Latest news with #CTVNewsOttawa
CTV News
7 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Late-night kayaker rescued from Ottawa River
An Ottawa Fire Services water rescue boat is seen in this undated image. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) Water rescue crews were called to respond to a kayaker who got stuck on the Ottawa River late Friday evening. The Ottawa Fire Services say they received a call from police reporting a kayaker in distress at about 11:33 p.m. at the intersection of Shirley Boulevard and Rifle Road near Shirleys Bay Park. On arrival, crews found the kayaker about 1.7 kilometres from the shore. The person had been on the water for about three hours and had not been able to get back, the fire service said. A rescue team was launched, and the kayaker flashed their cell phone light until they made contact with each other. Both the person and their kayak were loaded onto a rescue boat and returned to shore at midnight. No injuries were reported.
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Party safer: Tips for a safe summer party season
If you or someone near you is using drugs, you'll want to know some important safety tips. With summer festival season in full swing and vacations underway, it's party time for thousands of people across Ottawa. Ottawa Public Health has launched a new online tool to help people party safely, especially when alcohol or drugs are involved. 'We know that alcohol and drugs are a part of the festivities and celebration often, too,' Megan Francoeur, with Ottawa Public Health, told CTV Morning Live. 'Just making sure that we're not mixing substances, starting low, going slow, looking out for each other, getting naloxone, making sure that we know how to respond to overdose and intoxication.' includes free online trainings, printable materials, social media tools, and community resources for event goers and event organizers. 'There's resources for event staff and volunteers, free trainings that take 15 minutes with some really practical tips and also resources for parents and guardians to talk about substance use with your teens and also festivalgoers and school students,' said Francoeur. The site has details on commonly used substances like alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and tobacco, along with information on harm reduction and naloxone use, including where to get naloxone kits. Naloxone A naloxone kit is shown in this undated image. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa) The site also has information on mental health and addictions resources, bystander intervention and violence prevention, and safe sex. 'People are out more and we've been out at special events recently and it's been so nice to see the response from thousands of people coming up, saying they're happy to be doing this type of training and we love to see it when somebody walks by our tent and goes, 'I already have a (naloxone) kit,'' Francoeur said. The free trainings require an Olearn account, which is free to set up, but other resources including tips, information, and links to service providers are freely accessible on the website.
CTV News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Residents in Almonte, Ont. displaying soccer balls in memory of 9-year-old boy
People in Almonte are putting soccer balls outside homes in memory of Archer Lowe, who was hit by a bus while on his bike. CTV's Dylan Dyson reports. In a town known for its basketball heritage, soccer balls can be seen in every corner of Almonte. The balls have been placed on front steps and in windows is memory of Archer Lowe, a nine-year-old boy with a passion for soccer, who was tragically killed in June while riding his bike home from school. The tribute mirrors the 'sticks out' movement from 2018, following the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Almonte soccer balls Soccer balls on display in the front window of Baker Bob's on Mill Street in Almonte, Ont. in memory of 9-year-old Archer Lowe. July 18, 2025. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa) Danielle Spearman owns the Rustic Town Barbershop on Mill Street, Almonte's main drag, and decided to display a ball in her shop's front window, as she doesn't live in the town. 'The community is definitely there for them, and I hope they know that,' says Spearman. She tells CTV News Ottawa that she sympathizes with the Lowe family, having suffered a similar tragedy in her family. 'My niece was killed at the age of nine on her bike as well, but it's a totally different situation than here. So, I've seen what my family went through, and as well, I drove a school bus for 14 years.' The community has been rocked by the accident. Lowe was hit just two days before the school summer break and many people witnessed the incident, as school was letting out for the day. 'It was a devastating day for our community. It still is,' says Sarah O'Grady, at Mill Street Books. 'But it's just one way for us to band together and support each other.' O'Grady says she didn't personally know the Lowe family but is touched by the soccer balls on display and the show of support the entire community has given. 