STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• 1,360 

• The number of times that one of Ottawa’s 18 public electric vehicle charging stations were used in June 2024 (the most recent date available). In February 2022, the number was only 56.

• Thuy Anh Nguyen and Samantha Carrillo Brito in Capital Current

•  

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

• Kiana Simmons

• The artist has taken on proprietorship of the Ottawa Miniature Gallery from its founder, Jennifer Anne Kelly.

• After an open invition for tiny art, the gallery has unveiled its first exhibition in quite awhile in the gift shop of the Ottawa Art Gallery today. It will run until January 30. Watch your step.

• Nickie Shobeiry at CBC
   

QUOTE

• “

• Will council be back in a decade with Lansdowne 3.0, promising that, even if their plans keep failing, this time they will fail better?

• – The final line of a pretty devasting editorial in today’s Globe and Mail which had many straight talking lines.

• Such as this one: ‘The city report on Lansdowne 2.0 talks up the importance of the site to Ottawa’s economy and civic life, and how Lansdowne 1.0 helped turn a sports venue surrounded by parking lots into a destination. That’s a good city-building outcome. However, the fact remains that Lansdowne 1.0 did not make enough money to cover its capital and financing costs.’

• Or this one: ‘That should have been a major red flag. But instead of treating the follow-up plan with much greater skepticism, councillors committed the city to a very long-range deal built on a foundation of hope, rather than evidence.’ 

• ‘The City of Ottawa’s Hail Mary plan for redevelopment’ 🔒 We rarely link to articles that are paywalled but this one was a doozy.
   

SPORTS

• 🏒 PWHL Ottawa Charge 1 – Toronto Sceptres  3, yesterday

• 🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 2 – New York Rangers 4, yesterday

• 🏒 CHL Les Olympiques de Gatineau 2 – L’Oceanic de Rimouski 3, yesterday

• 

  PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN

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  WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

  Environment and Climate Change Committee
  Monday, December 8 at 10:00 am

  • 2026 Draft Operating and Capital Budget – Environment and Climate Change Committee
  • Financial Statements for In-House Solid Waste Collection – External Audit Results
  • Status Update – Environment and Climate Change Committee – Inquiries and Motions for the Period Ending 27 November 2025

  Agenda

  

  WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

  🏌️ The Province announces two new secondary schools for Ottawa. The Ottawa Carleton District School Board will get Half Moon Bay Secondary School in Barrhaven area, for 1,474 students. The Ottawa Catholic School Board will get Mer Bleue high school in Orléans for 1,439 students.

  During the announcement, Education minister Paul Calandra made two other statements worth keeping an eye on. One, Bill 33, passed last month giving him the power to transfer under-utilized schools from one school district to another school district and two, he doesn’t see the currently sidelined elected Ottawa Carleton school trustees returning anytime soon. – Joanne Laucius in the Ottawa Citizen

   

  🦾To mark International Volunteer Day, the National Capital Commission has posted a list of volunteer positions it has available. There are a good variety of inside and outside jobs for people who’d like to get more involved. Suggested are: Archaeology Volunteer, Citizen Science Volunteer in Gatineau Park, Friends of Gatineau Park Volunteer, Mackenzie King Estate Volunteer, Gatineau Park Trail Patroller, Trail Maintenance in Gatineau Park, and Maplelawn Garden Gardener . – National Capital Commission 

  ↪ A new report from the National Capital Commission says that people believe the top potential benefit of building a new bridge across Kettle Island would be to remove trucks from downtown. 

  ↪ We’ve added the National Capital Commission’s podcast, Capital Stories, to our constantly updated and curated Made-In-Ottawa Podcast list. The latest edition follows NCC conservation officers ‘Into the wild’.  

