Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

From my family to yours, wishing you all the best this holiday season. De ma famille à la vôtre, je vous souhaite tout le meilleur pour cette saison des fêtes.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

The ByWard Market is active this holiday season. I was at 55 ByWard Market Square chatting with the folks at Le Moulin de Provence and Le Casablanca, both local favourites for their delicious breads, and pastries - great spots for holiday treats. #ShopLocal

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

I’ve known the team at Métropolitain Brasserie on Sussex Drive for years, and I’m always grateful for how much they give back to our community. Their restaurant is a beloved spot in the city.

Morgante Menswear, a family run business on Sparks Street, has been doing things the right way for years. They have great craftsmanship, real care, and personal service that makes you feel welcome every time. Ottawa is lucky to have businesses like this in our city #ShopLocal

I loved visiting with Mike Estabrooks at Irene's Pub and reminisce about 40 incredible years of live music in Ottawa. Four decades of music, stories, and community don’t happen by accident. Thank you to everyone who’s supported Irene’s over the years.

Thank you to the amazing, dedicated people all over Ottawa who step up and look after our outdoor rinks. It’s a labour of love and it’s a lot of early mornings so that kids and families can skate and play hockey. We are very grateful!

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Today is the winter solstice-the shortest day of the year. Winter is a big part of life in Ottawa. It slows us down, brings us together, and reminds us how kind our community is. From here on, the days start getting longer.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

It was a pleasure to visit Davidson's Jewellers and spend time with Enrico Crivellari and the wonderful team there. You can feel the care, craftsmanship, and pride that go into everything they do. With more than 85 years in Ottawa, Davidson's Jewellers is a true local institution.

The Commons is such a cool new space on Sparks Street that includes a fully stocked Bottle shop that carries a great selection of craft beer, local cider, locally roasted coffee and a broad selection of hard to find wines.

It was nice to sit down with Marissa Galko from the Ottawa Business Journal to talk about where Ottawa is today and where we’re heading. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. I’m even more motivated by what’s still ahead. obj.ca/obj-speaks-w...

It was great to meet Sadie Laronde who has set up a stunning location at The Effect Healing Collective. This is an excellent gift option for someone on your list this season. It was wonderful to tour her space and to meet the winner of $1000 Glebe spree contest.

Shopping local makes a real difference especially during the holiday season. I had a great visit with Marc Clement, owner of the Capital Home Hardware in the Glebe, a true neighbourhood staple.

Local businesses help keep our neighbourhoods strong, vibrant, and connected. As you check items off your holiday list, I encourage you to shop local and support the small businesses that support Ottawa all year long.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

It was great to catch up with retired General Rick Hillier, who will be serving as honourary chair of our Defence Innovation Task Force. His leadership and experience will be extremely valuable as we attract more investments in this critically important area.

I had a very good meeting with Premier Doug Ford today in Ottawa. We had a productive discussion on several topics, including our Housing Action Plan, Public Safety Action Plan, downtown revitalization, and public transit. We will keep working together to strengthen Ottawa’s economy.

We’re working hard with our federal partners to build more homes, including more affordable homes, on federal land in Ottawa. It was great to meet today with Stephan Dery, the CEO of Canada Lands Company, on how we can speed up approvals and move more quickly to build together.

It’s always encouraging to see a local business pass into the hands of the next generation. I enjoyed meeting Case De Carlo, the owner and head meat cutter at Pete & Gus in Barrhaven, alongside his mother, Miyuki.

It’s a pleasure to be part of this very special celebration of Ottawa-made content, now in its second year. Being at the historic ByTowne Cinema makes it even more meaningful, an iconic venue and a true home for film in our city.

It was great to be back at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa for the Phase 2 opening. It was nice to be there with MPP George Darouze for the opening.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

It It was nice to join members of the CAF, Invest Ottawa, members of the US Marine Corps, NATO partners, and Ottawa’s defence community. Proud to support this year’s toy fundraiser benefiting Toys for Tots in support of Ronald McDonald House.

It was nice to join members of the CAF, Invest Ottawa, and Ottawa’s defence community. Proud to support this year’s toy fundraiser benefiting Toys for Tots in support of Ronald McDonald House.

Ottawa-Gatineau is the ideal region in Canada for defence innovation and the proposed new Defence Security & Resilience Bank.

Always fun to join JR, Steve Loyd, and Hamer on TSN1200. We recounted the incredible year for sports in Ottawa. Playoff runs by the Ottawa Senators and the Ottawa Charge brought us together. Atlético Ottawa’s blizzard win was amazing.

I had a great time with Sophie and Jeff at Move 100. We tried to see how many December activities we’ve already checked off. We talked about the Rink of Dreams being open, and as we head into the holidays, I shared my thanks with everyone working to keep our community safe.

I stopped in at Pure Country 94 radio to chat with the always fun Ashley & Gord. We talked all things Christmas: are you a wrapping paper saver? Yes or no to eggnog; mixed-colour lights versus classic white lights; and of course, Christmas songs.

From my family to yours, wishing you all the best this holiday season. De ma famille à la vôtre, je vous souhaite tout le meilleur pour cette saison des fêtes.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

Exciting news for Ottawa’s festival scene! Ottawa Tourism’s Major Festivals Fund will invest $1M a year in our biggest, tourism-driving events. If your festival brings visitors and national attention to Ottawa, see the Applicant Guide to apply. ottawatourism.ca/en/destinati...

Our goal is to make Ottawa the most housing-friendly city in Canada. It's encouraging to see some progress: November housing starts increased 23% over last year, compared to a decline of 19% in other Ontario municipalities over 10,000, according to CMHC’s recent report on housing starts.

It was a pleasure to meet this year’s City of Ottawa Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards recipients and congratulate them on their success. These entrepreneurs are creating innovative businesses, good jobs, and real opportunities for our residents while strengthening Ottawa’s economy.

It is always great to drop in and visit my friends on the Biggs & Barr Show at Chez 106. We even played a round of Mayor-eopardy. Fun game – terrible name. Thanks for waiting for me, and Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to Chez listeners.

Great start to the morning hanging out with Sandra and Chris at Kiss FM. Always fun to check in, share a few laughs, and wish everyone a happy holiday season. Thanks for having me on and wear your #TeamOttawa hats – it’s cold outside.

Flu shots are free, safe, and widely available across Ottawa. With Christmas gatherings approaching, getting vaccinated is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our most vulnerable neighbours. Let’s look out for one another and keep Ottawa healthy this Christmas.

Good morning Ottawa. Bonjour Ottawa.

It was a pleasure to welcome new B’nai Brith CEO Simon Wolle and his team to City Hall to present a proclamation recognizing their 150th anniversary.

I really enjoyed stopping by the Great Christmas Cookie Exchange and meeting neighbours keeping this tradition alive. It was great to see the community come together to support the Youth Services Bureau and the important work they do for vulnerable youth.

It was a real pleasure to meet Justyna Borowska, owner of Wedel, now with locations in the ByWard Market and Westboro. She brings authentic European flavours to Ottawa with homemade pierogies, deli items, and sweets. This is another great local business to support this holiday season. #ShopLocal

It was great to visit Commissionaires Canada as they mark 100 years of service. Not many organizations reach a century, and even fewer do it while staying true to their mission.

I really enjoyed joining Councillor Isabelle Skalski at the Metcalfe Christmas Parade and seeing so many neighbours out enjoying the festive season. A big thank you to the organizers, volunteers, and everyone who helped make the parade such a success.