Environment Canada is predicting a major winter storm, beginning tonight and possibly continuing through December 25th. The storm may bring extreme cold, freezing rain, heavy snow, high winds, and flash freezes.
Here’s some important information to help you prepare.
I have contacted the City’s Emergency Command Centre to request that, in the event of an extended power outage, area community centres be deployed as needed for warming, device charging, and access to wi-fi. I will update on Twitter throughout the weekend (@laine_johnson1).
Hydro
Hydro Ottawa’s Crisis Management Teams will be in place to oversee the power supply and deploy resources as needed.
Ice and heavy snow can cause short-term outages, so please be patient. To find out the current status of an outage, residents are advised to visit our website and Outage Map at
www.hydroottawa.com/outages, which is updated every 15 minutes as new information comes in from
our crews. Hydro Ottawa relies on customers to help pinpoint the cause of an outage, by:
Snow clearing
I’ve heard from staff that they are putting extra resources into clearing our roads and sidewalks this weekend. Changing conditions and long-lasting storms are challenging because they need to keep returning to the same routes. Please be patient and allow our crews to do their work.
A Winter Weather Parking Ban will be in effect from 10 am Friday, December 23 to 7 am Saturday, December 24. The extension to the standard winter weather parking ban is essential for the support of our operations. The fewer cars parked on the road, the faster crews can clear the lanes.
In College Ward, you can park for free at Centrepointe Park (260 Centrepointe Dr) during winter parking bans.
Transit
Please give yourself extra time to get to your destination and expect delays. Articulated buses will likely be taken off the road, so buses might be a bit more crowded.
And be careful getting on and off buses as the curbside may be icy.
Text 560-560 or call 560-1000 and follow @OCTranspoLive on Twitter for the latest information.
How you can help
City crews will work hard to open catch basins ahead of this week’s event, but they cannot do it alone. If you are able, please clear your local catch basin. Cleared catch basins allows water to drain from the streets unrestricted, preventing water from pooling on our roads which in turn, helps them from freezing over should the temperature drop. As the temperature is forecasted to drop late Friday, clearing catch basins ahead of this event is crucial in preventing slippery and hazardous travelling conditions. You may also report a blocked catch basin by creating an online service request by visiting Ottawa.ca.
With the holiday break just a few days away, we understand that many may have last-minute errands to run. In anticipation of the conditions that are expected later this week, please plan ahead by completing any errands before the winter weather event reaches the City on Thursday.
Emergency preparedness
that includes things like: medicine, first aid supplies, flashlights, new batteries, a battery-operated radio, a manual can opener, canned food, bottled water, blankets, food for pets, and important documents and telephone numbers
Charge mobile devices and laptops
For those requiring an uninterrupted supply of power for specialized medical equipment, ensure you have a back-up supply in place or a plan to relocate to a facility that can assist you.
For those with mobile disabilities and live in a building that requires the use of an elevator, be sure to inform the building’s management that you may need assistance.
Install a backup power supply for your sump pump. This will help avoid flooding during power outages.
Recent media reports have highlighted the Ottawa Auditor General’s findings that describe the redirection of red-light camera revenue since 2019 to the City’s general revenues and to the Ottawa Police Service.
I have to say I’m feeling disappointed that we repeated this same decision-making, despite my best efforts, even as recently as four months ago.
I spoke out during the 2025 budget deliberations in December because we voted again to redirect revenue from road safety measures, this time from automated speed enforcement (ASE) revenues, collected now and moving forward.
That’s right. This isn’t just a 2019 decision under the last term of Council: this Council voted to make the same decision in 2024!
On March 31, 2025 the City of Ottawa launched the consultation on the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Capital Infrastructure Plan, and we want to hear from you! Have your say on the future of transportation in Ottawa and share your input by completing the online surveys available on the Transportation Master Plan project page.
The draft Capital Infrastructure Plan identifies the transit and road projects that are needed to accommodate planned growth to the year 2046 and achieve the City’s mobility objectives. It also identifies a subset of projects that should be prioritized for implementation. This phase of TMP consultation also includes prioritization of the active transportation projects that were approved by Council in April 2023.
Ottawa has grown into a city of one million residents. Over the next two decades, Ottawa will gain approximately 400,000 new residents and 160,000 new jobs. With that kind of growth, we need to plan for a flexible, dependable, safe and efficient transportation network.
Get involved!
Surveys will be open until May 12. To participate and learn more, visit the Transportation Master Plan project page.
Your input matters! Transportation decisions impact everyone, no matter how you move through the city.
On March 26, 2025, I will table a motion at Council which calls on the federal government to ban Nazi symbols.
College Ward is home to Ottawa’s largest Jewish community and we have seen a sharp rise in antisemitism here. Groups and individuals now brashly displaying this terrible symbol of hate on their vehicles, clothing, and signs.
18 countries have banned this symbol and I believe it is time for Canadians to do so as well.
I have been working with B'nai Brith Canada, who currently have a campaign to encourage the federal government to ban Nazi symbols such as the Nazi hooked cross (Hakenkreuz). It is sometimes called a swastika, which is a Sanskrit word we're not using out of respect to the Hindu community, where this has been an ancient holy symbol for hundreds of years.
My motion, which Mayor Sutcliffe has kindly seconded, calls on Council to write to the federal government in support of B'nai Brith Canada's campaign. It also calls on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (where I'm a member of the National Board of Directors) to consider a similar motion.
I expect the motion to be debated and voted on at the following Council meeting on April 16, 2025.
Countries where Nazi symbols are banned
Non-governmental organizations that support the ban
Canadian jurisdictions that have endorsed the B’nai Brith Canada campaign to ban Nazi symbols
Province of Saskatchewan
Region of Durham
City of Pickering
Town of Whitby