Canada Day in Ottawa: Pack light, don't drive, say security officials

Looking to get to Parliament Hill for Canada Day?

Be sure to get there earlier than usual to avoid disappointment, according to Supt. Mike O'Beirne, the officer in charge of operations for the parliamentary protective service.

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"Plan accordingly and certainly refer to the websites that are available to provide all the information that's required for a safe and enjoyable experience," said O'Beirne, who was one of the security officials present at a technical briefing Thursday morning with the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Street party on Wellington

The section of Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill will be turned into a street festival for all of Canada Day, according to officials at the technical briefing.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, June 30, all visitors wanting to access Wellington between Bank and Elgin, including Parliament Hill, will have to pass through security screening spots, said O'Beirne.

He likens the checkpoints to the kind of experience you'd have at airport security.

"We've certainly been monitoring events on a global scale. And we're working in close partnerships with our domestic and international partners in that regard," said O' Beirne. "We're monitoring all the events that are happening on the world stage at this time and we've turned ourselves to that with great purpose."

People are also being asked to arrive much earlier than in previous years, and to pack as light as possible, said O'Beirne.

When in doubt, leave it at home

In addition to obvious items such as illegal weapons and drugs, officials are cautioning people to leave trinkets and extra items at home: Aerosol cans, hard-sided coolers, fireworks, scissors, knives, sporting equipment such as baseball bats, tables, tripods, and umbrellas for example.

Ottawa police Insp. Murray Knowles said to plan your Canada Day as much as possible but be prepared to change those plans at a moment's notice. It will all depend on crowd sizes, he said.

"There may be certain areas that are closed if there's too many people in an area. So you want to check that (government) website, you want to get some trusted social media contacts through the website ... Twitter handles that you can follow to get up-to-date information.

"If you're planning to go to Parliament Hill, it may be closed. If you're planning to go to Major's Hill, it might be closed." 

As for traffic, said Knowles, be patient.

He said for three days beginning June 30, "it's going to be a quagmire down here."

"It will be difficult to get around down here so you really need to plan where you're going and be patient, specifically if you're in a vehicle."

Print off your road closures and pay attention to the times, said Knowles.

"There will be road closures at the times listed so don't think you're going to get through," he said.