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What's open and closed in Ottawa on Victoria Day

The Victoria Day federal holiday falls on May 19 this year. By law, many public facilities and private businesses will be closed, with a few exceptions. Here's the rundown.

Most municipal services will close, beach washrooms and splash pads will open

CBC News ·
A courthouse beside a bed of tulips in spring.
The Supreme Court of Canada framed between tulips last May. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Victoria Day long weekend marks the beginning of the summer season for many Canadians.

The federal holiday on Monday means most businesses and public facilities won't be open, with a few exceptions.

Here's a look at what's open and closed in Ottawa on Victoria Day this Monday, May 19. 

Retail

  • Certain areas of the city, such as the Glebe and ByWard Market, can open stores on holidays under the province's Retail Business Holidays Act if they want. This also applies to grocery stores.
  • The Rideau Centre and Tanger Outlets will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Bayshore Shopping Centre and St. Laurent Shopping Centre are closed. Place d'Orléans will also be closed, but with some unspecified exceptions.

Groceries

  • Most grocery stores in the city will be closed, but there are a few exceptions in places under the act mentioned above.

Alcohol

A close-up of an airplane logo with a red train in the background.
A Trillium Line train bound for Ottawa's airport waits to depart at South Keys station on May 12. OC Transpo is offering a Sunday schedule again on this holiday Monday. (Trevor Pritchard/CBC)

Parking and transit 

  • All City of Ottawa parking regulations and restrictions will apply.
  • OC Transpo will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Confederation Line trains will run from about 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.The Trillium Line will run from about 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
  • The Rideau Centre OC Transpo Customer Service Centre will be open.
  • The OC Transpo Lost and Found at St-Laurent Station will be closed.
  • Regular Para Transpo bookings or recurring trips for Monday are automatically cancelled. Customers can book trips online or by calling 613-560-5000.

Recreation

  • Many community centres and recreation facilities will have altered hours and changes to drop-in schedules. 
  • City-operated museums, Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, and Shenkman Arts Centre will be closed.
  • The National Gallery of Canada and agriculture, aviation, history, nature, science and war museums are open.
  • The Ottawa Art Gallery and Diefenbunker will be closed.
  • Splash pads open on May 16, weather permitting.
  • Washrooms open at Mooney's Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island beaches on May 17. 
A pre-school age child smiles as they play in a splash pad.
Four-year-old Jaden Mugisha plays in a Centretown splash pad in 2020. City plash pads start opening for the year on Friday. (Jean Delisle/CBC)

City services

  • There will be no garbage, recycling, green bin or bulky item collection. Pick up will resume on Tuesday and collection will be delayed by one day for the rest of the week.
  • Ottawa City Hall and client service centres at Ben Franklin Place, 580 Terry Fox Dr. and 255 Centrum Blvd. will be closed.
  • The provincial court at 100 Constellation Dr. will also be closed.
  • The city's 311 contact centre will be open for urgent matters.
  • The Trail Road Waste Facility will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
  • All branches and services of the Ottawa Public Library will be closed. Digital content will still be available through its website.

Health, dental, and child care services

  • The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed.
  • The Health811 line will be open.
  • City child-care centres will be closed. The Parenting-In-Ottawa drop-ins will be closed.
  • The city's dental clinics will be closed.
  • The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence St. will be closed. The Site Mobile Van will operate from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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