Hello Ottawa

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• $100 million

• The amount of money that Hydro One will invest to build a new 11 kilometre, 115 kV transmission line and upgrade an existing line to 230 kV, to boost electricity availability in the Ottawa area – subject to approval by the Ontario Energy Board.

• – Pluang.com

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

• NP Thompson

• The author of the fantasy novel series, The Arcanium Saga, has launched an online-only author festival.

• The Canadian Fiction Fest begins June 21.

• – Mia Jensen in the Ottawa Business Journal

QUOTE

“

• That’s my only job, and I look at it from that standpoint, is what’s going to make Ottawa able to continue to have an NHL team and be proud of it and have a hundred-plus million-dollar US payroll and pay our fair share of taxes to all the governments

– Ottawa Sens owner Michael Andlauer, who says the team’s planned new area at LeBreton Flats is part of a larger vision.

– Andrew Wilimek at NHL.com

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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

THE DAILY POLL

Will you be taking part in Doors Open Ottawa this weekend?

🔘 Yes, I am a huge lookyloo

🔘 No, I’m not interested in what’s behind closed doors

🔘 I like the idea, but the place I’d like to see never opens (Write in comments!)

🔘 What’s really important is to see what is in our heart, and that doesn’t require a ticket

• 
  Previously in OTTAWAN polls:

• Are you in favour of the plan to link the downtowns of Gatineau and Ottawa by tram?

  • 28% Yes, it will be transformative

  • 25% No, the money could be better spent on improving existing transit

  • 21% What we need is a unified transit agency that will cover both Ottawa and Gatineau

  • 2% We need better and more bridges instead

  • 4% This will be a boon for the under 19s/over 18s to drink in Gatineau who won’t have to stagger back across the bridge like I did

  • 
    Commentary

▪️ “Right on buddy.”

▪️ “LONG overdue.”

▪️ “If done well it could relieve congestion on the bridges when commuting.”

▪️ “Let’s save $$ by combining OCTranspo and the Gatineau Transit organization. We do not need duplicate administrative expenses!”

▪️ “We need a unified transit system. Having worked on the Gatineau side it was frustrating that I couldn’t use my Presto card or phone to transfer to STO. I ended up having to get an STO card to get home.”

▪️ “If we invested a fraction of what we spend on widening roads and needlessly increasing car traffic into actual sustainable, efficient transportation like trams, we'd be so much better off.”

▪️ “Toll the bridges, too! Instant money maker and traffic reducer!”

▪️ “Ottawa-Gatineau should be separated from the provinces and managed federally like Washington DC.”

▪️ “It will be tramsformative*”

▪️ “Where is ‘downtown’ Gatineau?”

▪️ “Does Gatineau have a downtown?”

▪️ “If I could, I would also vote for more bridges. The last one built was in 1968 when the population of Ottawa-Gatineau was much much smaller. I would also like to see the tram go further than its present Elgin Street end terminal.”

HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

BNR 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

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✳️ Means change from previous edition

FRIDAY

• Road Trip: The Metcalfe Kioti Rodeo returns to Metcalfe for two nights of bull, bareback, and bronc riding, plus all the rodeo activities you've seen in the movies. Continues tomorrow night. 

• Manotick’s Dickinson Days is celebrating 50 years with a parade at 7:00 pm followed by police and fire demonstrations, a competitive basketball game, a nerf battle, and fireworks to top it all off at 9:00 pm. The festival continues over the weekend.  

• The line-up is all Canadian classic rock at Guitars & Gasoline Festival, tonight through tomorrow in Calabogie. Weekend passes and single tickets are available. 

• Performer, entrepreneur, and RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favourite Alyssa Edwards appears at Algonquin Commons Theatre for one night only. 

• Dance until midnight and meet artists on each floor of Canadian Museum of Nature at Nature Nocturne. 

