Hour 3 of Ottawa Now for Fri. July 31st, 2026

Over $735,000 has been donated to restore 24 Sussex Drive as of July 27th. Prime Minister Carney announced plans to renovate the official residence just over a month ago. And since then, donations have been rolling in from over 3,000 Canadians. The average amount per Canadian is $220, but the Rideau Hall Foundation is hoping to collect more. And by more, we are talking $50 million. Would you donate to renovate 24 Sussex? Kristy Cameron sifts through the CFRA textboard and tackles today’s Question of the Day. Meantime, the fallout from the Canada Day flooding continues, as all remaining shows for 2026 have been cancelled at Centerpointe’s Meridian Theatres. The theatre is part of Ben Franklin Place, which was significantly impacted by the July 1st downpour earlier this month. According to City Staff, water infiltration caused ‘considerable damage’ to several areas of the facility – from the main theatre stage, to the orchestra pit, to a grand piano, to front rows of seating. In Hour 3, we check in with J.T. Morris, the Managing Director of the Ottawa-based Orpheus Musical Theatre.