Hello Ottawa
In Today’s Edition
→ OC Transpo admits that it has been cancelling buses and has not been meeting its own service standard
→ Natasha Mumba’s Copperbelt premieres at the NAC tomorrow
→ Deals of the Day on early bird tickets for the 30th Evening in the Maritimes seafood dinner and winterwear at Province of Canada
– Martha and Darren
STATISTICS OTTAWA
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– Where Ottawa is ranked on Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index 2026 of the best cities to live in North America. Second place was Tampa, Florida.
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In the world, Ottawa placed 28th. The Hague, Netherlands was ranked number one.
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OTTAWAN OF THE DAY
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Richard Birchett
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The Rockcliffe resident is a professional wildlife photographer with a special love of owls. View some of his spectacular photos here on his website.
QUOTE
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How is Ottawa’s new central library like the LRT? Delays, cost overruns and secrecy
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– The pretty funny headline on Brigitte Pellerin’s column in the Ottawa Citizen. Pellerin argues that the City has learned nothing about transparency from the troubled build of the O Train
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SPORTS -
🥍 NLL Ottawa Black Bears 11 – Halifax Thunderbirds 13, last Friday
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🏒 PWHL Ottawa Charge 4 – Vancouver Goldeneyes 2, last Friday
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🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 2 – Florida Panthers 3, last Saturday
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🏒 OHL Ottawa 67s 6 –Sudbury Wolves 4, yesterday
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🏒 OHL Ottawa 67s 1 – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 2, last Friday
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🏒 CHL Les Olympiques de Gatineau 4 – Charlottetown Islanders 3, yesterday
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🏒 CHL Les Olympiques de Gatineau 3 – Halifax Mooseheads 4, last Saturday
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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL
Committees of Adjustment
Tuesday, January 13There is one at 9:00 am and one at 1:00 pm. Don’t forget to bring your fancy hat!
WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT
💉 The winner of last May’s Ottawa Marathon has been provisionally disqualified from future runs after blood test results. Kenya’s Albert Korir was found to test positive for a synthetic form of erythropoietin, which is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. While it is unclear when the blood test was taken, Korir did not test positive for any drugs after his Ottawa victory. – Marley Dickinson in Canadian Runner
💰 Despite lowering property taxes on some older apartments, some landlords are maintaining the same rent. Under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, apartment landlords are required to reduce rent when property tax decreases by more than 2.49 per cent. The City reduced property tax on apartments built prior to 2001 by 4.5 per cent last May and wrote tenants informing them of the change. Some landlords say sure, property tax went down but other municipal charges increased. – Jayden Dill at CBC↪ The average rent for an apartment in Ottawa dropped to $2,173 from $2,188 in November.
↪ Ottawa house and condo sales increased in 2025 to 13,449 over 13,276 in 2024.
🚌 OC Transpo admits that it has been cancelling buses and has not been meeting its own service standard. OC Transpo General Manger Troy Charter made the admission in a memo to City Council. – Rachel Morgan at CityNews↪ Residents say that construction has made Grove Avenue too narrow for buses to continue yet they persevere anyway by driving on the sidewalk.
🚨 Ottawa Police pulled over a slow-moving vehicle on Strandherd Drive last Thursday. The driver was 13 years-old. The driver and two ‘similar aged’ passgengers were on a candy run, said Police. – Canadian Press
THE DAILY POLL
Does Ottawa have best quality of life in North America?
🔘 Yes, I’m a believer
🔘 Yes, but only because I think it is treasonous to not believe that
🔘 Not number one but better than most
🔘 No. Not even close
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Previously in ottawan polls: -
We asked, ‘Do you use a daytimer/agenda’
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37% Yes, I rely on it
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19% No, not necessary
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11% No. It was in my old daytimer to buy one but I forgot to look
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21% I prefer to live life unscheduled by the tyranny of a notebook
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Commentary
▪️ “I am mystified that anyone manages to ‘adult’ without looking at a calendar and agenda/to-do list at least half a dozen times a day.”
▪️ “Yes, I’ve used a daytimer for over 30 years, ever since high school. I also use a Google calendar, so even if I’m out and don't have my physical agenda with me, I can check what I've got going on.”
▪️ “Very important, I scan it first thing in the morning to plan my day and see the month ahead.”
▪️ “As a retiree I have found that there is no reason for an agenda. Take each day as it comes and enjoy life unencumbered by an agenda/daytimer. And yes, some things are missed but so what there is always tomorrow. Until there is not. LOL.”
▪️ “I use a digital version of a daytimer style angenda and journal.”
▪️ “I need to write things done or else I’ll forget.”
▪️ “I have used a daytimer for years. I like it much better than the calendar on my phone.”
▪️ “Not when you have a calendar in Outlook but I still write a to-do list in a notebook — that will never stop. Love checking things off!”
▪️ “Now that I’m retired, it’s not really an agenda, just the kitchen calendar. And every day is pretty full: how did I ever manage to work?”
▪️ “Team paper and pen! I’ve kept my old physical planners (20 years, even as a millennial). In the moment they keep me organized, and later it’s wonderful to look through the tattered planners and remember who I used to be.”
▪️ “I have nightmares about losing all my data in my cell phone agenda. I don't know how my life would ever be the same if something happened to it all! Fingers crossed that doesn't happen.”
▪️ “I am ‘old school’. I still buy my yearly ‘month-at-a-glance’ calendar because I like a visual of events occurring in one given month. I have been doing this for about 50 years. Like I said, I am ‘old-school’.
