Ottawa Now – ‘Something about this doesn’t feel super-duper right’: Debating the ethics surrounding ‘true crime’ genres

If you happen to find yourself binge-watching YouTube videos, you’ve probably come across the occasional content creator, sitting down and reacting to a true crime story. And while this form of content consumption is quickly transforming into a profitable venture, critics say it frequently comes at…

Ottawa Now – ‘We often see our buses packed to the gills’: With potential city savings coming from Ottawa’s Transit Budget, critics don’t want bus routes to become the sacrificial lamb

City Hall has found $54 million in financial efficiencies for this year’s Draft Budget. A large chunk of these potential savings might be coming from the 2023 Transit Budget, ranging from a reduction in transit capital costs to a potential reduction in bus routes. Laura Shantz from Ottawa Transit R…

Ottawa Now – ‘We’re still able to invest very strategically in a number of priority areas’: Mayor Sutcliffe, City Council trying to make the most out of a tight Draft Budget

Ottawa’s 2023 Draft Budget includes a 2.5 percent property tax increase and a freeze on transit fares. Due to various inflationary challenges, and a global pandemic wreaking havoc on the local economy since 2020, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe admits that the next 11 months won’t be an easy fiscal adventure …

Ottawa Now – Union representing OC Transpo bus drivers wants snowfall threshold to be lowered for articulated buses

The union representing OC Transpo bus drivers has renewed calls to pull articulated buses from city roads during snowstorms. Clint Crabtree, the President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, argues that forecasted snowfalls above 15 centimetres should be the limit, as opposed to the 31-centimet…

Ottawa Now – CFIB study shows Canadian doctors are drowning in paperwork

With each passing year, the day-to-day workload for Canadian doctors keeps getting bigger. A new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is the latest warning sign of this harsh reality. It finds that today’s doctors are collectively spending close to 18.5 million hours on unnec…

Ottawa Now – Snow cleanup efforts becoming more challenging as the centimetres of snow pile up in Canada’s Capital

This upcoming Spring, the City of Ottawa will be examining its winter maintenance standards, a topic that is gaining steam on the CFRA text board following a series of weather events in January. Residents are growing frustrated over tall snow banks and cleanup efforts on driveway edges, a problem t…

Ottawa Now – ‘It was a really touching moment’: Cancer patient walks marathon distance around Ottawa Hospital to raise awareness for blood, bone marrow donations

30-year-old Jonathan Seery is a volunteer firefighter who calls Deep River home. Last fall, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Last week, he got up and walked a marathon distance around the campus for 14 hours, an effort to raise awareness of the country-wide need for blood donations and bone marrow d…

Ottawa Now – Critics express doubt that a new Grocery Code of Conduct would provide immediate relief to Canadian shoppers in 2023

As food inflation continues to outpace general inflation rates, the Trudeau government is vowing to implement a new Grocery Code of Conduct. However, economists say that might not help Canadian shoppers in the short-term. Jim Stanford is the Director of the Centre for Future Work in British Columbi…

Ottawa Now – ‘The world has changed’: Ex-OPP Commissioner says keep Wellington Street open for pedestrians and tourists, but not for vehicles

Last year’s Freedom Convoy shut down several streets in Ottawa’s Downtown Core, including a section that is within walking distance of Parliament Hill. As calls to re-open Wellington Street grow louder, the feds are hesitant to remove the barriers, and so is former OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis. He …

Ottawa Now – Chief Paramedic of Renfrew County sounds the alarm over ambulance response times

Renfrew County’s Chief Paramedic is sounding the alarm over ambulance response times, as a system serving the largest geographic county in Ontario continues to feel a healthcare pressure point. Mike Nolan presented a very grim picture of the situation during a Health Committee meeting last week. He…