Hello Ottawa

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• 4,334

• – The number of tickets issued by Ottawa ByLaw on Monday to car owners who ignored the winter weather parking ban. 

• Josh Pringle at CTV

•  

OTTAWANS OF THE DAY

• Angela Jeffries and Orest Gawdyda   

• The two have both just been hired as business event managers at Ottawa Tourism. Jefferies, who most recently worked with Destination Toronto, will work international business events sales for Ottawa. Gawdyda, who came from the Regina Hotel Association, will liaise with Indigenous, government and unions, provincial associations, and national and provincial sports organizations.

• Canadian Meetings and Events Expo
   

QUOTE

• That station should be in downtown Ottawa

– Mayor Mark Sutcliffe giving his emphatic support on where to place the Alto High Speed Rail station. The former Union Station, which is currently being used by the Senate, is under consideration but the tracks have long been pulled up and developed. 

• Cameron Mahler at CBC

• 

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  WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

  No meetings Monday.

  Agenda

  

  WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

  🗳️ Economist and publisher of The 613 Neil Saravanamuttoo is mulling over running for mayor. He says that if he can get 1,000 people ‘who are willing to talk to neighbours, co-workers, friends, and community networks’ he can win.

  That puts the number of candidates for mayor potentially at four: Saravanamuttoo, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Kitchissippi ward councillor Jeff Lieper, and builder Alex Lawson. The election is October 26.  – Arthur White-Crummey at The 613

   

  ❤️ Sorry, there will be no Valentine’s Dinner at IKEA this year. Apparently the store has long had an affordable Valentine’s Day dinner that those who knew about it loved. Unfortunately IKEA is skipping it this year.
  
  May we suggest three alternatives: Farm Boy’s $99 take home Share The Love dinner for two, Beckta’s $80 per person Valentine’s Day Three-Course Meal Kit, and Meatings Valentine's Dinner for Two at Broadhead Brewing for $120. All will sell out quickly.

   

  🌙 Nuit Blanche Ottawa is seeking ideas from the public for its one-night-only intersection of art, technology, imagination, and the urban landscape. It is ‘inviting artists, collectives, organizations, and institutions to submit an idea or a project to take part in this new edition and imagine with us what the night can become’. Nuit Blanche is September 26, 2026. – Nuit Blanche

   

  ❤️ 🏒  It’s been nearly a week since our last Heated Rivalry update. We know you have been jonesing for more. 

  • Mayor Mark Sutcliffe declared yesterday as ‘Shane Hollander Day’ in Ottawa. Sutcliffe made the announcement yesterday evening at Prime Time, the Canadian Media Producers Gala held at the Westin. – Adam Beauchemin at CTV 
  • At the same gala, Prime Minister Mark Carney jokingly took credit for the success of the show: ‘I’m a politician, I’m not above taking credit for the Canadian funding that helped you share this story with the world. I may not have been here when the decision was made, but I am here now. I greenlit this thing. I stood up to the Americans.’  – National Post 
  • Even The Guardian has found a business conference held in Ottawa newsworthy.   – ‘Do the leg thing!’
  • And so has the New York Times.   – ‘The Secret Sauce in ‘Heated Rivalry’? Canada.’
  • Meanwhile, in the world of non-fiction, Ottawa Charge defenceman Ronja Savolainen is engaged to Toronto Sceptre defenceman Anna Kjellbin. It’s a real life Heated Rivalry, people!   – Natasha Baldin in the Ottawa Citizen 

   

  🚨 Court Circular

  • A report by the Ottawa Police Service Board says that crime in Ottawa was above the provincial average in 2025 but the severity had lowered. Parsing that, it means that there were more property thefts under $5,000, for example, but fewer shootings and  hate-motivated crimes. – Paula Tran in the Ottawa Citizen
  • Canadian Forces officers were ‘furious’ that the Ottawa Citizen reported on the sexual assault of a civilian worker at the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services canteen in Latvia. A report released after a freedom of information request from the Department of  Defence shows that rather than helping the woman, ‘military and department officials were more concerned about whether other news media outlets would follow the Citizen coverage and report on the sexual assault’. – David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen
  • A University of Ottawa criminology professor says last week’s shoplifting sting by Ottawa Police at a Bank Street grocery store which resulted in 12 arrests was a waste of officers' time. ‘I really doubt that (it’s connected to organized crime). I don’t think there’s a huge market for something like that. And arresting 12 people … To me, that’s laughable’.  – Paula Tran in the Ottawa Citizen

  

  THE DAILY POLL

  Is staking out a grocery store a good use of police time?

