Special Air Quality Statement | Wildfire smoke blankets Ottawa for a third day

The luck of the Irish was celebrated in Ottawa on Friday as pubs opened early and filled up quickly.
Mike Denis lined up just before 8:30 am to get in line at the Heart and Crown Irish Pub in the ByWard Market. The pub opened its doors at 9 a.m.
Denis was joined by a group of friends that have spend St Patrick’s Day together for nearly two decades.
“My mom was Irish, but for us it has been 20-plus years since we have been coming we love to get together," Denis said. “We skipped the pandemic but as soon as we were able to come back we did.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, St. Patrick’s Day events were among the first to be cancelled in March of 2020. Three years later there are no restrictions and parties are back in full swing.
The Heart and Crown says they purchased nearly 100 kegs for their four locations across the city in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day and they expected to sell nearly 2,500 pints.
The Irish Society of Ottawa says this year where many events are trying to restart. This year, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the capital was cancelled because there were not enough event volunteers to make it happen.
“This is a bit of a buffer year for all of us," said Tracey Dixon of the Irish Society of Ottawa. "We had to cancel the parade, but hopefully we will be back next year.”
Dixon says this is a day for celebration, but also a day to look back on how the Irish have contributed to the capital.
“This is year to reflect on what the Irish have done for the city of Ottawa and canada a whole.”
“We are ecstatic (today), when we look around the city and we see just how much the Irish have put into this city. You look at the buildings, you look at the canal and how we are embedded in this city. It is just so important and that’s the time to celebrate as a family and as a community.”
The Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday, its first increase since pausing hikes in January.
Poor air quality is forecast to persist into the weekend across parts of Ontario, as plumes of wildfire smoke blanket the province and prompt school boards to limit outdoor activities.
One of the architects of the law that governs Canada's prison system says it's understandable people want revenge on killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, but that's not what the prison system is designed for.
Indigo founder Heather Reisman announced she is retiring as almost half of the book retailer's board of directors steps down.
With social media ever-present in modern life, figuring out when and how to introduce it to children is something every parent will have to deal with eventually. CTV's Your Morning spoke to a child-life specialist about how parents can have that conversation and be positive role models too.
The start to wildfire season is adding pressure to fire crews who for some have been working the last month straight to protect communities in Canada.
Being a 'sleep procrastinator' might not only make you grumpy the next day, it can put your health at risk. A sleep expert shares tips for making sure bedtime is shut-eye time.
Prince Harry was back in the witness box at the High Court in London on Wednesday for a second day of grilling over his allegations that British tabloids targeted him with phone-hacking and other unlawful behaviour.
A 10-year-old driving a stolen Buick led Michigan police on a highway chase last month, newly released video shows.