LRT inquiry report slams senior city staff and RTG, and a rise in daytime car thefts: Top five stories this week
LRT inquiry report slams senior city staff and RTG, and a rise in daytime car thefts: Top five stories this week
Partial service has resumed on Ottawa's light rail system after nearly two months. (CTV News Ottawa)
The final report into Ottawa's light rail transit system concludes there was "egregious violations of the public trust', an Ottawa lawyer accused of sexual misconduct and a tire flies off a car on Hwy. 7.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories on our website this week.
The final report into Ottawa's light rail transit system concluded the construction and maintenance of the $2.1 billion project was plagued by persistent failures in leadership and saw "egregious violations of the public trust."
The commissioner's report lists several reasons for the problems with the LRT. He found that the city chose unproven technology for the trains, RTG didn't coordinate the work of its subcontractors, the city rushed the LRT system into service before it was ready due to political pressure, and RTG and its subcontractors did not provide adequate maintenance.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe directed city staff to develop an action plan to implement the report's key recommendations.
In his response to the report, Premier Doug Ford said the project "stunk to high heaven" and that senior city of Ottawa officials did a "terrible job."
Ottawa's LRT train on Thursday. (Natalie van Rooy/CTV News Ottawa)
Steve Kanellakos stepped down as Ottawa's city manager two days before the public inquiry tabled the final report into Ottawa's light rail transit system.
In an email to council, Kanellakos said he informed Mayor Mark Sutcliffe that Monday would be his last day as city manager.
“I’m sure there will be speculation about the reasons for my departure at this time. This decision is mine and mine alone. No one asked me to leave. I’ve always deeply believed in leadership accountability. As City Manager, I am ultimately accountable for the performance of the organization. I have always deeply believed that my role is to have your backs and that it is my duty to accept ultimate responsibility for our performance,” he wrote.
Kanellakos said he did not know what the LRT report would say, "I do believe, based on the line of questioning and approach taken by the Commission, that the report will be critical of the City of Ottawa and City Staff."
Kanellakos was hired as city manager in 2016.
Council approved a motion from Sutcliffe to name City Treasurer Wendy Stephanson as interim city manager.
Ottawa city manager Steve Kanellakos. (City of Ottawa)
An Ottawa woman is accusing a well-known lawyer of sexual misconduct, saying he offered her legal services in exchange for sexual favours.
James Bowie, who became known on Twitter this year for chronicling the court appearances of various 'Freedom Convoy' organizers, is the subject of an official complaint to the Law Society of Ontario.
The complaint alleges Bowie sent the woman "unsolicited intimate images, attempted to convince her to do illegal drugs with him, propositioned her, and offered legal services for sexual favours."
"These predatory acts violate multiple rules of professional conduct and were deeply harmful and offensive," the complaint said. "Mr. Bowie was seeking to prey on a vulnerable client."
CTV News called, emailed and texted Bowie to ask about the allegations in the complaint. He has not responded. CTV News also called his lawyer and has not heard back.
Bowie tweeted Tuesday evening, "It's fake. Just you wait. You'll see. It's fake."
None of the allegations have been proven.
Ottawa lawyer James Bowie is the subject of a complaint to the Law Society of Ontario. (Facebook)
Ottawa police are warning of a new trend heading into the holiday season of vehicles being stolen from parking lots at shopping malls, grocery stores and recreation and sporting venues in broad daylight.
"Thieves are getting brazen," Staff Sgt. Cathy Brown said in a statement.
"You may have your mind on your seasonal shopping list, but thieves are taking advantage of unattended vehicles in parking lots to steal your car, SUV or truck."
A total of 1,160 vehicles have been reported stolen in Ottawa this year. Police tell CTV News Ottawa that 173 vehicles were reported stolen in November.
In a media release, police say there has been "a surge" of reported vehicle thefts from the parking lots of grocery stores, recreation and sporting venues and shopping malls during daylight hours.
An Ottawa Police vehicle is seen behind police tape. (CTV News Ottawa)
A senior government official says a Canadian military assessment team is on its way to Turkiye in the wake of a devastating earthquake that's killed thousands.
A man has been arrested and two children are dead after a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval, Que. Wednesday morning. The deadly crash sent multiple children to area hospitals and parents scrambling to find their kids shortly after they dropped them off for the day at the Garderie éducative Sainte-Rose, north of Montreal.
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
Ride-hailing app Uber has brought back its carpooling service in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver after a nearly three-year hiatus due to COVID-19 concerns.
The officer who pulled Tyre Nichols from his car before police fatally beat him never explained why he was being stopped, newly released documents show, and emerging reports from Memphis residents suggest that was common.
In a first for the Bank of Canada, it has released a summary of deliberations by its governing council regarding its policy decision to raise its key interest rate target by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5 per cent in January. Here are five key takeaways from those discussions.
