By Michelle Nash Baker, Ottawa Community News, July 8, 2016
A new free bike-sharing program has rolled into Vanier this month.
Partnering with Right Bike, the Healthy Transportation Coalition set up a new bike rack at 355 Montreal Rd., in front of the Vanier Pharmacy. The idea is Right Bike will offer free daily bike rentals to the neighbourhood.
By Aidan Cox, Ottawa Sun, July 8, 2016
If you were thinking of hitting Petrie Island East Bay beach today to beat the heat, don’t.
The City of Ottawa issued its first no-swim advisory for the season for the facility, as the temps are expected to rise to 28 C, or 32 C with the humidity factored in.
Samples taken at the beach measured 529 E. coli particles per 100 ml of water, according to information on the city’s website.
By CBC News Ottawa, July 8, 2016
A west Quebec municipality's plan to limit outdoor lights at nighttime has run into resistance from local businesses who say the draft bylaw goes too far.
The municipal council of Chelsea, Que., passed a draft bylaw Thursday night that requires business or residential exterior light fixtures to be covered or pointed downwards, and not towards the sky or towards the properties of neighbours.
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"What we're trying to do is protect the environment but also protect the quality of life of residents from intrusive lighting that shines into their homes from other homes, from neighbours, from shops, [or] from businesses," said Chelsea Mayor Caryl Green.
By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, July 8, 2016
One month after a watermain break caused a massive sinkhole on Rideau Street, work on the last 50 metres of the downtown light rail tunnel remains at a standstill.
And there is no word when it will restart.The digging beneath Rideau Street, just east of Sussex Drive, came to halt on June 8 when the tunnel flooded following the watermain collapse.
It took city workers 90 minutes to turn off the valves, during which time water poured into the tunnel. After the deluge, water stood at least two metres deep in some areas.
By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, July 8, 2016
The people behind the billion-dollar redevelopment of the Domtar industrial site in the Ottawa River are not at all happy with Ottawa’s decision to make the area hard to reach by bicycle.Windmill Developments bills its Zibi project as an attempt to build “the world’s most sustainable community.”
The plan is to turn Domtar’s defunct mills on Chaudière and Albert islands into a commercial and condo neighbourhood, opening up access to the long-enclosed waterways, and threading the whole area through with pedestrian and bike routes.
By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 2016
Uber drivers in Ontario will be insured when they transport passengers who order pickups with the ride-sharing application.
The Financial Services Commission of Ontario, which regulates the insurance industry, has accepted the ride-sharing product created by Intact Financial Corp., which has been working with Uber on an insurance blueprint for several months.
By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 2016
The National Capital Commission’s new plan for the next 50 years is modest, and that’s OK.
Modesty has not been among the commission’s virtues for a long time. In this case, it means keeping the commission’s plans fairly small but also specific enough that it can actually be held to them.
By Tom Spears, July 8, 2016
The National Research Council has formally acknowledged to residents of Mississippi Mills that its National Fire Laboratory is the source of contamination in the residents’ wells.
“It’s kind of like a truth and reconciliation process,” Mayor Shaun McLaughlin said Friday. The NRC acknowledges its role, “now let’s move forward to fix it.”
By Alison Sandor, CFRA News, July 5, 2016
The Ottawa REDBLACKS cut down a tree every year in order to slice cookies off of their touchdown log.And from now on, for every TD scored, they'll also plant a tree.
"It's a symbol of our commitment to sustainability," said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group CEO Bernie Ashe. "This is a LEED ND site and we're very proud of the sustainability activities that we've had. We've been promoting active transport. We've exceeded our targets on the use of transit and transportation and this is a symbolic gesture as well."
By CTV News Ottawa, July 5, 2016
The City of Ottawa is continuing to crack down on cars that block bus lanes during rush hour.
Bylaw officers have towed 29 cars and issued 323 tickets in the past week for blocking bus and cycling lanes.
The blitz started after a truck parked on Slater Street held up downtown bus traffic.
Mayor Jim WatsonMayor Jim Watson said he didn't think the city would tow as many cars as they did, but they aren't letting up.Mayor Jim Watson said he didn't think the city would tow as many cars as they did, but they aren't letting up.
By Matthew Kupfer, CBC News Ottawa, July 5, 2016
Dozens of protesters waded into the Mississippi River near Almonte's old town hall to try to stop the expansion of a hydroelectric dam they say could bring an endangered type of dragonfly closer to the brink of extinction.
They're calling on Catherine McKenna, minister of the environment and climate change, to issue an emergency order to stop the project.
Linda Manzer organized the Monday afternoon protest because Enerdu Power Systems has all the paperwork it needs to start construction. She said Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry should not have approved the project.
By Lucas Powers, CBC News Ottawa, July 5, 2016
The dog days of summer have arrived, but you probably won't notice any change in the weather.
Most of Canada has already been reacquainted with sizzling temperatures, sunny skies and all the perks that come with them: lake swims, beach days, patios, long weekend road trips, warm summer evenings and a healthy dose of vitamin D. It's been a stark and welcome contrast to the cool, wet summer much of the country slogged through last year and the year before. But there's a darker side to all that sunshine.