Ottawa – The City of Ottawa will recognize the contributions of its veterans by offering them special transit services during National Veterans’ Week (Sunday, November 5 to Saturday, November 11). On Remembrance Day, November 11, the City will fly flags at all City buildings at half-mast and will offer free downtown parking to veterans.
Special transit service for veterans
War veterans who wear their medals and/or uniforms ride free on OC Transpo, Para Transpo and STO (Société de transport de l’Outaouais) services during National Veterans’ Week. Companions accompanying veterans during National Veterans’ Week also ride free of charge. During customer testing of the new fare gates at four O-Train stations, OC Transpo staff will let veterans and their companions through the gates.
On Saturday, November 11, OC Transpo and STO have adjustments and activities planned to commemorate Remembrance Day.
· OC Transpo and Para Transpo buses will pull over to the side of the road (where it is safe to do so) to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. The Last Post and Reveille will be played over the bus radios.
· OC Transpo will operate a regular Saturday schedule on November 11 and a regular weekday schedule on Monday, November 13. Minor detours or delays may occur due to Remembrance Day parades and ceremonies downtown and in communities across the city. On the weekend, the DayPass will be valid as a Family DayPass, which can be purchased from the bus operator upon boarding or at ticket machines at four O-Train stations, and allows a family or group to travel all day. A family/group can include up to six people, with a maximum of two individuals aged 13 or older. For OC Transpo information or travel planning, customers may call 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com. Automated schedule information is available 24 hours a day by calling 613‑560‑1000 or texting 560560 with your four-digit bus stop number.
· The OC Transpo Customer Service Centre at CF Rideau Centre will be open from 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the customer service centres at other locations will be closed. The Transit Information Centre (613-741-4390) will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on November 11, but the Customer Relations Office (613-842-3600) will be closed.
· Para Transpo will begin booking for Remembrance Day on November 4. Regular bookings will not be cancelled automatically, so please call 613-244-4636 to suspend a regular booking for November 11.
· STO will operate a Saturday service November 11 and a special service on Monday, November 13. Riders are invited to consult the User's Guide, visit Plani-Bus on the STO Web site at sto.ca or call 819-770-3242 for more details. The INFOBUS system also provides the exact time that the next two buses are scheduled to arrive at a particular stop. Customers can dial 819‑778-5555 and their bus stop number.
Free downtown parking for veterans on November 11
On November 11, vehicles with a veteran’s license plate and any person wearing a Canadian Armed Forces uniform and/or displaying service medals will be allowed to park for free in the parking garage at City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West. Free parking will also be available in the on-street paid areas around the National War Memorial, specifically on downtown streets north of the Queensway and west of the Rideau Canal. All other on-street parking regulations continue to apply.
Flags at City Hall and City facilities
The Poppy Flag will be flown at City Hall and all Client Service Centres to commemorate National Veterans’ Week.
In addition, the flags at all City of Ottawa sites will be lowered to half-mast from sunrise to sunset on November 11 to commemorate Remembrance Day, in honour of all Canadians who have served their country in time of war.
Schedule changes on Remembrance Day
In recognition of the significance of Remembrance Day and in accordance with the City of Ottawa’s Remembrance Day By-law 2008-355, retail store closures on Remembrance Day requires that most retail businesses are required to close until 12:30 p.m. on November 11. The City of Ottawa provides a full list of Remembrance Day schedule changes.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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For more information:
City of Ottawa
Media contact
613-580-2450
Public inquiries
3-1-1
Société de transport de l’Outaouais
Céline Gauthier
Head of public affairs
819-770-7900, ext. 6937
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