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HELLO OTTAWA

❄️ Darren here: this is my second winter in Ottawa. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. This is fine.

Martha here: Just wait.
 

? Thank you for allowing us into your inbox every weekday morning. We know that's a privilege – and a precarious one. One wrong step and – zzzzt – unsubscribed with no right to appeal.

As for the year ahead, we'll keep to our unofficial motto: 'You’ll know what we know.' 

But specifically, we'll be watching City Council, especially such things like wishing to pay someone to build new low-income housing in LeBreton Flats while they simulatenously pave over existing low-income housing in Manor Village for phase 3 of the O-Train.

We'll continue to highlight and celebrate Ottawa businesses: what's new, what's changed, what's closing. During the pandemic, and especially during lockdown,  our local businesses need your patronage more than ever.

We'll let you know of events and things to do. That's a little harder these days but we know it's possible.

And that's where you come in: when you know something, say something. Tell us of openings, closings, events at hello@theottwan.com.  We'll pleased to hear from you and help spread the word.

Tell people about us: it turns out that not everyone in Ottawa-Gatineau receives The Ottawan and, with everything that has happened this year, that's a real shame. Please bring us up at your next Zoom meeting or just use this Send To A Friend link

And don't forget to buy a shirt. We have two cat mouths to feed.

We'll see you tomorrow – Martha and Darren


#STATS

Weather: ☁️ Overcast. High of -2°

Number: 40 per cent. The increase of searches for bike routes in Ottawa, according to Google. Google also says that halal, Chinese, Indian, ramen and pho were the most popular takeout dishes for hungry residents.  [CBC

Ottawan of the Day: Harlow Winter Margaret Bianco. The newborn became the city's newest resident at 12:09 am in the Family Birthing Centre at the Montfort Hospital on New Year’s Day. [Ottawa Citizen]

Quote: “You're supposed to protect us but right now you don't have [a] mask so you put my life in danger – Mathieu Tessier, who is upset that the Gatineau police were not wearing masks when they broke up a New Year’s Eve party at his mom’s house. The police were there after a neighbour's complaint and found a New Year’s Eve party that had six people from three households. [CBC]


CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Vaccination tracker 
41,983 doses administered in Ontario (28.29% of the doses available)


Public Health Reports: 

OTTAWA

Ottawa Public Health Dashboard

Ottawa Wastewater Dashboard

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

Ottawa Catholic School Board

Conseil des ecoles catholiques du Centre-Est

Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario
 

There have been 10,368 confirmed cases of COVID‌-19, an increase of 502 since December 31, and 392 deaths, no new reports.

Yesterday, January 3rd, was the worst day since the pandemic began, with 184 new COVID-19 cases. And notice that we passed 10,000 cases over the weekend – that's 1 in 100 Ottawans.

OUTAOUAIS

Outaouais Public Health dashboard

There have been 4919 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 196 since December 31, and 119 deaths, seven new reports.
 

EASTERN ONTARIO

Eastern Ontario Health Unit dashboard

There have been 1434 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 41 since December 31, and 33 deaths, no new reports.


Sometimes the number of cases or deaths are lower from one day to the next. This is usually because the powers-that-be have reassigned a case to a different health authority.


⭕ Ontario finance minister Rod Phillips has resigned after getting caught holidaying in St Barts during Ontario's lockdown.  [The Guardian]

+ Related It's not just Ontario. Over a dozen Canadian officials have better places to be than lockdown

⭕ Federal Government considering cancelling the $500 per week quarantine benefit for people who go on holidays, then come back and self-isolate for a fortnight [Ottawa Citizen]

⭕ Three OC Transpo drivers test positive for COVID-19 [Ottawa Citizen] [Ottawa Citizen]

⭕ Carleton Lodge declares COVID-19 outbreak [Ottawa Citizen]

⭕ 16 year-old dishwasher at Colonel By Retirement Residence one of the front-line workers who received the vaccine [CBC]

⭕ Ottawa ByLaw issued 21 tickets for COVID-19 violations Christmas weekend, 19 from the same gathering at a Carling Avenue restaurant [CBC


 ? The Canada COVID Alert App

Be alerted if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. 

How It Works       [Apple App Store]      [Google Play Store]

HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

We’ve made t-shirts of iconic Ottawa logos. 

Printed in Canada.

BUY

 

And don’t forget: you can also buy official ottawan t-shirts

#WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️Rideau Canal is almost ready for skating. Almost. Workers from the National Capital Commission have drilled holes to flood the surface for a smooth skate but until its ready, stay off. The Canal usually opens when the ice is 30 cm thick. [CBC]

▪️Rideau-Vanier Councillor Mathieu Fleury is once again very concerned about the number of pot shops in Ottawa, this time because it may increase commercial rent. The councillor, who initially did not want Ottawa to have any pot shops, who said that ByWard market had two many pot shops, who said that pot shops should not be in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, now says the shops are gentrifying them. [CBC]

Councillor Fleury obviously has a moral issue against pot shops but, since the law is the law, is trying to gin up controversy by saying we have too many. But do we have too many coffee shops? Pizza houses? Tim Hortons? People opposed used to argue the idea that drugs equals crime and squalor but apparently pot shops bring in jobs and middle class money, making that a harder argument to sell. 

▪️Mount Pakenham is hurting after being forced to close because of lockdown rules. All ski hills in Ontario are deemed non-essential but ski-hills next door in Quebec – like hills in the rest of the country – are still open for business. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️Provincial investigation unit quizzing Ottawa Police over death of man in back seat of police car. The Ottawa Police picked up a man, reported as intoxicated, in front of the Hotel Elgin at 12:15 am Saturday. Officers decided to bring him to the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter, where shelter staff dicovered him unresponsive at 12:30 am in the car. Ambulance staff declared him dead at 1:17 am. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️Stuntman Stu is back on the air. The popular DJ had been hospitalised in May for a bone marrow transplant and has been since recovering. He began this morning with co-hosts Angie and Janel on MOVE 100. Which used to be MAJIC 100 until last week. [CFRA]

▪️The money diary of a 27 year-old who works in Brooklyn on US $97,000 per year but is quarantined in Ottawa. We're pretty sure that it is not CBC president Catherine Tait. [Refinery 29]

#LIVE HERE

Ottawa family homes

50 Buena Vista Road, Rockclifee Park

5 bed, 4 bath

This classic Rockcliffe property has five bedrooms across the second and third floors, a wood burning fireplace, and an extensive shady yard. There’s an attached garage and parking for three cars. 

$1,572,000

ReMax

5 Dossetter Way, Hunt Club

4 bed, 3.5 bath

Large detached family home with upgraded windows, floors, and kitchen. There’s a rec room on the lower level and a den on the main, so lots of opportunity to spread out.

$739,999

 

Royal LePage

18 Pebble Creek Crescent, Kanata

4 bed, 3 bath

This home has had plenty of updates including the furnace, insulation, and central air. The family room features a gas fireplace and throughout the home are hardwood floors and new plush carpet.

$680,000

 

David Resnick

831 Stallion Crescent, Stittsville
3 bed, 3 bath

Stittsville’s popularity isn’t slowing down. This townhome is close to everything and packs space and style for a growing family. The basement includes a rec room and there’s also a  roughed in bathroom on that level.

$559,900

 

Purple Bricks

337 Nonius Street, Kanata South
3 bed, 3 bath

An end-unit townhome with lots of upgrades, this house has 9’ ceilings, an open concept main level, and hardwood floors.

$599,900

 

Royal LePage

THE OTTAWAN

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