Capital Ward Cup 2025
Join us for an annual tradition where Capital Ward residents join community teams to compete in a friendly game of shinny for the Capital Ward Cup. The Capital Ward Cup was first awarded in 2008. The current Capital Ward Cup holder is the Old Ottawa East Hosers, who won it for the second year in a row on their home turf in 2024.
This year the Old Ottawa East Hosers will be defending their title in the Glebe at Mutchmor Rink on February 8 at 11:30 am.
RSVP here to let us know you plan to come and watch the Capital Ward Cup and cheer on your local community team! Want to join a team and play for the cup?
Fill out the individual signup form here by end-of-day January 31. You will receive a follow-up message, and placed on a team (pending available spaces, and team balancing requirements).
Bank Street South—Construction Update
As anyone who has driven down Bank south of the river, the city is undertaking the renewal of Bank Street from Riverside Drive to Ledbury Avenue. This work will include the replacement of underground sewers and watermains, and a full road reconstruction. The vision for the Bank Street renewal is to construct a functioning and safe arterial main street with a well-balanced multi-modal transportation network which will cater to vehicles, transit, cyclists and pedestrians.
This is a multi-year project which will be constructed in phases. The full completion of Phase 1 (from Riverside Drive (westbound) to Collins Avenue) is expected in 2027.
For a full construction update, please visit our website.
We will continue to provide updates as the project progresses.
Alta Vista Transportation Corridor Public Consultation
As the city continues its review and update of Ottawa’s Transportation Master Plan, we will be holding a public consultation in the new year to discuss the future of the field on Lees Avenue that currently serves as park space but is identified to be used for the future Alta Vista Transportation Corridor.
Join us on Wednesday January 29 from 7:00 to 900 pm over Zoom.
Visit our website for more information and to RSVP.
Integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets
The integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets project will be holding a virtual public meeting and an online engagement opportunity in February to provide residents with an update on this project. Detailed design drawings will be displayed, and staff will be online to provide information, receive comments and discuss what residents can expect during construction.
The virtual public meeting is being held via Zoom on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 6:30 pm. If you wish to participate, please visit the project webpage to register: www.ottawa.ca/EllaRalph.
The City of Ottawa invites you to review and provide comments on the detailed design for the integrated renewal project that will be posted on ottawa.ca/EllaRalph after the event.
Your feedback can be submitted via the project webpage, by email or by phone to the contact below, between February 5 and February 19, 2025.
Updated, expanded Tree Dedication Program (formerly the Commemorative Tree Program) re-opens for applications
Residents across Ottawa once again have the opportunity to contribute to their community with the planting of a dedicated tree. The updated and expanded Tree Dedication Program (formerly the Commemorative Tree Program) offers residents expanded eligibility and reduces the administrative burden associated with the selection of tree species, planting locations and creation of plaques.
The program offers two categories of tree dedications: Personal Dedications ($995 plus tax) and Community Dedications ($1,750 plus tax). Eligibility for the program has also been broadened to include milestones, events, and accomplishments. The updated program costs reflect current cost recovery for the supply and installation of the tree, watering for three years, a tree tag, and a plaque for Community Dedications.
Residents can now submit applications for trees and find program information on the Tree Dedication Program page on Ottawa.ca, which includes an overview of the program, descriptions of the parameters for each type of dedication, costing, tree species, and site selection through a new interactive map. After submitting the online application form, residents will be contacted by Forestry Services staff with next steps. Tree planting through the program is expected to begin as early as spring 2025.
Your Capital Ward
Photo by Peter Croal
If you have a photo you’d like to share in an upcoming bulletin, please send it to [email protected], with the subject line Your Capital Ward. Please give us your name for attribution…or tell us if you’d rather not have your name shared.
Bank Street LED streetlight conversion
Through a partnership between the City of Ottawa and our subsidiary, Envari Energy Solutions, streetlights from the Rideau Canal to Hwy 417 have been upgraded to energy-efficient LEDs.
This project replaced outdated metal halide luminaires with modern, full cut-off LED lights designed to reduce uplight and sky glow. With built-in dimming and monitoring controls, the new system cuts energy costs by approximately two-thirds.
The improved nighttime ambiance invites everyone to stroll, shop, and celebrate the season while enjoying better lighting, lower energy costs, and a more sustainable environment.
Free naloxone kits and training available through Ottawa Public Health
Naloxone, better known as Narcan, is a medication that is used to reverse an overdose. Residents can pick up Narcan for free at a growing number of pharmacies across Ottawa. You can find participating pharmacies closest to you via Ontario.ca.
There are two different forms of Narcan available. One is a naloxone nasal spray, and the other is a naloxone intramuscular injectable (IM), a needle that can be applied into a large muscle group such as the thigh or upper arm.
Each kit contains use information and pharmacists are required to provide basic training information at the point of dispense. Ottawa Public Health also offers training programs on how to use naloxone through stopoverdoseottawa.ca.
Typically, the signs of an overdose can include shallow or slowed breathing, decreased consciousness, and pinpoint pupils. In some cases, a person’s lips may turn blue.
