Weather

• ❄️  30 per cent chance of flurries. High of -1°, low of -30°. 

Number 

• 3,000
• – The number of phone calls, voicemails, and emails the Southbank Medical Centre in South Keys received after it posted a sign announcing that it was accepting new patients because of the new arrival of a doctor from Québec. Fifty people formed a line around the block before they opened. (Josephe Tunney at CBC) (There is no point in us linking to the clinic)

Ottawans of the Day

• Students at St. Brother André Elementary School
• The Program for Gifted Learners students were given the opportunity to conduct research on the effects of cosmic radiation on the ingredients in EpiPens. The students launched a balloon carrying the pen, finding that 13 per cent of the active ingredient had turned into poisonous benzoic acid. Their conclusion: EpiPens won’t work in space. (Dave Charbonneau at CTV)

Quote 

• ‘Excess funds is a very pleasant problem to handle’
• – Devinder Chaudhary, owner of Aiana Restaurant Collective, on his expectation that he will sell 200 tickets to the SoPa – South of Parliament Quarter – launch party next Wednesday.
• Small bites will be provided by chefs Raghav Chaudhary from Aiana, Joe Thottungal of Thali, Adam Vettorel from North & Navy, Stephen La Salle from Cocotte Bistro, Katie Ardington of Beckta, and Kenton Leier of 1 Elgin. (Peter Hum in the Ottawa Citizen) (Tickets)

🛻 The Convoy

• The City of Ottawa failed to turn over some ‘potentially relevant’ documents, according to the the Public Order Emergency Commission. The Commission has ordered both the City and the Ottawa Police to go back and review their internal records. The Commission was moved to act after the website Press Progress discovered that Ottawa Police investigated an email sent to Osgoode Ward councillor George Darouze over explosives in a hotel. That email was not disclosed to the Commission, which is now wondering what other emails were not disclosed. The City, the Police, nor Darouze will discuss what happened after the investigation. (Luke LeBrun in Press Progress)
  
  ➕Related Ottawa Police chief Eric Stubbs wants Wellington Street to remain closed to automobiles, at least until a security review can be completed.

✂️ City Budget

• Kitchissippi resident Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has introduced his first civic budget with a promised $54 million in savings.
  
  Almost all of those savings comes from OC Transpo, $47 million, although transit fares will be frozen in 2023.
  
  Ottawa Police get an $11 million increase, within the Mayor’s goal of limiting budget increases to 2.5 per cent. The Police plan to hire 25 more officers.
  
  The City has a full budget page here. City Council will debate the budget March 1.

✈️ Ott La La

• Air France is introducing a new Ottawa – Paris route next June. This will be the first scheduled route between Ottawa and Europe since the pandemic began and all international flights ended. Air France advertises Ottawa as ‘The fourth largest city in Canada, Ottawa is home to the country’s federal institutions’. Romantic! (Meagan Gillis at the Ottawa Citizen)

🤡 Well, that's all right then

•  An Ottawa Police constable may or may not be demoted after she was pled guilty after shoplifting. Constable Sarah Bell was caught in a Gatineau supermarket stealing $87 worth of food at the self-checkout. (She also paid for $87 worth of groceries, utilizing a bag two-pay-one technique). Once caught, she identified herself as an Ottawa Police officer but the store called the Gatineau police anyway. Bell pled guilty to discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act. The Québec prosecutor recommended a charge of theft but ultimately Bell completed a diversion programme.  (Shaamini Yogaretnam at the CBC)

Click here to feature your event

Today

• Sloan plays the Bronson Centre tonight.
• Enjoy improvised jazz from The Tenors (that’s a tenor sax and tenor trombone, as well as a guitar) at Montgomery Scotch Longe, 750 Gladstone Ave. Presented by the Ottawa Winter Jazz Festival.
• Montréal-based musician Waahli takes the NAC’s Fourth Stage for an evening of music blending hip hop, jazz, Afrobeat, Haitian music, and more.
• Annual General Meeting for Italian Week Ottawa, at the Villa Marconi Banquet Centre (1026 Baseline Road). The purposes of the meeting are to reflect on the 2022 Festival, review financials, elect new board members, and learn about the 2023 Festival.

Tomorrow

• Thanks to the weather, the opening weekend of Winterlude won’t include the Canal Skateway. Check the NCC’s website for Canal conditions.

• Right in the Eye - Alcoléa & cie: Experience live music set to silent film master George Méliès. Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Ave.

• Spark Beer is celebrating their third birthday Feb 3 and 4. It’s a pizza and beer party, with two new releases and old favourites to quaff.

• Camp Fortune closure: Due to the impending really-freaking-cold weather, night skiing is cancelled tonight, as are Skyline Quad and Meech Quad. The Pineault Quad and Valley Quad will be open from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

• Aux Délices bakery is supplying this year’s official Winterlude cookie. Buy them at event locations February 4 through 20 while supplies last.

• Across the Ottawa River, visit the Aurora Expérience Hivernale Festive from today through February 12, and enjoy illuminations, live music as well as DJs, a coffee and donut bar, and more. La Filature at Ruisseau de la Brasserie, 84 Rue Hanson in Gatineau. 

• Listen to live music at Stray Dog Brewing, featuring Cory Ell. No cover charge. 501 Lacolle Way.

Saturday

• The Braeside Winter Carnival starts at 8:00am with a pancake breakfast ($10 adults / $7 children 10 and under), followed by retro video games, bouncy castles, outdoor winter games, and maple taffy.

• Give the Argentine Tango a try at the free one hour beginner class at 3:00pm from Siempre Tango. If you end up loving it and wanting more, you can pay $35 on the spot to stay for the Beginner Bootcamp to dance and learn even more. 430 Churchill Avenue N in Westboro.