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Thursday, February 24, 2022

The Ottawan

 

HELLO OTTAWA  

There is only one piece of important news from yesterday: Kathleen Edwards has quit Quitters! The singer-songwriter has owned and operated the Stittsville coffee institution since 2014.

Edwards started Quitters when she took a step back from her music career, it's now going the other way around. Almonte’s Equator Coffee mini-chain will take over March 8th.
 

In less passionate news ... 

Ottawa's Acting Police Chief Steve Bell says he is prepared for this weekend, just in case there is a flare up of Trucker protestors. The City remains in a state of emergency, although the Provincial and Federal governments have rescinded theirs. 

When asked about Police officers who supported the Trucker siege, Bell said ‘If you helped support the illegal occupation, there is no room for you within this organization’.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation says it has shut down 39 trucking businesses related to the siege, either by cancelling their operating permit or seizing their license plates. The City itself eventually towed 115 vehicles, they say.

The City figures that it cost $30 million to stand around for three weeks, and then send the siegers packing over a few days last weekend. City manager Steve Kanellakos says that he hopes that the Federal government will pay for most of that.

The O Train will be free for the next 30 days. The City intends to tack the $1 million cost of that onto the Federal Government's bill.

There will also be free parking at six city-owned lots to encourage people to go downtown. The lots are 210 Gloucester St., 234-250 Slater St., 422 Slater St., 70 Clarence St., 142 Clarence St., and 110 Laurier Ave. W.

In 2013, Apartment 613 commissioned artist Steve St Pierre to create a poster in support of Ottawa. Today, Apt 613 is re-releasing it as a print-at-home download for your own window.

Get yours here.

 

We'll see you tomorrow – Martha and Darren


? Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email to us at hello@theottawan.com. We read every single comment.

STATS

Weather: ☀️ Sunny. High of -9°, low of -14°. 

Number: 1.1%. The rental vacancy rate in Gatineau, which is being squeezed by work-from-home Ontarians who like the cheaper rent. The vacancy rate in Ottawa is 3.4% [CBC]

Ottawan of the Day:  Alain Miguelez. The 20-year planner with the City of Ottawa has moved to the National Capital Commission as vice-president of capital planning and chief planner. One of his main projects will be assistings in the new tram run by the Société de Transport de l’Outaouais, which will connect downtown Ottawa with downtown Gatineau via the Portage bridge.  [Ottawa Business Journal]

Quote: ‘I’m living with my phone’ – Massage therapist Oleg Volchay, whose sister and parents are living in Ukraine. Ottawa City Hall is today flying the Ukrainian flag in solidarity.  [Ottawa Citizen] [International Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Donations]

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SOME WEEKEND THINGS, SOME FUNDRAISING

▪️Sadly, this Saturday (February 26th) will be the final day at Lot 7, the vintage home furnishings destination at 1000 Wellington West. Pay them a visit and you just might find that perfect accessory or piece of art for your home. 

▪️Congratulations to Ten Toes Coffee, who forgot their second anniversary recently (can’t blame them, there’s been a lot going on). Yes, that means they opened their original location, 1109 Cyrville Road in Gloucester, at the start of the pandemic. Since that time they’ve served a lot of coffee, tea, craft beer, and sammies to their devoted fan base, and they also opened a second location at 593 Bank Street. Congrats, Ten Toes! 

▪️Local artist/illustrator Katie Sheedy has been raising money for High Jinx with the sale of a really cool print entitled “Centretown, I love you.” You can get a print-ready pdf copy for yourself just by sending her a screenshot of your donation to Highjinx. Easy. As of a few days ago she’d raised $3000. Visit her Instagram feed to view the special print and her other work. 

▪️In other amazing fundraising news, Second Hand Stories, the online used book shop, donates all of its profits to the animal rescue Sweet Sanctuary. So far the bookseller has raised $20k, but they’re not stopping now; they want to reach $50k by the end of 2022. With all the books priced at $5 and under, that’s an ambitious goal. But hey, the Ottawan’s bookshelves are looking a little sparse, how about yours? 