  
  🛒  Every week, @stromanker reads all the grocery store flyers and posts the deals on Ottawa Reddit. This week he highlights beef tenderloin ($16.75/lb at Super C), oranges ($2.88/3lb at Giant Tiger), and canned tomatoes ($1.22/796mL at Maxi). – /Ottawa  

   

  🚨 Court Circular

  ◾ A Stittsville man has been arrested by Peel Police in connection with a $1.6 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme. Police say that victims believed they were investing in cryptocurrency and given fake online accounts that showed excellent growth. In reality, the money was lost.  – Lucas Casaletto at CityNews

  ◾ The Ottawa Police Service charged a man on the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge with stunt driving who said he was speeding because he had a traffic court date in L’Orignal, 100 km away. – Ted Raymond at CTV

  

  THE DAILY POLL

  Do you use Amazon?

  🔘 I use it regularly

  🔘 I rarely use it

  🔘 I have never used it

  🔘 I only buy from/use non-American businesses (except when there are no reasonable alternatives)

  🔘 Where can I find more about this anarcho-syndicalist collective of which you speak?

  • 
    Previously in ottawan polls:

  • We asked, ‘What kind of Christmas tree will you use?’

    • 1% I cut my own

    • 8% I buy it from one of the fundraiser lots

    • 8% From a supermarket/big box store

    • 64% I’m proud of my artificial tree, regardless of Charlie Brown’s opinion

    • 19% So you think everyone celebrates Christmas, do you OTTAWAN? For shame, for shame.

  • 
    Commentary

  ▪️ “Reuse my artificial tree and reduce waste and leave a real tree live another year!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “We gave up Christmas years ago. When the children grew up, it seemed pointless. I can’t tell you how MUCH I love this time of year now!! No stressing about gifts, cards, lights ... I feel soooo FREE!!!! And, rich!!!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Real trees are nice but too expensive. I got my artificial tree free on my neighbour[hood] buy nothing group 4 years ago and it’s perfect for me.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “I always got a real tree but now it is just too much work and messy so I just bought a prelit 7 ft tall tree at Canadian Tire and I love it! So much easier. The last real tree I bought was almost $100!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “I celebrate Christmas, but not with a tree.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “We have a indoor pine tree pot and use it year after year for Christmas.”​​​ 
  
  ▪️ “We bought a tree from Michaels with lights. It is small but the price was right! Always ask about seniors discounts. Some start at 55!! YAH!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Nice trees but getting expensive at $70.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Normally, we put up a fake tree. This year, we’re going out of the country, and we decided not to decorate. Sad but a load off!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Easy to assemble when I want and take down when I want, no needles to be vacuuming again and again into spring. Love the scent of real but hate setting it up.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “An artificial skinny tree for me. No room for a larger tree.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Sorry, but I bought my mini real tree from Metro, it was a very reasonable price compared to any of the lots.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Artificial tree is the way to go. Reuse year after year. I love it!”​​​
  
  ▪️ “We cut our own Christmas tree and then after January 1st it goes out in the garden for the sparrows and chickadees. Afterwards we break it down into the compost. It feels biodynamic.”​​​
  
  ▪️ “Thomas’s tree farm was incredible!! Our problem was deciding which tree to buy, they were all awesome!!”​​​

  

  HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

  The last day for orders that could possibly make it for Christmas is Monday, December 8.

  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

  FRIDAY

  •  CBC’s All In A Day with Alan Neal will be broadcasting live from St. Laurent Shopping Centre  from 3 to 6 p.m. Stop by and enjoy live performances, and explore the All In A Day Book Club used book sale, with all proceeds going to the Ottawa Food Bank.  

  • Hiking Through Your Mind (Ottawa) will be meeting for a walk along the easy main loop in Torbolton Forest at noon. (Constance Bay) 

  • Be the first to see the premieres from the 60-Day Filmmaking Challenge, meet the creatives, and celebrate another year of incredible creativity in Ottawa at  the 21st Digi60 Filmmakers' Festiva. (Downtown) 

  • If you’re mystified about the decisions made by city planners, check out Our Neighbourhoods, Our Say: Planning Basics for a Caring City at Rideau High School. The workshop, by City for All Women Initiative and the Peoples Official Plan, will cover the basics in city planning and zoning, and much more. 

