Holiday Season Schedule Changes

The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes for the holiday season between Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, January 1.

Client Service Centres

• The City’s 3-1-1 Contact Centre will be open for urgent matters only. Please visit ottawa.ca/311 for more information.
• ServiceOttawa's Client Services and Provincial Offences counters and phone lines will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1.  Counters are located at Ottawa City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue West), Ben Franklin Place (101 Centrepointe Drive), Kanata (580 Terry Fox Drive), Orleans (255 Centrum Boulevard) and the City’s Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Drive.
• The Metcalfe, West Carleton, and North Gower Client Service Centres will be closed from Monday, December 16 to Friday, January 3, with the exception of West Carleton remaining open on Wednesday, December 18.
• The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Avenue will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1.
• The City of Ottawa Spay and Neuter Clinic at 26 Concourse Gate will be closed from Monday, December 23 until Friday, January 3. It will reopen on Monday, January 6.
• City Archives (James Bartleman Centre and Rideau Archives) will be closed from Monday, December 23 to January 4th (inclusive). Gloucester Archives will reopen early in the new year, following its relocation to the James Bartleman Centre.
• The Barbara Ann Scott Gallery, the Karsh-Masson Gallery, and the City Hall Art Gallery will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1.

Green bin, recycling and garbage collection

• There will be no curbside or multi-residential green bin, recycling, garbage or bulky item collection on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25 or New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1. The pick-up will take place on the following day. In addition, the collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
• Residents can sign up to receive reminders and service alerts for their waste collection day by email or phone call at ottawa.ca/CollectionCalendar. They can also can download the Ottawa Collection Calendar mobile app for Apple or Android devices to confirm their collection day.
• The Trail Waste Facility will be closed on Wednesday, December 25 and Wednesday, January 1. It will be open on Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26, from 7 am to 6 pm. For Trail Waste Facility hours, visit ottawa.ca.
• Christmas trees will be picked up on your regular collection day. Please remove all decorations. Christmas trees in plastic bags or frozen into a snowbank will not be collected.

Parking

• Free parking will be available at City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue West), from Tuesday, December 24 at 4 pm until Thursday, December 26 at 7 am, and from Tuesday, December 31 at 4 pm until Wednesday, January 1 at 7 am.
• The ByWard Market Garage at 70 Clarence Street and the Dalhousie Garage at 141 Clarence Street will offer free parking from Tuesday, December 24 at 4 pm until Thursday, December 26 at 7 am, and from Tuesday, December 31 at 4 pm until Wednesday, January 1 at 7 am.
• At these facilities, exit gates will be placed in the ‘up’ position during these time periods to allow for free exits. If a vehicle remains in the garage when the gate goes to the ‘down’ position, drivers are responsible to pay for the full time spent in the garage.
• All other City parking regulations apply.      

Transit Services

• OC Transpo holiday service will run from Monday, December 23 to Friday, January 3. Visit octranspo.com for information on hours of operation, frequency adjustments and schedules for bus routes and O-Train Line 1 during the holidays.
• With the 2-for-1 DayPass two customers can ride all day for the price of one DayPass. The 2-for-1 DayPass is valid on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, Wednesday, January 1, and every Saturday and Sunday.
• Free transit service will be provided on New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31, after 6 pm courtesy of Safer Roads Ottawa and MADD Ottawa and Area. 
• Use the Travel Planner or Transit, the recommended app for OC Transpo customers, to plan your New Year’s Eve trip. O-Train Line 1 will run until 2 am, after which night bus service will run through downtown. Fare gates will be open. B2 bus service will run until 1 am and Para Transpo service will run until 3 am.
• Customers can get real-time schedule information, 24 hours a day, by using the Transit app, calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus their four-digit bus stop number or first three letters of the station name. Standard rates apply.
• OC Transpo Customer Service (613-560-5000) will be open throughout the holidays to help customers with schedules and trip planning, including:
  • Tuesday, December 24 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Wednesday, December 25 from 9 am to 5 pm
  • Thursday, December 26 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Friday December 27 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Saturday, December 28 from 8 am to 9 pm
  • Sunday, December 29 from 9 am to 5 pm
  • Monday, December 30 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Tuesday, December 31, from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Wednesday, January 1 from 9 am to 5 pm
  • Thursday, January 2 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Friday, January 3 from 7 am to 9 pm
  • Saturday, January 4 from 8 am to 9 pm
  • Sunday, January 5 from 9 am to 5 pm
• The Rideau Centre OC Transpo Customer Service Centre will be closed on Wednesday, December 25 and Wednesday, January 1. The hours are as follows:
  • Tuesday, December 24 from 9:30 am to 5 pm
  • Thursday, December 26 from 9 am to 9 pm  
  • Friday, December 27 from 9:30 am to 9 pm
  • Saturday, December 28 from 9;30 am to 9 pm
  • Sunday, December 29 from 10 am to 6 pm
  • Monday, December 30 from 9:30 am to 9 pm
  • Tuesday, December 31 from 9:30 am to 5 pm
  • Thursday, January 2 to Saturday, January 4 from 9:30 am to 9 pm
  • Sunday, January 5 from 11 am to 6 pm
• Para Transpo:
  • Para Transpo will operate a holiday service on Christmas, Boxing and New Year's Days.
  • Customers may book trips for these days by using My Para Transpo or by calling 613-560-5000 up to seven days in advance.
  • Customers are reminded to suspend their regular booking if they will be on vacation during the holiday season.
  • The Para Transpo cancellation line will be available over the holidays during regular hours, except for Tuesday, December 31, when the cancellation line will be available until 3 am.  
  • Para Transpo customers can also text 57272 to connect with customer service representatives from 6 am to 12:30 am, or until 3 am on Tuesday, December 31.
  • To contact Para Transpo regarding holiday scheduling, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000.
  • The taxi coupon line will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26 and Wednesday, January 1.
• OC Transpo Lost and Found will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1. To submit an inquiry about a lost item, go to octranspo.com/lostandfound.
• For more information on holiday service, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000. You can also connect with OC Transpo through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Recreation and cultural services

