Weekly Newsletter

  • Community Update

Our office has reopened

If you require immediate assistance, please email us at jfraser.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org or call us at 613-736-9573.

Statement regarding the Ontario Government’s decision to prorogue the Legislature:

“I was looking forward to returning to Queen’s Park and raising issues that matter most to residents of Ottawa South. The Government has decided to delay the return of the Legislature until October 4th. It is unfortunate that the Premier has decided to prorogue the Legislature during this critical time, but I will continue to press the government on issues that matter most.”
– MPP John Fraser

NEWS UPDATES

 

COVID-19 specific

Ontario to Require Proof of Vaccination in Select Settings

Special statements from Dr. Vera Etches and Dr. Brent Moloughney

Ottawa Public Health releases guide to support workplace vaccination policies

Ontario Reinstating Renewal Requirements for Driver’s Licences, Licence Plate Stickers and Health Cards


      

Provincial News
 

BACKGROUNDER: Deadlines for Renewing Your Driver and Vehicle Products 

In The Community

Labour Day schedule changes

Back to School safety reminders for children and commuters

Ottawa COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Community Vaccination Clinics (Mass Immunization Clinics) 

Open to all Ottawa residents 12 and older. Youth must be 12 or older on the day of their appointment. 

Vaccinations are currently available at the following community clinics 

  • Eva James Memorial Community Centre – 65 Stonehaven Drive
  • Nepean Sportsplex – 1701 Woodroffe Avenue
  • Ottawa City Hall – 110 Laurier Avenue West
  • Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA – 265 Centrum Boulevard

How to book an appointment 

  • Register on the Provincial Booking System: ontario.ca/bookvaccine 
  • Call the Provincial Booking Line: 1- 833-943-3900, between 8 am and 8 pm, seven days a week. No OHIP card: Call OPH at 613-691-5505. 

Vaccine Clinic Location Tool 

Residents can enter their address in the online search tool to find the nearest vaccine locations.

Mobile Vaccination Teams 

  • Mobile vaccination teams are providing vaccinations to congregate care settings, including shelters and homebound residents. 
  • Homebound residents: The EOC continues collaboration with partners to identify additional homebound residents to immunize them and an essential caregiver, in-home. Homebound clients can request in-home vaccination by themselves, by their caregiver, or by referral from their primary care provider by calling the OPH Vaccine Booking Line at 613-691-5505 – Option #2. We are defining a homebound resident as: an individual who has medical, physical, cognitive, or psychosocial needs/conditions that inhibit them from visiting a local clinic, pharmacy, or their primary care provider to receive their COVID-19 vaccination. 

Indigenous Clinics 

  • Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and OPH are providing first and second doses to First Nation, Inuit and Métis community members 12 and older. o The clinic is currently located at Rideau High School, 815 St. Laurent Blvd. 
    • Contact OPH to book an appointment: 613-691-5505 
  • Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team is providing first and second dose vaccines to all Inuit community members 12 and older. o Contact Akausivik for an appointment or more information: 613-740-0999 

Neighbourhood Vaccination Hubs

Neighbourhood Vaccination Hubs are now open to provide access to people born in 2009 or earlier who are wanting their first or second dose of the COVID vaccine. As well, a Public Health Nurse is available if you just want to come in and ask questions or get more information about COVID vaccines. No appointment needed. Drop-ins welcome. Please see below for locations and hours.

LocationHours of operation
Winthrop Court Community House
38 Winthrop Private
Monday and Wednesday, 11am to 5pm
St. Joseph’s Adult High School
330 Lajoie Street
Monday to Friday, 1pm to 7pm
Greenboro Library
363 Lorry Greenberg Drive
Monday and Wednesday, 10am to 4pm
Tuesday and Thursday, 1pm to 7pm
Friday and Saturday, 10am to 4pm
Sawmill Creek Community Centre
3380 D’Aoust Avenue
Friday to Sunday, 9am to 3pm
Caldwell Public Health Neighbourhood Vaccination Hub – Bellevue Community Centre
1475 Caldwell Avenue
Every Thursday and Friday, 1pm to 7pm
AMA Community Centre
1216 Hunt Club Road
Monday to Thursday, 1pm to 7pm
Heatherington Family Centre
1495 Heatherington Road
Monday to Sunday, 1pm to 7pm
Bayshore Community Building
175 Woodridge Crescent
Monday to Sunday, 1pm to 7pm
Foster Farm Community Centre
1065 Ramsey Crescent
Monday to Friday, 5pm to 7pm
Every Saturday, 1pm to 7pm

Back to school and COVID-19 testing

With students returning to classrooms, the Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce is closely monitoring COVID-19 case counts, in addition to assessment centre capacity and the community’s testing needs. In response, each of Ottawa’s assessment centres and care clinics will remain open this September for children, youth, and adults who require a COVID-19 test according to the province’s current testing criteria. Ottawa’s labs and testing locations have also increased staffing levels in anticipation of kids returning to school.

Parents and educators who have further questions about COVID-19 testing this school year are encouraged to review the details below.

When to get tested for COVID-19
Parents, students and staff must complete the COVID-19 School and Childcare screening tool daily. They must follow the steps recommended by the tool, including staying home and seeking a COVID-19 test if required.

Ongoing screening is important to keep each other safe this school year. If a child develops new or worsening symptoms or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please visit Ottawa Public Health’s website to find the best assessment centre for you and your family.