• The Kickin’ It Country Barn Party Fundraiser for Eastern Ontario Resource Centre’s Emergency Food Cupboard is a great excuse to kick up your boots for some line dancing at the Just Food Farm Barn. Don't fret none if you don’t know the moves; the fun starts with a lesson on the dance floor. (Blackburn Hamlet) 

• Also in the Hamlet: community spirit and family fun are what the Blackburn Hamlet FunFair is all about (today through Sunday).  You'll be kept busy with inflatable rides, a wreck room, live music, a family movie night, and so much more. As for food, burgers, hotdogs and food trucks will ensure no one goes hungry. 

• With Saturday completely sold out and limited tickets remaining for today’s 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm session, the time is now to book your entry to Craft Beer Festival.

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Do You Love Me, Dossier 137, Blue Heron  

• Mayfair Theatre: Little Lorraine, Silent Friend,  Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter: 25th Anniversary 

Gigs

• Jinjer. Bronson Centre

• Candy Says, Thee Soreheads, Static. Avant-Garde Bar

• Matt Falvai Duo. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa

• Beats & Keys. The Robo Lounge

• Ed Lister Group. Night Oat

• Akeem Oh. National Arts Centre

SATURDAY

• 🆓 As part of Doors Open Ottawa weekend, Possible Worlds will be showcasing its programs and offering an afternoon of music and print. Noon to 4:00 pm at 2 Daly Ave (Downtown) 

• Buy some fresh local produce at Beechwood Market. (New Edinburgh) 

• The Clothing Swap at Next Door is raising funds for Cornerstone Housing for Women. Do a closet clear out of up to 10 gently used, laundered items, and pick up something new-to-you. 

• Take the rural route to some new art in the Red Trillium Studio Tour this weekend. (West Ottawa) 

• Join other Zumba lovers for a session in WC Bowes Park in Morgan’s Grant, tonight from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. (Kanata) 

• Road Trip: Enjoy the best in local entertainment at Priorpalooza Music Festival, plus activities for kids, a Train Show, a volleyball tournament, food, and beverages. (Arnprior) 

• Currently under threat of being sold by the City, Watson’s Mill in Manotick is included in Doors Open Ottawa this weekend, as is Dickinson House Museum,  the house once that once belonged to the original owners. The mill still operates as a water-powered flour mill. 

• 🆓 🏳️‍🌈 The Perth Pride Parade starts at 3:30 pm at Stewart School. 

• Dance Then Bed is an early set on the dance floor at The Robo Lounge. (The Glebe) 

• If you’re ready for more dancing, there will be plenty of disco, funk, and soul at Irene’s Pub care of The Electric Company. (The Glebe)  

• The Stairwell Carollers Choir’s Springtime a cappella concert sing religious and secular songs from across the centuries. (Centretown) 

• The Metcalfe Kioti Rodeo continues. 

Community Yard Sales:  Bargain hunters should make their way to these neighbourhood events, where the treasures will be on view from 8:00AM 

• The Big Kanata Community Garage Sale 

• The Great Centrepointe Community Garage Sale 2026 

• The Cumberland Community Garage Sale 

• The Great Greely Community Garage Sale 

• The Kitchissippi Community Yard Sale 

• Start at the Community Centre then work your way around the neighbourhood at the Manor Park Community Yard Sale 

• The Wild, Wild WESTboro Garage Sale is in one handy location, behind Dovercourt Recreation Centre  

• The Wychwood Garage Sale (Aylmer) 

• You can sleep later for the Carlington Community Plant & Yard Sale,which starts at 10:00 AM 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: The Art of Adventure, Do You Love Me, Backrooms, Transporting 4K Restoration  

• Mayfair Theatre: And The Rest Will Follow aka O Da Bir Şey Mi (back to back screenings), Silent Friend, Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter: 25th Anniversary 

Gigs

• Sussex. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa 

• Mindful Drones. Night Oat

• The Groovebug. The Black Sheep Inn (Wakefield) 

SUNDAY

• Doors Open Ottawa continues.

