This is Ottawa

A 14-storey office tower at the corner of O’Connor and Slater streets is about to be destroyed. But how do you bring down a building in such a densely packed area? Robyn Bresnahan learns about the painstaking preparation that goes into flattening a high-rise and finds out what’s set to replace it.

Libraries are known as quiet and calm places. But in recent years, there’s been an uptick in cases of harassment, suspected drug overdoses and thefts. Robyn Bresnahan sat down with three library workers, including Ottawa’s chief librarian, to find out how they’re coping.

You might scoff at the thought of catching your dinner from the canal. But how edible are the fish that swim between Dow’s Lake and downtown? Robyn Bresnahan goes boating with a fish expert to find out what comes out at the end of a rod - and what people do with the fish they catch in the canal. 

There’s a new breed of run club exploding in the capital. It attracts social-media loving millennials and Gen Zs who combine workouts with hangouts over coffee and craft beer. Robyn Bresnahan laces up to meet some of the fast and the curious.

For the past 32 years, the Elgin Street Diner has never locked its doors. Not once. In fact the day the owner bought it, he threw the key down the drain. Considering it’s one of Ottawa’s last remaining 24/7 diners, Robyn Bresnahan decided to pull an all-nighter to find out what it’s like in the wee small hours.

For the past 32 years, the Elgin Street Diner has never locked its doors. Not once. In fact the day the owner bought it, he threw the key down the drain. Considering it’s one of Ottawa’s last remaining 24/7 diners, Robyn Bresnahan decided to pull an all-nighter to find out what it’s like in the wee small hours.

Jokes about public servants = yes. Jokes about politics = hard no. A crew of Ottawa comedians tells Robyn Bresnahan what material works on audiences. And why they feel the city’s comedy scene is vastly underrated.

Even if you don’t give a hoot about baseball, this episode will surprise you. Did you know the original Ottawa Senators were NOT a hockey team? And that the uniforms of Ottawa’s first professional team became an international mockery? Robyn Bresnahan hears about the hits and misses of baseball in the city – and how once upon a time, the best team on the planet played here.

Ottawa’s alternative schools are facing the chopping block. The board says they’re under-enrolled and under performing. But kids and parents say they’ve been life changing. Robyn Bresnahan hears from both sides.

We have an update to one of our favourite episodes. The one about where to find love in Ottawa when you’ve given up on online dating. Robyn Bresnahan reconnects with a woman who’d tried everything from Bumble to badminton - but found a partner in the most unexpected of places. 

Dr. Tracy thinks it’s okay to go to bed angry. She’s also got advice for when your partner feels more like a roommate. The couples therapist has hundreds of thousands of followers. And few of them know she’s based in Ottawa. Robyn Bresnahan books an appointment on the therapist’s sofa to find out who she is and what her idea of a perfect date night in Ottawa looks like. Thanks to Cloud10 for the u...

This episode is going to suck. Because it’s about leeches - and how the Ottawa Hospital uses them on patients. Robyn Bresnahan checks out the “hotel” where the leeches stay and meets the nurse who has to convince people that sticking a leech on their skin is actually a good thing. 

From noisy neighbours to potholes to illegally parked cars, Ottawa’s 3-1-1 operators take hundreds of calls a day. What’s the job like? Robyn Bresnahan meets three operators to hear how they deal with complex questions, angry callers and some downright odd situations.

The Dominion Observatory at the Experimental Farm is most famous for astronomy. But that’s not all. Robyn Bresnahan hears about the fascinating history of parties, underground tunnels, earthquakes and a woman’s fight to wear pants in the workplace.

The Governor General's husband shares a story at our live show.

Two more stories from our live show at Red Bird. One involves an unexpected encounter with a childhood bully. And the other pokes fun at a very Ottawa obsession. If you hate smiling, this episode is not for you.

It’s our 50th episode!!! To celebrate - we did it live on stage at Red Bird. Five Ottawans got up in front of a packed audience and told stories about when this city surprised them. This week we’re airing the first two stories, starting at a bygone beloved local diner. Pull up a stool and enjoy.

Young Addy Myers was kicked in the chest by a horse, causing a rupture to her heart. She was airlifted to hospital by a specialized team from the children's hospital, CHEO. Robyn Bresnahan hears the story and gets a chopper ride with the crew responsible for emergency care in the air.

Rates of HIV are rising in Ottawa. But a diagnosis today is not the death sentence it once was. Robyn Bresnahan goes for tea with someone who tested positive shortly after arriving in Canada. They talk about finding love, keeping secrets from family and what happened when they decided to disclose their HIV status to their boss.

Rats coming up through toilet bowls. Rats hanging from bird feeders. What can be done once rats decide to make your home THEIR home? One city councillor has suggested rodent birth control. Another says education and prevention is the answer. Robyn Bresnahan meets a woman whose backyard was overtaken by rats - and rings up Alberta’s ‘rat czar’ to hear how that province stays (mostly) rat-free.

Some of Ottawa’s corner stores have been around for decades. But their numbers are shrinking. Robyn Bresnahan goes behind the counter to find out what life is like, how booze is changing the game and what would be lost if independent corner shops continue to close.

Lice lice baby. After a COVID siesta, lice are back. And so too is a strain referred to as “super lice”. Robyn Bresnahan combs through how to spot the difference and hears why one pharmacist says the current Canadian guidelines on treating lice need to be updated.

Fasten your seatbelts and hear what happens when host Robyn Bresnahan gets a lift from Manotick to City Hall with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. When they hit gridlock, Robyn surprises the Mayor with questions from Ottawans between the ages of 12 and 73. And when the Mayor boasts he can sing - she challenges him to prove it. It’s Carpool Mayor-aoke! Kind of.

The made-for-TV movie industry is booming. Particularly when it comes to holiday rom-coms. Robyn Bresnahan hears why producers love Ottawa as a location for these schmaltzy flicks - and what it takes to make the city look like Christmas in the middle of summer.

In the last decade, the number of vehicles stolen in Ottawa has shot up by nearly 250 per cent. Now some residents are fighting back. Robyn Bresnahan meets two victims of vehicle theft who’ve taken measures to thwart thieves. She finds out which Ottawa neighbourhoods and types of cars are targeted most often.