STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• 73

• Where Ottawa is found on the 2026 World’s Best Cities Report, published by New York-based Resonance Consultancy.

• Number one is London. Number 72 is Valencia, Spain, and number 74 is Athens, for what it's worth.

• As for Canada, Toronto is number 17, Vancouver is number 41,  Montréal is number 46, and Calgary is number 81.

• World’s Best Cities

•  

OTTAWANS OF THE DAY

• Nina Berkhout, Denise Chong, and Emmanuelle Erny 

• The three have been annouced as the recipients of the 2025 Ottawa Book Awards and the 2025 Prix du livre d’Ottawa.

• The English fiction award went to  Berkhout for This Bright Dust. 

• The English non-fiction award went to Chong for Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur's Journey through Betrayal, Tyranny and Abuse.

• The Prix du livre went to Erny for Charlotte au pays des mots.

• City of Ottawa 

QUOTE

• “

• Lansdowne 2.0 is a perfect PR case study because it reminds us advocacy is not magic—it’s influence under constraint

• – Evan H Potter in his City of Ottawa Politics newsletter. Potter discusses the five reasons that opponents to Lansdowne 2.0 lost and how they can be more effective in the future. 

• City of Ottawa Politics

• 

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  WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

  Planning and Housing Committee
  Wednesday, November 19 at 9:30 pm

  • Build Ottawa 2024 - Annual Report
  • 2025 Affordable Housing Capital Strategy and Update
  • Gladstone and Gilmour Bikeway

  Agenda

  Plus the Committee of Adjustment meets at 1:00 pm

  

  WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

  ✈️ The Ottawa International Airport is fighting the approval of new homes under its flight path. Last June, City Council approved a development plan by Taggart Realty to build 660 homes at Riverside Drive and Hunt Club Road. At the time, the Airport warned councillors that the noise would generate complaints that one day could result in demands to limit flights. River ward councillor Riley Brockington says that he and the local community association support the housing development. The Airport is now taking the City to the  Ontario Land Tribunal. – Arthur White-Crummey 

   

  🏆 Nominations for the Arts Ottawa Award are now open. Like our own Best of Ottawa Awards, the name is flexible: nominees can live anywhere in the Ottawa – Gatineau region, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. Deadline for nominations is December 11.  – Arts Ottawa

   

  🔎 Data nerds will love the new Draft Budget 2026 Explorer published by the City. The Open Data staff have laid everything out: old budgets, budgets broken down by committee, all the different fees the City charges, and more. Don’t let the ‘data nerd’ epithet scare you: while the Explorer is not glossy, it’s also not a sales pitch. Just cold, hard numbers.  – Draft Budget 2026 Explorer

  ↪ One of the draft budget proposals is to allow City staff to set new parking rates at 15 city-owned parkades up to $8 per hour and to a maximum of $26 per day.

   

  ⚡ Canada’s largest battery storage project has started construction near Johnstown. When operational, the 30 acre site north of Dobbie Road will buy electricity from Hydro One cheaply at night and sell it back to the same utility during the day at premium prices. It’s expected that the Skyview 2 Battery Energy Storage System will power 400,000 homes. – Mark Buckshot in Ottawa Construction News

  A similar but smaller system has proven controversial in West Carleton with ward councillor Clarke Kelly telling the West Carleton Online that ‘ amalgamation has been a “miserable failure”’ because the City approved moving to the next step. A town hall presented by the company will be held at the Carp Agricultural Hall, Tuesday November 25 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

  But there’s more! The Carp Airport wants in on the battery storage business.  West Capital Power will be holding a virtual information session tomorrow, November 19, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

  

  THE DAILY POLL

  What do you think of approving housing under YOW’s flightpath?

  🔘 It’s fine. City Council would not approve something that residents would regret years later

  🔘 It seems obvious that the new homeowners will eventually complain about the noise and demand changes.

  🔘 No sympathy. It’s like people who move downtown for the vibrant lifestyle and then complain about the noise.

  🔘 Total sympathy. We’d still be breathing coal smoke and have construction on weekends if people didn’t demand change.

  • 
    Previously in ottawan polls:

  • We asked, ‘Did you watch the Grey Cup yesterday?’

