Ottawa news

• City councillor says gas tax credit reversal will cost Ottawa $57 million dollars - CTV News

  12-04-2019 23:52
  City councillor says gas tax credit reversal will cost Ottawa $57 million dollars  CTV NewsCritics of the Ontario budget say it's a telling sign that the word "alcohol" appears in the document more than 30 times but nowhere is the word "poverty".
  
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• Budget cuts to legal aid budget will affect Ontario's most vulnerable, lawyers say

  12-04-2019 23:48 via ottawacitizen.com
  Without legal aid, Jane Doe says she would never have been able to pay the rent, buy food and remain in school as well as going to court to face her husband, who had filed for sole custody of their child.
  Jane, who asked that her real name not be used because she fears for her safety, came to Canada being sponsored by her husband. However, Jane says she was abused psychologically and financially. Her husband took away her cellphone and refused her access to bank funds or a credit card, then appl
  
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• Ontario budget's public health changes blindside officials

  12-04-2019 23:17 via ottawacitizen.com
  Public health officials were blindsided by news in Thursday’s budget that health units will be slashed from 35 to 10 across Ontario.
  “It came out of the blue, we had no previous warning,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, medical officer of health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
  Roumeliotis, who takes over as president of the council of medical officers of health in June, said the general reaction among medical officers of health is shock.
  The province also announced it would cut
  
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• Ontario budget's public health changes blindside officials - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 23:01
  Ontario budget's public health changes blindside officials  Ottawa CitizenThe provincial government also announced it would cut $200 million from the $1-billion public health sector.
  
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• Experts worry that looser alcohol laws may encourage risky drinking

  12-04-2019 22:57 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ontario’s proposal to loosen the rules on drinking — especially in public — has worried a number of community groups wanting to see the province provide more resources for alcohol-related health-care costs.
  The budget would let municipalities open parks to drinking, would let bars and restaurants serve alcohol starting at 9 a.m., allow tailgate parties at sports events and expand sales of alcohol into corner stores and more supermarkets.
  “The people who work in mental hea
  
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• After years in Opposition, MacLeod says it feels good to 'deliver' for Ottawa

  12-04-2019 22:54 via ottawacitizen.com
  After years in Opposition, Nepean MPP and cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod says it feels good to be in government to be able to “deliver for our city.”
  “That is your big worry. You spend five terms in the Legislature, four in Opposition. This is your first budget and you want to make sure the folks back home know you are fighting for them,” MacLeod, who is minister of children, community and social services in the Ford government, said in an interview Friday.
  “I feel r
  
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• Power outages cause of downtown elevator chaos on Thursday

  12-04-2019 22:50 via ottawacitizen.com
  Several areas of Ottawa were affected by power surges and outages around 6 p.m. on Thursday, with emergency crews eventually responding to seven different calls to help people stuck in elevators.
  Fire officials said the calls all came in with a one-hour period and forced them to scramble to Nepean Street, Canterbury Avenue and Titan Private to free people who were stuck inside the lifts. In most cases, the officials added, people were freed rapidly after the elevators were reset. Some calls requ
  
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• Power outages cause of downtown elevator chaos on Thursday - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 22:40
  Power outages cause of downtown elevator chaos on Thursday  Ottawa CitizenSeveral areas of Ottawa were affected by power surges and outages around 6 p.m. on Thursday, with emergency crews eventually responding to seven different ...
  
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• See a fire? Stand back — and if your clothes smell smoky, better wash 'em

  12-04-2019 22:39 via ottawacitizen.com
  Heavy smoke from the fire in the ByWard Market isn’t dangerous if people take a few basic precautions, Ottawa fire said Friday. Mainly, keep back.
  Firefighters were grappling with a major blaze in the ByWard Market Friday afternoon, centred at the well-known Vittoria Trattoria restaurant. The fire drew a crowd of onlookers, and forced the evacuation of many nearby businesses.
  “What we’re communicating is that persons who are really interested in fire operations are sometimes in
  
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• NDP legislators urge Ottawa to provide 'stable funding' to Indigenous Theatre - National Post

  12-04-2019 22:29
  NDP legislators urge Ottawa to provide 'stable funding' to Indigenous Theatre  National PostNew Democrat legislators are calling on the Liberal government to reconsider a decision that denies funding to the National Arts Centre's Indigenous Theatre.
  
