OTTAWA -- COVID-19 cases in Ottawa approach one-month record, COVID-19 cases rise in Ottawa's schools and a section of the Queensway will be closed for 17 hours next weekend.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch in Ottawa this week
COVID-19 cases in Ottawa approach one-month record
One week after Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches declared Ottawa is in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the capital is on pace to set a one-month record for COVID-19 cases.
Ottawa Public Health has reported 1,088 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa in September, including 58 new cases on Sunday. The 1,088 monthly cases is the second highest monthly total since the start of the pandemic.
Dr. Etches has said many of the people testing positive for COVID-19 are in the 20 to 39 age group.
Ottawa set a one-day record for cases during the pandemic with 93 cases on Sept. 21, while 82 new cases were reported on Sept. 24.
On Friday, Premier Doug Ford announced all bars, restaurants and nightclubs must stop serving alcohol at 11 p.m., and close at 12 a.m. to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 spreads in Ottawa's schools
A new week begins with COVID-19 cases confirmed in 60 Ottawa schools, including outbreaks at eight Ottawa schools.
Ottawa Public Health tells CTV News Ottawa that staff and students are beginning to contract COVID-19 while at school.
"The first handful of cases were of students and staff that went to school unknowing that they were sick with COVID, meaning they became infected with COVID outside of the school setting," said the statement from Ottawa Public Health.
"Over the last couple of weeks, OPH is starting to see that some students and staff are now getting sick from interactions at school. These are situations when OPH declares an outbreak."
The list of schools with a COVID-19 outbreak declared by Ottawa Public Health:
- Assumption School
- Ecole elementaire catholique Montfort
- Ecole elementaire Seraphin Marion
- Ecole secondaire publique Louis-Riel
- Franco-Ouest
- Gabrielle Roy Public School
- Lycee Claudel
- Monsignor Paul Baxter School
Rally to defund the Ottawa Police Service
A rally to defund the Ottawa Police Service will be held outside Ottawa Police headquarters during Monday's Ottawa Police Services Board meeting.
The rally, hosted by Criminalization and Punishment Education Project, is called "Not One More Cent, Not One More Life."
A media release from Criminalization and Punishment Education Project says, "Around the world more and more people are joining the struggle to defund, disempower, disarm and disband the police, including on unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Territory."
"People are also demanding investments in their communities to keep each other safe without the violence of policing and reparations for the oppression unjustly endured by BIPOC and others pushed to the margins."
The group is calling on the City of Ottawa to place a moratorium on, and commit to defunding the budget of the Ottawa Police Service.
Several individuals are scheduled to address the Ottawa Police Services Board's Zoom meeting. The meeting begins at 4 p.m.
Ontario's minimum wage increases a quarter
Ontario's minimum wage will increase a quarter on Oct. 1.
According to the Ontario Government, the minimum wage will increase from $14 to $14.25.
The student minimum wage will increase 25 cents to $13.40, and the liquor services minimum wage will go up a quarter to $12.45.
Section of Ottawa's busiest highway closed next weekend
A section of Highway 417 will be closed in both directions at Nicholas Street for 17 hours next weekend.
The City of Ottawa says the Queensway will be closed from 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 until 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 while crews demolish the old Nichols Street Bridge.
The eastbound on-ramps at Nicholas and Metcalfe Streets will also be closed.
Events happening in Ottawa this weekend
Monday: Ottawa Police Services Board meets at 4 p.m. (YouTube)
Wednesday: Ottawa's Audit Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. (YouTube)
Friday: Canadian Museum of Nature opens its new exhibition – "Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages." The exhibit runs until Jan. 3.
Friday: The Expendables at The Drive In at Wesley Clover Parks
Sunday: The Expendables at The Drive In at Wesley Clover Parks
Daily: The National Capital Commission's Fall Rhapsody continues daily in Ottawa and Gatineau.