    • 16% Yes, it doesn’t matter who is playing

    • 19% No. No RedBlacks, no viewing by me

    • 11% I would have but I had no idea it was on

    • 54% Sports is the opiate of the masses

  • 
    Commentary

  ▪️ “Actually I don’t watch televised sports except for hockey ... ”​
  
  ▪️ “Love Canadian Football! The 3 downs make it such a fast game. Hope they don’t go ahead with adopting US rules and play. This was a great game except for the disrespectful booing.”​
  
  ▪️ “The world is round, so I only watch roundball (soccer).”​
  
  ▪️ “I thought hockey season was just starting. 🤷🏻”​
  
  ▪️ “Don’t change too many rules and always an exciting game unlike the Super Bowl which is often a snore fest.”​
  
  ▪️ “We watched some of it, but then my own kids’ sports took precedence, and we went to that. Youth hockey was superior to what I saw onscreen.”​
  
  ▪️ “Born and Raised Saskatchewan Roughrider Fan WOOHOO WINNERS 🏈💚”​
  
  ▪️ “Still ‘bleed green’ even after being in Ottawa for 40 years!”​
  
  ▪️ “It's a family tradition, back in the day when it was an afternoon event.”​
  
  ▪️ “I’m not actually a hater I just don't watch football.”​​​​
  
  ▪️ “All I know about the CFL is the Argos suck (according to BA Johnston).”​​​​

  

  HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

  Nortel T-Shirt Northern Electric was founded in Montréal in 1895, growing into one of the world’s largest and most important telecom companies. Nortel hung up the phone in 2013. It's campus on Carling Avenue became the new home of the Department of National Defence. 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

  TUESDAY
  

  • Leave the office a bit early for a Winter Wander down Sparks Street. Enjoy the tree lighting with a free hot chocolate. 

  • Ukulele players: it’s time for another BUG Jam Live, at Ottawa Masonic Centre. 

  • Beginners and listeners are always welcome to the Tuesday Acoustic Guitar Singing Session at Brigid’s Well. 

  • ByTowne Cinema: Nouvelle Vague, Wrong Husband (Uiksaringitara), Detour: The Handmaiden      

  • Mayfair Theatre: Left-Handed Girl, It was Just an Accident, The Long Walk  

    Gigs

  • Men Without Hats. Algonquin Commons Theatre

  • Friends Trivia Night. The Prescott

  WEDNESDAY

  •  At today’s Doors Open for Music at Southminster, vocalist Rachelle Behrens sings Latin American Jazz in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, and is joined by Mark Ferguson (piano), Tom McMahon (bass), and Jose Monchito (drums). 

  • Liz Hogg plays classical guitar at Bar Robo’s regular Wednesday Night Swings.

  • The Peter Hum Trio leads the Night Oat jam session.

  • Odyssey Theatre’s Music Bingo Fundraiser is an 80s-era party, as the group launches its 40th anniversary season.  

  • ByTowne Cinema: Wrong Husband (Uiksaringitara), Nouvelle Vague, Restoration: Angel’s Egg   

  • Mayfair Theatre: The Next, Left-Handed Girl, The Long Walk   

    Gigs

  • Rare Groove Wednesdays. Atomic Rooster

  • Open Mic Night. Pour Boy

  • Pink Mountaintops, C. Ross. The 27 Club

  • Twilight Trivia Night. Small and Local Beer Co.

  THURSDAY

  • This one’s for the percussionists: Dave’s Drum Shop welcomes Karl Perazzo (Santa, Mariah Carey, Phish) for a drum clinic in-store this evening. $20  

  • Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater to the Jingle & Mingle event at Jac’s Boutique in Kemptville and enjoy draws, discounts, and treats all day. 

  • Elizabeth Young of Flowers Talk Tivoli will be running a festive hands-on wreath workshop at FieldHouse Event Space (303 Richmond Road). You'll sip on Canadian bubbles and wines as you style your wreath. 

  • Explore racks of new clothing by Reitman’s and Northern Reflections as well as gently used pieces donated by the community at the Unitarian House quarterly Clothing Sale. 

  • An Evening of Sin and Miss Patience Plush bring The Gay Agenda, a night of burlesque, drag, raffles, and pride, to a regular old Thursday night.   

  • Visit the Silver Spring Studio Christmas Market from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm today for handmade gifts that support the studio's creative arts program for people with developmental disabilities. 

  • ByTowne Cinema: Nouvelle Vague, Ciné-Cub d'Ottawa - Quand vient l'automne, Restoration: Angel’s Egg    

  • Mayfair Theatre: Left-Handed Girl, The Long Walk   

    Gigs

  • Sunday Club, Whisper Gang, Look Upon the Heart, Twin Turbo. House of TARG

  • Noise Hotel. Art House

  • The Free Label, Shebad. The 27 Club

  JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

  • Run away and join the circus: register now for winter courses at Ottawa Circus School. 

  • Weird Al Yankovik has announced a show at the Canadian Tire Centre, July 26. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10:00 am.

  

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  MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY

  Pay $35 for all-you-can-eat tacos at Fiesta & Tequila.

   

  Save 10% on holiday packs and gift boxes at Peace by Chocolate. This deal ends today.

  

  BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

  In the Kitchissippi Times, historian Dave Alston cooks up the story of Hintonburg pioneer Henry McCormick and his successful bakery. ‘The bakery specialized in shanty biscuits that were long lasting and could be carried into the woods with the workers.’

  

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  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.

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