Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. August 6th, 2026

Extensive flooding from the Canada Day storm has damaged the Western O-Train Extension, leading OC Transpo to consider opening the line in stages instead of all at once. While test trains have recently reached Algonquin Station, critical damage between New Orchard Station and Moodie Station is expected to delay the project’s completion until early-2027. Some tracks were submerged in water, while infrastructure near Corkstown Yard has been destroyed. Kristy Cameron goes 1-on-1 with Patrick Dumond, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ottawa. He says, if there was ever a time for an historic flood to strike an LRT station, the cheapest time would be during the construction phases. And while there’s an absence of facts and no official report, Dumond argues that the damage is likely significant if RTG is ripping up the tracks. Meantime, on a much lighter note, Canada’s Capital has a brand-new retro arcade! It’s called Boss Battle Games and it recently opened on the main floor of the St. Laurent Shopping Centre. Phylicia and Dustin Burd, a husband-and-wife duo, run the establishment. We check in with Phylicia in Hour 1. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.