Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Wed. June 17th, 2026

Should more schools close their streets during pick-up and drop-off times? When the new learning season begins this Fall, the road in front of two Ottawa schools could be shut down to traffic, part of a pilot project to improve safety. The ‘School Streets Project’ involves temporarily closing a stretch of road in front of schools during drop-off and pick-up times. The idea is that removing cars makes the road calmer and safer – encouraging kids to walk and cycle to school with their families. Rideau-Vanier councillor Stephanie Plante pays us a visit in Hour 1. Meantime, as the busy Summer season begins, the Ontario Medical Association is speaking out about crowded Emergency Room departments, as nearly 75 percent of Ontario’s ERs deal with overcrowding at either Critical or Severe levels. Why is Summer such a busy time for hospitals these days? It’s time for The Wednesday Check-Up with Manotick-based family doctor Dr. Alykhan Abdulla. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.