming from their garage which housed a vehicle, some fuel containers and a barbecue. Both fires were extinguished within the hour and no injuries were reported. 

Ottawa Fire also added that investigators were sent to each fire for ongoing analysis of their origins.

Ottawa police arrested nine individuals connected to vehicle thefts from the city’s east end, with the combined number of charges totalling 170. 

Officers said on Tuesday that tracking devices were used to monitor and eventually nab the target vehicles, mostly comprising of newer-model Toyotas, Hondas and Lexuses in various neighbourhoods. 

Of those charged, seven were adults and two were minors, with offences including possession and trafficking of stolen property, possession of electronic devices for the purpose of vehicle theft, and even firearms-related offences. At least 15 vehicles were recovered in the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Beekeepers in Eastern Ontario are worried about the outcome of their harvest this year following several hurdles that have stung their business. 

These include the latest 50 per cent tariffs on honey imposed by US President Donald Trump, as well as the misfortune of winter hive losses this year, which the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association has estimated to sit at 30.5 per cent on average – compared to a tolerable loss rate of 15 per cent. 

Emily Briffa, co-owner of TrueBee Honey near Ottawa, said that, with stranded US-bound honey that “has to find a home somewhere,” domestic competition would sharply rise. Other beekeepers worry about larger companies forced to enter the local supply and thus drowning out the smaller producers.

A cyclist suffered critical injuries after being struck by another vehicle in Lowertown. Ottawa paramedics said that the collision happened not far from the Royal Canadian Mint on Sussex Drive at around 9am. 

Upon arriving at the scene, the cyclist was taken to hospital for further assessment, while the Ottawa Police Service began its investigation of the crash. No details were yet released on the nature of the incident, especially the details of the driver of the vehicle and whether or not it stayed on the scene. 

The intersection of Sussex Drive and Bruyère Street saw some lane closures for several hours following the incident, and the investigation is believed to be ongoing.

An intersection of Ottawa’s downtown streets saw large swaths of water on Monday as a ruptured water main sent splashes onto the roads. 

The incident was reported in the morning and the city then sent a repair crew to the affected area near O’Connor and Albert streets. Some of the lanes approaching the intersection were closed for the repairs and related investigations, and some buildings along the stretch saw interruptions to their water service. 

No finalized timeline was announced, and there may still be lane restrictions in the area heading into this morning.

An Ottawa fall favourite is returning for another year to the stage this week. The 32nd annual edition of CityFolk will be held at the RA Centre, while work on the new arena at Lansdowne Park continues, and will take place from Wednesday to Sunday. 

The event has a star-studded lineup billed over the four days, with paid parking available at 875 Heron Road and OC Transpo stopping near the RA Centre to bring festival-goers to and from the venue. 

The festival reminds that it is a cashless venue and only electronic payments will be accepted for any purchases made.

Following a vote amongst the members of the union representing the University of Ottawa’s teaching professors, it announced its decision on Friday to pursue job action, which could include a strike. 

With the previous collective agreement having expired in August 2025, the association, made up of mostly contract staff, sought for improved working conditions for its 2500 members, and the addressing of a perceived issue with the University’s recent consideration of a staff move favouring “intensive teaching positions” that could see several union members end up without a job. 

The union also added that, in the case of strike action, there would not necessarily be “an immediate disruption of classes.”

The OPP are continuing to investigate after a vehicle fire claimed the life of a person on Friday. 

The incident took place in Mississippi Mills just after 5pm, where the vehicle fire was discovered in a wooded area by local firefighters and the Lanark County arm of the OPP. Upon arrival, the deceased individual’s body was found inside the car. 

No updates have since been provided, including details regarding the person’s identity or progress in the investigation, although no road closures were announced since Friday.

A bookstore in The Glebe was broken into last week, but the stolen property was not the primary concern for its owners. Seeing that it was only the cash from the register and nothing else, Octopus books said that the issue “was an act of desperation” and only one sign pointing to deeper issues concerning “the state of (their) community”. 

