Latest news with #OttawaCityHall
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Italian Week in Ottawa kicks off with flag raising
The Italian flag is raised at Ottawa City Hall to mark the start of Italian Week. June 5, 2025. (Mark Sutcliffe/X) The Italian flag was raised at Ottawa City Hall Thursday to mark the start of Italian Week in the city. Italian Week is the annual celebration of Ottawa's Italian community. A flag-raising ceremony was held Thursday morning, attended by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, city councillors, and Italian ambassador to Canada Alessandro Cattaneo. Italian Week is mainly celebrated on Preston Street, the heart of Ottawa's Little Italy neighbourhood, where residents and visitors can experience Italian culture, music, art, and, of course, Italian food. Opening weekend begins Friday, with live music and the Morin Supply Kids Zone. Saturday features live music, arts and crafts such as making Venetian masks, Roman gladiator helmets or laurel crowns, and beaded bracelets. Sunday features more live music, as well as the Feast of St. Anthony outdoor mass and luncheon at St. Anthony Church on Booth Street. A full list of events can be found on
Ottawa Citizen
01-06-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
City hall hiring, spending freeze amid $14M deficit: new report
Article content Ottawa City Hall is running a $14-million deficit in the first quarter, prompting a spending freeze and a pause on hiring, according to a report for the Finance and Corporate Services Committee. Article content Article content The report said that the hiring and spending freezes 'play a critical role in managing the impact of these unforeseen events.' Article content 'Management remains committed to implementing these strategies throughout 2025, with a continued focus on maintaining service levels,' the report added. Article content Article content Article content In the report, the city's deficit was attributed to 'above average winter weather events' that resulted in a $24.9-million deficit for road services because of higher maintenance costs. Article content Last winter in Ottawa saw 193 cm of snow dumped on the city while the five-year average is 143 cm. Article content The significant increase in snowfall raises further questions about how climate change and unforeseen extreme weather events will continue to impact the city's budget planning. Article content In the Q1 report, the city's transit services also saw a deficit of $1.7 million, which was attributed to lower provincial funding and lower fare revenue than what was budgeted. Article content The shortfall exists despite a $200,000 savings due to O-Train Line 1 service reductions. The report says those savings were offset because of delays to the revamp of Ottawa's bus routes and higher Para Transpo service costs. Article content Article content However, the city is monitoring how the elimination of the federal carbon tax will impact the city's budget going forward. The scrapping of the carbon tax by Prime Minister Mark Carney is 'expected to have a positive impact on the 2025 operating budget.' Article content Article content It's unclear if the savings will be able to make up for Ottawa's Q1 deficit. Article content The report says that the end of the consumer-facing carbon tax will reduce operating costs for the city, 'particularly in fuel-intensive departments' like transit, road maintenance and emergency services. Article content Meanwhile, Emergency and Protective Services saw a surplus of $1.4 million due to higher-than-anticipated parking fines and compensation savings from worker vacancies, among other revenue generated.
CBC
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
City hall's new security measures garner mixed reviews
Ottawa city hall implemented enhanced security measures at its public entrances Monday, raising questions about what led to them and whether they're actually warranted. Visitors to city hall must now undergo bag checks and pass through a metal detector to enter the building. They're also prohibited from bringing in sharp objects, aerosols and other banned items. Access to the building has been limited to the entrances at Laurier Avenue W. and Lisgar Street. The city announced the new measures earlier this month, noting they're in line with those at other public buildings in the capital including the Ottawa Courthouse next door. Other municipalities such as Toronto have had similar measures in place for years. "These measures will enable people to use the building freely, knowing that we took the steps necessary to maintain security," the city's director of public safety Beth Gooding told CBC on Monday. Gooding pegged the initial cost for the security equipment at $350,000, plus an unknown amount for staffing. Staffing costs will be better known in six months when the city has had a chance to assess the new system. On Monday, several security guards stood at the entrances directing visitors, many of whom were surprised by the new procedures despite the city's advance warning. "The first time I came here there weren't any metal detectors," said Nishika Singh, who was at city hall to get married. She said the security guards were "easygoing" and allowed her to keep her jewelry on, but it did take extra time to get through. Some visitors don't mind the changes. "This morning I've had a pocket knife confiscated," said Ken Medd, one of the first to try out the new metal detectors. "I'm happy to let it go to preserve the safety of people in public spaces." But not everyone is in favour. "City hall should be a place where the public is welcome to visit, to participate in our democracy, but also to carry out necessary functions," said Toon Dreesen, an Ottawa architect who often visits the downtown building. "Whether that's visiting Service Ontario or applying for a building permit, meeting with the councillor or just walking through the space — this is a public building," he said. City hall had security gates installed at the entrance to the council chamber in late 2019. But Dreesen said