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Daily Ottawa Jul 2 - Jul 2, 2026

Canada Day Floods, Mayoral Lawsuit Win & Gordie Howe Bridge Delay — Ottawa Thursday

17 articles 1 week ago 175

🚑 Breaking & Incidents

  1. Ottawa hit by 100 mm of rain in severe Canada Day storm. Residents face flooded basements, and thousands are without power after the storm prompted Environment Canada to issue a severe thunderstorm watch. The storm also led to the cancellation of Canada Day evening festivities at LeBreton Flats Park.
  2. Major search underway for missing boy at Hamilton conservation area. Seven-year-old Nathanael Selambi was last seen at the Binbrook Conservation Area on Wednesday and Hamilton police are seeking the public's assistance in locating him.

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

  1. Boater charged with impaired operation after drowning incident. A boat operator is facing charges after a man drowned in the Otonabee River near Peterborough, as emergency crews responded to the tragic incident on Tuesday evening.

🏛️ Government & Politics

  1. Mayor wins in lawsuit against her own municipality. The Ontario court has overturned a communication bylaw in the Township of Frontenac Islands, which restricted Mayor Judy Greenwood-Speers from speaking freely on behalf of the municipality.
  2. Metrolinx revises contracts amid Hazel McCallion LRT delays. The transit agency has split a contract for the Mississauga LRT project, originally slated for 2024 completion, to address ongoing disputes and delays now extending the completion to 2028.
  3. Gordie Howe bridge delay becomes political issue in the U.S. Democrats are using the delay in the bridge opening during their campaign, alleging a connection to presidential corruption.

🌦️ Weather & Roads

  1. Heat wave spreads from Ontario to Maritime provinces. With temperatures feeling above mid-30s due to humidex, Environment Canada’s heat warnings now extend to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

🏈 Sports

  1. Toronto Raptors extend head coach’s contract. Coach Darko Rajakovic, who led the team to a strong playoff presence this year, has secured a multi-year extension with the franchise.

📰 Also Today

  • Ottawa BlackJacks travel to Brampton for game.
  • Storm cleanup ongoing in Ottawa-Gatineau under sweltering heat.
  • Local group bridges culture and sport.
  • Art exhibit highlights Turtle Island's enduring heritage.
  • Vote pending on Ottawa's renoviction bylaw.
  • Ontario farmers adapt to extreme heat post-storm damage.
  • Province expands strong mayor powers despite negative feedback.
  • Wind storm devastates farm in Harrowsmith.
  • Tornado warning issued for Gananoque, Ontario.

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Source Articles (17)

Tornado warning issued for Gananoque, Ont.

Environment Canada has issued a tornado warning for around Gananoque, Ont. Lyndhurst, Charleston Lake Provincial Park, Athens and Mallorytown are in its path.

General Jul 2, 2026

Vicious wind storm devastates farm in Harrowsmith, Ont.

John and Brenda Lesperance were sitting inside their farmhouse when a wind storm tore the roof off their more than 150-year-old barn. Cameron Mahler reports.

General Jul 2, 2026

Ontario got 'predominantly negative' feedback on expanding strong mayor powers. It went ahead anyway

Premier Doug Ford’s sweeping expansion of strong mayor powers to nearly half of the Ontario’s municipalities was met with “predominantly negative” feedback during consultations, with respondents calling the system “unnecessary” and “undemocratic," documents obtained by CBC News reveal.

General Jul 2, 2026

Ontario farmers embrace extreme heat after weeks of storms, hail damage crops

Farmers in southwestern Ontario say that weeks of extreme weather events, including torrential rain and hail, has made growing crops a challenge. Some say they're embracing a week of hot temperatures, which can help crops get healthy.

General Jul 2, 2026

Housing committee to vote on renoviction bylaw

The proposal will be voted on by the planning and housing committee on July 8, requiring landlords to apply for a city-issued renovation licence within seven days of handing a tenant an eviction notice for renovation or repairs.

General Jul 2, 2026

America 250 art exhibit shows Turtle Island is 'still our house' for Haudenosaunee

As the United States gears up to celebrate 250 years of independence, a Haudenosaunee art exhibit in New York state shows a history less heroic than the version taught in schools.

General Jul 2, 2026

How a local organization is bridging the gap between culture and sport

The YMCA of the National Capital Region and Commonwealth Games Canada are holding outdoor sports camps throughout the summer because they say newcomers to Canada often have questions like: How do I tap into the local sports league? Will I be asked to remove my hijab? What if I don’t understand the language well enough? The CBC's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco spoke with athletes and volunteers about the power of sport to transcend language and culture.

General Jul 2, 2026

Ottawa-Gatineau cleans up after storm under smothering heat

General Jul 2, 2026
Toronto Raptors extend head coach Rajakovic

Toronto Raptors extend head coach Rajakovic

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with head coach Darko Rajakovic, the team announced Thursday.

Sports Jul 2, 2026
Missing 7-year-old, dead kayaker prompt major searches at Hamilton conservation area

Missing 7-year-old, dead kayaker prompt major searches at Hamilton conservation area

Hamilton police are asking for the public's help as the search continues for a seven-year-old boy who was last seen Wednesday afternoon at Binbrook Conservation Area.

Canada Jul 2, 2026
Ontario boat operator faces impaired charges after drowning near Peterborough

Ontario boat operator faces impaired charges after drowning near Peterborough

OPP say a caller reporter that an individual not wearing a life-jacket fell off a boat and into the Otonabee River just south of Peterborough on Tuesday afternoon.

Crime Jul 2, 2026
Heat wave heads to Maritime provinces after bearing down on Ontario, Quebec

Heat wave heads to Maritime provinces after bearing down on Ontario, Quebec

The heat wave that's been bearing down on Ontario this week has shown no signs of letting up and has only spread further east.

Environment Jul 2, 2026
Democrats urge voters to ‘follow the money’ behind Gordie Howe bridge delay

Democrats urge voters to ‘follow the money’ behind Gordie Howe bridge delay

Democratic candidates in the U.S. midterm elections are tying the delayed opening of the Windsor-to-Detroit crossing to U.S. President Donald Trump's alleged corruption.

Politics Jul 2, 2026
Metrolinx splits unfinished Hazel McCallion LRT work into 2 contracts

Metrolinx splits unfinished Hazel McCallion LRT work into 2 contracts

Construction has been underway on the Hazel McCallion LRT, which will run along Hurontario Street in Mississauga, since 2020, but it has been beset by delays.

Politics Jul 2, 2026
Ottawa sees more than 100 mm of rain as severe Canada Day storm floods basements

Ottawa sees more than 100 mm of rain as severe Canada Day storm floods basements

A storm that started abruptly on Canada Day in Ottawa saw about 118 millimetres of rain fall and left thousands of people without power.

Weather Jul 2, 2026

Ottawa BlackJacks in Brampton to face Honey Badgers

Watch the Ottawa BlackJacks and the Brampton Honey Badgers go head-to-head in Canadian Elite Basketball League action from the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario.

General Jul 2, 2026
Ontario mayor’s lawsuit against her own municipality ends with a win

Ontario mayor’s lawsuit against her own municipality ends with a win

A judge has struck down a Frontenac Islands communications bylaw, ruling it unlawfully restricted the mayor's ability to speak publicly on behalf of the municipality.

Politics Jul 2, 2026