Ouvert ou Fermé: Your Easter Weekend Guide for Ottawa-Gatineau (2024)
Easter weekend is almost here! If you’re in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, figuring out what’s open and closed can be tricky. This guide provides a comprehensive overview to help you plan your long weekend. (Sophie Lavoie/Archives Le Quotidien)
Grocery Stores & Liquor Retailers
Most Ottawa grocery stores will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, with some smaller shops potentially operating. It’s best to check directly with individual stores before heading out. The Beer Store and LCBO locations will also be closed on both Friday and Sunday, though some may open on Monday.
In Gatineau, SAQ branches will follow their regular hours on Friday. On Sunday, SAQ Express locations and select other SAQ stores will be open – it’s recommended to verify opening times beforehand. Branches not located in a closed shopping mall will be open on Monday.
Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) stores will be closed only on Sunday.
Shopping Malls
Ottawa’s major shopping centres – including Rideau Centre, Bayshore Centre, Saint-Laurent Centre, Place d’Orléans, and Tanger Outlets – will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, but will reopen on Monday.
In Gatineau, Promenades Gatineau will close its doors on Sunday only, as will Galeries de Hull and Galeries Aylmer.
Waste & Recycling Collection
Ottawa residents: Waste, recycling, and green bin collection scheduled for Good Friday or Easter Monday will be moved to Saturday and Tuesday, respectively. All other collections will be delayed by one day, with the regular schedule resuming the week of April 13th. The Trail Road landfill will be open from 9 am to 5 pm on both Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Gatineau residents: All collections will proceed as scheduled. The transfer station will be open on Good Friday and Easter Monday, but closed on Saturday and Easter Sunday. The Aéroparc ecocentre will be closed Sunday and Monday, while the Carrière Boulevard ecocentre will be closed on Sunday only.
Public Transportation
OC Transpo buses and the O-Train will operate on a Sunday schedule on Good Friday. On Easter Monday, Lines 2 and 4 of the O-Train will run on the regular weekday schedule, while Line 1 and buses will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. Ottawa’s parking regulations will be in effect. Gatineau offers free street parking during holidays, from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
Both STO and OC Transpo encourage passengers to plan their trips in advance.
Museums & Cultural Attractions
National museums, including the Canadian War Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, will be open on Friday and Sunday, but closed on Monday.
Ottawa’s municipal museums, the Meridian Theatre at Centrepointe, and the Shenkman Arts Centre, along with Ottawa Public Library branches, will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
In Gatineau, Galerie Montcalm and Espace Pierre-Debain will be closed from April 3rd to April 6th inclusive. Gatineau’s municipal libraries will be closed from Saturday to Monday inclusive.
This article was originally published by Le Droit and translated for broader accessibility.
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