'It's just such a subtle way to show that we care. This community is such a loving, giving community, that it was such an easy thing to do. But it's so impactful.' Shortly after the incident, a soccer club from Smiths Falls donated many soccer balls to the Almonte branch of the Mississippi Mills library. They have been available to the public for free for anyone wanting to display one. As of Friday afternoon, there was just one left available. 'I feel like it's the least I could do,' said Jim Santry, who placed a soccer ball on his front lawn for Archer. 'The whole town was devastated at what happened. Not just the family of the young boy, but also everybody that saw it.' In a tight-knit community such as Almonte, Spearman believes it will be an impact that is felt for some time to come. 'Never have I seen such a supportive town where everyone comes together and tries to be there for the community,' Spearman says.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Police in Gatineau, Que. received 1,800 tips about out-of-province licence plates, 30 tickets issued
An Ontario licence plate on Tuesday. Gatineau Police are cracking down on residents with out-of-province plates on their vehicles. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa) More than two dozen drivers in Gatineau, Que. have received a ticket for driving with a non-Quebec licence plate, as part of a crackdown on residents with out-of-province licence plates. In February, the Gatineau Police department launched an operation targeting Quebec residents with out-of-province licence plates on their vehicles. Police asked residents to call 3-1-1 to report neighbours, friends or other residents who have been living in Quebec for more than three months with a non-Quebec licence plate on their vehicle. Between Feb. 19 and July 16, the city received 1,852 tips from the public about drivers with non-Quebec licence plates. A police spokesperson tells CTV News Ottawa 30 tickets have been issued to drivers for out-of-province plates since the operation began. The fine for having an out-of-province licence plate is $200, with fees bringing the total fine to $336. Police say 50 cases have been referred to Revenu Quebec for investigation, while 10 cases were closed because they involved commercial plates. Several investigations have also been closed for various reasons, including the owner complied to register the vehicle with the Quebec government, the owner moved or there was insufficient information to investigate, according to police. Provincial law requires new residents to register their vehicles with the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) within three months of moving into the province to receive a Quebec plate. The crackdown on out-of-province licence plates comes after the city implemented a new vehicle registration tax to help fund Gatineau's STO. Under the plan approved by council, each registered vehicle is subject to a $60 tax in 2025, and a $90 vehicle tax starting in 2026. The vehicle registration tax is collected by the SAAQ, and applies to automobiles, motor homes, SUVs and minivans, but not motorcycles, mopeds, and vehicles for institutional, professional and commercial use, according to the city. The new $60 vehicle registration tax imposed by the City of Gatineau is in addition to a $30 fee that has been charged by the province since 1992. With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond
CTV News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Air quality statement for Ottawa lifted but heat warning remains in effect
The air quality in Ottawa is starting to improve after a smoky, hazy start to the day. A special air quality statement that came into effect Monday was lifted at around 10 a.m. Tuesday, as air quality showed signs of improving. A heat warning remains in effect for Ottawa, with hot, humid weather and a high humidex in the forecast. The forecast for Tuesday is sunny with local smoke. The high is 32 C with a humidex of 40. The UV index is 9, or very high. The air quality health index (AQHI) at 10 a.m. was 5, or a moderate risk, after briefly dropping to 4 an hour earlier. It is forecast to fall to 3, or low risk, on Wednesday. 'You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance,' Environment Canada says of the smoke. The heat, however, also presents risks. 'Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water,' the heat warning says. Meteorologist Crawford Luke says if you have to choose between staying indoors to avoid the haze or going outside to find a way to cool off, choose to cool off. 'The public health messaging is to treat the heat warning as the more serious one,' he told CTV News Ottawa on Monday. 'If that means you need to jump in a lake or a pool or something to keep cool, that's the recommendation from them. It's the more immediate health threat.' The sky will remain clear, but hazy, Tuesday night. The overnight low is 20 C. Wednesday's forecast is mainly sunny with a high of 33 C and a humidex of 41. The heat warning for Ottawa is expected to end Thursday night. Thursday's forecast is cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of showers and a high of 30 C, while Friday's high is 26 C, which is closer to the seasonal norm. With files from CTV News Ottawa's Kimberley Johnson