• Road Trip: Meet local Outaouais producers at Ferme Agricola Farm’s 4th Asparagus Festival. (Papineauville)  

• Red Trillium Studio Tour continues. (West Ottawa)  

• Art in the Park brings artists, musicians, storytellers, and other creatives to Village Square Park from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. (Stittsville) 

• Dickinson Days 2026 continues in Manotick. 

• Road Trip: With last weekend’s Priorpalooza being postponed until today and the opening of the Arnprior Market on John Street, Arnprior is going to be hopping. 

• Hunt for tapes (both VHS and cassette), LPs, games, and more at the Play it Again Retro Media Market (Little Italy). 

• Release a butterfly in memory of a loved one at Beechwood Cemetery's Butterfly Memorial Event 2026. (Vanier)  

• It’s your final chance to visit Blackburn Hamlet Funfair. 

• It was the top-grossing film of 1941 in Britain and it has the great Lawrence Olivier doing his best but butchering a French Canadian accent. Watch the highly entertaining 49th Parallel at the Mayfair Theatre on Sunday or Monday. 

• The fourth annual Public Works Big Wheels Expo allows kids of all ages to get up close and personal with very large vehicles. It's also a great place for those curious about a career in Public Works to come out and ask questions. Early birds will benefit too: starting at 10:30 am the first 100 people to arrive will receive free Ottawa Titans Baseball tickets to the game on Tuesday June 9.(Overbrook West)  

• 🆓 Nepean Creative Arts Centre’s Open House is a chance to experience live performances, demos, workshops, and art exhibits from resident arts groups. Donations for FAMSAC Food Cupboard welcomed. 

• Road Trip: The Annual Pride Flag Raising and New Community Marketplace are taking place at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: A Tribe Called Love, Blue Heron, Dossier 137 (Case 137), Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episodes 15-18  

• Mayfair Theatre: Mamma Mia Sing-a-Long, 49th Parallel, Kreshchatyk 48/2 -aka- Office of Magical Forces 

Gigs

• Tim Holehouse, Gab de la Vega, Fast Eddie, Fresh Brew. Avant-Garde Bar

• Sunday Songwriters. Art House 

• Legendary Sunday Afternoon Blues Jam. Rainbow Bistro

• The Sunday Night Revue. Irene's Pub

MONDAY

• Events are planned all over the city for Ottawa Innovation Week, today through Friday. If you're in the tech sector there's an event for you.   

• Take a free Argentine Tango Class with Siempre Tango Ottawa.(Chinatown)  

• Head to Hintonburg Public House for The Pixies night. 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: The Art of Adventure, A Tribe Called Love, Backrooms 

• Mayfair Theatre:  Little Lorraine, 49th Parallel, Class of 1984  

Gigs

• The 5-Star Monday Band. The Laff

• Karaoke Mondays. Atomic Rooster

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

• Kanata Sailing Club’s Learn to Sail programs for adults, teens, and children will suit anyone with an interest in getting out on the water. No experience is necessary. 

• Digital Arts Resource Centre’s Video Camp for Youth is more than 50% booked already. If you know a creative teen who would love this camp, book soon. 

• In just one week, Pique Festival #20 brings performances, workshops, panels, exhibitions, installations, and screenings to Arts Court (Downtown). Tickets are Pay What You Can.  

DEALS OF THE DAY

Canadian-made Hoodie Ponchos that are perfect for Dad are 20% off at Mini Tipi.   Select designs from sustainable fashion brand Connally Goods are $99 for a short time. All goods are made in Vancouver.   Use the code SUMMER to save 20% on stainless steel jewellery pieces from Bizou.

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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Ottawa’s Night Mayor wants to hear from everyone who works in the entertainment industry at night, those who work at night such as nurses,  taxi/transit drivers, construction workers, custodians, etc., those who run night businesses, and those who go out at night for fun.

The survey on the City’s engage page asks the usual stuff – what do you do, how much to you spend, what could be improved – but what amused THE OTTAWAN was the questions about ‘informal or unregulated nighttime activities or businesses’. Either the Night Mayor’s Office is looking to discover the extent of the illegal entertainment industry or they are trying to find new places to hang out on a Saturday night.

RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL

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.