  • Ottawa Swing Dance Society’s regular Friday Night Lesson becomes the Snowball Ball if you dress in the theme colours of white, silvers, blues, or cozy textures (and you'll save on the door entry price too) (Sandy Hill).  

  • If Salsa is more your jam, drop in to Rahim Salsa Friday. No experience necessary, and no outdoor shoes allowed. (Sandy Hill) 

  • Station 71 rural firefighters’ Lite the Nite is about cookie decorating, hot chocolate, the man in red, and one stupendous tree lighting. (Navan)  

  • Urban Legends Poetry Collective presents Scribbling’ in the Margins, the BIPOC Poetry Slam. PWYC at the door (suggested donation of $10) (Tunney's Pasture).  

  • Get all the festive feels with Sing the Messiah at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre 6:00 pm.

  • It will be a Magical Christmas Evening at Robert Plante Greenhouses, with live music, a guest appearance by the Grinch, and special sales. (Navan) 

  • Cumberland Heritage Village Museum brings the holiday season of the 1920s and 30s to life. Look at the displays and try your hand at gingerbread cookie decorating (Cumberland) 

  • Have a retro good time at Starships: 2010s Dance Party Ottawa Launch. (Downtown) 

  • The weekly Gloucester Holiday Night Market returns for shopping with local businesses, artisans, and makers. (Gloucester) 

  Cinema

  • ByTowne Cinema: Sentimental Value, One Battle After Another, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

  • Mayfair Theatre: The Baltimorons, The Mastermind, Tangerine

  Gigs

  • Rock Out For Jack. The Brass Monkey

  • Scorching Tomb, Bruiserweight, Mortal Rites, Skull Gate. House of TARG

  • Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Elizabeth Copeland, Issy Rose. Bronson Centre Music Theatre

  • Same Fears, Gallowspine, Pity Fountain. The 27 Club

  • The RockPhiles Live! Busters Bar & Grill

  SATURDAY

  • ✳️ Celebrating 35 years, Santa Shuffle Fun Run and Elf Walk supports the Salvation Army (Lansdowne Park).

  • ✳️ Dominion City Brewing's Xmas Night Market has 45 vendors, an open fire, snacks, music, and of course great beer. Bring a cash or non-perishable donation for the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard. (Gloucester) 

  • ✳️ Local farmers and vendors supply the goods at the Just Food Farm Stand Local Flavours Holiday Market. Continues tomorrow (Gloucester).

  • ✳️ Watch short films from this year’s 60-Day Challenge at Digi60 Digital Filmmakers Festival (Downtown). 

  • Caithream Celtic Dance Fusion returns with their popular Celtic twist on Dickens' classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol, told through dance. Two performances today and one tomorrow. (Orléans)  

  • Royal Winnipeg Ballet performs a Canada-ccentric version of The Nutcracker, with performances until Sunday.

  • Do ghosts celebrate Christmas? Feel a shiver run down your spine at the Bytown Museum's Nightmare Before/After Xmas Ghost Tours (Downtown).

  • Take the kids on a trip into the past as the Nepean Museum explores  Christmas in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s (Nepean).

  • Roast marshmallows over a campfire, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and skate on the Rink of Dreams (bring your own skates) at the Mayor's 23rd Annual Christmas Celebration.

  • Take a break from holiday mayhem with a trip to the Sensory Program – Hands-On History at Goulbourn Museum (Stittsville). 

