OTTAWA -- The COVID-19 pandemic continues, Ottawa school boards release the back to school plans and Ottawa Police say a bank robber followed COVID-19 protocols.

CTV News Ottawa looks at the top stories of the week on CTVNewsOttawa.ca

Ottawa Police investigating incident at Catherine McKenna's constituency office

On Monday, Ottawa police told CTV News they are investigating an incident at the local constituency office of Ottawa Centre Liberal MP Catherine McKenna.

Police say the incident happened at around 10:30 a.m. Aug. 6 at the office on Catherine Street.

Catherine McKenna

In a statement to CTV News, McKenna said this was not an isolated incident.

"My family, my staff and I deal with abusive behaviour on a regular basis. This is unacceptable and I am committed to working across party lines to make it stop. It is also the kind of behaviour that discourages women from entering politics."

On Tuesday, Innes Coun. Laura Dudas said someone threw a rock through the window of her Orleans home while she was inside. Dudas said she believes her home was targeted.

Nepean MPP and cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod's office said the MPP is receiving police protection following "threatening emails" and an "unexplained mischievous incident" involving her vehicle in Ottawa last week.

Suspected norovirus outbreak closes Algonquin Park resort

Bartlett Lodge resort in Algonquin Provincial Park reopened on Monday after an outbreak of suspected nororvirus that affected both staff and guests.

In a letter to guests, obtained by CTV News, owner Kim Smith said a staff member become ill in late July with what they initially suspected was a possible salmonella infection from a batch of bad onions.

Smith said a second staff member then become ill with similar symptoms.

"At first it was thought that our staff member who was ill may have eaten a bad onion. When the second staff member became ill, we had a strong feeling it may be the norovirus," he said.

The staff member was immediately isolated, all of the prepared food and fresh produce was thrown out, and the kitchen was sanitized three times; however, more illnesses were reported. Three additional staff members and nine guests reported similar symptoms.

Smith said a cleaning firm was hired to clean the resort last Sunday.

School Boards unveil back to school plans/Ontario mandates minimum of 225 minutes/day for 'Zoom-style' classes during online learning

Ottawa's four school boards unveiled their plans for back to school and online learning this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plans include five days a week in-class learning for elementary students, and a hybrid model of online and in-class learning for secondary school students.

classroom

On Thursday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce issued a Policy/Program Memorandum with new minimum requirements for Remote Learning in September.

"From Kindergarten right through Grade 12, we're directing up to 225 minutes of the standard 300 minute day for live synchronous instruction, or as I noted a Zoom-style experience for our kids," said Lecce.

"Kids in Grade 1 to 12 must receive a minimum of 75 per cent of live, synchronous learning each day."

The Ontario Government outlines the minimum amount of time per day that students, depending on their grade level, must be provided with synchronous learning:

  • Kindergarten: 180 minutes is the daily minimum synchronous learning time requirement
  • Grades 1 to 3: 225 minutes is the daily minimum synchronous learning time requirement
  • Grades 4 to 8: 225 minutes is the daily minimum synchronous learning time requirement
  • Grades 9 to 12: The higher of 60 minutes for each 75 minute class period or 225 minutes per day for a full course schedule

School boards will hire teachers solely focused on the online learning component during the school year.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board will release details on remote learning and secondary school schedules by Wednesday night.

COVID-19 in Ottawa

Ottawa Public Health reported 69 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa between Aug. 9 And Aug. 15.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches said on Thursday that the COVID-19 situation in Ottawa was stable in August after the spike in July. 

New cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa

On Monday, 21 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Ottawa.

There was six new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, followed by 13 new cases on Wednesday and 10 new cases on Thursday. Eight new cases were announced on Friday. 

Ottawa Public Health reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.

Ottawa Bylaw officer fired after punching man in park

An Ottawa Bylaw Services officer has been fired after punching a man while issuing a ticket in a City of Ottawa park this spring.

In a memo to council, Emergency and Protective Services general manager Anthony Di Monte said staff concluded that, "The Bylaw officer engaged in an excessive use of force in the altercation."

Obi Ifedi told CTV News that back in early April, he was punched in the face by a Bylaw officer who had been trying to give him a ticket for being one of several people in a Michele Heights park.

Obi Ifedi

Real estate: Ottawa's five hottest neighbourhoods

Taylor Bennett of Bennett Property Shop Realty joined CTV News at Noon to discuss Ottawa's hot real estate market.

According to Bennett, the five hottest neighbourhoods for real estate are:

  • Hintonburg
  • Dunrobin
  • Vanier
  • Greely
  • Manotick and Overbrook tied for fifth

Bennett says prices are up more than 45 per cent over last year in Hintonburg, Dunrobin, Vanier and Greely.

Hottest neighbourhoods in Ottawa

Accused bank robber followed COVID-19 protocols

Ottawa police say a man accused of robbing a bank on Rideau Street last week followed physical distancing protocols before allegedly slipping the teller a note.

In a media release on Monday, police said they were called at around 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 7 for reports of a man passing a note to a teller demanding cash. The suspect left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money before police arrived.

Police said the suspect waited in line outside the bank, per COVID-19 protocols, before making the alleged demand once inside.

A suspect was arrested and charged.