NEW THIS MORNING
Vaccination deadline for public servants, first full week of LRT being back, and Gatineau's new council: Five stories to watch this week
A pedestrian walks past The Bank of Canada in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
OTTAWA -
Public servants could face suspension for not being vaccinated, COVID-19 cases keep ticking up, and Gatineau gets a new mayor.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five stories to watch this week.
VACCINE DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS
Unvaccinated public servants working for the federal government could find themselves on unpaid leave as of Monday.
The federal government gave employees a deadline of Oct. 29 to attest their vaccination status. Any who have not done so by Nov. 15, or who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine for reasons not covered by medical or human rights exemptions could be placed on leave.
More than 95 per cent of federal public servants have been fully vaccinated.
The City of Ottawa has a similar deadline Monday for its staff, of which more than 91 per cent have had both doses, as of the end of October.
File photo of a federal government building in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)
FIRST FULL WEEK OF LRT SERVICE FOLLOWING DERAILMENT
Transit riders can hop on board the Confederation Line LRT again as the train system goes into its first full week of service after being offline for 54 days following a derailment.
The Sept. 19 derailment forced the city to shut down the light rail line and bring in independent experts to verify the return-to-service plan. The first seven trains started running again on Friday and, by all accounts, service went smoothly.
The City of Ottawa has said they expect full service to be restored by the end of November.
An Ottawa LRT train near Bayview Station in November 2021. (CTV News Ottawa)
COVID-19 CASES ON THE RISE
COVID-19 case counts are on the rise again in Ontario and modelling released last week suggests the surge could put some pressure on ICU capacity.
Modelling data suggests there could be more than 200 people in ICUs across Ontario by the new year if current trends continue. There were 133 COVID-19 patients in ICUs in Ontario as of Sunday's reporting.
Ontario paused some of its reopening plans that were slated to take place Monday, including expanding capacities in nightclubs and wedding spaces with dance floors.
In Ottawa, case counts are also increasing, with rises in the seven-day average and the number of patients hospitalized with active COVID-19. Medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches noted last week that several patients in hospitals are connected with ongoing outbreaks at the Civic and General campuses of the Ottawa Hospital and many infections are mild.
A 'masks required' sign in Ottawa. April 3, 2021. (Jeremie Charron / CTV News Ottawa)
OTTAWA SENATORS' COVID-19 SITUATION
Ottawa Senators games continue to go ahead despite several of the team's players on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
Last week, Nikita Zaitsev was placed into the protocol just an hour before Thursday's game against Los Angeles, but he was removed from the protocol Saturday morning ahead of the Sens' home game against Pittsburgh.
There are eight other Senators in the protocol as of Sunday. The team hosts Calgary Sunday afternoon, travels to New Jersey to face the Devils on Tuesday and then hosts two home games on Thursday and Saturday.
Ottawa Senators' Drake Batherson (19) celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with Thomas Chabot (72) during third period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)
GATINEAU COUNCIL SWORN IN
Gatineau's new city council will be sworn in on Tuesday, which will mark the start of the term for the city's first female mayor.
France Bélisle won the Nov. 7 mayoral race in Quebec's fourth-largest city. She joins 12 new councillors, six incumbents and one incumbent councillor who was elected in a different district.
Bélisle says her priorities include increasing transparency at city hall, climate change, infrastructure improvements and working closely with Ottawa.
Gatineau mayor-elect France Bélisle. (CTV News Ottawa)
EVENTS IN OTTAWA THIS WEEK
Tuesday
- Standing Committee on Environmental Protection, Water and Waste Management meeting (2022 budget) – 9:30 a.m.
- Ottawa Police Services Board Human Resources Committee – 1:30 p.m.
- Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils 7 p.m. ET (TSN 5, TSN 1200)
Wednesday
- Transit Commission meeting (2022 budget) – 9:30 a.m.
Thursday
- Community and Protective Services Committee meeting (2022 budget) – 9:30 a.m.
- Ottawa Senators vs. Nashville Predators - 7 p.m. ET (TSN 5, TSN 1200)
Friday
- Magic of Lights at Wesley Clover Parks opens for the season – 5 p.m.
