STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• $500,000

• – The amount of money that Kathleen Grimes and  Ersin Ozerdinc have donated to the  Montfort Hospital’s Mental Health Emergency Zone.  The Emergency Zone has been getting much attention due to its unique design and staffing for patients in psychological distress.

• The wife and husband Grimes and Ozerdinc own escavating company Site Preparation Limited.

• Marissa Glako in the Ottawa Business Journal

• ↪ Mental health crisis centre Centre d'aide 24/7 in Gatineau will be closing its doors Friday after its funding runs out.

•  

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

• Dusty Belisle

• The ‘King of Christmas Trees’ has been selling for 40 years from his vintage trailer. He says that these days he’ll sell about 500 but before the wide acceptance of artificial trees, he would sell several thousand real trees each Christmas.

• You can find Dusty’s Corner at the old school – and now closed – Dairy Queen at  near the intersection of Merivale Road and Clyde Avenue. 

• Micah Petti in Capital Current
   

QUOTE

• “

• It’s not just about planting trees, it’s about maintaining the trees that we have. It’s about watering the trees that we have

• – The response from City staff to councillors on the Environment and Climate Change Committee about why the City has missed its targets for new trees.

• Anna Dodd at Compass News
   

SPORTS

• 🏒 WPHL Ottawa Charge 1 – Vancouver GoldenEyes 2, yesterday

• 

  PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN

  the ottawan was launched in 2020 as the daily answer to the questions: What’s going on? What should I do? Where is somewhere good to eat? Please consider joining the many other readers with a monthly, annual, or one-time donation to keep the ottawan on its mission. All annual or one-time donations over $60 include an ottawan or historic logo t-shirt of their choice.

  Membership levels ✅ $5 mo / Technically Beautiful ✅ $10 mo / ByTowner ✅ $20 mo / City that Fun Remembered ✅ $25 mo / Truly ott ✅ Or make a one-time donation Join Us

  

  WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

  No more meetings this year

  Meetings and agendas

  

  WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

  📌 Notices of possible job cuts of Federal public employees will come in April, say several government departments. Shared Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, Global Affairs Canada, and Statistics Canada all say they will send out notifications next month. Natural Resources Canada already sent out 700 notices this month. – Josh Pringle at CTV 

   

  🏆 The Ottawa Police Service has been presented the 2025 Law Enforcement Ally of the Year Award by Canada Post’s Security & Investigation Services. The award is given out annually to policing agencies who have shown ‘exceptional partnership and meaningful collaboration’ in keeping the mail secure. – Ottawa Police Service 

   

  🥌 Rachel Homan will captain one of the teams in the new professional curling league, The Rock. We admit that we didn’t know that there were plans to create a professional curling league but yesterday it was announced that six teams will debut in April. Homan will captain the Maple United women, with another Canadian team, one American team, one Asia-Pacific team, and two from Europe in competition. Each team will play five men and five women in separate matches.  – CBC 

  
  ⛸️ Don’t use well water for backyard rinks, the City requests. The lowered water table which had plagued well-owning rural residents this year has risen a bit, but not enough for the City of Ottawa to feel confident. However, community and shared rinks are welcome to start flooding even if they are on a well. The considered view is that using shared rinks over creating backyard ones will conserve water.  – City of Ottawa 

  

  THE DAILY POLL

  How do you feel about curling?

  🔘 It’s really fun to play

  🔘 It’s really fun to watch

  🔘 Not for me in any way

  🔘 It just reminds me that I need to sweep up at home

  🔘 Isn’t it just a life size version of shuffleboard?

  • 
    Previously in ottawan polls:

  • We asked, ‘Do you listen to podcasts?’

    • 17% Yes, in addition to reading mainstream media

    • 4% Yes, and they have pretty much replaced regular newspapers and radio

    • 13% No, they’re a pain to organize

    • 62% No, I am just not interested

    • 4% I make my own podcasts

  • 
    Commentary

  ▪️ “I don't really listen to podcasts as news but as a way to hear stories. There's overlap, but those are two different things.”
  
  ▪️ “Print media and Radio all the way! ”
  
  ▪️ “Podcasts are fun! Especially on road trips.”
  
  ▪️ “I only watch sports podcasts as major print or broadcast news outlets do not cover them much anymore.”
  
  ▪️ “I choose Rock 'n' Roll over podcasts every time!”
  
  ▪️ “The occasional ones I have tried to listen to were too chatty and unorganized. If I see it in print, I remember it.”
  
  ▪️ “Only for entertainment. Not for news.”
  
  ▪️ “No just one person’s opinion whining in my ear.”​​​

  

  HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

  If you are thinking of one of our t-shirts as a Christmas gift, it’s too late for delivery.