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• Goodale says report on terror threats 'maligned' certain communities - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 21:39
  Goodale says report on terror threats 'maligned' certain communities  Ottawa CitizenOTTAWA — Friday evening, hours before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to visit one of the biggest Sikh temples in Canada, his government agreed to ...
  
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• Fire department 'takes control' of major ByWard Market restaurant fire, chief says

  12-04-2019 20:46 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ottawa fire Chief Kim Ayotte says the service has “taken control” of a major blaze in the ByWard Market Friday afternoon, centred at the well-known Vittoria Trattoria restaurant.
  However, the department still has a few hours work ahead inside the building battling flames.
  The chief made the announcement at about 2:30 p.m., almost three-and-a-half hours after the blaze began in the building at 35 William St.
  Crews still face work battling hotspots and searching for possible fire sprea
  
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• Peewee AAA 99ers playing for provincial gold in Ottawa - Brantford Expositor

  12-04-2019 20:36
  Peewee AAA 99ers playing for provincial gold in Ottawa  Brantford ExpositorThe Brantford Minor Hockey Association's peewee AAA 99ers will be playing for gold at the Ontario Hockey Federation championship in Ottawa.Brantford ...
  
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• Fourth alarm at ByWard Market restaurant fire, no injuries reported

  12-04-2019 19:38 via ottawacitizen.com
  Firefighting crews continued to battle a major blaze in the ByWard Market Friday afternoon, centred at the well-known Vittoria Trattoria restaurant.
  At about 1 p.m., the force declared a fourth alarm on the blaze that broke out at about 11 a.m. in the building at 35 William St.
  Patrons and employees are all out of the building, the fire department reports. There have been no major injuries reported.
  The fire on William Street is now a 4th Alarm. There are 5 Ladders and Towers in operation and mu
  
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• Bloc Québécois tells Ottawa 'what's right for Quebec' on new billboard - Daily Hive

  12-04-2019 18:35
  Bloc Québécois tells Ottawa 'what's right for Quebec' on new billboard  Daily HiveThe Bloc Québécois put up a billboard in Ottawa In an effort to keep the federal government out of Quebec's religious symbol ban and Bill 21.
  
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• Three teens arrested after Ottawa stabbing sends another teen to hospital - National Post

  12-04-2019 18:03
  Three teens arrested after Ottawa stabbing sends another teen to hospital  National PostOTTAWA — Police say three teenagers are in custody after another teen was stabbed in an apartment in Ottawa.Officers were called to a business on Bank ...
  
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• Pigeon King: One of Canada's biggest scams gets the theatrical treatment at the NAC

  12-04-2019 18:00 via ottawacitizen.com
  The Pigeon King
  A Blyth Festival production
  When & where: April 24 to May 5, Babs Asper Theatre, National Arts Centre
  Tickets & times: nac-cna.ca or ticketmaster.ca
  Severn Thompson thought she knew the tight-knit community around the town of Blyth in southwestern Ontario. Her grandparents used to have a farm in the area, and she spent most of her childhood summers in the fresh air and pastoral landscape.But the Toronto-based actor and director was surprised to hear that one of the bigges
  
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• By appealing limits on solitary confinement, Ottawa is on the wrong side of history - Toronto Star

  12-04-2019 17:53
  By appealing limits on solitary confinement, Ottawa is on the wrong side of history  Toronto StarThe federal government is trying to overturn a ruling by Ontario's top court that spending more than 15 days in solitary confinement amounts to unconstitutional ...
  
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• Winter from hell was record-setting good news for Gatineau Park

  12-04-2019 17:50 via ottawacitizen.com
  The arduous winter of 2018-19 was a pain to many, but the season was a winner for activities in Gatineau Park.
  The National Capital Commission reported Friday season pass sales were up 18 per cent over the previous winter, with a total of 10,099 passes sold (8,832 ski passes, and 1,267 snowshoe and snow bike passes).
  Visitors made 1,333 requests for overnight accommodation, a three per cent rise from the previous year.
  The park’s trails were open 120 days since the season officially began
  
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• Fire at ByWard Market restaurant, no injuries reported

  12-04-2019 17:46 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ottawa Fire Services has called a second alarm for a fire in the ByWard Market.
  Unconfirmed reports indicate the fire is at the well-known Vittoria Trattoria Restaurant.
  Patrons and employees are all out of the building, the fire department reports.
  Police and fire officials urge motorists and pedestrians to stay out of the area.
  More to come
  Fire on William street in the ByWard Market. Avoid George and York streets until the situation is cleared up and under control #ottnews pic.twitter.com/fLF
  
