OTTAWA -- Ottawa police set up checkpoints at the interprovincial crossings into Ottawa, all eyes on Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers and the Liberal government delivers a federal budget for the first time in two years.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five things to watch in Ottawa this week.
POLICE CHECKPOINTS AT THE OTTAWA-GATINEAU BOUNDARY
Starting Monday, motorists will be greeted by police checkpoints at the five interprovincial crossings between Ottawa and Gatineau.
Premier Doug Ford announced new restrictions on interprovincial travel as Ontario looks to reduce COVID-19 transmission during the third wave. Ford says Ontario will be limiting access to border crossings between the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec.
Exceptions will be in place for people arriving in Ottawa and Ontario for work, medical care, the transportation of goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights.
Ottawa police released more information on the enforcement at the five interprovincial crossings between Ottawa and Gatineau Sunday afternoon. Police Chief Peter Sloly has said the checkpoints will be set up 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
COVID-19 IN OTTAWA
With COVID-19 cases rising in Ottawa and hospitalizations sitting at an all time high, medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches will provide an update Monday on the COVID-19 situation in Ottawa.
Ottawa Public Health has reported 4,541 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in April.
Dr. Etches will address Monday's Board of Health meeting as Councillors Shawn Menard and Jeff Leiper call for a made-in-Ottawa approach to vaccination and regulation.
This is the third week for Ontario's stay-at-home order.
ONLINE SCHOOLING
Classes resume this week after the one week Spring Break, but students in Ottawa and eastern Ontario will not be returning to school in-person.
The Ontario Government has announced that schools will remain closed to in-person learning indefinitely due to COVID-19 transmission across the province, and schools will move to online learning.
The Ottawa Carleton District School Board says Monday will be a day of asynchronous learning for elementary and secondary school students and staff. Live synchronous instruction will begin on Tuesday.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board says students will connect with their teacher on Monday afternoon.
FEDERAL BUDGET
The federal government will deliver its first budget on Monday since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to provide a full accounting of the state of the country's finances. The fall economic update said the federal deficit was $381.6 billion in 2020-21.
The Canadian Press reported last week that the Liberal government will dive into child care with the budget, A report for the House of Commons finance committee recommended $2 billion for child care to start.
TRANSIT SERVICE UPDATE
The Transit Commission will receive an update Wednesday on the Confederation Line and bus service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OC Transpo reduced service on the Confederation Line to 11 trains, down from the usual 15, during peak service hours in March and April due to low ridership.
The reduced trains were expected to increase wait times to five minutes.
Staff will provide an update on ridership during the pandemic, along with service improvements to the Confederation Line by Rideau Transit Group/Rideau Transit Maintenance.
The Transit Commission meeting comes after 10 OC Transpo drivers tested positive for COVID-19 over the course of 10 days, and the Amalgamated Transit Union calls on the province to move transit workers up the priority list for the COVID-19 vaccine.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTTAWA THIS WEEK
Monday
Ottawa Board of Health meeting – 5 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Calgary Flames – 9 p.m. on TSN 5 and TSN 1200
Wednesday
Transit Commission meeting – 9:30 a.m.
Thursday
Joint meeting of the Planning Committee and the Community and Protective Services Committee – 10 a.m.
Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks. 10 p.m. on TSN 5 and TSN 1200
Friday
Special meeting of the Finance and Economic Development Committee – 9:30 a.m.
