/ #holiday 

What's open and closed in Ottawa for the August long weekend

Statue of Colonel By in Major’s Hill Park. (Photo/Devyn Barrie)

Monday is Colonel By Day in Ottawa (aka the August Civic Holiday / August long weekend, occurring on the first Monday of every August) which means a long weekend for many people in Ottawa. But it’s not a statutory holiday so many retail stores will be open. Here’s a list of what’s open and closed.

To add to this list please email feedback@ottawastart.com.

Shopping & attractions:

  • Most stores, malls and grocery stores are open with reduced hours.
  • National museums are open.
  • Most LCBO stores are open on Monday.
  • Select Beer stores are open 11am-6pm on Monday.
  • Movie theatres are open.
  • Banks are closed.
  • Quebec doesn’t have a Civic Holiday, so it’s business as usual.

Need a doctor or emergency care?

  • You can find healthcare services open during holidays by checking holidayhours.ca

Recreation

  • Beaches, splash pads and pools will be open, weather permitting. (Here’s a list.)
    • Mooney’s Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island beaches will open on Monday, August 7 with lifeguard supervision from noon to 7 pm.
  • Some city pools will be open on the Civic Holiday for public swimming, skating and fitness classes with modified schedules. Check with ottawa.ca or the facility of your choice for details.

City / government services

  • OC Transpo operates on a special Colonel By Day schedule. Bus service will run on a Saturday schedule, with enhanced service on routes 25, 63, 74 and 85. Select trips on Routes 61, 63, and 75 will be extended to or from Gatineau in peak periods. The R1 will run, but not the R1 Express service.
    • OC Transpo’s Customer Service Centre (613-560-5000) will be open from 7 am to 9 pm on August 7, 2023.
  • City Hall and Client Service Centres are closed. The 3-1-1 contact centre will be open for urgent matters only.
  • The Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Drive is closed.
  • There will be no curbside green bin, recycling or garbage collection. Monday’s pickup will take place on Tuesday. In addition, the collection of garbage, green bin, leaf and yard waste and recycling materials will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
  • Here’s a press release from the City of Ottawa about other schedule and service changes…

To add to this list please email feedback@ottawastart.com