Where to get tested for COVID-19

The Moodie and Ray Friel COVID-19 Care and Testing Centres and the CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Park Arena provide a great kid-friendly testing experience. Ottawa’s Community Health Centres (CHCs) are also able to assess and test children.

CHEO tests children over two months old; Moodie, Ray Friel and the CHCs test children over six months of age; and the drive-thru on Coventry Road tests youth over 10 years old. A list of assessment centres in Ottawa and details to book a test can be found at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/CovidTesting.

What to expect from testing sites this school year

It is important to note several key differences this school year compared to the 2020 school year. Last fall, Ottawa’s assessment centres and labs needed to scale up operations with additional equipment, resources, and staff to be able to meet the community’s needs and produce timely results. Additionally, with the move to appointment-based testing, there are no longer long lines or wait times. Same-day or next-day appointments are available, which is our goal.

Ottawa’s labs have also significantly cut down the number of backlogged tests, and results are consistently available within 48 hours, and often in only 24 hours.

To further alleviate potential demand on assessment centres, take-home test kits will begin rolling out across schools in Ottawa. Students and staff attending a school where these test kits are available, and who are exposed to COVID-19 or who develop symptoms can conduct a take-home self-collection kit that is then dropped off at school or an assessment centre for testing in the lab. This program was successfully piloted in Ottawa schools this past spring and in multiple day camps this summer. There is also greater clarity around symptom guidance in comparison to September of last year. Parents should seek testing for their child if a symptom is new or worsening and not related to other known causes or conditions. For example, students who have symptoms due to pre-existing or ongoing conditions, such as allergies, will not require a test to attend school.

As anticipated, the list of new symptoms that would warrant a COVID-19 test in children has just been released, which will also reduce testing demand and focus our testing efforts on children most likely to have COVID-19. Children who develop symptoms that are no longer on the list would still stay home from school until their symptoms resolve but would not need a COVID-19 test.



Where to get a COVID-19 test in Ottawa:

COVID-19 CHEO assessment centre and kids come first care clinic at Brewer Park Arena

  • Hours:
    • Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
    • Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm

Labour Day Weekend Hours:
Friday, Sept 3 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday, Sept 4 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday, Sept 5 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Monday, Sept 6 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

  • Location: 151 Brewer Way, Ottawa

COVID-19 care and testing centres – Moodie and Ray Friel locations

  • Hours:
    • Moodie:  
      • Monday to Friday: 8 am to 3:30 pm

Labour Day Weekend Hours:
Friday, Sept 3 8:00 am – 3:30 pmSaturday, Sept 4 ClosedSunday, Sept 5 ClosedMonday, Sept 6 Closed

  • Ray Friel: 
    • Monday to Friday: 8 am to 3:30 pm

Labour Day Weekend Hours:
Friday, Sept 3 8:00 am – 3:30 pmSaturday, Sept 4 ClosedSunday, Sept 5 ClosedMonday, Sept 6 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

COVID-19 assessment centre for adults at Brewer Park Arena

  • Hours:
    • Monday to Friday: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
    • Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm

Labour Day Weekend Hours:
Friday, Sept 3 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday, Sept 4 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday, Sept 5 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Monday, Sept 6 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre on Coventry Road

  • Hours: Seven days a week: 10 am to 2 pm

Labour Day Weekend Hours:
Friday, Sept 3 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Saturday, Sept 4 Closed
Sunday, Sept 5 Closed
Monday, Sept 6 11:00 am – 7:00 pm


COVID-19 testing at three of the Ottawa Community Health CentresLocations:

  • Centretown Community Health Centre:  
    • Location: 420 Cooper Street, Ottawa (entrance off Somerset Street West, next to 395 Somerset and across the street from the Wine Rack)  
    • Hours: 9 am to 4 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
    • Click here to book an appointment or call 343-553-2661 
  • Sandy Hill Community Health Centre:  
  • Somerset West Community Health Centre: 
    • Location:  55 Eccles Street, Ottawa 
    • Hours: 
      • 9 am to 4 pm, Monday to Wednesday
      • 1 pm to 4 pm on Thursday
      • 9 am to 2:30 pm on Friday
  • Click here to book an appointment or call 613-327-8145

North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Located in Kemptville)

  • Hours:
    • Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
    • Sunday, 9 am to 1 pm


COVID-19 testing at Ontario pharmacies

You can get a COVID-19 test at a participating pharmacy if you do not have symptoms, have not been in close physical contact with someone who currently has COVID-19 and are not part of a specific outbreak investigation.Please visit the province’s website to ensure you have current information about testing options and locations available to you.
Vaccine Information in Sign Language

OPH is proud to announce our recently published COVID-19 Resources in American Sign Language webpage that provides accurate, reliable and up-to-date COVID-19 resources to Ottawa’s Deaf and hard of hearing community. The webpage includes several instructional and informational videos on topics such as physical distancing, mask wearing, mental health and more, all in American Sign Language.  

Ontario has a self-assessment tool:

If you think you have 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, use this self-assessment to help determine if you need to seek further care. Visit here.


If you require help in Ottawa South, please visit our website for Community links and contacts.

Ottawa Public Health
For the latest updates, please click here.

Government of Ontario
Every day at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.  ETthe Province of Ontario’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) web page will be updated with the most up-to-date information including the status of cases in Ontario.

Government of Canada
For the latest COVID-19 updates, please click here.
For the latest on Employment and Social Development changes for employees and employers, click here.

Find out about the current reported scams related to COVID-19.

Learn how to protect yourself when banking online.

Know what to do if you’re a victim of fraud.