Getting around downtown on Canada Day will be complicated with numerous road closures and parking restrictions, especially near Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court of Canada and LeBreton Flats. Plan your route ahead of time and expect delays.

If you’re planning on seeing the fireworks downtown, be sure to arrive as early as possible. Events sites and areas with views of the fireworks usually fill up quickly and travel options will be limited due to road closures and transit impacts in those locations.

OC Transpo

OC Transpo is the best way to travel to Canada Day events across the city, with free service all day on trains, buses and Para Transpo presented by LiUNA Local 527 & 527A.

OC Transpo will have extra service running throughout the day and into the evening on buses and trains. O-Train Line 1 service will run from 6 am to 2 am, and O-Train Line 2 and 4 service will run from 7 am to 1 am. Para Transpo service will run until 3 am.

Use OC Transpo’s Travel Planner or download Transit, the recommended app for OC Transpo customers to plan your trip!

Leave early and arrive on time at LeBreton Flats

All OC Transpo stations will be open on Canada Day. Pimisi Station, on O-Train Line 1, is the closest station to the main event at LeBreton Flats. Customers can also get off at Lyon or Bayview stations and follow signage to the event site.
Express shuttle buses will run from 8 am to 8 pm for customers traveling inbound from select Park & Ride lots to O-Train Line 1.
- In the west end, shuttle buses will stop at Terry Fox and Eagleson stations and connect to Line 1 at Tunney’s Pasture Station.
- In the east end, shuttle buses will stop at Millennium and Trim stations and connect to Line 1 at Blair Station.
Leave early to arrive on time. Event organizers will close access to LeBreton Flats by 9:30 pm.
To prepare the road for crowds leaving the event, Booth Street will close to pedestrians from 9 to 10 pm, and trains will temporarily skip Pimisi Station while Booth Street is closed.
Para Transpo customers travelling to LeBreton Flats on Canada Day will be dropped off at the designated Para Transpo drop off/pick up point on Vimy Place across from the War Museum’s group entrance.

After the LeBreton Flats fireworks

After the fireworks, eastbound O-Train Line 1 service will be provided from Pimisi Station. Special westbound bus service will operate from Albert Street at Booth Street.
Customers can also use Lyon Station for O-Train Line 1 service in both directions, or Bayview Station for O-Train Lines 1 and 2.
Para Transpo customers leaving LeBreton Flats will be picked up where they were dropped off at the designated Para Transpo drop off/pick up point on Vimy Place across from the War Museum’s group entrance.

For more information or to plan your trip, visit octranspo.com. You can also connect with OC Transpo through Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Closures and parking restrictions

Impacts around the main event sites

Affected roads from Wednesday, July 1 at 6 am to Thursday, July 2 at 2 am include:

Wellington Street between Elgin Street and Vimy Place
Sparks Street between Lyon Street North and Bronson Avenue
Queen Street between Elgin Street and Bronson Avenue
Metcalfe Street between Wellington and Albert streets
O'Connor Street between Wellington and Albert streets
Bank Street between Wellington and Albert streets
Kent Street between Wellington and Albert streets
Lyon Street North between Wellington and Albert streets
Bay Street between Wellington and Albert streets
Bronson Avenue between Sparks and Albert streets
Commissioner Street between Wellington and Albert streets
Booth Street between Chaudière Crossing and Albert Street
Fleet Street between Booth and Lett streets
Lloyd Street between Fleet and Lett streets
Lett Street between Lloyd and Wellington streets
Vimy Place between Booth and Wellington streets
Kichi Zībī Mīkan between Wellington Street and Parkdale Avenue
Onigam Street between Lemieux Island and Kichi Zībī Mīkan
Slidell Street between Bayview Station Road and Kichi Zībī Mīkan

Affected roads from Tuesday, July 1 at 7 pm to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am include:

Albert Street between Elgin Street and City Centre Avenue
Slater Street between Bronson Avenue and Elgin Street
Bronson Avenue between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Bay Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Lyon Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Kent Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Bank Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
O’Connor Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Metcalfe Street between Albert Street and Laurier Avenue
Booth Street from Albert Street to Somerset Street West

Multi-use pathways and cycling routes in the areas surrounding LeBreton Flats will be closed from Wednesday, July 1 at 6 am to Thursday, July 2 at 2 am.

The Chief William Commanda Bridge will be closed from Tuesday, June 30 at 8 pm to Thursday, July 2 at 2 am.

Impacted bridges

Downtown bridges between Ontario and Quebec will be affected:

Alexandra Bridge: Open to pedestrians and northbound vehicles; the southbound lane will be closed from Wednesday, July 1 at 6 am to midnight.
Chaudière Crossing: Closed in both directions to vehicles and pedestrians from Wednesday, July 1 at 6 am to Thursday, July 2 at 2 am.
Portage Bridge: Open to pedestrians; closed to vehicles in both directions from Wednesday, July 1 at 6 am to Thursday, July 2 at 2 am.

Impacts in the Byward Market

Several streets in the ByWard Market will be closed to accommodate Canada Day events.

From Tuesday, June 30 at 8 am to Thursday, July 2 at 4 pm, the westbound lanes on York Street will be closed between Dalhousie Street and ByWard Market Square.

From Wednesday, July 1 at 7 am to Thursday, July 2 at 1 am, the following streets will be closed:

George Street between ByWard Market Square and William Street
York Street, both directions, between Sussex Drive and Dalhousie Street
William Street between York Street and George Street

Impacts near City Hall

Ongoing construction at the intersection of Laurier Avenue and Elgin Street is expected to cause traffic delays on Canada Day. Allow extra time for your travels through this area.

Traffic impacts include:

Lane reductions on Laurier Avenue and Elgin Street.
No left turns at Elgin Street for westbound motorists on Laurier Avenue.
Westbound cycling lanes on Laurier Avenue will be closed.

Access to the underground parking garage at Ottawa City Hall will be available from the Eglin Street entrance. The garage entrance on Laurier Avenue will be closed on Wednesday, July 1 and reopen on Thursday, July 2.

For more information on Canada Day events and locations, visit Canadian Heritage’s Canada Day website.

Plan your travels ahead on Canada Day