Ottawa is redoing Valentine's Day on March 14 because of the convoy protest
Did you forget Valentine’s Day this year, or wish you had celebrated it differently? If you live in Ottawa, you have a rare chance at a do-over.
Ottawa city council unanimously approved a motion to redo Valentine’s Day on March 14 this year, in the wake of the three-week Freedom Convoy protest that took over the city’s downtown.
"Our heart-shaped city needs a little love," said Coun. Mathieu Fleury, who presented the motion.
The protest and occupation of streets in downtown Ottawa forced many restaurants and businesses to close during Valentine's Day, a busy period for local businesses.
"Ottawa is healing from the recent downtown occupation which overran the heart of our city for three weeks," Fleury said, noting Valentine's Day was not the same for downtown businesses because of the protest. "There was a significant impact to Ottawa businesses."
The motion directs the city's communications and economic development staff to work with local BIAs and Ottawa Tourism to promote and encourage residents to shop, stay and dine local during the weekend leading up to and on March 14.
"It shows that all of the city, all of the residents regardless of where they live are concerned about what happened in our core and all want to pull together to bring some positivity back to the city, support the businesses," Coun. Keith Egli said, noting a constituent in his ward proposed the idea of a Valentine's Day in March.
WELCOME NEWS TO BUSINESSES
At Scrim's Florist, the Valentine's Day redo is welcome news, after seeing less foot traffic on Feb. 14.
"I think it’s great that the city has thought about small businesses and what impact the last Feb. 14 might have had on them," owner Susan Murray said Wednesday.
"So I think it’s wonderful and another opportunity for people to share their love."
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Natalie Van Rooy
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.