▪️With Second Valentines approaching on March 14th, the Wellington West BIA’s Big Heart Challenge deadline has been extended. It’s a healthy stroll combined with an opportunity to support the businesses along Wellington West. Register for the Big Heart Challenge and walk 2km a day for 14 days, or the Mini Challenge, which is a one-time 2km walk. Either way, you’ll be doing good things for your heart and for business owners in your city. 
 

Tonight

▪️Campaigning journalist Nora Loreto discusses her new book Spin Doctors: How Media and Politicians Misdiagnosed the COVID-19 Pandemic in a virtual session with Octopus Books. 7 pm.

Saturday

▪️613 Flea returns to the Aberdeen Pavillion. Free entry, 10 am - 4 pm.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Information is as of this morning. Changes are relative to yesterday.
 

ONTARIO

hospitalizationschangein icuchange
1,066? -40302? -17
caseschangedeaths
1,093,930?2,40412,347 ? 41
  
? Eligible people vaccinated with one dose (5+)84.8% 
? Eligible people vaccinated with two doses (5+)

84.9%

? All people in Ontario with third dose46.7%


Ontario COVID Page    Ontario Vaccine Rates 

QUEBEC

hospitalizationschangein icuchange
1,604? -6896? -6
caseschangedeaths
917,279?1,51713,931 ? 28
? Eligible people vaccinated with one dose (5+)91.3%
? Eligible people vaccinated with two doses (5+)86.4%
? All people in Quebec with third dose48%


Quebec COVID Page     Quebec Vaccine Rates



OTTAWA

hospitalizationschangein icuchange
16?12? 0
cases changedeaths
62,224? 187

754 ? 0

? Eligible people vaccinated with one dose (5+)

912,663 (92%)
? Eligible people vaccinated with two doses (5+)870,592 (88%)
? Eligible people vaccinated with three doses (18+)534,077 (63%)


Ottawa Public Health     Ottawa Vaccination Rates.    Ottawa Wastewater 
 

OUTAOUAIS 

Information has not been updated for today. This is yesterday's info.

hospitalizationschangein icuchange
27? -16?2
caseschangedeaths
35,051?70286 ? 0
  


As of February 22, 2022 Updated Weekly

? Eligible people vaccinated with one dose (12+) 89%
? Eligible people vaccinated with two doses (12+)86.7%


Outaouais Public Health    Quebec Vaccination Rates
 

EASTERN ONTARIO HEALTH UNIT

The Health Unit is changing the way they report. In the meantime, they are reporting only selected information. 

hospitalizationschangein icuchange
10? 21? -1
active caseschangedeaths
-? -194 ? 0


Eastern Ontario Health Unit.   Daily Stats  

 

COVID-19 NEWS

⭕ Omicron has a subvariant named BA.2, which is rising in Canada. However, experts think that the high vaccination rate of Canadians against COVID-19 will not result in BA.2 creating a surge. BA.2 is considered easier to spread but it's not yet clear if its harm is different. [CBC]

⭕ Quebec City-based Medicago has had their COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada. This one is derived from plants, which is good for people allergic to the other shots or are put off by the Trudeau Foundation taking 40 per cent of the profits of other vaccines. (Obviously, that part is not true but it was on Darren's Facebook this morning. Sigh.) [CBC]
 

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WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️The Rideau Canal skateway between Somerset and Bank streets has reopened. The skateway has been closed for a week due to mild weather conditions. The National Capital Commission expects to open the Bank Street to Hartwells Locks section tomorrow. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️The City’s Planning Committee has approved extending Robert Grant Road in Stittsville through empty land to create another major throughfare. Stittsville has Terry Fox road north of it, and has Stittsville Main Street running through the heart of it. The extention would create a new main road parallel to both, through undeveloped land between Abbott Street East and Hazeldean Road. [City of Ottawa

▪️Ottawa Sportspages has a round-up of all the Capital Region Olympic athletes’ milestones from the recent games. Too much detail to summarize but sports pedants, have at it.  [Ottawa Sportspages]

▪️The City has released its recreation and arts spring eGuides. Now that the community centres have reopened, it's time for sports and arts classes. [City of Ottawa]
 

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