58,000 people attend Canada Day celebrations at LeBreton Flats
The cleanup is underway across Ottawa after Canada's 158th birthday celebration.
The main Canada Day party was at LeBreton Flats, with the popular noon show and evening show, along with fireworks to cap off the festivities. Canada Day celebrations were also held in neighbourhoods across Ottawa, including in Barrhaven, Kanata, Stittsville, Riverside South and Orléans.
Canadian Heritage says 8,000 people visited Lebreton Flats for the noon show, and 58,000 people passed through the site during the day.
'Our people counters are telling us we had about 58,000 people that came through,' Melanie Brault, Canadian Heritage spokesperson, told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal.
'Now, that doesn't account for all the folks at the Supreme Court lawn or folks on Parliament Hill. I don't have specific numbers for that, but I've seen photos, and as you mentioned, when the Snowbirds were flying over Parliament Hill was just packed with people.'
Brault said 'we had a truly amazing day celebrating an amazing country.'
The Ottawa Police Service says there were 'no major incidents' to report on Canada Day.
Two people were arrested for public intoxication on July 1, and the Ottawa Police Marine, Dive and Trails officers arrested one person for impaired operation of a boat.
Police brought in officers from other jurisdictions to assist with the operations on Canada Day.
Some people complained that the main Canada Day events continue to be held at LeBreton Flats, and not on Parliament Hill, where construction has limited the space on the lawn.
'I, along with my team, would love nothing more to be back in the most iconic Canadian location, which is Parliament Hill with our beautiful Peace Tower as the backdrop,' Brault said.
'The issue is that, yes there is space on the lawn, but when you start adding all the infrastructure – like the stage and all of the set up that you need in order to run the event the size of Canada Day – there's no more grass left. That's the problem.'
Brault said Canadian Heritage is working with Public Works and Procurement Canada, but it's not known when Canada Day celebrations could return to Parliament Hill.
Canada Day events were held on Parliament Hill and the lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada on Tuesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
43 minutes ago
- CTV News
OPP looks to speak with potential witness, sets up animal traps after suspected animal attack in Quadeville, Ont.
After a girl was attacked overnight Monday, police are now saying they believe her injuries were caused by an animal. CTV's Dylan Dyson reports.
CTV News
44 minutes ago
- CTV News
SGI denies death benefits for mother of Sask. man who died after violent traffic stop
The family of a Prince Albert man whose violent arrest was captured on video says he was left brain dead. He later died in hospital.
CTV News
44 minutes ago
- CTV News
$600M lawsuit that includes a Sudbury institution is in settlement talks
The suit alleges that students were physically, mentally and sexually abused at the 13 institutions – including at Sudbury's Cecil Facer School – between 1953 and April 1984. A decade-old lawsuit related to training schools for youth in Ontario – including one in Sudbury – is in settlement discussions. Toronto-based Koskie Minsky LLP initiated the suit in 2015, covering anyone who lived at the schools and who was alive as of Dec. 8, 2015. The suit alleges that students were physically, mentally and sexually abused at the 13 institutions – including at Sudbury's Cecil Facer School – between 1953 and April 1984. The time period for Cecil Facer begins in 1971, when it first opened, until April 2, 1984. The institution is scheduled to close in 2027. 'The plaintiff alleges that members of the class were physically, sexually and psychologically abused at the schools,' the lawsuit said. Solitary confinement 'It is alleged that the Province of Ontario breached its fiduciary and common law duties to the class through the establishment, operation, and supervision of the schools. 'In particular, it is alleged that the Province of Ontario failed to care for and protect class members, which resulted in loss or injury, including psychological trauma, pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.' The training schools were detention facilities for children set up by the province. The suit says the students were subjected to 'cruel and degrading punishment,' including the improper use of solitary confinement and other forms of abusive punishment. The claim seeks $600 million for the estimated 21,000 survivors of the Ontario Training Schools. The suit was formally certified in December 2018. 'The training schools contained a toxic environment in which degrading and humiliating treatment of children in the Crown's care was the norm, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse was rampant.' — Statement of claim 'The training schools contained a toxic environment in which degrading and humiliating treatment of children in the Crown's care was the norm, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse was rampant, and residents of the training schools were systematically denied their dignity and basic human rights,' the amended statement of claim said. Under the Ontario Training Schools Act, children under the age of 16 could be sent to the training schools for a range of reasons, including if they were found begging on the street, were orphans, truants, had alcoholic parents or had been convicted of petty crimes. They were often sent to the schools for undetermined periods of time and weren't allowed to visit with family. The lawsuit said staff at the training schools were not qualified and 'unskilled and unsuitable for dealing with children in their care.' The Act was repealed in April 1984. 'The parties attended two days of mediation with a retired judge,' Koskie Minsky said in its most recent update. 'Settlement discussions are continuing between the parties. Please note that Koskie Minsky is not able to comment on the positions taken in settlement discussions as this information is subject to legal privilege.' For more information on the case, click here.
