Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. July 9th, 2026

One week after record-breaking rainfall flooded thousands of basements across Ottawa, residents in Crystal Beach say a combination of rotting garbage, spoiled food, and sewage-contaminated debris are still sitting outside their homes. From piles of furniture and children’s toys, to drywall and garbage bags, it’s all there for this West End neighbourhood to see. And as the heat rises, communication from City Hall remains unclear, while local MPPs say the province is also missing in action. Kristy Cameron checks in with Robert Allen, a frustrated 77-year-old resident who lives in Crystal Beach. His bungalow basement has 18 inches of water – which has damaged a brand-new piano, a home movie theatre, and other valuable belongings. Meantime, there are no reports of injuries after a tent fire and explosion near a popular dog park in Downtown Ottawa. Officials say a pack of butane canisters are what caused the explosion to ignite. CTV’s Natalie Van Rooy delivers the details in Hour 1. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.