They believed that the incident was not targeted, but was linked to the ongoing struggle to survive in The Glebe due to a lack of support, and challenges regarding “affordability, housing, mental health, and homelessness”. 

It became a moment for advocacy for the bookstore to encourage customers to consider these pain points when voting in the upcoming city elections on October 26.

Ottawa Police are investigating a carjacking in Vanier that left a delivery driver with minor injuries. Police say the incident happened on July 18, when the driver was dragged a short distance during the theft of their vehicle.

Investigators are now working to identify the suspect and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information about the suspect or stolen vehicle to come forward. The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit can be reached at 613-236-1222, extension 5116, or by email at robbery@ottawapolice.ca.

Anyone wishing to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or through its website. Police are reminding the public that even information that may seem minor could help investigators identify the person responsible.

A pediatrician practicing in The Glebe announced the closure of her office after her over four decades of service. Dr. Kathryn Keely joined the pediatric centre at the corner of O’Connor Street and Monkland Avenue some 42 years ago, and continued her practice just until last week when the decision was made to sell the property and move out. 

Keely said that she would not yet be retiring completely, but to switch to a consulting role supporting CHEO and other family doctors with pediatric and cystic fibrosis-related matters, alongside some part-time direct work with patients. 

Several young patients, some now adults with young ones, fondly remembered Dr. Keely’s practice – one notable detail in her suite was a couple of office walls adorned with the photos of virtually all who were seen by her.

The shelter-in-place that went into effect following a serious incident on Wednesday afternoon has been lifted, although police say the investigation remains ongoing. 

Officers were called to the scene of an assault involving stabbing at around 4:30pm on Wednesday in the town of Deep River (northwest of Ottawa), where a woman was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. From there, the lockdown measures were applied for community safety while Deep River Police and the OPP attempted to apprehend the suspect. After various updates leading into Thursday, officers announced the lift of the shelter-in-place just after 3pm. 

Deep River Mayor Sue D’Eon thanked her community later that day for their patience and compliance and said that she would ensure adequate mental health support would be available to those in need.

As the 25th year commemorating the 9/11 attacks in New York dawns today, one handful of anecdotes has also endured time – when Ottawa and other Eastern Ontario emergency crews leapt to action to assist with the New York Police and Fire teams in their search for survivors right at the source. 

Ottawa fireman Barry Blondin was the first to cross the border just after the North Tower collapsed that day, followed by a Smiths Falls police crew and eventually another Ottawa team consisting of John Hamilton, Brian Foley, Gordie Thorpe and Steve Carmichael whose arrivals went well into the days following the tragedy, and local crews still sifting through the wreckage and materials for any possible signs of life. 

The men were assigned various support tasks before eventually getting to survey Ground Zero close to its core, witnessing an eerie silence across the floor of emergency crews silently commemorating any bodies that were recovered. Only 20 survivors were saved among the piles during the initial hours after the collapse of the Twin Towers.

A South Ottawa workplace had a grim Wednesday afternoon after discovering the death of a man on site due to heavy equipment. 

Crews were called to the 4000 block of Barnesdale Road just after 12 noon, where the affected 23 year-old was pronounced dead on the scene. Ottawa Paramedics said that the accident involved the bin of a truck by which the man suffered the fatal injury, although Ottawa Police said that the incident was not being treated as suspicious. 

The investigation is ongoing, and now includes the Ministry of Labour as per standard procedure.

Councillors agreed to a proposed enhancement plan for a stretch of downtown streets that would aim to increase biker safety in light of previous crashes, particularly those involving trucks. 

In a unanimous vote for the plan on Wednesday, Ottawa would implement revised bike lane infrastructure along portions of Gladstone Avenue, Arthur Street, Christie Street and Gilmour Avenue – safety improvements which Somerset Ward Councillor Ariel Troster said were basically nonexistent, particularly on Gladstone. 

The city also voted in favour of banning trucks from the portion of Gladstone seeing the new bike lanes, due to previous serious crashes in the area, including a 2023 collision with a dump truck that left the impacted cyclist seriously injured.

