Update 4: Weekend Demonstrations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, January 30, 2022        2:00pm 

(Ottawa)—This afternoon, a large presence of police continues throughout the downtown core and the movement of protestors and trucks continues to be managed. Emergency lanes are being maintained.

Priorities continue to include: 

• Management of traffic issues (including gridlock);
• Keeping peace and order;
• Protecting monuments; and
• Addressing threatening and/or high risk behaviour.   

This work is resource intensive, and police resources are fully stretched and fully engaged.

Public safety remains the top priority for police, City crews and emergency services.

Police and City staff are very aware of the complaints relating to parking, idling, noisemaking and other inappropriate behaviour. At this time, due to safety concerns, management of the protest and traffic must take precedence.

However, these matters are being responded to as soon as resources become available. Police continue to respond to calls for service throughout the city.

Throughout the remainder of the day and into the evening, focus will shift to implementation of egress and traffic approaches that move crowds and vehicles out of the downtown core. This will require a significant number of police and city resources.

Police have already begun working to facilitate the departure of individuals who are wanting to leave the area.

For more traffic information, view City traffic video cameras, follow the city’s traffic management tool @Ottawa_Traffic or use a traffic monitoring app like Google or Waze to check for traffic congestion before you travel. 

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CONTACT:

Media Relations Section                  

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366