OTTAWA -- Mayor Jim Watson delivers his State of the City address, Ottawa Police creating a "Guiding Council" to oversee its new mental health strategy and counting down to Bell Let's Talk Day.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch in Ottawa this week.

COVID-19 in Ottawa and Ontario

All eyes will be on the COVID-19 indicators in Ottawa this week as Ontario reaches the mid-way point of the 28-day stay-at-home order.  Premier Doug Ford imposed the stay-at-home order on Jan. 14 in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Since the stay-at-home order began, Ottawa's COVID-19 rate per 100,000 people has dropped from 98 cases per 100,000 on Jan. 14 to 61.2 cases per 100,000 on Jan. 24.

Ottawa's positivity rate has dropped from 4.5 per cent for the period Jan. 7-13 to 3.2 per cent for Jan. 15-21.

Meantime, students in Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will be spending another week in front of a monitor for school. Schools in Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit remain closed for in-person learning for a fourth week following the Christmas break.

Ontario announced students in seven health units will return to class for in-person learning on Monday, including Renfrew County, Leeds, Grenville and Lanark and the Kingston area.

Ontario did not say when students in Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will return to class for in-person learning.

On Tuesday, the City of Ottawa will hold a technical briefing to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout when more doses arrive in Ottawa.

 

Council meets for the first time in 2021

Mayor Jim Watson will kick-off the first Council meeting of 2021 on Wednesday with his annual State of the City address.  

The address is a chance for Watson to reflect on the city's accomplishments over the previous year, and outline the plans for 2021.

Councillors Keith Egli and Matthew Luloff will introduce a motion to extend Ottawa's Temporary Mandatory Mask Bylaw until at least April 29. 

Council will also vote on a $129 million plan to revitalize the ByWard Market. The plan includes new pedestrian spaces on George Street, York Street and Clarence Street, a new "William Street pedestrian spine", a York Street flex plaza, and redeveloping the Clarence Street parking garage as a new "destination building."

Council is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday. You can watch the meeting on the City of Ottawa's YouTube channel.

City of Ottawa

Ottawa Police Service mental health strategy

The Ottawa Police Services Board meets for the first time in 2021 on Monday.

The board will approve the Mental Health Response Strategy consultation plan.

"The community-led strategy will be co-developed with mental health care and addictions professionals, community-based organizations, academics and those with lived experience, and will help to support a whole-of-community approach to responding to those in mental health crisis," said a media release from the Ottawa Police Service.

As part of the plan, the Ottawa Police Service will set up a "Guiding Council", made up of representatives of five community networks, to develop the strategy and establish best practices.

 The Ottawa Police Services Board meeting begins Monday at 4 p.m. You can watch the meeting on YouTube.

Ottawa police

Bell Let's Talk Day

Thursday, Jan. 28 is Bell Let's Talk Day, encouraging Canadians to join in the global mental health conversation.

On Bell Let's Talk Day, Bell, the parent company of CTV, donates 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk. Five cents will also be donated for every Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube video of the Bell Let's Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let's Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter.

Since the first Bell Let's Talk Day in 2011, Canadians and people around the world have sent a total of more than 1.1 billion messages of support for mental health, bringing Bell's total funding commitment to $113,415,135.

On Thursday, ETALK's Tyrone Edwards and The Social's Melissa Grelo will host "In This Together: A Bell Let's Talk Day Special". Watch it on CTV, CTV2, the all-new CTV.ca and CTV app at 7 p.m. ET.

Bell Let's Talk 2020

Green flag flying on the Rideau Canal Skateway

The world's largest skating rink is scheduled to open this week.

The National Capital Commission has said the Rideau Canal Skateway will open "early" this week, but didn't specify a day.

When the skateway does open, there will be no snack stands, no skate rentals nor gathering points like fire pits along the canal.

Skaters will be asked to wear a mask while gliding along the Rideau Canal Skateway.

The Rideau Canal Skateway opened on Jan. 25 in 2008, Jan. 26 in 2007 and Feb. 2 in 2002.

Skating on Rideau Canal

Events happening in Ottawa this week

Monday

Joint meeting of Ottawa's Planning Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee – 9 a.m.  (Meeting available on the City of Ottawa's YouTube channel)

Ottawa Police Services Board meeting – 4 p.m. (Meeting available on the City of Ottawa's YouTube channel)

Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks. (10 p.m. – TSN 1200/TSN 5)

Tuesday

City of Ottawa hosts a technical briefing on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout – 9 a.m.  (Briefing available on the City of Ottawa's YouTube channel)

Ottawa Carleton District School Board board meeting – 7 p.m.

Ottawa Catholic School Board board meeting – 7 p.m.

Wednesday

Ottawa City Council meets – 10 a.m. (Meeting available on the City of Ottawa's YouTube channel)

Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks. (8 p.m. – TSN 1200)

Thursday

Bell Let's Talk Day

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly addresses the Canadian Club

Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks. (10 p.m. – TSN 1200/TSN 5)