Latest news with #ByWardMarket
CTV News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Ottawa's best shawarma spot named at inaugural festival
A vendor cuts shawarma meat off a rotating spit at Ottawa's inaugural "Shawarma Fest" in the ByWard Market on June 1, 2025. (Josh Marano/CTV News Ottawa)
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Dismantled ByWard Market encampment highlights need for housing, advocates say
A new encampment in the ByWard Market has a local councillor calling for long-term strategies from the city and the Salvation Army. CTV's Katie Griffin reports. A small encampment in the ByWard Market that was dismantled Friday is highlighting the urgent need for housing and permanent solutions to a growing crisis in Ottawa and across the province. Three tents were set up on a median on George Street between Cumberland and Dalhousie streets across from the Salvation Army. 'They've been there, I believe, since Wednesday last week and the encampment has grown,' said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante. Plante spoke with those living in the tents and says they're clients of the Salvation Army. George Street encampment Three tents have popped up on the median across from the Salvation Army on George Street. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa) The encampment was taken down on Friday, but Plante says action should have been taken sooner. 'Our dismantle policy at the city is to be offered housing but that doesn't stop the Salvation Army from asking them to leave as well,' she said. Encampment dsimantled Workers dismantle a tent encampment on George Street in Ottawa's ByWard Market. May 30, 2025. (Andrew Adlington/CTV News Ottawa) The Salvation Army says it shares Plante's concerns about people living in tents. 'The Salvation Army's Outreach and Housing Services program operates 24/7 across Ottawa, and we have recently expanded staffing specifically to enhance our presence in the downtown core and ByWard Market,' it said in a statement. It went on to say the 'outreach team remains in daily contact with those sheltering in tents to offer support, service navigation, and, where possible, connections to housing.' On Thursday, groups including the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa and Encampment Justice Coalition rallied at Ottawa City Hall against a provincial bill that would crack down on encampments and public drug use. 'Where do we expect people to go? There's no place safe if they are using to use, with the closure of the supervised injection sites,' said Kaite Burkholder Harris, the executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa. 'And just as much as I realize the intention of these bills, none of this is going to help people. It's going to displace people and the 'problem', and a lot of people are going to be harmed by it.' Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr says there are encampments in almost every ward. 'It is a lack of investment that has happened in housing and mental health and treatment for many, many years,' Carr said. 'This is a public health crisis as much as it is a homelessness crisis.' The city says those living in encampments are offered 'shelter services, health and social supports, and assistance in securing safe, stable housing.' 'The decision to dismantle an encampment is only made once all efforts to support the person have been exhausted,' said Kale Brown, the interim director of Housing and Homelessness Services. Plante says long-term solutions are urgently needed. 'Nothing that's happening right now is not solvable. But it just goes to show that we need all levels of government to really, really prioritize housing and whatever budgets they're putting forward on this file.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Ottawa police issue 24 tickets during one-night enforcement blitz
Ottawa police hit the brakes on several drivers during a blitz of car meets in the city's west end last weekend. The Ottawa Police Service said as part of the ongoing Residents Matter traffic enforcement initiative, officers targeted car meets and conducted a RIDE checkpoint near the ByWard Market last Friday night. Police say 'multiple tickets' were issued to drivers participating in car meets in the area of Merivale Road and Meadowlands Drive and on Strandherd Drive. 'Following the car meets, officers set up a RIDE program in the Sussex Drive and King Edward Avenue area. A total of 250 vehicles were screened as they exited the ByWard Market,' police said. Twenty-four tickets were issued during the enforcement initiative, including two tickets for speeding, two for improper muffler, two tickets for the licence plate not being plainly visible and one ticket for using a cellphone while driving. A G1 driver driving unaccompanied by a qualified driver was also ticketed. 'Several Part III Court Summons were also issued, including one to a G1 driver operating a vehicle unaccompanied, without insurance, and while under licence suspension. Another driver was charged for driving with a suspended licence,' police said.
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
ByWard Market encampment to be dismantled Friday
A new encampment in the ByWard Market has a local councillor calling for long-term strategies from the city and the Salvation Army. CTV's Katie Griffin reports. A small encampment in the ByWard Market that is set to be dismantled Friday is highlighting the urgent need for housing and permanent solutions to a growing crisis in Ottawa and across the province. Three tents are currently set up on a median on George Street between Cumberland and Dalhousie streets across from the Salvation Army. 'They've been there, I believe, since Wednesday last week and the encampment has grown,' said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante. Plante spoke with those living in the tents and says they're clients of the Salvation Army. The encampment is set to be taken down on Friday, but Plante says action should have been taken sooner. 'Our dismantle policy at the city is to be offered housing but that doesn't stop the Salvation Army from asking them to leave as well,' she said. The Salvation Army says it shares Plante's concerns about people living in tents. 'The Salvation Army's Outreach and Housing Services program operates 24/7 across Ottawa, and we have recently expanded staffing specifically to enhance our presence in the downtown core and ByWard Market,' it said in a statement. It went on to say the 'outreach team remains in daily contact with those sheltering in tents to offer support, service navigation, and, where possible, connections to housing.' On Thursday, groups including the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa and Encampment Justice Coalition rallied at Ottawa City Hall against a provincial bill that would crack down on encampments and public drug use. 'Where do we expect people to go? There's no place safe if they are using to use, with the closure of the supervised injection sites,' said Kaite Burkholder Harris, the executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa. 'And just as much as I realize the intention of these bills, none of this is going to help people. It's going to displace people and the 'problem', and a lot of people are going to be harmed by it.' Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr says there are encampments in almost every ward. 'It is a lack of investment that has happened in housing and mental health and treatment for many, many years,' Carr said. 'This is a public health crisis as much as it is a homelessness crisis.' The city says those living in encampments are offered 'shelter services, health and social supports, and assistance in securing safe, stable housing.' 'The decision to dismantle an encampment is only made once all efforts to support the person have been exhausted,' said Kale Brown, the interim director of Housing and Homelessness Services. Plante says long-term solutions are urgently needed. 'Nothing that's happening right now is not solvable. But it just goes to show that we need all levels of government to really, really prioritize housing and whatever budgets they're putting forward on this file.'