  Road Trips

  • It’s the final Pews Monthly Market in charming Merrickville. Stop by for locally handcrafted creations, baked treats and art. (Merrickville)   At the same time, check out Christmas in Merrickville with its hay rides, hot dogs, and marshmallows, extended shopping hours, and more (Merrickville, ON)

  • Visit Smiths Falls or Brockville for the Gemmell’s Garden Centre Handmade for the Holidays events (9:00 am to 4:00 pm). (Brockville, ON and Smiths Falls, ON)   

  • Johnie’s Vintage will hold its Christmas Party, where you’ll find vintage gifts and treasures, snacks, and deals from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. (Arnprior, ON) 

  • You’re bound to find a treasure or two at the Army Navy and Air Force (ANAF) 3rd Annual Sip N Shop. (Carleton Place) 

  • Pakenham Santa Claus Parade is at 1:00 pm  (Pakenham)

  • Sustain 2, The Sun Through a Telescope, Level of Existence, They Grieve, High Grove. House of TARG

  • Soak up the country vibes at Richmond Village Christmas Parade. (Richmond) 

  • The shopping has an old-world charm at Watson’s Mill & Dickinson House Christmas Market. You'll find 35 vendors as well as a used book store on site (Manotick)  

  • 🆓 Bicycle Craft Brewery’s 12th Annual Holiday Toast is a day of new beers – and mulled beer! – , live music, and food by local purveyors. Dog friendly (Industrial Ave.). 

  • Face the colder weather head on at Orléans Brewing Co’s High Gravity Fest, featuring high ABV brews from 10 Ontario Breweries, an après-ski vibe, and a live DJ. Did we mention it's outdoors? Dress warmly (Orléans). 

  • Find local vendors, activities for the kids, and entertainment at the Orléans Holiday Arts Market. (Orléans).

  • The third annual Urban Art Collective Not Your Typical Holiday Market runs both days this weekend at Zibi on Albert Island with food, drinks, live painting, and surprises.

  • More than 90 vendors are waiting to serve you at the Eastern Ontario Craft & Gift Market (Nepean Sportsplex). 

  • Ottawa Farm Fresh’s Winter Market is a cozy affair with vendors, treats, and a rural vibe.  (Gloucester)  

  • There are more countrified good times in store at the Cumberland Farmers Market Christmas Market. It’s spread across four locations within Cumberland Village, is partially pet-friendly (check event description), and is a great place to finish (start??) your Christmas shopping. (Cumberland)  

  • Entry is Pay What You Can at the Move Over Martha Get Stuffed Market on Wellington Street, where proceeds will go to Highjnx. (Different Martha, btw - editor). (Downtown)

  • Cumberland Heritage Village Museum brings the holiday season of the 1920s and 30s to life. Look at the displays and try your hand at gingerbread cookie decorating (Cumberland) 

  • Christ Church Cathedral presents A German Christmas Celebration, in collaboration with Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (Downtown).  

  • Meet the brewing team from Kichesippi Beer at The Commons Ottawa.

  • Author David McNally discusses his new book Slavery and Capitalism with Adrian Harewood at Octopus Books.

  Cinema

  • ByTowne Cinema: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio, Edward Scissorhands with live burlesque     

  • Mayfair Theatre: The Polar Express, The Thin Man, The Mastermind, Bugonia     

  Gigs

  • One Night Stand Dance Band. Bar Robo

  • The Tea Party, Headstones, Finger Eleven. The Arena at TD Place

  SUNDAY

  • Once you’ve shopped til you’ve dropped at the Overflow Brewing Holiday Market, remember that the kitchen and bar will be open all day to restore you (Heron Park). 

  • Come in from the cold to the 613 Merch Matinee Show and Xmas Market at Irene’s Pub (The Glebe). 

  • The Paskong Pinoy sa Ottawa is a Filipino-flavoured Christmas market at the National Arts Centre (Downtown). 

  • Visit Preston Event Centre for 2025 Mochitsuki, a Japanese experience with desserts, performances, and food (Little Italy).

  • Local farmers and vendors supply the goods at the Just Food Farm Stand Local Flavours Holiday Market Gloucester).

  • Entry is by donation for Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue at Gifty’s Local Market (Little Italy). 

