OC Transpo offers free transit in December and Farm Boy celebrates a milestone: Five stories to watch in Ottawa this week
All eyes on COVID-19 cases in Ottawa as child vaccinations continue, OC Transpo offers free service through December and an Ottawa-based grocery store turns 40.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch in Ottawa this week.
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS GO INTO ARMS AS CASES RISE
Ottawa Public Health will continue its push to get COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of children and keep an eye on a new COVID-19 variant this week, as the city sees its highest one-day increase in new cases in eight weeks.
There were 61 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Ottawa on Sunday, the largest one-day jump since Oct. 3. Twenty-four of the 61 new cases of COVID-19 involved residents under the age of 20.
COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children will continue to operate at seven locations in Ottawa this week, and Ottawa Public Health plans to release details on its pop-up clinics in schools.
This all comes as the world keeps an eye on the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Researchers in South Africa identified the variant last week.
Late Sunday afternoon, Ontario announced two Ottawa residents who recently travelled from Nigeria have tested positive for the Omicron variant of concern.
NO MOLECULAR COVID-19 TEST REQUIRED FOR SHORT TRIPS ABROAD
Starting Tuesday, you won't need to provide proof of a negative molecular COVID-19 test when returning home from short trips to the United States.
The federal government says as of Nov. 30, fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents returning home after less than 72 hours in the United States will no longer have to provide proof of a negative PCR test.
The molecular test requirement will still be in place for trips abroad lasting more than 72 hours.
The government says travellers are still required to enter their travel information in the ArriveCan app and will be responsible for maintaining proof of their 72-hour window to show airlines, rail companies and government officials when required.
the Ogdensburg-Prescott international bridge. Wed. Nov. 17, 2021. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
ALL ABOARD FOR FREE TRANSIT IN OTTAWA
Ottawa transit riders can ride OC Transpo buses and the O-Train for free in December.
Starting Dec. 1, the city is offering no-charge transit across the city all month after a fall that saw the Confederation Line out of service for 54-days following a derailment on Sept. 19.
Mayor Jim Watson proposed the idea of free transit in December back in September.
"This is to thank our residents for their patience and loyalty," said Watson on Twitter. "A regular monthly fare holder will save over $122 while helping our small businesses rebound from the pandemic during the Holiday Season."
OC Transpo says fare gates at all O-Train stations will be open and fare boxes and smartcard readers on all OC Transpo buses will be covered.
All Para Transpo trips during December will be free.
An Ottawa LRT train near Bayview Station in November 2021. (CTV News Ottawa)
OTTAWA COULD ELIMINATE RED REVERTS AT INTERSECTIONS
The Transportation Committee will vote Wednesday on a proposal to eliminate red reverts at intersections across Ottawa.
The red light technology, called 'red reverts' or 'revert reds', is a sensor at an intersection that detects when a bicycle or vehicle is on it.
Before the light changes, the sensor does a final check to ensure there’s still a car or bike on the sensor. If there is, the light turns green. But if not, the light stays red and the crossing street returns to a green light after five seconds.
Coun. Jeff Leiper is calling on council to get rid of the technology, saying it poses a safety hazard to cyclists.
“If you’re a pedestrian or you’re a driver you have some expectations about how a traffic light is going to behave. If you see that the traffic that’s crosswise gets an amber or a yellow light you have a really strong expectation that you’re about to get a green,” Leiper says.
“If an intersection detects that there is a cyclist at it that cyclist should get a green light no matter whether they’ve left the dots or not. The number of times there is a false detection of some sort has got to be minuscule in the grand scheme of however millions of vehicle movements we have in the city every year.”
City staff, including police and fire services, are opposed to eliminating red reverts at intersections.
The public works department says the change would have a "significant' impact on intersections that work with detection, including more instances of running red lights and jay walking.
A sensor at a traffic light on Carling Avenue and Maple Drive in Ottawa. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
FARM BOY TURNS 40
Ottawa-based grocery store chain Farm Boy turns 40 this week.
Jean-Louis and Colette Bellemare opened the first Farm Boy store in Cornwall on Dec. 2, 1981.
Today, there are 42 Farm Boy stores across Ontario, including 16 in Ottawa.
The Farm Boy website says Jean-Louis and Colette opened the first store with one goal in mind: "to bring their community the freshest produce possible at the best value."
EVENTS IN OTTAWA THIS WEEK
Monday
Ottawa Board of Health meeting – 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Ottawa Public Library Board meeting – 5 p.m.
Wednesday
OC Transpo's free transit month begins
Proof of vaccination required for all guests 12 and older at national museums in Ottawa-Gatineau
Ottawa Transportation Committee meeting - 9:30 a.m.
Ottawa Senators host the Vancouver Canucks – 7:30 p.m. (TSN 1200)
Thursday
CTV Morning Live Holiday Helpers Food Drive
Ottawa Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting – 10 a.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.