Two human cases of West Nile Virus have been detected in Ottawa. The city’s public health unit said on Wednesday that these were the first two cases in Ottawa for 2026, and it urged residents to continue to exercise preventative measures against mosquito bites, especially for those who could be most at risk. 

This comes after local observations of an extended presence of mosquitoes into September due to the elevated wet weather that came down on Ottawa this past summer. 

To date, the province has reported 25 human cases of West Nile Virus this year, compared to last year’s 181.

The OPP announced on Tuesday that they arrested two women from Quebec who were caught attempting to scam several Hawkesbury dealerships into allowing them to purchase vehicles through “financing”. 

After a joint investigation with officers in Mercier, QC, not far from the east end Ontario town, it was determined that the pair had used stolen personal information from other real people and forged documents to pose as them when attempting to close financing deals at the dealerships. 

Combined charges on the women include identity fraud, identity theft, two counts of forgery, and fraud totalling over $5,000.

The Ottawa Public Library announced another extension of its lease of the main branch in downtown Ottawa due to anticipated delays in the completion of its new home. 

The current and original location of the Central branch at 120 Metcalfe Street was sold in 2018, followed by announcements of the new Ādisōke branch to be constructed in LeBreton Flats, originally slated to be open this past summer. The extension of the existing lease came as no official word was given on the revised opening date of the new branch, with Library CEO Sonia Bebbington concerned about “continuity of library services beyond June 2027”, the end date of the previous lease extension. 

The last known update on progress was in June, with staff having reported the branch project at 85% complete.

US President Donald Trump announced an upcoming ban of Canadian imports, along with additional 50% tariffs on other products, in response to the Canadian counter-tariffs that came into force on Tuesday as per Prime Minister Mark Carney. 

The ban, set to take place on September 29, includes imports of Canadian alcohol, motorcycles and molasses – a move seen by the Trump administration as fitting due to claims that “Canada set this precedent of banning things.” 

Meanwhile, in a video address released on the morning of the counter-tariff activation, Carney warned of the associated costs with his latest move in the trade dispute between the two countries, but that “it doesn’t come close to the cost of standing still.”

A single-vehicle crash in the early morning hours of Friday led to the car and its occupants being tossed into the waters of Mooney’s Bay. The crash involved a downed pole and the loss of power at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Walkley Road, where the incident took place. 

Occupants of a vehicle not far behind, who were known to the stranded vehicle’s passengers, and some bystanders who witnessed the crash sprang to action and called for help while beginning to reach the two men at sea. 

Emergency crews then arrived to tend to the rescued pair, who were released later that morning from the scene while police continued the investigation, with no cause for the crash yet released.

Alongside the many attractions over the past Labour Day long weekend, one has returned for yet another year, reaching a streak even surpassing the years since our country’s forming in 1867. 

The 179th annual Perth Fair took place from Thursday to Sunday, nestled in the namesake community not far from Ottawa but bringing together agricultural representatives, entertainers and visitors from all across Ontario and beyond, with president Dale Campbell saying that thousands attend the largely volunteer-run event on each open festival day. 

Fair director Jeannie Seguin said that the fair highlights the importance of farmers even in a day and age of grocery store convenience, and how the fair hopes to continue to spark the next generation of farmers in what is “going to be their life business.”

Typically, the end of August signals a decline in the presence of mosquitos, but this year has proven otherwise in Ottawa, as locals have noticed a sustained presence of the pesky pets heading into September and have kept their bug sprays handy. 

Experts have weighed in, citing the wet weather that the city has seen in large splashes as a significant contributor to the situation this year. Carleton University PhD candidate Marc Avramov noted that the increased opportunities for standing water to lay around this past summer have allowed certain mosquito breeds “that have a couple of cycles throughout the summer” to last longer under these “conditions to continually breed”. 

Insect repellent and related protective wear have seen higher demand this past season, but cases of West Nile virus often associated with mosquitos have remained relatively low in the same time period.

An Embrun man is facing impaired driving charges following a marine patrol stop on Pike Lake in Tay Valley Township. Lanark County O-P-P officers stopped a boat shortly after 1:30 Saturday afternoon after observing it being operated at a high rate of speed. The male driver was arrested and taken to the O-P-P detachment in Perth for testing.