  • uOttawa Choir will lead the carols at the Beechwood Cemetery Christmas Candlelight Service (Vanier).

  • Take an afternoon off the holiday mayhem and soak up the rock vibes at the annual School of Rock Orléans Christmas Benefit Show at the Brass Monkey. You’ll be supporting Community Compassion Centre Food Bank (Arlington Woods). 

  • Cumberland Community Singers, Atlantic Voices, and C5 choirs present a festive evening of Christmas music and singing (Orléans).

  • Enjoy a relaxed night out at Trio Bistro’s Holiday Wine Tasting (Westboro). 

  • 🆓 The OrKidstra Heron Gate Holiday Concert will warm your heart (Alta Visa).

  • Support some of Ottawa’s hardworking dog rescues at the Top Dog Ranch dog-themed Christmas Market (Dunrobin). 

  • Santa will be popping by the 6th Annual Westboro Beach Community Winter Holiday Parade and Food Drive (Westboro Beach).

  • Bring a cash donation, gift card, or a new and unwrapped toy for the Creating Christmas Magic event at Vanier Museopark (Vanier). 

  • Planet Botanix Open House offers incense giveaways, samples, astrology, Tarot mini readings, and more.   

  Road Trips

  • The totally off-grid Ar Bru Solar Brewery in Mallorytown hosts a Christmas Market.

  • Bring cash to Christmas in the Valley, Wayne Rostad’s down-home festive concert. During intermission and at the end of the show, collections will be taken for local food banks. Or bring a new, unwrapped toy and place it under the tree in the lobby. 

  • Head just East of Ottawa to the Holly Jolly Holiday Market at the RiverRock Inn in Rockland Ontario.  

  Cinema

  • ByTowne Cinema: The Stitching Hour: The Grand Budapest Hotel (bring your current knitting project), One Battle After Another, Aliens (Theatrical Cut)      

  • Mayfair Theatre:  Sunday Morning All-You-Can-Eat-Cereal Cartoon Party – Holiday Season Edition!, U Are The Universe, Bugonia

  Gigs

  • Ultra Love, Underwater Basket Weaving, Zuzu Bailey, Curl. House of TARG

  • Sunday Night Revue. Irene’s Pub

  • The Barrel Boys. Red Bird

  MONDAY

  • Make it an East Coast Christmas with the Barra Macneils. (Nepean) 

  • Get up on stage at the Art House Open Mic. 

  Cinema

  • ByTowne Cinema: Closed for new projector install

  • Mayfair Theatre: The Mastermind, The Thin Man, Bugonia       

  Gigs

  • Karaoke Mondays. Atomic Rooster

  • The 5-Star Monday Band. The Laff

  • Insider Trading. Beyond the Pale Brewing Co (City Centre location)

  JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

  • Book your place at the Softcover Journal Bookbinding Class with Paste ’n’ Paper. January 9. (Nepean) 

  • Why does [your] heart cry? Doesn’t it know that you can now purchase presale tickets to the Broadway Across Canada production Moulin Rouge (May 17-21, 2026) (Downtown)

  • English comedian and presenter Jimmy Carr plays the Arena at TD Place in October 2026 (Lansdowne Place) 

  

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  MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY

  Save 10% at Robert Plante Greenhouses tonight only, at the Christmas Evening event (live music, special guests, and more). 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

   

  Give the gift of unforgettable live music this season with an Ottawa Jazz Festival e-gift card. For a limited time, when you spend $150 or more on OJF e-gift cards, you’ll receive two free digital drink tickets for the festival.

  

  BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

  Sheila Brady in the Ottawa Citizen has photos of the work of four florists in ‘Holiday decor: From the perfectly simple to the perfectly dramatic’. Flowers Talk Tivoli did ‘Christmas re-imagined’, Stoneblossom Floral Gallery did ‘Simply dramatic’, Mood Moss Flowers did ‘Welcome home’, and the Planted Arrow did ‘Tasty treats’.  

  

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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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