Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. July 16th, 2026

Public servants are already back in the office 4 days a week, so the daily Summer commutes might be a bit busier than previous years. And as OC Transpo tries to adjust its plans following the Canada Day floods, the real test will begin in September when everyone is back from vacation and back to the old grind. Is our transit system ready to handle what’s coming? Tim Tierney, the city councillor for Beacon Hill-Cyrville, is keeping the faith. He joins Kristy Cameron in Hour 1. Meantime, the Canadian Red Cross is accepting donations to help residents impacted by flooding all across Ottawa. The call to action comes two weeks after the record-breaking rainfall dealt some Canada Day damage to thousands of basements. We check in with Amy Avis, who leads the Humanitarian Services at the Canadian Red Cross. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.