Saturday
- Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers - 1 p.m. ET (TSN 5, TSN 1200)
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Atlantic
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Woman taken to hospital after collision with Halifax Transit Bus
Halifax Regional Police is investigating following a collision between a Metro Transit bus and a vehicle driven by a 31-year-old woman on the Bedford Highway Friday evening.
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‘The Original’ Mr. Donair in Antigonish, N.S., partners with NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Pengiuns of the National Hockey League announced Friday they would partner with Nova Scotia company, 'The Original' Mr. Donair.
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Man believed to be 'armed and dangerous' arrested after day-long search in northern N.B.
A man who was the subject of an emergency alert in the Esgenoôpetitj (Burnt Church) First Nation area of New Brunswick has been arrested.
Toronto
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Drug checking in Toronto could be significantly impacted by closure of supervised consumption sites
Ontario’s plan to shut down six supervised consumption sites in Toronto may significantly impact one local organization’s ability to verify and analyze the city’s unregulated drug supply.
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Do your ice cubes smell funny? It could be your refrigerator
Have you ever thought the ice in your refrigerator tasted weird? Here's why it could be tasting funny.
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Canada-wide warrant issued for woman in fatal Toronto shooting
A 36-year-old woman is wanted for first-degree murder following a shooting near an after-hours club in Toronto earlier this month.
Montreal
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RCMP arrests man in Quebec allegedly plotting terror attack on Jewish community in New York
The RCMP arrested a 20-year-old man who was allegedly in the process of planning a deadly terror attack targeting Jewish citizens in the United States. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as Shazeb Jadoon, was arrested on Wednesday in Ormstown, Que., located 61 km southwest of Montreal.
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Quebec federal prison near Montreal to house high-risk immigration detainees
The Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) says it will start temporarily utilizing the Regional Reception Centre, a federal prison located in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Que., to house a small number of high-risk immigration detainees.
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Northern Ontario
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Pakistani citizen arrested in Canada, charged with plotting terrorist attack in New York
A Pakistani citizen who resided in Canada has been charged with plotting a terrorist attack at a Jewish centre in New York City.
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Sudbury OPP officer pleads guilty to stealing evidence during moose hunt investigation
A veteran staff sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police in Sudbury has been sentenced for stealing two items from a First Nations man and hiding what he did while his fellow officers searched for them.
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Average of one impaired-related charge per day in Sudbury
Greater Sudbury Police Service say nine drivers were charged with impaired-related offences over the Labour Day long weekend.
Windsor
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SIU investigating fatal officer-involved shooting on Goyeau Street
Investigators with the Special Investigations Unit have been called to the scene of a fatal officer-involved shooting in Windsor.
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'Taco Bear' gets new name while recovering after 10-hour trip to Windsor, Ont.
An injured black bear cub that survived a 10-hour drive to southwestern Ontario while being fed Taco Bell has been renamed "Windsor" following its new found connection to the Rose City.
London
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CTV News London’s top stories from this week
In case you missed it, CTV News London has compiled all of the top local stories from this week into one video.
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Why London might stop adding names to its urgent waitlist for Rent-Geared-To-Income Housing
A five-year waitlist and ongoing livability challenges at Rent-Geared-To-Income (RGI) Housing in the London-Middlesex region might prompt changes to how prospective tenants are prioritized when units become available.
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Grand Bend dog recovering after overdosing on drugs at local park
You wouldn't know it by looking at her today, but Izzy, a high-energy three-year-old golden doodle, was on death's door less than two weeks ago.
Kitchener
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Video shows physical interaction involving a police officer in Hanover, Ont.
Hanover’s police chief is responding to community concerns about a recent arrest at a Hanover school.
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Waterloo, Ont. tech company blacklisted by U.S. Commerce Department over surveillance, spyware allegations
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Ontario's first domestic case of human rabies since 1967 confirmed in Brant County
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Barrie
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Barrie police investigate collision involving pedestrian and 2 motorcycles
Police in Barrie are investigating a collision involving a pedestrian and two motorcycles on Thursday night.
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Driver flees after hitting tow truck operator in Springwater: OPP
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Vulnerable group camping in Barrie park in limbo as City’s eviction deadline passes
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Winnipeg
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Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick dies after collapsing outside Winnipeg courthouse
The Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has died after collapsing outside of the Manitoba courthouse Friday afternoon, according to multiple sources.
