Clothed with compassion: the Sock Project raising awareness about chronic autoimmune disease

 ABOVE: Jessica Baird turned the very disease that caused her pain into a global community of love and support. What began as a simple way to bring a ray of hope to her battle with a chronic disease turned into a movement to bring light to people experiencing autoimmune diseases around the

Food for Thought Ottawa: Tackling food insecurity, one delicious meal at a time.

 ABOVE: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Food for Thought sous-chef Linh. Chef Scot Cunningham and his team of volunteers. Community members Cassie and Donna who have been helped by Food for Thought.  Every meal purchased buys the same meal for someone struggling with food insecurity. Rising food prices and costs of living

A cycling storage solution: the Bike Nook

 Cycling is on the rise in Canada. Canadians are mountain biking to enjoy the outdoors, cycling for their eco-friendly commute, and biking to boost their physical and mental well-being. Today, in some cities of Canada, over 20% of commuters cycle to work, with some of the highest percentages of cycling

Canada’s most trusted weighted blanket: the Hush

 It’s no secret that Canadians’ mental health has declined over the past years. Increasing mental health disorders and worsening feelings of anxiety and fear have sent Canadians looking for at-home solutions to improve their well-being. Many are turning to weighted blankets, like the Hush–a blanket to wrap around your shoulders

True reconciliation in action on BC’S coast

 ABOVE: Ryan Cootes, Erin Bremner Mitchell, Bill Collins, and Mike Williamson at a Cascadia Seaweed harvesting site in Barkley Sound, BC. Along the pristine coastline of British Columbia, the ocean is inspiring opportunities to address food security, climate action and Indigenous reconciliation. Together, BC First Nations are partnering with Cascadia Seaweed to

Housing beyond collecting rent: TCU Development Corporation

 ABOVE: Billy Triantafilos and Mike Corneau of TCU Development Corporation. (Photos: robert@200f2.ca) Amid Ottawa’s housing market crisis, TCU Development Corporation is transforming the way development and housing projects are done–for the better. With North America’s first Tenant Wellness Program, and projects that give back to local communities, TCU Developments is shifting the industry

BIRLING: Skateboarding that fuels community

 ABOVE: The in-house Birling brand offers T-shirts, pants, sweaters, skateboards, hats. “Everything from the textiles, graphic design, and colours connect us more intimately to the spots and streets we skate.” — ADAM, CO-OWNER Birling is Ottawa’s skateboarding hub–a place for skateboarding enthusiasts and beginners alike to find community and enhance their

OVOU digital business cards go beyond a job title

 The paper business card as we’ve known it is long dead. Nine out of ten business cards get thrown out within a week, and with digital wallets and contact books, no one takes the time to enter contacts manually. OVOU is changing the game and bridging the social-digital gap. The

Gifts that give: A guide to giving to your community this Christmas

 Something about Christmas makes us look beyond ourselves and to our community. Neighbours adorn their homes in twinkling lights, wreaths welcome us on front doors, and suddenly we want to teach our children the value of caring for others by volunteering at soup kitchens or joining the local food drive.

Canada’s Credit Unions helping small businesses thrive in the holiday hustle

 For small businesses, the holiday season is more rush and hustle than a silent night. If you’re a small business owner, you are not unfamiliar with the struggles of calculating how much more or less inventory to stock while expenses are changing. You understand the difficulties of hiring shortages when

Gastops: Ottawa-based innovation in the F-35 program

 ABOVE: Ottawa-based Gastops provides critical engine sensors for the world’s most advanced fighter jets. (Photo: Karsten Moran) Gastops’ contributions to F-35 fighter jet’s engines are fueling Canada’s participation in the fighter jet program. F-35 pilots across the world should feel safer knowing that Gastops’ cutting-edge sensing technology is monitoring the health of

A warm home and second chance for Ottawa’s wildlife

 A heartwarming community initiative–Ottawa Tiny Home business fundraises to build local Wildlife Rescue Centre a new shelter Winter months are around the corner, and humans aren’t the only ones in need of a warm home. Holly’s Haven, a wildlife rescue centre, takes in animals who need help and rehabilitation. But

Living Green Starts at Home: EnviroCentre’s “Your Green Home” Course

 We’re no longer debating climate change–we’re talking about how to stop it. While the government gets backlogged in politics, why not start change at home? Creating a green lifestyle may sound overwhelming, but step-by-step, it is simple to live green. How do you start living green? EnviroCentre provides concrete steps

Pumpkin Spice Bagel delights! Kettlemans fall flavour

 What better way to enjoy the colours of fall, than to enjoy the taste of fall too? Ottawa’s favourite Kettlemans Bagel is infusing their bagels with fall spirit: the Pumpkin Spice Bagel is sure to be a delight! Ottawa’s local favourite bagel shop invites you to savour their new fall

Reconcile this: Ontario government and PM Tofino Trudeau cut Indigenous people out of gaming industry

 The age of reconciliation has led the Government of Ontario to an impasse between economic discrimination or proactive reconciliation. This June, iGaming became legal in Canada. An amendment to the Criminal Code decriminalized “single-event sports betting”–effectively allowing Canadians to gamble on sports teams in a single game. For Canadians, this

It was love at First Bite

 The never-ending debate between pancakes and waffles is over–the Croffle has officially taken the crown. What is a croffle, you ask? Just what it sounds like–put a croissant and waffle together, and you’ve got a croffle! First Bite owners Elias and Abdallah have been friends for ten years and always

Experience Korea!

 We all know and love the upbeat sounds of K-Pop, but have you tasted Korea K-sauce? Experienced Korean Modern Art? Seen the rising stars of K-Cinema? Or tried your hand at Korean Calligraphy? From now until October 13th, you can! This year’s 2021 Korea Week is hosting 11 events for

A day to listen and remember

 Today was a new day. Today was a day to listen, to learn, and to remember. Today was the inaugural Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. Across the nation, Canadians listened to Indigenous voices, from the Sto:lo in British Columbia to the Algonquin in Ontario and the Mi’kmaq in PEI.

China and the United States step up to get world vaccinated

 In a world spanned by polarizing politics, China and the U.S. are united on this one thing: global access to vaccinations must be a priority to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, China set the stage to address inequalities in vaccine distributions by organizing the first International Forum on Vaccine Cooperation.

Frozen pizza never tasted so fresh

 Photo: Suech and Beck 2021 There’s a new premium frozen pizza in town, and this one comes straight to your door! Ottawa is now home to General Assembly Pizza’s revolutionary frozen pizza subscription. Founder and CEO Ali Khan Lalani’s restaurant career started early, working at his mother’s restaurant at 12