Wednesday’s severe weather forced the cancellation of Ottawa’s evening Canada Day events, including the fireworks display, as homes experienced flooding, roads were shut down, and thunderstorms caused power outages.
“In the interest of public safety and due to extreme weather and the condition of the site, we unfortunately have made the difficult decision to cancel the National Canada Day Evening Show,” Canadian Heritage wrote.
By 5:45 p. m., Ottawa International Airport reported 99 millimeters of rain, according to Environment Canada, with more rain and thunderstorms expected later in the evening.
Earlier in the day, Canadian Heritage announced that activities at Le Breton Flats Park, Old Hull, Parliament Hill, and outside the Supreme Court of Canada had been paused.
At Le Breton Flats Park and Parliament Hill, electronic signs warned attendees to find shelter. As heavy rain and wind hit the area, people were seen rushing to leave the park in videos shared online.
A seek shelter warning is seen on Parliament Hill during Canada Day festivities in Ottawa, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Keito Newman/ )
Snowbirds performance
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds canceled all remaining flights for what was supposed to be their final Canada Day performance.
The team had previously expressed hope that a break in the weather would let them perform their flyover at Parliament Hill but confirmed just before 5 p. m. that it was canceled.
“We know how much this day means to so many of you, and we’re disappointed we couldn’t take to the skies over the capital this Canada Day,” the group wrote on Facebook.
This was expected to be their last performance for Canada Day due to their aging fleet being grounded.
Torrential rain limited visibility on Sparks Street in Ottawa on Canada Day 2026. (Gabrielle Huston/CBC)
Flooding
Flooding has closed Woodroffe Avenue between Knoxdale Road and Norice Street; Ottawa Police posted updates online. They also urged residents to avoid these areas in west-end:
Corkstown Road and Creekwood Crescent. Greenbank and Banner roads. Woodroffe Avenue and Knoxdale Road. Moodie Drive and Highway 417 at the ramp. Richmond and Holly Acres roads. Highway 416 northbound from West Hunt Club Road to Highway 417 split.
As of 8:40 p. m., Highway 417 westbound was closed at Moodie Drive for cleanup following flooding, according to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The northbound route on Highway 416 towards Highway 417 was also shut down. Motorists were advised to stay clear of this area.
Earlier in the day, Highway 417 had been closed for westbound traffic at Pinecrest Avenue but reopened around 5:10 p. m., OPP reported.
“Heavy rainfall is causing localized flooding across Ottawa which results in hazardous driving conditions along with road closures,” police stated while advising against “unnecessary travel until conditions improve.”
Flooding is seen on Highway 417 westbound at Holly Acres Road. (Ontario Provincial Police/X)
Hydro Ottawa and Hydro One reported widespread power outages throughout the city because of bad weather conditions with thunderstorms. The public can check outage maps from each utility company for details.
As of 6:20 p. m.:
Hydro Ottawa indicated that about 29,000 customers were affected by outages while Hydro One noted around 20,000 customers impacted by outages within its East region.
“Crews have been deployed to assess damage and restore power where it is safe to do so,” Hydro Ottawa stated.
Ottawa Police along with utility companies reminded everyone that disabled traffic lights should be treated as four-way stops.
A severe Canada Day storm brought down trees in Vanier on July 1st ,2026.(Claudine Richard/Radio-Canada)
OC Transpo informed riders about some routes being detoured; current updates are available on its alerts page.
A spokesperson told CBC that there were no disruptions affecting LRT stations due directly related flooding as of about 5:10 p. m.; however limited flooding occurred near Heron station without impacting service significantly.
The National Capital Region has been under various heat warnings along with thunderstorm advisories since Tuesday while a tornado warning briefly affected Gananoque , Ont. around 8 . p. m.
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