News Headlines / April 1, 2005

West Block asbestos fix will cost billions   Sixteen years after an asbestos problem was first identified in Parliament Hill’s West Block, there has still been no attempt to clean it up.   Sparks plan optimistic, business owners say   A National Capital Commission plan could mean some welcome changes for Sparks Street, an area many business owners say is in desperate need of a facelift.   Rideau Canal may join Pyramids on world stage   Ottawa’s Rideau Canal may soon join the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids of Giza as a World Heritage Site.   Rising hydro will hurt low-income families   Low-income customers are going to be the hardest hit when their electricity bill rises on April 1. Bills will be increasing by 6.1 per cent, which works out to an average increase of $51.13 for the average family per year.   Humane society offers clinic for low-income cat owners   The Ottawa Humane Society is providing veterinary care for the pets of low-income residents as part of a new educational program aimed at reducing the city’s stray cat population.   Neighbourhood Watch needs more participants   Faced with dwindling participation, Neighbourhood Watch is calling for increased public support.   Local social justice groups join forces in funding bid   Centretown’s economic justice group, the Somerset West Action Network (SWAN), has aligned forces with three other anti-poverty and social justice organizations in Ottawa to apply for funding and a joint office space.