  🔘 Yes, stopping small crimes makes a difference in quality of life

  🔘 No, stealing food is bad but it’s probably being stolen by people who need it

  🔘 Policing a nice store on Bank Street is at lot easier than patrolling ByWard Market

  🔘 Maybe the police should embed themselves amongst those politicians at Queen’s Park, am I right? I’m here all week. Try the veal.

  • 
    Previously in ottawan polls:

  • We asked, ‘Is Ottawa the #1 large city in Canada?’

    • 4% Of course! There was never any doubt!

    • 73% Sorry, but no. Wishful thinking*

    • 17% My heart says yes but my mind, which has been to Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal, is a little more hesitant

    • 6% If Toronto says we are #1, then we are #1

    • 
      * THE OTTAWAN makes no representation that our fun daily poll is somehow scientific, but we have the feeling that someone somewhere gamed this. There were over one-third more votes than usual in yesterday’s poll.

    •  
      Commentary

  ▪️ “Ottawa is the most awesome of capitals where as Toronto is the capital of people who like to smell their own farts.”
  
  ▪️ “I’m from Montréal, so that’s where my loyalty lies, but Ottawa is a very close second. People unfairly dismiss Ottawa, but it’s a wonderful place to live.”
  
  ▪️ “How can we be number one without decent public transit???”
  
  ▪️ “If we had a functional and low-cost transit system, it would be a contender.”
  
  ▪️ “Ottawa is nice but we are still considered a government town and boring. I thought we hired a night mayor to address that?”
  
  ▪️ “Ottawa is eminently liveable for a large city and close enough to Montréal and Toronto to access huge city things. It's a great place to live.”
  
  ▪️ “All great cities and all in an undivided Canada.”
  
  ▪️ “Having been to Vancouver several times, I think Ottawa could be so much better! And I was born in Ottawa!! Sorry, not sorry!”
  
  ▪️ “Is Ottawa a ‘large’ city?”
  
  ▪️ “We’re not #1, but I couldn't tell you what actually is #1. Vancouver is expensive. Toronto is Toronto. Montréal’s highways are baffling. Calgary is in the Texas of Canada. At least we’re home here!”
  
  ▪️ “Love Ottawa but if only we could have decent public transportation.”​​​

  

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  Talisman Motor Inn T-Shirt The Beachcomber Room tiki bar at the Talisman Motor Inn was where Ottawa swingers could be found in the early 60s Help support the ottawan by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts. Shop for t-shirts

  

  THE ROLLING THREE DAY CALENDAR

  Is there an event we should know about?
  Please use our easy event submission form

  ✳️ Means change from previous edition

  FRIDAY

  • GBurger will be serving up chili cheeseburgers, raclette potatoes, and other delicious offerings at the Dominon City Brewing Co’s taproom, starting at 3:00 pm. Don’t forget to wash those flavours down with beer (alcoholic or alcohol-free). (East End)   

  • 🆓 Explore Indigenous art, music, and culture at Pibòn Festival in the ByWard Market. Today through Sunday. Today's highlight include a hide scraping demo and Round Dance Songs. (ByWard Market) 

  • The Canadian Culinary Championship’s Mystery Wine competition is uncorked tonight. (Downtown). 

  • Winterlude is here. Pick your location and take in the activities, and plan to return next weekend for more. Tonight, Sparks Street comes alive with DJs, ice sculptures, and installations. (SOPA)  In Confederation Park's Crystal Garden, check out more ice sculptures, grab a warming dinner from a vendor, try Cold Yoga, or sing a belter at Karaoke. (Downtown) Jacques-Cartier Park becomes Snowflake Kingdom, where you'll discover a very large winter playground with slides, a zip line, and interactive games. (Gatineau) And of course, go skating on the Rideau Canal. 
    
    ↪  🆓 Move between sites with the Winterlude Sno-Bus.  