Fifty-one-year-old Mark Hercun has been charged with operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol, including having a blood alcohol concentration over 80. He also faces charges for operating a vessel without firefighting equipment and failing to have proof of competency on board a pleasure craft.

Hercun was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Perth on October 19th. His driver’s licence has been suspended for 90 days and the boat was impounded for seven days.

Ottawa Police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect involved in a robbery in the 1300 block of Carling Avenue. Police have released information about the incident as they continue their investigation.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about the robbery is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5116.

Police are also reminding anyone with information to come forward. More details about the investigation, including information about the suspect, are available through the Ottawa Police Service.

Charges against two wanted individuals have been upgraded to first-degree murder in connection with a homicide investigation in Perth. Ontario Provincial Police say officers responded to Last Duel Park on Sunday, April 12th, at approximately 3:15 in the afternoon, after a person was found suffering from life-threatening injuries. The victim was later pronounced dead.

As the investigation continues, police say arrest warrants remain in effect for the two accused. The O-P-P is reminding the public not to approach the individuals if they are spotted, and to contact police immediately.

Anyone with information about the homicide investigation or the whereabouts of the wanted individuals is asked to contact the Lanark County O-P-P at 1-888-310-1122.

The Bank of Canada announced recently that the design for a new $20 bill has been finalized and will go into circulation in 2027. The new bill, maintaining its customary green colour, features a portrait of King Charles on the front and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on the rear. 

It is the second bill of the vertical orientation, and the first  to feature a new monarch since Queen Elizabeth’s original appearance as a princess on the first $20 bill series issued in 1935. 

Along with floral and herbal design details signifying the King’s dedication to the environment and honouring the Indigenous Peoples in Canada, the new issue also comes with new security features that the Bank of Canada says are “easy to check and hard to counterfeit.”

Ottawa Fire Services sent their water rescue team on Wednesday evening for two back-to-back incidents involving stranded water-goers on the Ottawa River. 

The distress calls came from a parasailer near the 3100 block of Carling Avenue and a swimmer near the 100 block of Greenview Avenue. Crews tended to both rescues and safely returned the stranded individuals ashore with no injuries reported. 

Firefighters added a reminder for those who tread the Ottawa River, regardless of method, to ensure appropriate safety equipment and flotation devices are fitted due to “how quickly conditions…can become dangerous.”

A legend in women’s rights activism, journalism and literature passed away on Wednesday. Gloria Steinem was 92 when she died at her home in New York City, following challenges surrounding her declining health. 

The Ms. Magazine founder was a staunch advocate of the women’s movement stemming back to the late 1960s following a journalism assignment that changed the course of her career. Although mostly having made US appearances, Steinem’s influence has spread across the world, including in the empowerment of women in Canadian journalism and activism. 

A memoir on her life is set to be released this fall, while tributes for the late icon continue to pour in.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government will extend the pause on the federal gas tax until at least the end of January of next year. 

In an announcement on Wednesday, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne called it “real relief” for Canadians “concerned by the price of rent, the price of food [and] the price of gas” as the original deadline for the break was on Labour Day. Gas prices will remain lower by 10 cents per litre until the new relief end date, after which the tax will slowly ramp up to its full impact by April 2027. 

The announcement also coincides with warnings of Ottawa gas prices set to rise by two cents on Thursday to an average of $1.87 per litre.

A dispute in a Cumberland home went violent last Friday as the two people involved began to attack each other in a fight, with one inflicting stab wounds. 

Police were called to the scene on Peter Harkness Lane where they found two women with non-life-threatening injuries but did include the stab wounds. 

Both were charged with varying degrees of assault, including with a weapon, causing bodily harm, and of the aggravated nature. The women were aged 45 and 22, and police are continuing to investigate.

An Ottawa man was struck on the Queensway on Wednesday evening and is suffering life-threatening injuries. Ottawa paramedics said that the incident occurred eastbound near Parkdale Avenue just after 8pm, when they were dispatched to the scene to treat the injured man. 

