This is Ottawa

The steamy Canadian series Heated Rivalry has hit home for Ottawa players who spent years playing hockey as closeted athletes. But will the show be the catalyst for a cultural earthquake in hockey? They say that’s another story.

The National Capital Commission has been a lightning rod for criticism. From shutting down a lemonade stand on Colonel By Drive to a Sparks Street with no spark - Ottawans have loved to loathe the NCC. But after a slew of new initiatives - and more to come in 2026 - are people’s tunes changing?
And, if you listen then want to know more about the historic O'Brien House in Gatineau Park we have a whole episode on it here.

There’s a big increase in the number of women incarcerated in Ontario. The CBC’s Julie Ireton dug into why - and spoke with two women who were in and out of the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre – and never want to go back.

Sometimes art imitates life. And sometimes life imitates podcast. That was the case for Robyn Bresnahan when she stepped outside one morning to discover her car was gone. In that moment, this episode from December 2024 flashed through her mind.

According to Ottawa Tourism, more Christmas movies have been filmed in Ottawa than anywhere else. In this encore episode, Robyn Bresnahan hears why producers love the city for cheesy holiday rom-coms – and what it takes to make the city look like Christmas in the middle of the summer.