▪️ “Between my phone, computer and iPad who needs a book?”
▪️ “That’s what phones are for.”
▪️ “Yes, but it’s the Notes app on my phone and not a physical paper product.”
▪️ “Used to use them until about 15 years ago.”
▪️ “I use the calendar app on my phone to forget when my appointments are, not a physical book.”
▪️ “I rely on my agenda everyday and cannot live without it.”
▪️ “In my phone though, obviously.”
▪️ “Retired now, but a hold over. Helps me keep a routine.”
▪️ “If it isn't in Google Calendar, it doesn't happen. It's easy for the whole family to keep tabs on everything so nobody double books.”
▪️ “I use iCal on my phone. Everyone in the family sees everyone’s appointments, sports games, etc. I’ve trained my family to use it, and they do. Can't function in our busy family without it!”
▪️ “I still use a wall calendar lol! I like my planning old school.”
▪️ “I use my cell phone for a lot of organizing but I still use a DayTimer too. Things are recorded differently and are visually different on the two so combined.”HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS
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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
MONDAY
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✳️ The Ottawa Street Markets Farm Store is open today through Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Look for: fresh butter and dairy products from Biemond's Upper Canada Creamery (Iroquois, ON) and Golden Dawn (Alliston, ON), meat pies from Ottawa's Pie Rogues, flour and grains from Almanac (Ottawa), tofu products from Le Soyarie (Gatineau), and many, many more local products for kitchen and pantry. (Manor Park)
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Absolute beginners are welcome to take their first tentative steps on the dance floor at Jose Sandoval Dance’s Beginner Group Classes. No partner required. (Lowertown)
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Silent Book Club invites introverts to gather at Beyond the Pale Brewing Co’s City Centre location for (maybe) saying hello, ordering something delicious from the bar, and settling down for quiet reading time together.
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Are you seated comfortably? Ottawa Storytellers present an evening of story telling at the Barley Mow (Westboro). Suggested donation $10 per person
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: No Other Choice, Father Mother Sister Brother
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Mayfair Theatre: La Grazia, The Secret Agent, She Killed In Ecstasy
Gigs
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CG5: Too Many Songs Canada Tour (all-ages). Bronson Centre
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The 5-Star Monday Band. The Laff
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Karaoke Mondays. Atomic Rooster
TUESDAY
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Natasha Mumba’s Copperbelt takes audiences from a high-powered mining firm in downtown Toronto to Zambia’s Copperbelt region for a story about secrets, power structures, and familial expectations. Until January 24 at the National Arts Centre (Downtown)
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Ottawa Senators need your support in the stands as they face Vancouver Canucks.(Kanata)
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: Father Mother Sister Brother, No Other Choice
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Mayfair Theatre: The Secret Agent, La Grazia, Oldboy
Gigs
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Questionable Behaviour Trivia. Overflow Brewing
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Angela Verbrugge. Night Oat
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Trivia Night. Moose McGuire's (Hunt Club), the Robo Lounge (the Glebe). Broadhead Brewery (Orléans)
WEDNESDAY
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Doors Open for Music at Southminster features the John Dapaah Trio, who will interpret beloved hymns in a jazz-contemporary style.
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First Student buses are holding an Open Hiring event this morning. Bring your resume for on the spot interviews for School Bus Driver positions. (Cyrville)
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Experience a yoga session in the indoor tropical water garden at Aquatopia. (West of Carp)
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🆓 Tickets are going fast for the Beyond the Pale (City Centre) Wednesday Night Ottawa Euchre tournament.
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: No Other Choice, Father Mother Sister Brother https://www.bytowne.ca/whats-
on/now-showing/ -
Mayfair Theatre: La Grazia, The Secret Agent, She Killed in Ecstasy https://mayfairtheatre.ca/
schedule/
Gigs
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Happy Hour with Mike Manny. The Robo Lounge
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Jazz Jam Session. Irene's Pub
JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING
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Last January THE OTTAWAN ate our way through 10 competitors dishes at the Canadian Culinary Championships (it wasn’t easy; you have very limited time to sample all of the dishes, plus wine or cocktails before being ushered into the gala awards event). We still believe that Ottawa’s Chef Lizardo Becerra of Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine was robbed of the title (read our rundown here) but we recommend the experience to anyone with even a passing interest in the state of haute cuisine in this country. This year Chef Jason Sawision of Stofa Restaurant will represent Ottawa-Gatineau. Get your tickets now for mystery wine event on Friday night January 30, the Black Box on Saturday morning (wherein the competitors are given a mystery box of seven ingredients and one hour to create two dishes for the judges) or the the Grand Finale on Saturday night January 31. You won’t forget the experience. (Downtown)
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The winner of GCTC’s 50/50 Raffle is guaranteed $2,900.00 and everyone who buys a ticket can feel good knowing that they're supporting Great Canadian Theatre. With only one week until the deadline to buy tickets, you really shouldn't delay.
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With the world figuratively on fire, it feels like an excellent time to attend the White Wind Zen Community’s Authentic Zen Mindfulness Training on Saturday February 7.
MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY
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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...
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The only reason 21 year-old Tai How is not an OTTAWAN OF THE DAY is because you’re not really supposed to do this. "This" being making a ski jump across the Rideau Canal. Oh yes, there is a video.
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Also, How is a BCer now living in Montréal, so he’d be disqualified.
RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL
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THE END
the ottawan is written and edited every working weekday by Martha and Darren.
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613 229 6347 | hello@theottawan.comEmail sent to: newsletter@theottawan.com
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