The OPP was eventually sent to the scene, and a section of the highway from Parkdale to Bronson was shut down for collision cleanup and investigation, with some commuters saying they were stuck at the jam for at least an hour before arriving at the detour point. 

Police later updated that the Queensway was fully reopened after 12:30 earlier this morning.

The blame is on new software as OC Transpo observed considerable revenue losses in a recent 18-month study period. According to the latest city report, the losses amounted to between $690,000 and $960,000 due to card readers sent out of service as a result of technical failures, including a software bug from earlier this year. 

Over 3000 issue reports were logged in the study period, which saw service level reliability drop to its lowest between February and April 2026. 

The recent upgrades aimed to provide compatibility for various fare payment systems including PRESTO cards, credit and debit cards with O-Payment, student U-Pass cards, and single-ride and transfer QR codes, among other specialized payment types.

A vehicle with two occupants lost control and smashed into a hydro pole on Tuesday morning, causing it to crack in half. 

Ottawa firefighters who were called to the scene on Fallowfield Road near Old Richmond Road first ensured that the hydro lines remained intact before extricating the driver and passenger, who sustained up to life-threatening injuries as they were trapped by the damage caused to their vehicle by the downed pole. 

Ottawa Police are continuing to investigate, and had a stretch of Fallowfield Road near the incident area closed for several hours later that day into early Wednesday for pole repairs.

After discovering a dead woman in a Spencerville home on Sunday, OPP have identified the victim as a missing woman from Grenville, ON. 

Chelsea Swinwood was declared missing on August 22 and was last seen in Prescott. The nature of her death was not disclosed by police, although they said that the incident was isolated and not a warning sign of a greater threat. 

They added that Spencerville residents “can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as the investigation continues.”

The long-awaited return of a Kingston ferry service was somewhat hampered down with operational glitches on its first day back in service on Monday. Mechanical and weather challenges affected the schedule of the Wolfe Islander IV, the lone ferry connecting roads between Kingston and Wolfe Island. 

The hybrid electric ferry had been pulled out of service at least twice since its appearance on the seaway in 2024, including for hull damage repairs later that year and for recent electrical and diesel engine issues in 2025. 

The service disruptions and slightly longer travel compared to Wolfe Islander IV’s predecessor have enraged several Wolfe Island residents, including Frontenac Islands Mayor Judy Greenwood-Speers, who said that her community has been hurt by the ferry’s delays and the resulting lack of reliability.

Service on O-Train Line 1 was suspended on Monday morning after equipment on a section of the line was found to be damaged. 

OC Transpo spokesperson Katrina Camposarcone-Stubbs said that it was discovered on overhead equipment near Tremblay Station, and the section needed to be powered down for the repairs to be completed by Rideau Transit Maintenance. Various nearby stations had been intermittently closed as a result, including Lees, uOttawa and Hurdman stations. 

Monday was the first day of service under the new fall schedule for OC Transpo including O-Train Line 1, which aimed for increased service throughout the day.

In spite of the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on the renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” that took effect last week, Canadian and most world viewers of Google Maps would still see it as Lake Ontario. 

But it was quickly discovered that some major Ontario retailer and service provider websites using Google Maps plugins were shown using the newly-ordered name on their websites. 

The LCBO, among others, likely had the Maps plugin through a third party from the US, which was confirmed by the province’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, Stephen Crawford. In response, he said that the Ministry is “actively reviewing (their) websites to make sure they all identify Lake Ontario by its correct name: Lake Ontario.”

The OPP shared information on two separate cases on Thursday. The first was related to the Deep River stabbing that took place last week and sent the town into a hold-and-secure, in which two suspects were identified and charged. 

They were 26 and 69 years of age, and were both residents of Deep River. The second was related to an ongoing investigation on reports of rocks and other debris being thrown from overpasses onto vehicles travelling on the 401 in South Dundas. 

Several calls were received, with the incidents described to be occurring between 4:30 and 6am over the past few weeks. To date, aside from extensive vehicle damage in some cases, no injuries have yet been reported.