  Ottawa Xpress T-Shirt The Ottawa Xpress was Ottawa’s beloved alternative weekly, published from 1993 – 2012. 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

  WEDNESDAY

  • Swing by Mad About Patchwork for last minute gifts and stocking stuffers that your fabric friends will love, and you just might bump into Santa Claus. 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at 2477 Huntley Road (Stittsville)

  • The IFOA Pinball Tournament runs every Wednesday and tonight is no exception. Whether you’re a pinball wizard or new to the game, come along and have fun. Ottawa Pinball Arcade (Queensway Terrace South) 

  • Few pieces of music have the power to send shivers down the spine faster than 100s of voices singing the “Hallelujah” chorus of George Frederic Handel’s Messiah. Tonight and tomorrow it’s the NAC Orchestra’s turn to bring the magic, accompanied by some of the best Canadian vocal talent (Downtown) 

  • Feel the excitement of the season as you drive through the Magic of Lights show (Corkstown Road)  

  Cinema

  • ByTowne Cinema: The Secret Agent, Holiday Slumber Party! Love, Actually, Peter Hujar’s Day 

  • Mayfair Theatre: Sentimental Value, Clairtone, Eyes Wide Shut 

  Gigs

  • Peter Woods annual Holiday Jazz Night. Bar Robo

  • It’s Christmas and I’m in Love: Andre L. Collins. NAC Fourth Stage

  • The Irish Descendants. National Arts Centre

  • Jazz Jam. Night Oat

  • Hip Hop Jam. Red Bird

  • 🆓 Take a leisurely Winter Wander down Sparks Street and let the festive lights fill your spirit. For maximum effect, bring a date (Sparks Street Mall). 

  • You have just under a month to check out Retro - Popular Music in Canada From the 60s, 70s, and 80s at Canadian Museum of History (Hull)  

THURSDAY

• Experience a winter wonderland blending sparkling lights with vibrant Indigenous traditions at Mādahòkì Farm. You’ll find family-friendly festivities such as the Trail of Lights & Traditions, an Indigenous Craft Market, interactive beaded earring and ornament workshops, and cozy Indigenous Christmas feasts all waiting for you. Thursdays through Sundays until December 28.   

• Visit the Chateau Laurier and be inspired by the Christmas trees decorated by community groups and local businesses in the 28th annual Trees of Hope. Then, enjoy classic holiday-inspired cocktails in a setting of vintage charm and festive sophistication at the 1912 Yuletide Lane pop-up at the Chateau Laurier. (Downtown) 

• Road trip: Upper Canada Village’s 25th annual Alight at Night Festival is more than a festive sound and light show. There are activity stations, add-on features like a horse-drawn carriage ride and a miniature toy train ride, a Village Store with gifts for everyone on your list, dining, and old-fashioned carolling. Select nights until January 15.  (Morrisburg) 

• Silent Book Club Ottawa Chapter meets at Absinthe on the third Thursday of the month. There’s no assigned reading; it’s just introvert-friendly quiet time for reading with a nice glass of something. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Wellington West) 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Bugonia, The Secret Agent, Detour: Female Trouble 

• Mayfair Theatre: The Librarians, Safe 

Gigs

• Season’s Beatings 2025: Slo’ Tom & The Handsome Devils, The Bushpilots, the Retreads. House of TARG

• Paco Dvoi Altfolk Trio0 with Lloyd Smiley: Strung Together. Night Oat

• Moose Knuckle Boylesque: Deck the Balls. LIVE on Elgin

• Questionable Behaviour Trivia. Royal Oak (Stittsville)

• It’s Bingo Night at Broadhead Brewery, where games are free to play and prizes are waiting to be won (Orleans). 

• There’s no cover at Stray Dog Brewing Co’s Open Mic Night. (Orleans) 

• There’s also no cover at Moose McGuire’s Hunt Club Open Mic, but there is a guitar amp, bass amp, electronic drums, mic, and mic stand. (Hunt Club)

• Few pieces of music have the power to send shivers down the spine faster than 100s of voices singing the “Hallelujah” chorus of George Frederic Handel’s Messiah. Tonight  it’s the NAC Orchestra’s turn to bring the magic, accompanied by some of the best Canadian vocal talent (Downtown) 

FRIDAY

It’s the final Friday before Christmas, and Ottawa is alive with things to do, places to shop, and seasonal sights to see.

• Shop inside the warmth of Gloucester Centre for one-of-a-kind handmade gifts and treats of the Gloucester Night Market.  (Gloucester) 

• Take a beginner lesson with Ottawa Vintage Swing. (Centretown) 

• The Stan Clark Orchestra plays jazz-flavoured Christmas tunes with guest Johnny Vegas (Carlingwood). 

• Art House’s monthly Fever Pitch jazz night is back, bringing a 1920s speakeasy vibe to your Friday night (Centretown). 

• You don’t need experience or a partner to participate in the Rahim Salsa workshop from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

• Enjoy one last shopping experience with 613Flea’s Holiday Night Market. 

• Miller’s Farm transforms into a festive winter wonderland with vendors, treats, an open fire, and hot drinks for sipping this weekend. (Manotick) 

• 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) 

• Unsurprisingly, the advance tickets for Sea Shanties, Carols, and Empty Beer Barrels v 4: Fundraiser for Dalhousie Food Cupboard  are sold out. There will be space for a few walk-ins, however, if you don’t dilly-dally (Lowertown)

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: It Was Just An Accident, The Secret Agent, Yi Yi - 25th Anniversary Restoration, Black Christmas (1974) 

• Mayfair Theatre: The Tale of Silvan, Die Hard, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

Gigs

• 4DAYWKND. Rainbow Bistro

• Jana Salameh in a Christmas Soiree. Asrieli Studio, National Arts Centre

• Lauryn Hill. National Arts Centre

• “Cowboy Cake” album release party. Irene’s Pub

• Dead Root Revival. LIVE on Elgin

• Big Jim’s Plumbing & Electrical, Go Long. House of TARG

• The Spectrasonic Holiday Banger. Bronson Centre

• Santa’s Naughty List: Wyntr, Threefold Ruin, Acid Moth, Sunnyside Avenue, Sun Temple. Dominion Tavern