he doesn't see the need for any more restrictions, and fears it could discourage civic engagement. "I don't think we've seen the kind of threat that is necessary, that warrants this kind of intrusion, and what it ends up doing is turning people away from wanting to go," he said. "It should be treated like a public street because it is a public building, paid for with public dollars, to create this interior street that links these sort of functions at a ground level," said Dreesen. Gooding said while there was no single incident that prompted the additional safety measures, city hall has seen safety threats in the past. She also pointed to a March 2024 incident at Edmonton city hall where a man entered the building with a semi-automatic rifle and four Molotov cocktails. Gooding said there's no reason for the new measures to deter people from visiting city hall. "From an operational perspective absolutely nothing has changed," she said. "Everything people could do in the building last week, they can do in the building this week." City hall's hours of operation remain the same. During weekends, access to the building will be limited to the Laurier Avenue W. entrance, though people with disabilities will be able to call for assistance from the Lisgar Street entrance.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- CTV News
Here's what you need to know about new ‘enhanced security measures' at Ottawa City Hall
People visiting Ottawa City Hall to renew a driver's licence and health card, pay a water bill, watch a council meeting or meet with elected officials will soon have to pass through a metal detector to enter the building. The City of Ottawa will introduce 'enhanced security measures' at City Hall on Laurier Avenue West, starting on Monday. The city says all visitors will 'have their bags screened' and will be required to go through a metal detector, similar to security at professional sports venues, before entering the building. Ottawa City Hall is home to a ServiceOntario centre and an Ottawa Client Service Centre, meaning visitors to the two service counters will be required to pass through security before entering. CTV News Ottawa looks at what you need to know about the new security measures at Ottawa City Hall. Why is the city introducing 'enhanced security measures' at City Hall? 'Over the years, security risks and incidents have evolved, resulting in various levels of government updating their security procedures for entry into their administrative and legislative centres,' the city said in a media release last Friday. 'As a result, the city will be adopting security screening measures, which is a best practice model that it is currently in place in other public-facing government buildings in the national capital region, as well as at City Hall buildings in Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal.' Entering Ottawa City Hall Ottawa City Hall will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. The city says all visitors will be asked to use the Laurier Avenue West or Lisgar Street entrances, where security screening will be set up. On weekends, you will only be able to enter Ottawa City Hall through the Laurier Avenue entrance. Security screening When you arrive at Ottawa City Hall, you will be required to have your bag screened and to pass through a metal detector. The city says during the security screening process, visitors will be required to: Place coats, cellphones, laptops, purses, bags and anything in your pocket onto a tray for X-ray screening. Visitors will then be asked to walk through a metal detector. Prohibited items The City of Ottawa says to avoid any delays at the entrances, visitors should not carry any of these prohibited items: Sharp objects, blades or tools Compressed gas cylinders, aerosol cans, or powders Explosive or flammable items Weapons, including toy replicas Noisemakers, megaphones or air horns Large placards or signs (that are not made of cardboard or cloth Current security measures In 2020, the city introduced security measures to enter Jean Pigott Place at Ottawa City Hall for committee and council meetings. Security access gates were installed at the two entrances, and security started inspecting purses, bags and coats before visitors passed through the gates. Entering through the parking garage The City of Ottawa says the parking garage at City Hall will continue to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On weekends, visitors entering City Hall from the parking garage by elevator are required to use the elevators on the Laurier Avenue West side of the building.
CBC
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ottawa city hall to introduce 'enhanced' security protocol for visitors
Visitors to Ottawa city hall will soon have to undergo bag checks and pass through a metal detector, and will be prohibited from entering the building with sharp objects, aerosols and other banned items. The new security measures are in line with other public government buildings in the capital including the Ottawa Courthouse next door, and are similar to those already in place at city halls across Canada, according to a statement issued Friday. "Over the years, security risks and incidents have evolved, resulting in various levels of government updating their security procedures for entry into their administrative and legislative centres," the city said. The enhanced security measures will go into effect May 26, the city said. Visitors will be prohibited from entering with sharp objects, blades or tools; compressed gas cylinders, aerosol cans, or powders; explosive or flammable items; weapons including replicas and toys; noisemakers, megaphones or air horns; and large placards or signs that are not made of cardboard or cloth. "The screening process will be efficient, respectful and courteous," the city said, promising to provide bilingual guidance and directions. During weekends, access to city hall will also be limited to the Laurier Avenue W. entrance, though people with disabilities will be able to call for assistance at the Lisgar Street entrance.
