2026 is set to feature various significant events across politics, sports, and other domains. Among the highlights are the upcoming Ontario municipal and Quebec provincial elections, with Ontario’s scheduled for October 26. The elections could bring changes to troubled council terms in smaller municipalities. In Quebec, an election must take place by October 5, potentially including another independence referendum.
In the realm of politics, the City of Ottawa is working on a “bubble bylaw” to restrict protests in more areas, aligning with a similar federal law. Additionally, the Carney government has pledged to continue transforming the public service by cutting jobs and offering early retirement.
Turning to sports, the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games will take place from February 6-22, followed by the Paralympics from March 6-15. Local athletes will aim to leave their mark, while Ottawa Charge and Senators players are set to represent national teams. Atlético Ottawa will defend their Canadian Premier League championship in the CONCACAF Champions Cup next month.
On the horizon of openings, closings, and changes, Lansdowne 2.0 construction is underway with the goal of completing the arena and starting new north side stands by 2028. Meanwhile, Algonquin College’s Perth campus is expected to close after the spring term due to financial reasons. The new History music venue at Rideau Street and Sussex Drive is slated to open early this year, and John Storgårds will commence his tenure as the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s conductor in September.
In terms of anniversaries, 2021 marked the amalgamation of 12 communities into the City of Ottawa, as well as the last Ottawa 67’s league title. The Ottawa International Animation Festival and Gatineau’s junior hockey team Olympiques both turn 50 this year. Additionally, the Library of Parliament and Royal Military College are each celebrating their 150th anniversaries this year. REWRITE_BLOCKED: The content provided for rewriting contains URLs that cannot be used as per the guidelines.