Overdoses with naloxone intervention are still medical emergencies so please do call 9-1-1 whether you have administered Narcan or not. The emergency dispatcher will proceed to give you advice, including the need for CPR following administration. Please note that people coming back from an overdose can be agitated and disorientated. This may cause them to physically strike out as they are revived, so it is recommended that you do not crowd the person. Talk to them gently and stay until emergency responders arrive.
Source: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/fentanyl-crisis-ottawa-public-health-promote-free-naloxone-kits
Public Engagement and Communications Survey
The city wants to know what you think about their communications—from social media and email updates to public engagement opportunities. Visit Engage Ottawa to complete a short survey and help improve how the city engages residents. The survey will close on Friday, February 21.
Seedy Saturday Ottawa
Seedy Saturday Ottawa is a yearly seed sale with a focus on heritage, open-pollinated seed from local growers. It also includes supportive sustainable, local businesses and groups related to local food and gardening.
This event is organized by the Jardiniers Kilborn Gardeners, in partnership with Just Food and Seeds of Diversity.
The next Seedy Saturday event will be held:
March 1st, 2025
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Emmanuel United Church, 691 Smyth Road
Contact [email protected] with any questions!
Batteries: You can help extinguish the hazard
Did you know? Batteries are a leading cause of fires in waste facilities. They are known to start fires in collection trucks and at processing plants.
No battery belongs in the garbage – regardless of size or shape – and you can help keep waste collection and processing employees and facilities safe by keeping batteries out of bins.
Extinguish the hazard by finding safe disposal options for batteries and other household hazardous waste at Ottawa.ca/WasteExplorer. You can also download the Ottawa Collection Calendar mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
Annual Frozen Water Pipes Service Notices
During the cold months, the frost deepens in the ground which may lead to frozen water service pipes. The city’s Infrastructure and Water Services Department is taking proactive steps to prevent frozen water service pipes.
Did you know?
The City of Ottawa provides clean and safe drinking water to more than 950,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The water is delivered through more than 3,200 kilometers of underground pipelines.
Depending on location and installation year of a water service pipe, some are not buried as deeply or properly insulated as others, meaning they are at risk of freezing at this time of year. Approximately 2,000 Ottawa homes and businesses may be impacted by frozen water service pipes.
Resident notification process
During typical winters in Ottawa, some homes and businesses experience a frozen water service pipe that prevents water from reaching their internal plumbing. To minimize the risk of water service interruption, as many as 2,000 customers may proactively receive Frozen Water Service Warning – Run Water Notification letters.
The city will issue notices to customers who have previously experienced a frozen water service pipe and have not had the service replaced at a lower level, using a phased notification process.
The first notice was mailed on January 15.
The first notice was sent to homes and businesses where records indicate the water service pipe froze on private property and subsequent notices are sent to homes and businesses where the water service pipe froze on the public side.
The notice provides customers with advance notification about the frozen water service pipe risks, and tips and tricks on how to protect water service pipes on their property and what to do if the water service pipe freezes.
How does the city determine if a property will receive a frozen water service notice?
The city relies on a model that uses the average daily mean temperature, as observed by Environment Canada, at the Ottawa International Airport to predict frost depths and mitigate the potential risk of a frozen water service pipe. Frost monitoring begins once daily temperatures are consistently below zero degrees Celsius.
Cost of running water during an advisory for residents and businesses
If records show the service froze on the customer’s private property, it is the customer’s responsibility to cover the cost of running the water. The notice received from the city will inform them of this situation.
If records show the service froze on the city's property, and the customer has received a written notification from the City to run their water, they will not be charged extra for the cost of running their water. The water bill will be calculated based on previous consumption patterns.
How to prevent frozen water service pipes?
While the city maintains the water infrastructure up to the water shut-off valve, it is the homeowner’s and businesses’ responsibility to maintain their plumbing and water service pipes. Residents and businesses can protect the water service pipes on their private property, between the water shut-off valve and the home or business, in a variety of ways:
- Proactively insulate pipes near exterior walls
- Ensure the indoor air temperature is kept above eight degrees Celsius in areas that contain water service pipes, especially near the water meter
- Additional information is available on ottawa.ca and on social media Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram
Ottawa’s water is world-class; preventative steps taken now will ensure it continues to arrive at your tap.
If you require immediate assistance or need to report a frozen water service, please contact the City of Ottawa at 3-1-1.
Community Economic Development Funding Program
The annual Community Economic Development (CED) Funding Program provides financial support to selected projects that are anticipated to result in:
- Resilient job creation (continuing beyond the funding period)
- Business enterprise creation (for-profits and/or social enterprises).
The program endeavours to positively impact historically under-represented segments of the Ottawa population (e.g. residents of lower income neighbourhoods, youth, older adults, rural residents, new immigrants, racialized and indigenous populations, people with disabilities, etc.) through financial support to non-profit agencies for new, or expanded, projects that assist targeted residents to overcome identified obstacles to the creation of new jobs and/or new enterprises.
Projects should indicate how the applicant non-profit agency will increase its capacity to support the economic objectives of targeted beneficiaries beyond the funding period. Projects should indicate how targeted populations will be enabled to overcome their identified obstacles.
The CED Funding Program awards a total of up to $285,000 per year, distributed among the proposals that are selected by a jury panel of reviewers. While proposals may have inherent merits, funds are awarded only among the top-ranked projects, until the annual funding maximum is reached.
For more information or to apply for funding, please visit the city’s website.