  • Dance Theatre of Harlem performs a repertoire of classic works by George Balanchine and contemporary pieces by Artistic Director Robert Garland at Southam Hall, National Arts Centre.(Downtown)

  • Metalheads: rejoice in the two nights of Boomarchy Fest at Dominion Tavern tonight and tomorrow night. Bands leading the way tonight include Lucidity, Chest Hair Eagles, and Acid Riot. (ByWard Market)

  • It will cost you just a $5 to watch the Algonquin Wolves take on Centennial Cols in varsity basketball action. (CentrePointe)

  • Bring the family out for the C*4 Wrestling Big Chill event at the Preston Event Centre. (Little Italy)  

  • Nervous renovators should check out ‘How to Keep Your Reno From Going Off the Rails’ at the Ottawa Home and Remodelling Show. (YOW)

  • Karaoke is big in Orléans tonight. Connor’s Irish Pub & Eatery  and Stray Dog Brewing are both heating up the mics for you. (Orléans)

  Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema:  Arco, Vie Privée (A Private Life), Drunken Cinema: Repo! The Genetic Opera 

• Mayfair Theatre: Sound of Falling, No Other Choice, Faceless 

Gigs

• Funk Nite with Smelloship, Friendly Frogs Freak Show, DJ The Full Time Groove. House of TARG

• Sailing in January with The Fake McCoys, Rob Lauzen, Mike Murphy. Nepean Sailing Club

•  Beats’n Keys. Council Oak Stage, Hard Rock Ottawa

• The Sink album release party with guests Salem Trials. The 27 Club

• Kathy Griffin: New Face, New Tour. National Arts Centre

• Eddie Griffin: Live and Unleashed. Hard Rock Live

• Like A Rock as Bob Seger. Hard Rock Cafe

SATURDAY

• ✳️  Bring your questions and concerns about your dog’s behaviour to The Dog Guy, who will be consulting at Pet Valu Manotick.  

• ✳️  Palestinian Olive Oil in Canada are bringing products (Nabulsi cheese, traditional olives) to Ottawa for one day of tasting and shopping. (Fallowfield)  

• 🆓 Having started on Friday, the Winterlude Ice-Carving Exhibition continues under the big tent in Confederation Park.(Downtown)

• Bag a wedding dress at reduced prices as Opportunity Bridal - Wedding Dress Sale comes to Kanata. 

• Ottawa Celtic Choir will perform music from the Celtic nations and Canada. (Carleton Heights) 

• You’ll find more than 150 vendors at 613Flea. (Lansdowne Park) 

• 🆓 Performances start at noon and Indigenous fashion is featured in the fashion show at 3:00 pm as Pibòn Festival continues (ByWard Market)  

• Bring your work in progress to the Goth Colouring & Art Meet up, presented by Outsider Collective. Ottawa Art Gallery (Downtown) 

• Road Trip: Bring the kids for the colouring contest running all weekend at the Montague Winterfest, and enjoy skating, a sleigh ride, and other outdoor activities for the entire family. (Montague Township, Lanark County)  

• 🆓 Road Trip: Gather with likeminded souls to create a massive piece of art dedicated to nature at La Fab sur Mill’s DIAL - Dialogue with the Land. (Chelsea)  

• Even if you’re not particularly outdoorsy, there’s something at Winterlude to intrigue you. Visit the Winterlude Art Show at Capital Art Fair.(Sparks Street) 

• Ottawa Mystic Market at Next Door is marking Imbolc, a festival that somewhat optimistically celebrates the start of Spring. Continues tomorrow (Hintonburg or Little Italy, depending on your point of view)  

• The Parkdale Orchestra explores the work of William Shakespeare (The Othello Overture by Antonin Dvořák, Romeo and Juliette by Sergei Prokofiev and excepts from Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn) (Parkdale)  

• Local author Mary Hogan-Finlay signs copies of her new book The road Once Taken at Books on Beechwood (Vanier). 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Arco, Vie Privée (A Private Life), Iron Lung 

• Mayfair Theatre: Khartoum, No Other Choice,  Misery,  Saturday Night Sinema 

Gigs

• Just Us - Robert Claret and Diana. Hard Rock Ottawa

• The Pharcyde. Bronson Centre

• Justin Rutledge. Red Bird

• OK Naledi. The Robo Lounge

• Blues Double Bill: Angelica Jones Band and Joel Dupuis Blues Band. Rainbow Bistro

• Boomarchy Fest (Day 2). Dominion Tavern

• Mentallica (Tribute to Metallica). Overflow Brewing

SUNDAY

• 🆓 Watch the uber-fit Winterlude Triathalon participants as they skate for 7-8 km, cross country ski for 6 km, and run for 5 km. We hear that spectators will want to watch the skating leg on the Rideau Canal Skateway, and the end of the running and skiing segments at the Terry Fox Facility and Mooney’s Bay.  

