Deep freeze ends in Ottawa
The national capital has made it through several nights of dangerously cold temperatures.
"We were able to get people inside and indoors," Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley said.
"As far as I know at this point, there’s been no fatalities and no one suffering from severe frostbite; so it’s been a very successful three days for not only the shelters downtown, but the city of Ottawa."
That update comes as it felt like -30 degrees or colder overnight for three days. Saturday's low of -33.1 C was the coldest temperature recorded on Feb. 4 in 100 years.
"We had no beds available and we are at full capacity as far as the mats on the floor," Tilley said.
Tilley says between all of the city’s programs, more than a 1,000 people access shelters or sleep on the streets during the winter.
As the deep freeze loosens its grip, some residents were eager to get back to enjoying the outdoors.
"It’s been pretty tough, we have had to hunker down indoors," said Erica Sourtzias, an Ottawa resident. "We are going to get some fresh air now and practice our skating."
Community toboggan hills were full of young ones on Sunday afternoon.
"It’s amazing; we always want to enjoy the fresh air," said Brad Smith, who was tobogganing with his kids. "Does the body some good and it’s nice to get out on the hill with the kids, it’s awesome."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.