What will be open or closed over Christmas, Boxing Day holidays
The Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Sun will not be publishing print editions on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
With the Omicron variant looming over the holiday season, it's possible that COVID-19 could cause further disruptions to Ottawans' Christmas plans.
As of Dec. 21, and unlike last year, the Ontario government has not announced lockdown measures. Retail stores, bars and restaurants remain open with capacity restrictions. Here is what's expected to be open or closed in Ottawa during the holiday period.
SHOPPING
The Rideau and Bayshore Shopping centres will be open on Christmas Eve, but will close early. They will be closed on Christmas Day and open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Boxing Day. The St. Laurent shopping centre has similar hours, but will close at 6 p.m. on Boxing Day. It's best to contact stores directly to find out how the provincial restrictions affect their operations.
Tanger Outlets will be closed on Christmas Day, but will reopen at 7 a.m. on Boxing Day. Place d'Orléans will be open with reduced hours on Christmas Eve, but closed on Christmas Day, and it will reopen at 9 a.m. Boxing Day.
ALCOHOL
LCBO stores will be open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but will be closed on Christmas Day. Some stores will be open with reduced hours on Boxing Day — check the online LCBO store locator for details. The Beer Store outlets, likewise, will be closed on Dec. 25, with some locations open on Dec. 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Most grocery stores will have reduced hours on Boxing Day and will be closed on Christmas Day. It's best to call ahead to check.
RECREATION AND CULTURE
City-run pools, arenas and fitness centres will operate on modified schedules during the holiday season, including public swimming, fitness and public skating facilities. Schedules are available on the city's website (ottawa.ca).
Most city-run recreation centres and cultural facilities are limiting capacity to 50 per cent due to the surge of the Omicron variant. An online reservation system on ottawa.ca/recreation will be used to manage capacity for drop-in activities such as public and lane swims, indoor skating, fitness classes and the use of gyms.
The Ottawa Art Gallery will be open until 4 p.m. on Dec. 24, but will be closed from Dec. 25 to Jan. 4. The Ottawa Public Library will be closed on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26.
TRANSIT
OC Transpo will run on a holiday schedule from Dec. 20 to Jan. 1, but shopper routes — once-a-week service from rural communities to urban shopping destinations — will operate on a normal schedule throughout the holiday period. Visit octranspo.com for more information.
CITY SERVICES
Client service centres will be closed on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. The city's Provincial Offences Courts will be open by appointment only and will be closed on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, according to the city's website. The city's 311 contact centre will be open for urgent matters requiring the city's immediate attention.
COVID-19 TESTING SITES
Ottawa's testing centres and care clinics will be open over the holiday season, but some locations will have adjusted operating hours between Dec. 24 and Jan. 3. Check for local testing centres hours of operation on ottawapublichealth.ca.
All municipal child-care centres will be closed on Dec. 27, Dec. 28 and Jan. 1. Parents are advised to check operating hours with their child-care centres during the holiday season.
MUSEUMS
All museums in the region will be closed on Christmas Day, including the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum will be open on Dec. 26-28, while the Canada Aviation and Space Museum will be open on Dec. 26-29.