Ontario’s premier is urging the demonstrators associated with the "Freedom Convoy" to move on from downtown Ottawa, saying they need to let residents return to living their lives.
"People have to move on," Doug Ford told reporters in Ajax, Ont. on Tuesday morning. "I get it, I hear you, but we have to let the people of Ottawa live their lives."
The protest against COVID-19 and other public health measures is beginning to shrink, according to police, but many heavy trucks and other vehicles remain parked on Wellington Street and around other parts of downtown.
But Ford said the protesters have been heard and they need to allow local businesses who have been forced to close due to the demonstrations to reopen.
"There’s a million people that live in Ottawa," he said. "I hear you. I hear the protesters, the province hears the protesters, the country hears the protesters.
"Now it’s time to let the people in Ottawa get back to their lives. These businesses that have been closed for a while now, the restaurants want to reopen."
Many downtown city services remain closed because of the ongoing demonstration, including Ottawa City Hall and its underground parking garage, the Rink of Dreams, and the Ottawa Public Library’s Main and Rideau branches and the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Minto Sports Complex at the University of Ottawa.
The city also says St. Luke’s Child Care Centre and Centre éducatif Pinocchio will remain closed; however, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board says Centennial Public School, which was closed on Monday due to the protest, will be open Tuesday.
The Rideau Centre also remains closed, marking a third full day of closures for the busy downtown shopping mall.
The city is warning of ongoing traffic impacts in the downtown core, but says services such as garbage collection and snow removal should not be affected.
As demonstrations continue, traffic and transit impacts remain significant in downtown #Ottawa and the surrounding area.
Please avoid travel to this area, if possible.
For more traffic updates visit our online interactive traffic map: https://t.co/yQy1eYQxCC pic.twitter.com/SOnMYZxZgZ— City of Ottawa (@ottawacity) January 31, 2022
Traffic on bridges between Ottawa and Gatineau has been snarled because of the protest. But health care workers trying to cross into Ottawa from the Quebec side should use the Chaudière Bridge, CHEO CEO Alex Munter said Tuesday. Police will let them through if the show their ID badges.
Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly says several demonstrators who were in the city over the weekend have left.
"The situation of the demonstration has scaled down over the last 12 hours," Sloly said at a news conference Monday afxjmtzywternoon. "We want that trend to continue until this demonstration comes to a complete end. I cannot guarantee you that right now but I can guarantee that every effort at negotiation, coordination, de-escalation, has continued throughout the last four days and will continue until the complete end of this demonstration."
Sloly says "all options are on the table" when it comes to ending the demonstration and returning the city to a sense of normalcy. He also warned anyone engaging in criminal activity that they will be prosecuted, even if it isn’t immediately.
“No matter where you live, no matter where your vehicle’s registered, if you’ve come here and committed a crime, if you have committed a hate crime, you will be investigated,” Sloly said. “We will look for you, we will charge you, if necessary we will arrest you, and we will pursue prosecutions against you."
The Ottawa Police Service says it will be setting up a dedicated hotline to report any criminal activity related to the demonstration. So far, 12 active investigations are underway into various allegations, including bribery, threats, assault and dangerous driving.
Shepherds of Good Hope ‘overwhelmed’ by donations
An Ottawa homeless shelter received more than 10,000 donations after some protesters harassed staff and volunteers there over the weekend.
The Shepherds of Good Hope put out a statement saying they were "overwhelmed" by the attention and support, and received so many food donations that they have reached their storage capacity and can’t accept any more.
Officials from the shelter said protesters from the "Freedom Convoy" harassed staff and volunteers Saturday, demanding food from their soup kitchen, and one shelter client was allegedly assaulted.
"Every message of support has meant the world to us and seen our team through a few difficult days," the statement said, adding that it needs to tally up the donations and they will announce an amount raised later this week.
"The incidents this weekend were unfortunate, but have allowed us to share the work we do with all of you."
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Traffic is backed up on the bridge between Gatineau, Que. and Ottawa due to the road blockade truckers on Tuesday, Feb.1, 2022. Crowds have thinned out considerably on Parliament Hill and the surrounding area, where anti-COVID restrictions demonstrators have been protesting for days. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A man who removed the tires from a pickup truck stands in front of West Block on Parliament Hill as a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in Ottawa, on Monday, January 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
