Police say mom left boy at restaurant to go to the spa and mandatory masks in OCDSB schools: Top five stories this week

Mother leaves her 11-year-old son at a restaurant while she goes to the spa and masks are once again mandatory in Ottawa’s public schools.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories on our website this week.

Woman leaves 11-year-old son at Chelsea, Que. restaurant to visit spa, police say

Police in western Quebec say a mother from Montreal left her 11-year-old son alone at a Chelsea, Que. restaurant for several hours last weekend while she went to the spa.

The MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais police say the woman arrived at a restaurant at approximately 4:30 p.m. Sunday, ordered a meal for her son and told staff she had a few errands to run and would be back in about 45 minutes.

When the woman had not returned by 7 p.m., the concerned restaurant manager called police.

Police say after several unsuccessful attempts to reach the mother, an officer was able to get a hold of her around 7:30 p.m.

"It is at this moment that the lady informs our personnel that she will be on the spot in a few minutes only because she is still at the SPA," police said.

"Fortunately for the child, he was in good hands and didn't seem to mind too much."

Police did not specify which spa the woman attended. They said a report has been filed to the Montreal DPJ, the social services agency.

An MRC des Collines de l'Outaouais police cruiser. (Supplied)

Treasury Board president: 'Hybrid work is here to stay'

The president of the Treasury Board says “hybrid work is here to stay,” and the federal government will look to convert some downtown Ottawa office buildings into housing as public servants work from home.

Mona Fortier is launching a “strategic review” of the federal public service, with the review targeting $6 billion in savings over the next five years.

“Hybrid work is here to stay,” Mona Fortier told CTV News Ottawa this week. “We have to look at how we’re going to strengthen our downtown core, and making sure that we don’t keep these offices empty.”

Fortier says the government review will ensure the government manages the transition to a hybrid workforce.

“We will manage that, and I think that we also have to strengthen our downtown cores and make these offices … available maybe for community living,” she said. “We have to make sure that we have a downtown core that is very strong.”

Many downtown Ottawa office buildings sit largely empty as public servants work remotely. Businesses have suffered, and municipal politicians have pushed the federal government to send more workers downtown.

File photo of a federal government building in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)

Masks mandatory in all Ottawa public schools effective immediately, OCDSB says

Masks are once again mandatory in all Ottawa public school board buildings.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board voted this week to make masks mandatory for all staff, Kindergarten to Grade 12 students, volunteers and visitors.

The board is also making it clear that students will not be suspended or expelled for refusing to wear a mask in schools.

"We know that there are many different perspectives in the community about mask mandates. This can lead to difficult conversations and sometimes can impact relationships," Director of Education Camille Williams-Taylor said in a statement to parents.

"A school is a community and relationships matter. We ask for your help in respecting the mandate, respecting each other, and keeping our focus on student learning."

Medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches urged school boards and employers to encourage mask use in indoor settings to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

OCDSB votes against extending mask use

Ottawa man charged with murder after elderly man found dead on Good Friday

Ottawa police are investigating the fifth homicide of the year.

A 69-year-old man is facing a charge of second-degree murder in connection to the death of an 87-year-old man.

Ottawa police say officers responding to a call Friday afternoon at a home on Smyth Road found an elderly man deceased.

Police identified the victim as Richard Rutherford.

Philippe Hebert is charged with second-degree murder, and remains in custody.

Ottawa police are investigating the death of an elderly man at this home on Smyth Road. (Aaron Reid/CTV News Ottawa)

This 80-year-old Ottawa home is on the market for $1.649 million

An 80-year-old home in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood is on the market for $1.649 million, with the agent saying the home is being sold primarily for the land.

The two-storey, four-bedroom home is located on Princeton Avenue, one block west of Churchill Avenue North. The home, built in 1942, is located on a property 20 metres by 30 metres, with a detached garage.

Rocco Manfredi of Royal LePage Team Realty Brokerage in Ottawa, who is one of the owners of the property, says they haven't had much luck renting it out lately, and one of his partners decided it was a "better idea" to sell the property instead of building "what we wanted to build on it."

The property is zoned by the city of Ottawa for two eight-unit buildings.

A home built in 1942 in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood is on the market for $1,649,000. (Photo courtesy: Realtor.ca)