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Manitoba jail guard acquitted of all charges in death of Indigenous inmate
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A new way to get lost: How Manitoba's corn mazes are created
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Calgary
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Calgary mayor meets with province over Green Line, Feds 'surprised' by funding changes
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek met with representatives from the Alberta government Friday, just days after councillors voted to start the process to 'wind down' the $6.2 billion Green Line and transfer the cost and risk to the provincial government.
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Concerns raised over support backlog for children with disabilities
Families and advocates of children with disabilities are concerned about backlogs in the system leaving some without support.
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'We are not going to stop looking for you': Alberta murder suspect still at large
Alberta RCMP are continuing their search for Elijah Strawberry, wanted in the death of a Rocky View County worker in early August.
Edmonton
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Charges laid after motorcyclist posts video of dangerous driving on social media
A motorcyclist is facing multiple charges of driving dangerously after he posted social media videos of himself breaking the law.
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Edmonton zoning changes pit lot owner against city over property value
A homeowner in a southside neighbourhood says his property is about to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in value because of the City of Edmonton.
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Ukrainian heritage art installations in Edmonton explore connections to past
Two art installations commemorating Ukrainian culture in Canada are on display in Edmonton through next week. One of them is a project six years in the making.
Regina
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Regina police officers injured after apparent impaired driver collides with vehicle during traffic stop
Two Regina police officers were hurt early Friday morning when a vehicle being driven by an apparent impaired driver rear-ended their patrol unit during a traffic stop.
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What winter in Sask. and rest of prairies could look like this year
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Rams edge Huskies to improve to 2-0 on season
The University of Regina Rams beat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 33-28 on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium to improve to 2-0 on the young Canada West season.
Saskatoon
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Teen girl charged with attempted murder after student set on fire at Saskatoon high school
A 14-year-old girl faces an attempted murder charge after a 15-year-old girl was doused in a flammable substance and set on fire at a Saskatoon high school Thursday.
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Sask. dog owner says residents of Allan ran him out of town
The owner of a pack of dogs that drew the ire of residents of Allan, Sask. says he was run out of town after his neighbours grew fearful of his beloved pets.
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Rams edge Huskies to improve to 2-0 on season
The University of Regina Rams beat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 33-28 on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium to improve to 2-0 on the young Canada West season.
Vancouver
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Suspect accused of random attacks in Vancouver had a history of court-ordered psychiatric care
Brendan Colin McBride, the man accused of killing one man and assaulting another in downtown Vancouver Wednesday, was identified by the courts as requiring counselling and forensic psychiatric services as part of a probation order in 2022.
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Jury deliberations underway in trial of man accused of killing innocent teen during B.C. gang shooting
The fate of the man accused of fatally shooting a rival gang member and an innocent teen passerby in 2018 now lies in the hands of a B.C. Supreme Court jury.
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Intruder breaks into Richmond daycare
It was a parent’s worst nightmare early Friday morning at a Richmond daycare, when an intruder broke into the centre.
Vancouver Island
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B.C. senior responds to vandalism with creative kindness
Roger Barker was looking forward to exchanging a book at one of the Little Free Libraries that had been erected in his neighbourhood, until he found it vandalized.
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Major crime unit called for suspicious death in Lake Cowichan, B.C.
Major crime investigators on Vancouver Island have been deployed to assist in a suspected homicide case.
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Victim of Vancouver stranger attacks had surgery to reattach severed hand: police
The surviving victim of a pair of stranger attacks in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday has undergone surgery to reattach his hand after it was severed in the assault, according to police.
Kelowna
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Charges laid in hit-and-run that killed Kelowna teen
A man has now been charged for his alleged role in a hit-and-run that killed a teenager in Kelowna, B.C., last fall.
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Have you seen Lulu? Kelowna RCMP searching for stolen puppy
Mounties in Kelowna are appealing to the public for help reuniting a stolen puppy named Lulu with its owner.
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RCMP issue 'strong warning' against unsanctioned pre-grad parties in B.C.'s Okanagan
Authorities are urging parents in B.C.'s Okanagan to speak with their teenagers about the dangers of attending "unsanctioned" pre-graduation parties.
