CAA Tip of the Month: Tips for great road trips
Northern Ontario Watch
With summertime upon us, here are the tips you need to know to make the most of your road trip vacation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Here's what's open and closed on Canada Day
Canadian flags are seen flying behind the National Archives building in Ottawa Friday, Feb 14, 2025 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Canada Day falls on Tuesday, July 1 and as Canadians prepare for backyard barbecues, fireworks and community events, it's important to know which services and businesses are operating and which aren't. Here's what's open and closed during the federal statutory holiday. Federal and provincial government offices Federal and provincial government offices will be close for the day. That includes all Service Canada locations, passport offices and provincial ministries across the country. Canadians looking to access any public services or support programs will need to wait until after the holiday. Canada Post Canada Post will also be observing the holiday, meaning there will be no mail delivery and post offices across the country will be closed for the day Retailers and malls For shoppers, retail and mall operations vary by region. While major shopping centres like the GTA's Eaton Centre, Square One, Vaughan Mills, and Pacific Mall are expected to remain open with holiday hours, others such as Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens and Scarborough Town Centre will be closed. In Winnipeg, the Grant Park Shopping Centre and St. Vital Centre will be closed while CF Polo Park, Garden City Shopping Centre among others will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. In Ottawa, certain retailers will be open including the Rideau Centre and Tanger Outlets. Bayshore, Billings Bridge, Carlingwood among others will remain closed. In Montreal, places like Ikea, Winners, Home Sense, Canadian Tire and shopping malls are closed. Always check store hours in advance as they may differ by location or city regulations. Public transit Public transit services such as the TTC, GO Transit and other regional systems will run on holiday schedules, typically offering fewer or reduced service routes. In Winnipeg, local transit system will run on an extended Sunday schedule with additional blue line trips. For Ottawa's transit system, OC Transpo, it will offer free transit on the O-Train, buses and Para Transpo all day. Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and consult their local transit authority's website before heading out. Movie theatres When it comes to entertainment, both Cineplex and Landmark movie theatres will remain open, offering a full slate of screenings for those looking to beat the heat indoors. Schools As for schools, public and private institutions will be closed for the statutory holiday. While it's summer break in most provinces, school offices will also observe the holiday. Banks Banks across the country, including branches of TD, RBC, CIBC and others will be closed on July 1. Online banking services will remain accessible, but in-person banking will resume the following day. Grocery stores Grocery stores will operate on a location-specific basis. Some smaller grocers and chains like Rabba Fine Foods, T&T Supermarket, Whole Foods and Farm Boy may remain open. Most major chains like Loblaws, Metro and No Frills, will be closed or open with limited hours. City-run services City-run services are a mixed bag. Libraries will be closed across most municipalities, but outdoor public amenities such as splash pads, pools, parks and trails are expected to remain open, often operating on modified or holiday hours. Please check your municipality's website to confirm their hours. Whether you're staying local or heading out of town, confirm businesses hours or transit schedules before heading out. You can find additional details on Canada Post and your municipality's official website.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
‘A no-brainer': Some bosses happily giving staff Monday off along with Canada Day
A boy reaches for a Canadian flag on Canada Day in Vancouver, Monday, July 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns TORONTO — Anyone who works Monday to Friday and is keen for a long weekend this Canada Day has likely had to do a bit of calendar juggling to cope with the ill-timed holiday. The stat day falls on a Tuesday this year, forcing many to work an odd Monday squeezed between days off, unless they burn a vacation day to eliminate the wonky schedule. Some startup companies say they're calling Monday a wash and giving staff a paid day off in order to smooth out the mid-week quirk and create a long weekend. It might not make sense on paper, said Klarify founder Moody Abdul, but he said he believes in prioritizing employee happiness. 'It's that, 'if I take care of you, you'll take care of us' kind of mentality,' Abdul said. Connecting the Canada Day holiday to the preceding weekend is just one way to demonstrate worker appreciation, said Abdul, whose company provides AI-driven note-taking and administrative tools to therapists. For those in Quebec, it's the second holiday Tuesday in a row, after Saint-Jean Baptiste Day on June 24 forced many Fête nationale celebrants to grapple with their own odd workweek. But with Canada Day following so close behind, it's not uncommon for Quebecers to take the whole week off between the two holidays, much the way many treat the stretch between Christmas and New Year's. Of course not every employer can offer such accommodations, and full-time workers with less shift leeway will have to choose to take a vacation day or just make do with an odd schedule next week. Ani Siddique, a research assistant at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, said he asked far in advance for Monday off in order to get ahead of colleagues with the same idea. 'I had to ask for it but I planned for things one or two months in advance,' he said. Morad Affifi, who sat in a downtown park after a shift Friday, said the majority of his planned Canada Day festivities take place over the weekend but he, too, dipped into his vacation bank to avoid working Monday. Suze Mason, co-founder of the digital health platform Sprout Family, said her five staff members have the Monday off and she didn't expect the move to have much of an operational impact on her company. Sprout Family helps co-ordinate fertility care through workplace benefits programs. She said many of its clients, including larger Canadian organizations, plan to treat Monday like a holiday. 