• Recreation, community, and fitness centres will operate on modified schedules during the holiday season. Please check the facility pages for winter break drop-in schedules.
• Some holiday-themed registered programs will be offered at community centres and arenas. Browse register.ottawa.ca or check with your facility to register.
• The City’s four refrigerated outdoor rinks are open, weather permitting. Check the alert status on the homepage of ottawa.ca before going. 
• Community outdoor rinks will open after the weather is favourable for ice-making. 
• Sledding hills will be open, weather permitting. Check the alert status on the homepage of ottawa.ca.
• Shenkman Arts Centre will be closed Tuesday, December 24 to Friday, December 27, and on Wednesday, January 1. Check shenkmanarts.ca for modified holiday hours.
• The box office at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe will be closed Tuesday, December 24 to Sunday, January 12. Tickets may be purchased online.  
• City museums Billings Estate and Nepean Museum are operating on holiday schedules. The remainder are closed for the season. Please check the web pages for specifics. Cumberland Museum will be open by donation December 27 to 30 from 5 to 9 pm for Christmas light displays.

Ottawa Public Health

• The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence Street will be closed. The Site mobile van will operate from 5 pm to 11:30 pm on Wednesday December 25, Thursday December 26 and Wednesday January 1st.
• Visit the ParentingInOttawa web page for vaccination clinic hours and availability.
• The Sexual Health Clinic  will be closed on December 25, December 26, and January 1. Please note on December 24 and December 31, we will work modified holiday hours.
• Dental clinics will be closed on December 25, December 26, and January 1. Please note on December 24 and December 31, we will work modified holiday hours.
• The Parenting-In-Ottawa drop-ins will be closed on December 25, December 26, Decembre 30, January 1 and January 2.  Some of the hours of operation have changed during the Holidays.  Please check our online drop-in calendar before you visit us. 
• Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine page for vaccination clinic hours and availability.
• Connect with a registered nurse from Health811 for free, secure, and confidential health advice. Service is available in English and French, with translation support also offered in other languages.
• Our immunization program telephone line will be open. You can also update your child's immunization record using either the CANImmunize App or the Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) Tool. For more information visit our Updating and Retrieving Immunizations web page.

Employment and Social Services

• All four Employment and Social Services offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26 and Wednesday, January 1:
  • 370 Catherine Street
  • 2339 Ogilvie Road
  • 100 Constellation Drive
  • 2020 Walkley Road

Municipal child care services

• All municipal child care centres will be closed from Monday, December 23 until Friday, December 27, and on Wednesday, January 1.
• Parents are advised to check the operating hours of their child care centre during the holiday season.

Ottawa Public Library

• The Ottawa Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26 and Wednesday, January 1.
• Branches and services will operate on a regular schedule from Friday, December 27 through Monday, December 30.
• On Tuesday, December 24, and Tuesday, December 31, all branches normally open from 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday will open from 10 am to 3 pm.
  • Visit the OPL website for hours of operation at OPL’s 33 branches further information and to access library resources and services online.

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.