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• Three teens arrested in 'targeted' stabbing near Billings Bridge

  12-04-2019 17:45 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ottawa police have arrested three teenage males in connection with a “targeted” stabbing that occurred near the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre on Thursday afternoon.
  Police were called to the mall at Riverside Drive and Bank Street at 4:22 p.m. Thursday and located the 18-year-old victim with non-life threatening injuries from a stab wound.He was taken to hospital in stable condition. His identity was not released.
  After investigation, officers found the actual scene of the sta
  
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• Police arrest man in connection to a series of robberies

  12-04-2019 17:39 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ottawa police have arrested a man in connection with a series of robberies at several locations across the city between February and April.
  According to police, the suspect is believed to have been involved in several robberies and shoplifting incidents that occurred in various businesses along Hazeldean Road, Blair Road, Strandherd Drive, Klondike Road and Eagleson road over the past three months.
  Daniel Kilpatric, 56, of Ottawa is charged with robbery while in possession of a weapon, theft und
  
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• Fire in Ottawa's historic ByWard Market under control - CBC News

  12-04-2019 17:39
  Fire in Ottawa's historic ByWard Market under control  CBC NewsOttawa fire crews tackling massive blaze at ByWard Market restaurant  OttawaMatters.comOttawa firefighters battle Byward market blaze  Global NewsDamage from ByWard Market restaurant fire pegged at $2M  Ottawa CitizenFire crews fight blaze at restaurant in Ottawa’s ByWard Market  The Globe and MailView full coverage on Google News
  
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• Ottawa launches new Indigenous housing fund - Cabin Radio

  12-04-2019 17:20
  Ottawa launches new Indigenous housing fund  Cabin RadioUp to 24 applicants across Canada will receive a share of $36 million to design and develop housing projects in Indigenous communities.
  
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• Techopia Live: Ottawa firm reducing cyber threats for small businesses - Ottawa Business Journal

  12-04-2019 17:17
  Techopia Live: Ottawa firm reducing cyber threats for small businesses  Ottawa Business JournalAs fears of cyber threats spread, an Ottawa-based company is finding opportunities in alerting small and medium-sized businesses to vulnerabilities in their ...
  
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• SARM Questions Policies In Ottawa - DiscoverMooseJaw.com

  12-04-2019 17:16
  SARM Questions Policies In Ottawa  DiscoverMooseJaw.comThe Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities was in Ottawa between April 1st and 4th. The goal, said President of SARM Ray Orb, was to meet with as ...
  
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• Cohen: Trudeau should brace for the coming Conservative wave

  12-04-2019 17:16 via ottawacitizen.com
  Long before the eruptions of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, long before Justin Trudeau misplaced his halo, the re-election of the federal Liberals was no sure thing.
  For the last three years or so, the provinces – and the rest of the world – have been going conservative. This electoral trend may – or may not – spell trouble for the Liberals in October.
  Since the party was elected in 2015, after almost 10 years of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, five provinc
  
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• Police arrest man in connection to a series of robberies - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 17:13
  Police arrest man in connection to a series of robberies  Ottawa CitizenOttawa police have arrested a man in connection with a series of robberies at several locations across the city between February and April.According to police ...
  
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• Provincial budget cuts raise questions for Ottawa - CBC.ca

  12-04-2019 17:12
  Provincial budget cuts raise questions for Ottawa  CBC.caThe Ford government's message of fiscal restraint at Queen's Park is raising questions for some local politicians, who say they are worried about who may end ...
  
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• Three teens arrested in 'targeted' stabbing near Billings Bridge - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 17:00
  Three teens arrested in 'targeted' stabbing near Billings Bridge  Ottawa CitizenOttawa police have arrested three teenage males in connection with a “targeted” stabbing that occurred near the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre on Thursday ...
  
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• Ottawa 67's blazing into Round 3 after 2nd sweep - CBC.ca

  12-04-2019 16:45
  Ottawa 67's blazing into Round 3 after 2nd sweep  CBC.caAfter winning the longest game in the history of the Ottawa 67's franchise Thursday night, the team is heading to the Ontario Hockey League's Eastern ...
  
