January 28, 2022
A demonstration involving a large convoy of trucks coming to Ottawa will cause significant traffic and transit delays and disruptions this weekend.
The City of Ottawa is working in lockstep with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and all other partners to ensure that the safety of our residents is maintained during the anticipated demonstration involving a large convoy of trucks.
Emergency services throughout the City will be deployed and focused on ensuring that the safety of the public is maintained and that dedicated lanes are kept cleared for emergency vehicles.
If possible, residents should avoid unnecessary travel through or into the downtown core as early as Friday, January 28, going into Sunday, January 30, with the largest impact being Saturday, January 29. There is a possibility that disruptions may extend beyond Sunday. If you do travel, plan ahead and expect significant delays.
Pedestrians and cyclists should be aware that there will be a significant heavy truck presence on roads and they should exercise caution.
It’s anticipated the demonstrators will arrive in the area around Parliament Hill on Saturday. However, impacts will be felt as the demonstrators make their way to this destination on roadways and highways across the city.
All open source information and our interactions with Freedom Rally organizers indicate that this will be a significant and extremely fluid event that could go on for a prolonged period.
On Wednesday, the Ottawa Police Services Board hosted a special meeting and the Ottawa Police provided details on their approach for these events. You can find out more about the information shared on the City Council YouTube page.
HOW TO STAY INFORMED
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Follow @OttawaPolice for more details.
The City of Ottawa will also be providing updates and maps on ottawa.ca.
For traffic updates, follow the City of Ottawa @Ottawa_Traffic or use a traffic monitoring app to check for traffic congestion before you travel.
OC Transpo buses and Para Transpo may also experience some travel delays through the downtown core, and detours may be required.
Stay up to date on the latest transit information by visiting octranspo.com, calling 613-560-5000 or following OC Transpo’s Twitter account.
Keep track of the latest service impacts by following the City of Ottawa’s Facebook and Twitter pages
