Freedom Convoy organizers face new charges and mask mandates end in indoor settings: Top stories in Ottawa this week

Masks are no longer mandatory in most indoor settings in Ottawa, including at Headquarters in Ottawa. (Natalie Van Rooy/CTV News Ottawa)

Ontario lifts its mask mandate and a protester who lost his life savings regrets taking part in the "Freedom Convoy" protest in downtown Ottawa.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top stories on our website this week.

Here's where masks are still mandatory in Ottawa

Ontario lifted the mandatory mask requirements for most indoor settings this week.

Masks are no longer mandatory in elementary and secondary schools, restaurants, fitness centres, cinemas, theatres and sports arenas.

The Ontario government says masks are mandatory in the following settings:

• Health care settings
• Long-term care settings
• Retirement homes
• Congregate care settings
• Shelters
• Jails
• Public transit

Ottawa Public Health warned there is evidence of increased COVID-19 transmission in the community following the end of March Break and the lifting of mask mandates in the province.

Speaking at the Ottawa Hospital on Friday, Premier Doug Ford said he didn't believe Ontario lifted COVID-19 restrictions too early.

"I’ve been accused of being the most cautious leader in North America. Everyone else in the whole country has taken their masks off.”

'Horrific tragedy:' Two Belleville, Ont. girls killed in Florida crash

Two Belleville, Ont. girls were killed in a crash that injured several other family members on a March Break vacation in Florida.

Lawyer Pieter Kort and his family were in a van that was struck by a cement truck on March 19, Kort's law partner Ed Kafka wrote on Facebook.

"Pieter Kort, my friend, partner and Brother in the trenches, has experienced a horrific tragedy with his entire Family in Jacksonville Florida yesterday at 6:00am," Ed Kafka said in a post on the Kafka, Kort Barristers Facebook page Sunday.

"The Family van was struck from behind by a cement truck which resulted in a nightmare that no Family should ever experience.

"Sadly their beloved Daughters Madeline (13) and Joni (10) were killed in the crash. Their sweet Daughter Hannah (16) and their lovely Mom Jamie are in critical condition in the ICU. Their handsome Son Ethan 15 is recovering from his injuries along with his Dad."

The Florida Highway Patrol said nine people were injured in the three-vehicle crash in Clay County. A sport utility vehicle, a van and a concrete pump truck were involved in the crash, which happened around 5 a.m.

Two members of the Kort family from Belleville, Ont. were killed in a crash in Florida. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family. (GoFundMe)

Freedom Convoy organizers face new charges

Organizers of the "Freedom Convoy" occupation of downtown Ottawa face new charges.

The Crown announced Thursday that Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are now jointly charged with mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, counselling intimidation, counselling obstruction of police and obstructing police.

Both were arrested on Feb. 17, a day before police began moving in to clear demonstrators from downtown Ottawa streets.

Pat King is now facing 10 charges in relation to the convoy.

King and a co-accused, Tyson George Billings, are now charged with two counts each of intimidation and obstructing police. They are charged with one count each of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to obstruct police, counselling to intimidation, disobeying a court order and counselling to disobey a court order.

On Monday, King expressed frustration to the court about people livestreaming his court appearances.

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, seen during the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa, are facing new charges in relation to the protest. (Twitter/Glen McGregor)

Protester who lost life savings regrets involvement with 'Freedom Convoy'

Two months after the "Freedom Convoy" rolled into downtown Ottawa, one protester says he regrets taking part in the demonstration.

Martin Joseph Anglehart says he spent his $13,000 life savings helping people with the convoy, and is now living out of his vehicle near Kenora, Ont.

Anglehart says he only joined the protest because he wanted to feel part of something after months of feeling lonely. 

"I’m still as alone as I was two months ago," said the 41-year-old from his car. "I still don’t have friends and I still don’t have family. I’m living in the back of a fricken car, so yah, I regret going."

Anglehart wasn’t passionate about the cause, but joined the convoy because he was upset that he wasn’t able to say goodbye to his closest friend in hospital, who later died of cancer, because of pandemic restrictions.

Martin Joseph Anglehart speaking to CTV News Ottawa via Skype from his car near Kenora, Ont.

This was Ottawa's busiest photo radar camera last year

The photo radar camera set up near Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Kanata was the hot spot for speeders in Ottawa last year.

The automated speed enforcement camera on Katimavik Road, between Castlefrank Road and Curran Street, issued 16,736 speeding tickets in 2021, the most of any of the photo radar cameras set up in the city.

New statistics show Ottawa's eight photo radar cameras issued 80,944 tickets for speeding in 2021. Last week, the city of Ottawa said 13 per cent of speeding incidents captured through automated speed enforcement were not registered because the tickets were not mailed out within the 23-day window.

A look at how many tickets were issued by photo radar cameras in Ottawa in 2021. (Data courtesy: City of Ottawa)