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Paid evening parking in ByWard Market, ‘bubble bylaw': Here's what happened at Ottawa City Council
The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with developing a 'bubble bylaw,' and will charge motorists for evening parking in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe. Here is a look at what was approved during Wednesday's council meeting. Evening paid parking in the ByWard Market, Little Italy Drivers will need to pay for on-street paid parking during the evenings in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe, despite a last minute push to hit the brakes on paid evening parking in the market area. Council approved a plan to extend paid parking at on-street parking spots in busy areas until 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Under the plan, on-street paid parking hours will be extended to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday in the ByWard Market and Little Italy South, and to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday in parts of the Glebe. The changes will be rolled out on Sept. 2. Councillor Riley Brockington, seconded by coun. Stephanie Plante, introduced a motion to exclude the ByWard Market area from a plan to charge motorists for parking between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 'Do you believe the ByWard Market needs special treatment? I think the answer is yes,' Brockington told council. 'We are putting in the necessary time, effort and energy to rebuild our market, a cherished destination within our city. What I'm suggesting is increasing times where we demand the public pay for parking, this is not the time to do it. Let's rebuild the market first, can revisit it, but this is not the time.' Brockington's motion was defeated 21 to 2. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he respects where the idea of Brockington's motion is coming from but couldn't support it. 'If you look at strong and vibrant neighborhoods throughout North America, many of them have metered parking throughout the evening, throughout the weekends and those neighbourhoods and those business districts are thriving and successful,' Sutcliffe said. 'Introducing longer hours for paid parking in any area of the city is not necessarily going to be the make it or break it thing for that area of the city.' Ottawa parking A parking sign in Ottawa's ByWard Market. Staff are recommending extending parking hours to 9 p.m. on weekday and weekend evenings. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) 'Bubble Bylaw' Council has directed staff to draft a new 'bubble bylaw,' to prohibit protests and demonstrations within 80 metres of places of worship, schools and hospitals. Councillors voted 21 to 3 to proceed with a 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw. Councillors Jessica Bradley, Sean Devine, and Shawn Menard voted against the motion. 'What this motion in front of city council is doing is stifling dissent. It's clamping down on peaceful demonstrations it might disagree with,' Menard said Wednesday morning. Under the plan, staff will have nine months to draft a proposed bylaw for councillors to vote on. 'This is not an easy issue, and I appreciate the rights and values that, to some extent, are being pitted against each other,' Sutcliffe said during the council meeting. 'But I actually think this is a great example of how democracy can and should work. The solution before us is balanced and thoughtful, it is careful and precise, it is principled and prudent. It aligns with what's happening in other communities and at other levels of government. It responds to the legitimate concerns and worries of many of our residents.' The motion wants the 'Vulnerable Social Infrastructure' Bylaw to incorporate the following: Prohibition of demonstrations near vulnerable social infrastructure : 'The bylaw shall prohibit demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. : 'The bylaw shall prohibit demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,' the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities. Time-limited protective zones : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' The motion adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' : The motion recommends staff establish 'time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.' The motion adds the proposed bylaw, 'shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.' Protective distance : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. : The motion directs staff to assess and recommend 'an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.' It also proposes considering 'other means of protecting safe access' such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways. Targeted application : The motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' : The motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure 'protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.' Labour/internal exemption : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' : The motion recommends the bylaw 'explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.' Scope of government-owned infrastructure: The motion recommends the bylaw exclude embassies, Ottawa City Hall and Parliament of Canada buildings. 'The bylaw shall apply to government-owned property only where the primary function of the building or facility is to provide medical care, education, or long-term care or congregate care services,' the motion said. New rules for festivals, events, demonstrations The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with new rules for festivals and events, as it looks to shake the image as the town that fun forgot. Council approved a new Special Events Bylaw and a Highway Events Bylaw, which will regulate events indoors, outdoors and on roadways. The new rules provide flexibility for noise exemptions beyond 11 p.m. when events are impacted by 'unforeseen factors' like severe weather, cut the red tape for bars and restaurants and venues to host after-hours events between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Under the new bylaw, licensed food trucks or mobile vendors would not need additional permits to participate in a block party or street festival.
