Proof of vaccination required for non-essential businesses and the O-Train derails: Top five stories in Ottawa this week

An OC Transpo O-Train is seen west of Tremblay LRT Station In Ottawa on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 after it derailed on Sunday. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -

The University of Ottawa mourns the death of a Gee-Gees football player, the COVID-19 vaccine passport takes effect at Ottawa non-essential businesses and the O-Train is shutdown after a second derailment in six weeks.

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

University of Ottawa student-athlete Francis Perron dies shortly after Gee-Gees football game

The University of Ottawa is mourning the death of Gee-Gees football player Francis Perron.

The 25-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que. died shortly after the Gee-Gees first game of the season on Sept. 18 in Toronto.

"A bright, passionate, and caring person, Francis poured himself into his craft as a player and his academic pursuit of becoming an engineer. In the classroom, he was as big of a star as on the field, becoming a multiple-time U Sports Academic All-Canadian while studying Mechanical Engineering," said University of Ottawa President Jacques Fremont in a statement.

The university released no details on the cause of death.

The Gee-Gees returned to the field on Saturday to face Queen's University.

"We will bring out his jersey, we will have a special ceremony at Queen's and we will bring out his framed jersey and have it on the sidelines with us," said head coach Marcel Bellefeuille, adding he told the team that any player not comfortable and ready to play football didn't have to play this weekend. 

Ontario's proof of vaccination system begins: What Ottawa residents need to know

Ontario's new COVID-19 vaccination passport took effect on Wednesday, requiring people to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to access non-essential businesses.

The rules require businesses to make sure customers are fully vaccinated to access the following services.

• Indoor areas of restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments without dance floors
• Indoor and outdoor areas of nightclubs and bars (including patio areas)
• Indoor areas of meeting and event spaces
• Indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities
• Sporting events
• Indoor gyms, fitness/sporting/recreational facilities, pools, leagues, waterparks, and indoor areas of facilities where spectators watch
• Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
• Movie theatres and cinemas
• Indoor areas of concert venues
• Indoor areas of horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues
• Indoor areas where commercial film and TV productions with studio audiences

Drew Dobson, owner of Finnigan's Pub in Vanier, said on Saturday that most customers have been respectful of the new rules so far.

"We are turning some people away but most people know if they haven't been vaccinated they don't even try," Dobson said in an interview on Newstalk 580 CFRA's "CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent". "The first day, we had a couple of people who chose to voice their opinions with their server, but she just sent them on their way."

On Friday, Ontario announced expanded capacity limits for sporting events, concerts and conventions.

Father, two daughters dead in Gatineau, Que. murder-suicide

There was shock and sadness in an Aylmer, Que. neighbourhood this week following the deaths of a father and two young children in a double-murder suicide.

Gatineau police officers responded to a home on Rue Dunkerque just after 2 p.m. Wednesday to carry out a "well-being check."

The bodies of a 51-year-old man and two girls, ages three and five, were found inside the home. 

In a statement Thursday afternoon, police said investigators have concluded that the two girls were victims of a homicide, and the father had taken his own life.  Police said the daughters showed no signs of violence. 

The victims have been identified as three-year-old Orli Kpatcha and five-year-old Liel Kpatcha.  Police identified the father as 51-year-old Essodom Kpatcha.

Gatineau police say the deaths of a father and his two young children at an Aylmer, Que. home were a double murder-suicide. 51-year-old Essodom Kpatcha, and his daughters three-year-old Orli Kpatcha and five-year-old Liel Kpatcha were found dead inside the home on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021.

LRT train derails on Confederation Line near Tremblay Station

Ottawa's two-year-old Confederation Line remains out of service, one week after a derailment near the Tremblay Station.

There were 12 passengers and a rail operator onboard the train when an LRT car left the tracks, damaging the rail car, the track and rail infrastructure.

On Tuesday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the LRT train actually derailed before entering Tremblay Station at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 19, approximately 500 metres from where the train stopped.

"The train then departed the station in the derailed condition and continued over the rail bridge that traversed Riverside Drive before striking a signal mast and switch heater that were adjacent to and north of track 1," said the TSB.

Transportation Services General Manager John Manconi told reporters on Wednesday OC Transpo and RTG were trying to determine where the train derailed.

"I saw some of the video footage, I can't tell you where it derailed, nor can my rail experts that have been operating trains for a very long time," said Manconi.

Rideau Transit Maintenance said it could be three weeks before the damage is repaired and full service resumes on the line from Blair Station to Tunney's Pasture.

On Friday, City Manager Steve Kanellakos announced STV had been hired to undertake an "independent and impartial review" of the cause, actions, safety plan and return to service plan for the Confederation Line.

STV is a North American professional firm with more than 40 years' experience in the rail transportation industry.

This was the second derailment on the Confederation Line in six weeks.

A train sits on the Confederation Line near Tremblay Station after derailing on Sept. 19, 2021. (CTV Viewer photo)

Ottawa Votes: Liberals win seven seats in Ottawa, Conservatives win one seat

The election results in the national capital mirrored the federal results Monday night: more of the same.

Much like voters across the country, Ottawa voters elected for the status quo in the city’s eight ridings on election night.

The Liberals held on to all seven seats they held in the city of Ottawa, while Conservative Party MP Pierre Poilievre was re-elected for a seventh term as a member of Parliament by winning in the riding of Carleton.

In Ottawa Centre, Liberal Yasir Naqvi held on to the seat previously held by Catherine McKenna, who decided not to seek re-election in the 2021 federal election.

In Kanata-Carleton, former Ottawa councillor Jenna Sudds held on to the seat for the Liberal Party. Sudds replaces Karen McCrimmon, who decided not to seek re-election.

The Canadian flag flies at half-staff on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill in recognition of the discovery of unmarked indigenous graves at residential schools on Canada Day, Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle