This is Ottawa

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 use of clips from the podcast 'Dear Dr. Tracy'.

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.