• 🆓 Bring your favourite verses to the inaugural Ottawa Poetry Salon (Hintonburg)  

• 🆓 Winterlude Mini Pow Wow (11:00 am to 4:00 pm as opposed to the usual three or four days) at Museum of History (Gatineau) 

• Catch the hide scraping demos this afternoon at the Pibòn Festival (ByWard Market). 

• 🆓 Try the one-hour class by Modo Yoga Orléans at the Broadhead Brewery Warehouse. Then, take a tour of the brewery and sample the beer and snacks. Registration is required. (Orléans) 

• Kids can design their own bank notes at the Bank of Canada Museum. (Downtown) 

• A monthly drop-in series about Buddhism and Meditation begins at Nepean Centrepointe Library. $15 per session. (Centrepointe) 

• National Capital FreeNet presents a 30th anniversary screening of Hackers starting Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie. Admission is by $20 donation. (Old Ottawa South) 

• Every Sunday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm you can sit down with a cup of coffee and practice the art of beading at Beandigen Cafe's Beading Circle. (Lansdowne Park) 

• Harlem Globetrotters have been touring for 100 years, and your chance to view them has arrived. See them today at Canadian Tire Centre at 3:00 pm (Kanata) 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Arco, Vie Privée 

• Mayfair Theatre: Hackers, Sound of Falling, Faceless  

Gigs

• Sunday Afternoon. The Laff

• Winter Indie Folk Night. LIVE on Elgin

• Dirty Sheep with special guests Matinée, followed by the Sunday Night Revue. Irene’s Pub

• Femininomenon. The Laff

MONDAY

This is no ordinary Groundhog Day; it’s the 70th anniversary of the first appearance of Wiarton Willie in the Bruce Peninsula community. The legend has it that if Willie emerges from his burrow today and sees his shadow, we’ll have six more weeks of winter. Have you ever visited Wiarton Ontario? If you have a photo of the Wiarton Willie statue, send it in this weekend and we'll upload it to our socials on Monday.  

• 🆓 It will be soon (okay, months from now) tic time, bringing with it the threat of Lyme disease. Clinician-researchers from across North America will discuss the latest information on diagnosis, treatment, and management of the disease. This is a public-facing event before the start of the TickNet Canada scientific symposium taking place today and tomorrow at the Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau) Registration is required. 

• Today your admission to Canadian Museum of History includes access to Musical Mornings with Monkey Rock. Get up and boogie with your toddler.  

• Roll the golden dice and you could win up to 50% off your food bill, tonight and Tuesday in the fun new Dice & Dine Nights at The Soca Kitchen. 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Vie Privée, Arco, The voice of Hind Rajab

• Mayfair Theatre: Sound of Falling, Misery, No Other Choice 

Gigs

• The Barr Brothers, Land of Talk. The Bronson Centre

• Karaoke. Atomic Rooster

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

• The Apiverte Cooperative Hosting Program: A Year-Long Education in Beekeeping and Community could just be the sweetest Valentine’s gift ever. Designed for couples or small groups, it’s a full year of workshops, hands-on experiences, and mentorship, and all the honey and wax you produce are yours to keep. (La Peche) 

• It was announced this morning that Ottawa International Writers Festival will present author Michael Ondaatje in a discuss with Elizabeth Hay on March 3. Ondaatje will speak about In The Distance Of A Shout, his collection of poems spanning his 50 year career as a novelist, poet, and non-fiction writer. Seeing as the booking link was down earlier, we suspect this event may already be sold out. (Downtown)

• Venerable American punks Black Flag bring their cross-Canada tour to 27 Club on Sunday May 10. (ByWard Market) 

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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

• The Eganville Leader has a piece on the ‘long and storied history’ of the Douglas Tavern, which burnt down a fortnight ago in the eponymous town. The Diddly, as it was known to locals, was built in 1897 and originally known as ‘Congress Hall’.

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Comment of the Week: ‘Full of old news regurgitated from other sources two or three days later, me think it’s an NDP newsletter or Horizons Ottawa rag.’

THE END

the ottawan is written and edited every working weekday by Martha and Darren. Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email to us at hello@theottawan.com. We read every single comment.