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• Why Ottawa is Canada's hottest property market right now - Financial Post

  12-04-2019 16:32
  Why Ottawa is Canada's hottest property market right now  Financial PostPhil Soper, president of Royal LePage, speaks with Financial Post's Larysa Harapyn about Canada's spring real estate market, and why the nation's capital is ...
  
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• 'New tech' is revolutionizing building houses and the way we live in them

  12-04-2019 15:45 via ottawacitizen.com
  Smart homes are so last year. Controlling lighting from your phone, watching TV in your fridge door, and using a HVAC system programmed to your daily routines is becoming increasingly commonplace.
  So, too, are Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa —whether being called on to adjust lighting, pull up a recipe or play your favourite song, these tech assistants are on standby, literally listening and waiting for your call to action.
  But, why stop there? These examples of home-based smart tech
  
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• NDHQ Carling – Are senior DND staff guaranteed parking spots?

  12-04-2019 15:03 via ottawacitizen.com
  As the Ottawa Citizen first reported, thousands of public servants in Ottawa and Gatineau are scrambling after the Department of National Defence informed them they would lose their parking spaces and announced a lottery for new spots at the National Defence headquarters on Carling Avenue.
  The Department of National Defence is in the process of moving to a new campus in Ottawa’s west end that has parking for just about half of the 9,300 employees who are expected to work there. Officials h
  
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• Sharing child porn to express shock, anger still an offence, Gatineau police warn

  12-04-2019 14:36 via ottawacitizen.com
  Police in Gatineau are warning parents that it’s illegal to forward any pictures of a minor in a sexual pose, or involved in a sexual act, to anyone through electronic methods, even with good intentions.
  Police were prompted to release the warning after they were presented with two explicit images featuring a minor that had been sent by a family member who was attempting to highlight the potential dangers of child pornography and how quickly compromising pictures can be shared online.
  Acco
  
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• Three arrested in 'targeted' stabbing at Billings Bridge

  12-04-2019 14:35 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ottawa police have arrested three people in connection with a “targeted” stabbing that occurred at the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre on Thursday afternoon.
  Officers responded at 4:22 p.m. to an emergency call from the mall at Riverside Drive and Bank Street.
  They found a young man suffering non-life threatening injuries from a stab wound. He was taken to hospital.
  Police said Friday the charges against the three have yet to be determined.ALSO IN THE NEWS:
  Ottawa MPP wants year-roun
  
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• Here's what the 2019 Ontario budget means for Ottawa - Ottawa Business Journal

  12-04-2019 13:56
  Here's what the 2019 Ontario budget means for Ottawa  Ottawa Business JournalThe Ontario Progressive Conservative government's first budget contained a few items just for Ottawa, and several more that are bound to have an impact on ...
  
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• Seasonal (ie., warmer) temps, but drizzle and rain in forecast

  12-04-2019 13:24 via ottawacitizen.com
  Nobody wants to put a jinx on anything, so let’s just say weather in the capital is finally looking seasonal.
  Expect a few showers Friday morning (and perhaps freezing drizzle north and the west of the capital) with skies remaining mainly cloudy all day.
  Serious shower activity is expected late in the afternoon, as the high heads towards 10 C with occasional brisk winds.
  Showers should end Friday night with clearing skies and a low of 6 C.
  Saturday’s looking like a mix of sun and clo
  
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• The rise of the robot: Why Ottawa is poised to be the next artificial intelligence hub - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 13:00
  The rise of the robot: Why Ottawa is poised to be the next artificial intelligence hub  Ottawa CitizenArtificial intelligence is more than some notion from a faraway future. The technology has arrived, and some in the industry say Ottawa is poised to become the ...
  
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• The rise of the robot: Why Ottawa is poised to be the next artificial intelligence hub

  12-04-2019 13:00 via ottawacitizen.com
  Artificial intelligence is more than some notion from a faraway future. The technology has arrived, and some in the industry say Ottawa is poised to become the next “AI hub.” From guided missile technology to public consultations improvements, AI work is well underway in the capital.Here is what you need to know.
  Algonquin College: A community builder approach
  AI fits with Algonquin College in several ways, said Doug Wotherspoon, the college’s vice-president of innovation and s
  
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• Artificial intelligence: The good and the bad

  12-04-2019 13:00 via ottawacitizen.com
  To some, the notion of “artificial intelligence” conjures images of killer robots, a la Terminator, or of dystopian worlds, such as in The Matrix. 
  But to Peter McKinnon — who’s been involved in the industry since the 1980s as a business owner, researcher and observer — it’s not all doom and gloom for the future of AI. 
  The way the Ottawa futurist tells it at seminars, and to this newspaper, AI fits into two categories: the “white stream”
  
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• China a major threat to Canadian security: Ottawa | Article - Asia Times

  12-04-2019 12:56
  China a major threat to Canadian security: Ottawa | Article  Asia TimesA parliamentary committee cites evidence of Chinese spies and agents being active in the country.
  
