Police begin to remove checkpoints as Ottawa protest cleanup continues

Steps away from where the Emergencies Act passed a vote in the House of Commons Monday night,Ottawa police continued to remove some of the more than 100 checkpoints inthe city following police action that clearedprotesters and vehicles, including transport trucks, from a largearea around Parliament Hill.

By Monday afternoon, police had announced all checkpoints surrounding the ByWard Markethad been removed.

City transit is reopening many of its routes, and a sense of normalcy is starting to return afterthousands ofdemonstrators rallying against COVID-19 public health measuresoccupied the streets for more than three weeks,terrorizing some residents.

Both the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and Ottawa Catholic School Board say downtown schools will be open Tuesday, but warned there could be delays for kids getting to school because of the various checkpoints.

Ottawa police say businesses that closed during the protest, which began on Jan. 28,should now feel safe to reopen. It's expected many of the shops along Bank Street, as well as the CF Rideau Centre, will open as soon as Tuesday.

Mayor Jim Watson encouraged people to supportlocal businesses in the downtownbecause they suffered not only from the occupation, but have also been struggling during the pandemic.

Some councillors plan to bring motions forward at Wednesday's city council meeting to assist those hardest hit by the demonstration. They include a tax deferral program for businesses, expanding free transit service in affected areas and free on-street parking and at city-owned parkadesin affected areas for a month.

Some protesters gather outside Ottawa

While there is a sense of relief that the situation is returning to normal, Watson said it continues to be mixed with anxiety.

"We still are not through this. We have to be prudent and cautious," he told CBC Monday, referring to reports some protesters have congregated in areas outside the city.

One of those locations is inVankleek Hill, Ont., approximately 100 kilometres east of downtown Ottawa, while another group has been seen west of the cityin Arnprior, Ont.

"We have to be cognisant of the fact that we're still not out of the woods," he said.

At a news conference Sunday afternoon,interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell said police would spend the next several days figuringouthow to maintain a presence in the downtown core"to make sure that nobody returns to occupy our streets again."

On Monday morning, police sent out social media messages advising people that only parliamentary employees would be permitted north of Sparks Street, between Elgin and Bay streets. Wellington Street, once the focal point of the protest, is closed to all traffic.

Police say they are asking people at check stopsto state their reasons for travelling within the area.

WATCH | Downtown Ottawa reopensup after weeks-long protest:

Downtown Ottawa reopens after weeks of protests

3 years ago

Duration 3:09

Life in downtown Ottawa largely returned to normal after police cleared convoy protesters out, but protective fences remain around Parliament Hill as the government warns the threat of more unrest has not entirely passed.

There has been speculation among city councillors about whether Wellington Street would ever reopen to vehicles. Over the weekend, police would not say when the road in front of Parliament Hill might reopen, but on Monday evening,Somerset ward Coun. Catherine McKenney said they plan to introduce a motion at Wednesday's council meeting to bar traffic from a section of the street.

By Sunday morning, officers had fenced off the area immediately surrounding theParliamentary Precinct. That's where protestershad beenentrenched since late January, before a series of police advances on Friday and Saturday pushed the crowdfirst west, then south, away from Parliament Hill.

Late last week, police set up a secure area stretching fromBronson Avenue to the Rideau Canal, andfrom the Queensway to Parliament Hill.

Police warn of road closures

Police have opened up Rideau Street at SussexDrive, but it remains closedwestbound at Dalhousie Street. Mackenzie Avenue southbound, Sussex Drive northbound and Colonel By Driveare open to pedestrian and vehicle traffic, police said.

They also asked people on Sunday evening toavoid asmall demonstration taking placenear the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway andBooth Street, where children were in attendance.

A similar demonstration is planned for Monday.

Free bus routes, LRT service resumes

Fifteen bus routes serving the downtown are now free of charge and will stay that way until30 days after Ottawa's state of emergency is lifted, OC Transposaid on Sunday.

For now, however, bus routes serving the downtown remain on detour.The free rides alsoapply toPara Transpo trips to and from Rideau-Vanier and Somerset wards.

Starting Monday morning, LRT service resumed along the entire length of the Confederation Line.

The City of Ottawa is warning that any statements that appear tocomefrom the city involving financial compensation for the convoy protests are not authentic. MPsdebatedin the House of Commonsall weekendahead of a vote on whether to ratify use of the Emergencies Act.Debate continued Monday morning, ahead of an evening vote. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaudefended his government's use of the Act during a press conference Monday,saying the decision to do so was not one he and his government took lightly.

Dozens ofvehicles towed

As of Monday morning, police said they had made 196 arrests and charged 110 people with offences including obstructing or resisting a peace officer, assault, disobeying a court order, mischief, assaulting police and possessing a weapon.

Bell said Sundaythat in one instance, a protester tried to take an officer's taser.

Police have also towed 115 vehiclesrelated to the protest.The vehicles include heavy trucks, pickup trucks and cars.