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GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, OTTAWA Welcome to the first edition of the ottawan, your daily user manual for Ottawa. When we announced the ottawan a few weeks back, we planned to be your daily guide to Ottawa’s news, your resource for new restaurant openings, and your curator of what to do and when. Then this — gestures at everything — happened. Yet our mission to understand Ottawa doesn’t change. We may all be confined to quarters, but the ottawan will keep you informed about what’s up at City Hall, how to support your neighbours during this pandemic, and maybe how to stay sane yourself. Thank you for welcoming us. — Martha and Darren
STATS Weather: High of 7° with increasing cloudiness Number: 11. The number of days which RTG had to reply to the City’s demand to fix the LRT and haven‘t. [Ottawa Citizen] Ottawan of the Day: Dr. Kwado Kyeremanteng, Ottawa Hospital and Montfort hospital ICU specialist who ventilated COVID 19 patients [Ottawa Magazine] Quote: “Despite only essential services remaining open at Westgate Shopping Centre, maintenance and security will continue to be upheld and the terms of your lease unrelated to operating hours will remain in full force and effect” – Memo from the landlord to tenants demanding full rent even though the shopping centre is closed [Ottawa Citizen]
RENT, NOT THE MUSICAL Of course, what’s on most Ottawan’s minds this morning is rent. It’s rent day and many people may be making a choice of paying rent or buying food. Currently in Ottawa, all evictions proceedings have been put on hold and the Landlord and Tenant Board is not accepting any new applications. But the Board encourages you to keep paying rent. So you can’t be evicted for non-payment but the landlord can add extra charges that will become due later. So how do you handle the landlord? The best way is through communication, although it may be an awkward conversation. The Vancouver Tenants Union has a sample letter that you can send to the landlord. (Don’t forget to change the CC: to your local MPP)
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE There have been 144 cases of COVID 19 in Ottawa and 3 deaths. An OC Transpo bus driver has tested positive [CBC] Corrections Officers at Ottawa-Carleton refused to report to work yesterday Guards are demanding that their colleagues be questioned before starting their shift. “‘[Ask] whether they are having [a] fever, new cough [or] difficulty breathing. As well as have they traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days. Also to take a temperature to check for fever,’ said Ryan Graham, the acting co-chair for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union health and safety committee. ” CBC + Related Canada's Prisons Are a Coronavirus Time Bomb, Say Guards and Inmates [Vice]
Airlines are flying at 10 per cent of regular loads, with no change in sight [CBC]
Home owners may apply for a deferral of property tax in Ottawa if they can prove virus related hardship [City of Ottawa]
It’s a civil rights change — currently you don’t have to. [Ottawa Matters]
Rick Mercer finally has something to say about COVID 19 [CBC] + Related The Ottawan’s Guide to Navigating COVID 19 |
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IN OTHER NEWS School board investigates trustee after incident in Barrhaven park Ottawa-Carleton School District is investigating a trustee who allegedly confronted a teenager playing basketball alone in a Barrhaven park. City parks including basketball courts are closed but the teenager’s family allege discrimination and “needless interrogation’ [Ottawa Citizen] Ontario strikes deals with French-language, elementary teachers' unions Details are confidential until ratified [Ottawa Matters] Kontinental Hockey League’s St. Petersburg SKA star player Artyom Zub is waiting for clearance from the NHL [Ottawa Sun]
The runs are cancelled but the organisers say they need the money to continue [Ottawa Sun]
THINGS TO DO ? Watch Gary Hustwit’s facinating documentary on cities, Urbanised for free. (And if you hurry, Hustwit’s weirdly interesting documentary on small objects, Objectified) [Oh You Pretty Things] ? Fader Magazine presents the SXSW concert that it had to cancel, featuring Jamila Woods, Angelica Garcia, Mariah the Scientist, DAWN, Frances Quinlan, more [Fader]
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And that’s our first ottawan. Cut us and we bleed Ottawa. Reply back to us with your comments or suggestions. We read every single email. hello@theottwan.com |