'It felt like it was the right business decision to give our employees a day to rest and recharge, while also not having as much of a direct impact on the business,' Mason said. Mason said extending the holiday to match that of the companies Sprout Family works with can also make it easier for staff to disconnect, knowing they aren't missing out on anything crucial. 'Sometimes when you're on vacation and the business is racing ahead without you, it can feel stressful,' she said. Vineet Johnson, founder and CEO of IRegained, said he's made it a recurring practice to bridge awkward gaps between days off when they occur. Johnson, whose company develops neuro-rehabilitation devices, said he did the same last December when Boxing Day fell on a Thursday and otherwise would have forced people to return to work for just one day before the weekend. 'It's an easy incentive, a no-brainer incentive,' said Johnson. With files from Natasha Baldin in Toronto. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025. Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
What's open and closed in Ottawa on Canada Day 2025
Social Sharing Canada Day in Ottawa will be filled with free activities and fireworks, but make sure to check ahead to see what's open and what's closed. Most businesses and public facilities won't be open on the federal holiday, barring a few exceptions. Here's a look at what's opened and closed in Ottawa on Canada Day this Tuesday, July 1. Retail Stores in certain areas of the city such as the Glebe and ByWard Market can open on holidays under the province's Retail Business Holidays Act. This also applies to grocery stores. The Rideau Centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bayshore Shopping Centre, St. Laurent Shopping Centre and Place d'Orléans will be closed. Groceries Most grocery stores in the city will be closed, but there are a few exceptions. Alcohol All LCBOs will be closed. Select Beer Stores around the city will be open, but check here for details on your nearest location. What to know ahead of Canada Day in Ottawa 2 days ago Duration 1:34 From transit to fireworks, Jodie Applewaithe breaks down what you need to know as Canada Day nears in the nation's capital. Transportation There will be parking restrictions near Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court of Canada and LeBreton Flats, according to the City of Ottawa. Buses, O-Trains and Para Transpo are free all day. All OC Transpo stations will be open. Pimisi Station is the closest station to the main event at LeBreton Flats but passengers can also get off at Lyon or Bayview stations. Rural Shopper Route 301 will not run. Trail and road closures The City of Ottawa has released this handy map outlining closures: The following streets will be closed from 6 a.m. on July 1 until 2 a.m. on July 2: Wellington Street between Elgin Street and Vimy Place. Sparks Street between Lyon Street North and Bronson Avenue. Queen Street between Elgin Street and Bronson Avenue. Metcalfe Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. O'Connor Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Bank Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Kent Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Lyon Street North between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Bay Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. Bronson Avenue between Sparks Street and Albert Street. Commissioner Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. Booth Street between Chaudière Crossing and Albert Street. Fleet Street between Booth and Lett Street. Lloyd Street between Fleet Street and Lett Street. Lett Street between Lloyd Street and Wellington Street. Onigam Street between Lemieux Island and Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Slidell Street between Bayview Station Road and Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Affected roads from Tuesday, July 1 at 7 pm to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am include: Albert Street between Elgin Street and City Centre Avenue; and Slater Street between Bronson Avenue and Elgin Street. Affected bridges include: Alexandra Bridge, open to pedestrians and northbound vehicles; the southbound lane will be closed from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to 11 pm. Chaudière Crossing, closed in both directions to vehicles and pedestrians from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am. Portage Bridge, open to pedestrians; closed to vehicles in both directions from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am. Affected pathways from Monday, June 30 at 8 pm to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am include: Chief William Commanda Bridge. Preparations ramping up for Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa 3 days ago Duration 2:57 Recreation Outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads will be open with modified schedules. Many recreation centres will be closed but others will have altered hours and changes to drop-in schedules. The city suggests checking each each facility's page for more details. City-operated museums, Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, and Shenkman Arts Centre will be closed. City services There will be no curbside green bin, recycling, garbage or bulky item collection on Tuesday, July 1. Pick up will take place on Wednesday, July 2. In addition, the collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Multi-residential garbage containers will be collected on the regular scheduled day. Collections of multi-residential recycling containers, bulky items and green bins will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. The Trail Waste Facility Landfill will be open on Tuesday, July 1 from 9 am to 5 pm. All branches of Ottawa Public Library will be closed. All services at Ottawa City Hall, Ben Franklin Place in Nepean, 255 Centrum Blvd. in Orléans and the Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Dr. will be closed. The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Ave. will be closed. The City of Ottawa Spay and Neuter Clinic at 26 Concourse Gate will be closed. The City of Ottawa Archives and Gallery 112 at the James Bartleman Centre will be closed from Saturday, June 28 to Tuesday, July 1. Health, dental and child-care services The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence St. will be closed. The Site mobile van will operate from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed. The city's dental clinics will be closed. The Health811 line will be open. The city's immunization program telephone line will be closed. All city child-care centres and Parenting-In-Ottawa drop-ins will be closed.