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• Have your say: Ontario wants to know what you think about increasing class sizes for students in Grades 4 to 12

  12-04-2019 12:30 via ottawacitizen.com
  Ontario residents have one last chance to weigh in on the provincial government’s plan to increase class sizes for students in Grades 4 to 12.
  The education ministry is asking for public comments in a consultation that ends May 31.
  The increase to class sizes is among the most controversial in a flood of proposed changes to Ontario’s education system introduced by the Progressive Conservative government, from restricting cellphone use to changing the math curriculum.
  The government p
  
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• Firefighters hitting 'dead spot' areas on new radio system

  12-04-2019 12:00 via ottawacitizen.com
  Firefighters, too, hit “dead spot” areas when trying to communicate on a faulty city-owned radio system that is plaguing the police force.
  As first reported by the Citizen this week, the Ottawa Police Service’s joint health and safety committee, prompted by a unified front from both police unions advocating for their members, has complained to the force that the city’s unreliable radio system is putting officers at risk on a daily basis — challenging their abilities
  
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• BYAs celebrate accomplishments and contributions of Ottawa businesswomen at glitzy gala dinner - Ottawa Business Journal

  12-04-2019 07:58
  BYAs celebrate accomplishments and contributions of Ottawa businesswomen at glitzy gala dinner  Ottawa Business JournalSold-out event honours 12 finalists before announcing winners Amy Friesen, Jennifer MacKinnon, Katherine Cooligan and Christina Hlusko.
  
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• TERENCE CORCORAN: Ottawa’s $3.5-billion spectrum tax grab - TheChronicleHerald.ca

  12-04-2019 05:57
  TERENCE CORCORAN: Ottawa’s $3.5-billion spectrum tax grab  TheChronicleHerald.caOttawa is set to pocket another $3.5-billion from its latest spectrum auction, essentially a tax on cellphone users — the highest such tax in the world. It's all part of ...
  
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• Fire at commercial laundry doused in Nepean

  12-04-2019 04:15 via ottawacitizen.com
  A fire at a commercial laundry company in Nepean was quickly contained by firefighters before it could spread Thursday.
  Ottawa Fire Services responded to a 911 call that reported smoke inside 45 Gurdwara Road in Nepean, the home of HLS Linen Services, at 8:27 p.m.Firefighters declared a working fire, which was brought under control in about half an hour. The building had to be ventilated, but there were no reported injuries.
  Two bins of laundry burned. Damage to the building was minimal.ALSO IN
  
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• Fire at commercial laundry doused in Nepean - Ottawa Citizen

  12-04-2019 04:10
  Fire at commercial laundry doused in Nepean  Ottawa CitizenA fire at a commercial laundry company in Nepean was quickly contained by firefighters before it could spread Thursday.Ottawa Fire Services responded to a ...
  
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• Thirteen tenants displaced by rooming house fire

  12-04-2019 03:43 via ottawacitizen.com
  A fire that started in the basement of a Lebreton Street rooming house has forced 13 people from the damaged building.
  At 6:19 p.m. Thursday, Ottawa Fire Services responded to a series of 911 calls about smoke pouring from the building at 118 Lebreton St. N., near Gladstone Avenue.
  Arriving firefighters reported smoke and flames in a basement unit of the two-storey rooming house. The fire was brought under control by 6:55 p.m. with no reported injuries. 
  But damage to the rooming house was
  
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• Terence Corcoran: Ottawa’s $3.5-billion spectrum tax grab - Financial Post

  12-04-2019 02:40
  Terence Corcoran: Ottawa’s $3.5-billion spectrum tax grab  Financial PostOttawa is set to pocket another $3.5-billion from its latest spectrum auction, essentially a tax on cellphone users — the highest such tax in the world. It's all part of ...
  
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