This is the proposed new name for Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway
The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in Ottawa's west end will be renamed Kichi Zībī Mīkan, if approved by the National Capital Commission's board of directors.
In a letter to Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Chief Dylan Whiteduck, NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum says community members from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and the Algonquins of the Pikwakanagan First Nation have reached a consensus on a new name.
Nussbaum says he will recommend the board of directors approve the new name Kichi Zībī Mīkan at its meeting on June 22.
"I am thankful for the generosity of the participants, who shared views, stories and cultural references about the area, highlighting the profound connection the Algonquin Anishinabeg maintain with the river and surroundings," Nussbaum said.
"If approved by the board, NCC staff will work with both Algonquin communities to plan an unveiling ceremony this fall."
The letter was published in the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg weekly newsletter on Friday. An NCC spokesperson confirmed the proposed new name for the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway is Kichi Zībī Mīkan.
Kichi Zībī means great river in the Algonquin language, while mīkan is "road" or "path".
The NCC's board of directors voted in January to give a new Indigenous name to the road named after Canada's first prime minister, "Reflecting the longstanding and important relationship of the Algonquin Nation to the Ottawa River along which the parkway runs."
The NCC conducted consultations with Indigenous partners and the public.
The former Conservative government renamed the Ottawa River Parkway the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in 2012.
In 2021, three Ottawa councillors wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call on the federal government to change the name of the parkway following the discovery of a suspected mass grave at the site of a former residential school in British Columbia.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.