Netflix Canada is rolling out its long-anticipated plans to crack down on password sharing, saying it will begin notifying Canadian users today by email about limitations.
The way respiratory viruses have circulated this fall and winter, most Canadians could probably benefit from a hand-hygiene refresher. Here are the latest hand-washing best practices to apply in your daily life.
Nova Scotia Health is under the microscope after eight employees were found snooping into medical records. The privacy breaches involve the electronic health records of people associated with the April 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia, among others.
An Ontario lawyer who filed a $229-million lawsuit against his former “sugar baby” for alleged fraud had his case dismissed after the court found he'd become "obsessed" with the young woman when she attempted to end their arrangement.
An Ontario grocery chain said they are seeing an “unprecedented” surge in customers after a recent TikTok revealing the company’s low food prices went viral.
A man has been arrested and two children are dead after a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval, Que. Wednesday morning. The deadly crash sent multiple children to area hospitals and parents scrambling to find their kids shortly after they dropped them off for the day at the Garderie éducative Sainte-Rose, north of Montreal.
Condolences are pouring in on Parliament Hill after a Laval, Que., city bus crashed into a daycare on Wednesday morning, with federal politicians of all stripes expressing their sympathies with the families affected and gratitude to the first responders.
Chateauguay is still digging out from all the recent snow – but the mayor is underwater due to a municipal spat. The South Shore city’s mayor, Eric Allard, called in trucks from the private sector to help after blue-collar workers refused to work evenings and weekends to get the job done.
A grieving family in Noelville, Ont., is reeling after a judge dismissed a trial connected to a 2019 workplace fatality involving a close family member.
The wait is over for ticketholders in the latest Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's Ultimate Dream Home Draw as Pure Country Sudbury morning show hosts pulled the names of the prize winners Wednesday afternoon.
In a case that dates to 2007, Wayne Foster, a former police officer in Sudbury, has been charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation.
Time and the elements have taken their toll on the Kensington Bridge that carries cars, bikes, and pedestrians eastbound from Riverside Drive to Dundas Place. Built in 1930, the heritage structure carries about 9,500 vehicles each day and serves as a vital ink to the core, according to downtown Coun. David Ferreira.
Former London, Ont. high school teacher Dustin Epp, 48, was supposed to appear for his sentencing hearing Wednesday afternoon, but the matter has been delayed until next week due to health-related concerns and to give Epp more time to prepare his legal defence.
A 20-year-old driver from London, Ont. is temporarily without a licence after OPP stopped them for allegedly driving 145 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Tuesday night.
An annual $5 payment to members of seven First Nations has remained the same for more than 150 years, but one man is hoping to change that. Zongidaya Nelson is suing the federal government for 11 billion dollars on the behalf of his Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation, and the six other First Nations in Manitoba that signed Treaty 1 in 1871.
A memorial has been set up in the area where 30-year-old Karen Cunningham’s body was found, as police in Woodstock continue to investigate her death as “suspicious” in nature.
A new deal approved by the City of Brantford and the Ontario Hockey League will see the Hamilton Bulldogs temporarily relocate a town over to become the Brantford Bulldogs.
Calgary soccer star Sam Adekugbe is working with the Red Cross, urging Canadians to donate to quake relief.Adekugbe plays professionally in Turkeiye, for Hatayspor, in the devastated city of Antakya.
The Calgary Police Service asked residents of a northwest neighbourhood to shelter in their homes as officers responded to a situation Wednesday morning involving a firearm.
A Saskatoon couple is left feeling powerless to help their family and friends dig out of the rubble following the two major earthquakes in Turkiye on Monday.
A survey from TD Bank reveals Saskatchewan and Manitoba have the highest number of people in the country who didn’t contribute to their investments last year.
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank has partnered with 34 new community agencies this year alone, as the organization races to meet record-breaking demands that are showing no signs of slowing.
There are more signs that tensions are high in British Columbia’s health authorities as an outspoken doctor on Vancouver Island has faced professional repercussions and nearly all the critical care doctors at a northern hospital have resigned.
Police in Abbotsford say an erratic driver who was arrested after a 90-minute pursuit by an RCMP helicopter more than a year ago is now facing drug charges.
In a police interview that occurred shortly after the death of a three-month-old Regina baby, the boy's father, Catlin Goodwill, denied wrongdoing. Video of the interview was played during Goodwill's manslaughter trial, bringing many in the courtroom to tears.
Partial service has resumed on Ottawa's light rail system after nearly two months. (CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa's LRT train on Thursday. (Natalie van Rooy/CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa city manager Steve Kanellakos. (City of Ottawa)
Ottawa lawyer James Bowie is the subject of a complaint to the Law Society of Ontario. (Facebook)
An Ottawa Police vehicle is seen behind police tape. (CTV News Ottawa)
OPP say a crash on Highway 7 was caused by a failure to retorque winter tires. (OPP)
