Plans underway for in-person Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa

People gather on Parliament Hill for Canada Day entertainment, Tuesday, July, 1, 2014. (Mike Cormier / MyNews)

Plans are underway for in-person Canada Day festivities in Ottawa for the first time in three years.

Canadian Heritage tells CTV News Ottawa they are planning for an in-person celebration for Canada’s 155^th birthday in Ottawa after two summers of online celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Canadian Heritage (PCH) is planning an in-person Canada Day event, and we will share information about the event as it becomes available,' Canadian Heritage said.

"PCH will ensure that any recommended public health measures are in place when holding the event."

The federal department cancelled Canada Day celebrations in 2020 and 2021 in downtown Ottawa due to the COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings.

Last year, thousands of people attended a "Cancel Canada Day" rally following the recent discovery of unmarked graves at three former residential schools.

"Canada Day 2021 was a time of great reflection on our past and the future we want to build together," Canadian Heritage says on its website. "See you on July 1, 2022. Stay tuned for the unveiling of Canada Day 2022 programming."

CITY OF OTTAWA EVENTS

The city of Ottawa is issuing permits for summer festivals as Ontario eases COVID-19 guidelines.

"We're in lockstep with the province on the guidelines, so as it stands right now we're processing the permits and planning for the summer," City Manager Steve Kanellakos said following the council meeting on March 23.

"Unless something dramatic changes in terms of the pandemic and there's some new variant or there's new public health guidelines, we're proceeding as business is open right now for festivals and fairs this summer."