Hour 3 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. February 19th, 2026

It’s become pretty apparent that Ottawa’s ByWard Market is in need of a major boost. And over the coming years, the City of Ottawa is hoping to provide the Heritage district with the financial injection it desperately needs. Full details will be unveiled tomorrow, but they are expected to include various redesigns. And yes, that includes a prioritization on pedestrian traffic. Should car traffic be shuttered in some areas, or would that create even more problems for our city? Kristy Cameron sifts through the CFRA textboard and tackles today’s Question of the Day. Shifting gears to federal matters, the Carney government’s revised RTO mandates will soon be put into action. As of May 4th, federal executives will be required to work on-site 5 days per week. On July 6th, all remaining federal employees in the public service will be asked to follow a 4-day on-site mandate. However, one city councillor is extremely concerned that Ottawa’s transportation network can’t handle that type of influx. Catherine Kitts, the voice of Orléans South-Navan, pays us a visit in Hour 3.