Cleaning up after a record snowfall
Ottawa is still digging out from Monday’s record snowfall with the winter blast keeping business owners busy shovelling.
“We couldn’t be open yesterday,” said Tim Noyes-Brown, owner of Masala in the Byward Market. “You couldn’t walk on the sidewalks.”
Monday’s storm dumped nearly 48 centimetres of snow on the capital.
Crews worked around-the-clock to get streets and neighbourhoods plowed.
“It fell so quickly yesterday that they couldn’t stay on top of it, so yeah, hats off to them, they did a great job,” added Noyes-Brown.
On Monday, Mayor Jim Watson estimated the cleanup would cost as much as $5 million.
The winter blast forcing stores like Masala to close, but the ByWard Market was open for business by Tuesday morning.
“The roads are plowed and it’s kind of nice, beautiful weather,” said Jimmy Hyyteaanen, who is visiting from Vancouver Island.
While most major roads and side streets have been cleared, there are sidewalks still nearly knee deep in snow.
“We have all 575 pieces of equipment out on the streets working hard to get them cleared off and that’s our goal by the end of the evening tonight,” said Tim Tierney, city councillor for Beacon Hill-Cyrville.
In Old Ottawa South, Tiana Sproul and her neighbours decided to shovel sections themselves.
“There’s been a lot of neighbourly cheer, so it was trying to make fun out of it too,” she said.
Meanwhile, the fresh powder a chance to get out along the Rideau trail.
“We’ve been waiting for snow for a long time now, it’s great that we can finally see it,” said Sheila Niven, who was heading out for an afternoon of cross-country skiing.
“It was track-set yesterday and my neighbours told me it was in fantastic shape,” said Liz Sterling, with a pair of skis in her hand.
A weather advisory for Ottawa is calling for more snow tonight with 5 to 10 cm of snow throughout the evening.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.