Is Classified The Default City Position?

06/23/2025

The telling words on this release are at the bottom.

This document is classified as internal. Why is a release of great public interest classified as internal?

And if it was classified as internal, why was it released to the public?

Closed government is a real problem at Ottawa City Hall. Is the default position on all documents “internal.”

And this weekend’s storm. Why was there not a release on the downed trees and power lines? Perhaps a caution to take care? Maybe news on how many people were out of power?

Why did Ottawa Public Health not issue some kind of release to the media?

Did someone forget?

Why isn’t city hall open, caring and inclusive?

Ken Gray

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We are nearing the end of the first day of a heat event that is expected to continue through Tuesday evening.

In anticipation of a Heat Warning being issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada for the City of Ottawa, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) escalated the City’s status from Normal Operations to Monitoring as of last Friday.

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This is a release from the City of Ottawa:

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Throughout this event, the City monitors information from key sources, including calls to 3-1-1, data from the Ottawa Paramedic Service, and reports from external and social services partners, amongst others.

To date, no heat-related calls have been reported to 3-1-1, and the Ottawa Paramedic Service has not experienced an increase in heat-related call volume.?In addition to these monitoring efforts, City services and external partners have been implementing a number of proactive measures to keep residents safe and informed:

Ottawa Fire Services (OFS): Starting Monday, June 23, OFS staff will be visiting apartment buildings to assess access to air-conditioning. They will also speak directly with property managers and residents to ensure that necessary information and supports are in place.

Outreach Services: In addition to the Salvation Army Outreach Van, the Community and Social Services Department’s “Community Engagement Team” will be distributing water and providing information on where residents can access air-conditioned spaces.

Access to Facilities and Pools: Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services has over 100 City facilities available as cooling locations.?Additionally, lane swims at City pools have been converted to public swims to maximize public access.

Public Communications: Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and the City’s Public Information and Media Relations team are sharing regular updates across social media platforms as part of the “Beat the Heat” campaign.

Coordination with Partners: OEM and OPH continue to engage with healthcare providers, as well as Hydro Ottawa and Hydro One, to stay informed about any planned or unplanned power outages that could impact residents.

This information builds on the guidance that OPH shared with Members of Council on Friday, June 20, which included resources to help residents stay safe during extreme heat. That information remains available on Ottawa Public Health’s website and includes:

An interactive map of places to cool off
Tips on recognizing heat-related illness
Guidance on checking in on vulnerable individuals

We encourage you to share this information within your communities. Thank you for your continued support in helping to keep Ottawa residents safe, cool and informed throughout this heat event.

Ryan Perrault

General Manager | Directeur général

Emergency and Protective Services

Classified as City of Ottawa – Internal / Ville d’Ottawa – classé interne