What's open and closed in Ottawa over the New Year's weekend

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what's open and closed over the holidays.

Just a reminder, last call at bars and restaurants in Ottawa and across Ontario is at 10 p.m., and establishments must close indoor dining at 11 p.m.

Gathering limits are capped at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

City Services

COVID-19 vaccines and testing

Public Transit

Alcohol sales

Grocery stores

Malls

Museums

CITY SERVICES

Client services

• Client service centres, including the Government Service Centre at 110 Laurier Ave. W. and the service centre at Ben Franklin Place, will be closed on Monday, Jan. 3.
• The City's Provincial Offences Courts are open by appointment only and will be closed on Monday, Jan. 3.
• The City's 3-1-1 Contact Centre will be open for urgent matters that require the City's immediate attention. Call 3-1-1 or 613-580-2400 (TTY: 613-580-2401) to speak to a customer service representative.

Green bin, recycling and garbage collection

• Curbside and multi-residential green bin, recycling, garbage and bulky item collection will take place as per regular schedule. Collection will not be delayed due to Christmas or New Year’s Day.
• The Trail Waste Facility will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1.
• Christmas trees will be picked up on your regular collection day. Please remove all decorations. Christmas trees in plastic bags or frozen into a snowbank will not be collected.

Parking

• Free parking will be available at City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W., from Friday, Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. until Sunday, Jan. 2 at 7 a.m.
• The ByWard Market Garage at 70 Clarence St. and the Dalhousie Garage at 141 Clarence St. will offer free parking from Friday, Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. until Sunday, Jan.  2 at 7 a.m.
• At these facilities, exit gates willbe placed in the ‘up’ position during these time periods to allow for free exits.

Recreation and cultural services

• Pools, arenas and fitness centres will operate on modified schedules during the holiday season, including public swimming, fitness and public skating facilities. Please check ottawa.ca for schedules.
• Some holiday-themed registered programs will be offered at community centres, arenas and swimming pools. Browse JoinOttawa or check with your facility to register.
• Holiday schedules for refrigerated outdoor rinks, including the Rink of Dreams, Lansdowne Park skating court, Ben Franklin Place skating rink and Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink can be found at ottawa.ca/skating. Check the alert status on the homepage of ottawa.ca to confirm that the rink is open.
• Shenkman Arts Centre will be closed  Jan. 1 to 3.
• The Box Office at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe will be closed until Jan. 9.

Ottawa Public Health

• The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence St. will be closed Saturday, Jan. 1 to Monday, Jan. 3. 
• The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed Monday, Jan. 3. The clinic will be open for appointments on Dec. 31.
• The Ottawa Public Health Information Centre will be closed for general calls Jan. 1 to 3 inclusive.
• Ottawa Public Health’s COVID-19 phone line at 613-580-6744 will be closed Jan. 1 to 3 inclusive.
• The St. Laurent dental clinic will be closed on Jan. 3.
• The Baby Help Line is closed on Jan. 1.

Municipal child-care services

• All Municipal child-care centres will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1.
• Parents are advised to check operating hours with their childcare centres during the holiday season.

Library services

• The Ottawa Public Library will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1.
• On Friday, Dec. 31, all branches normally open on Fridays will open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Metcalfe Village branch will open exceptionally from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31.
• Visit the OPL website for hours of operation at OPL’s 33 branches further information and to access library resources and services online.For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. 

COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccine locations in Ottawa

• Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine web page for up-to-date hours of operation between Friday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Jan. 3.
• The Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Booking Line will be closed Jan. 1 and will be open Jan. 2 and 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Assessment Centre and Care Clinics

• Visit the COVID-19 Testing Information web page for up-to-date hours of operation between Friday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Jan. 3.

OC TRANSPO

OC Transpo holiday service will run until Jan. 1. Shopper routes will operate on a normal schedule throughout the holiday period. Visit octranspo.com for information on hours of operation, frequency adjustments and schedules for bus routes and O-Train Line 1 during the holidays.

Customers can get real-time schedule information, 24 hours a day, by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus their four-digit bus stop number or first three letters of the station name.

OC Transpo Customer Service

OC Transpo Customer Service (613-560-5000) will be open throughout the holidays to help customers with schedules and trip planning, including:

• Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Christmas Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Boxing Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year’s Eve from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• New Year’s Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Rideau Centre OC Transpo Customer Service Centre will be closed on New Year’s Day. It will be open:

• New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours of operation are subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Customer Service Centres at Lincoln Fields, Place d’Orléans, and St-Laurent Stations remain closed.

Para Transpo

Para Transpo will operate a holiday service on New Year’s Day. Regular scheduled trips are automatically cancelled, but customers may book trips for these days by calling 613-560-5000, or by using the online web form, up to seven days prior to the holiday. Customers are reminded to suspend their regular booking if they will be on vacation during the holiday season.

Para Transpo services will be extended to 3 a.m. on New Year’s Eve (with the last trips booked for 2:30 a.m.).

Para Transpo phone reservations and cancellations will be available over the holidays during regular hours, except for New Year's Eve, when cancellations will be available until 3 a.m.

The taxi coupon line will be closed New Year’s Day.

To contact Para Transpo regarding holiday scheduling, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000.

LCBO/BEER STORES

All LCBO outlets will be closed on New Year's Day.

All Beer Store outlets will be closed on New Year's Day. For more information, visit www.thebeerstore.ca  

GROCERY STORES

For information on store hours, visit the company's websites

Loblaws - https://www.loblaws.ca/store-locator

Sobeys - https://www.sobeys.com/store-locator/

Farm Boy - https://www.farmboy.ca/stores/

Whole Foods Lansdowne - https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/lansdownepark

MALLS

Bayshore Shopping Centre

• New Year's Eve: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

Billings Bridge Shopping Centre

• New Year's Day: Closed

Carlingwood Shopping Centre

• New Year's Eve: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

Place d'Orleans

• New Year's Eve: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

Rideau Centre

• New Year's Eve: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

St. Laurent Centre

• New Year's Eve: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

Tanger Outlets

• New Year's Eve: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• New Year's Day: Closed

MUSEUMS

A look at museum hours in the national capital region over the holidays.

Museum of Nature

• Closed: Dec. 31, Jan. 1.

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

• Open: Dec. 31, Jan 1. Jan. 2

Canada Science and Technology Museum

• Open: Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan 1. Jan. 2

 Canada Aviation and Space Museum

• Open: Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan 1. Jan. 2

 Canadian War Museum

• The Canadian War Museum will be closed until Jan. 19.

 Canadian Museum of History 

• The Canadian Museum of History will be closed until Jan. 19. 

 National Gallery of Canada

• Open:  Dec. 30 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Dec. 31 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 1 (12 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

 The Diefenbunker

• Open: Dec. 30. Dec. 31 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
• Closed: Jan. 1.

As of Dec. 1, all guests 12 and older must show proof of full vaccination to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of History and the National Gallery of Canada.