Ottawa Daily Digest — March 28, 2026

Tough winter, rough roads: Toronto launched its third pothole blitz as crews have already filled 75,000 potholes, Mayor Olivia Chow said at a Saturday news conference. The city boosted road repair funding 34% since 2022 (allocating $6.2 million to pothole fixes), is filling 44% more holes, reshaping surfaces for longer-term durability and using AI to find and prioritize repairs.

Swiss-army Barnes shines: Scottie Barnes — officially a power forward but playing everywhere this season — slid to point guard with Immanuel Quickley out and recorded 23 points, 12 assists and six rebounds as the Raptors beat the Pelicans 119-106 on March 28, 2026. It was his 27th double-double of the year (a career high), Ja’Kobe Walter added 18 points and coach Darko Rajakovic praised Barnes’s versatility and playmaking.

Tariff scare didn’t hit as feared, but budget headaches remain: A year after the Ford government’s “Protect Ontario” budget, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says U.S. tariff damage “didn’t materialize” — Ontario grew 1.2% in 2025 versus economists’ 0.8% forecast, and businesses used $2 billion of $9 billion in tax deferrals while larger firms tapped $1 billion of a $5 billion fund. Still, the 2026 budget is $244 billion with a $13.8 billion deficit this year (and $6.1 billion next), balancing delayed until 2028, and critics say the protection messaging was overblown.