Ottawa streets getting yucky

Walking down Rideau Street, I feel like I’m on the set of a dystopian movie—except the special effects budget was spent entirely on poop. The sidewalk? A tragic tapestry of human and animal excrement. Vomit? Plenty. The bus stops? Let’s just say the garbage cans have long given up.

Then, I take the LRT. The elevator alone could be used as a psychological endurance test. And the train itself? Somehow both a mode of transport and a nasal assault.

I love this city. I really do. Which is why it breaks my heart to see it like this. Hoping things turn around soon.

Not complaining… just sharing my olfactory trauma.

Edit: I’m adding this after reading the comments on my post—thank you all for your thoughts. I can see that everyone has a different opinion about this city and I respect that.

However, is asking for something as simple as a clean street to walk on really too much? With Ottawa being the capital city, are clean streets, clean bus stops, clean elevators, and clean public areas too much to ask for? I am fully aware of how people are struggling with addiction and homelessness, and they deserve a better place to live and similarly, we all deserve a cleaner place to live and breathe.

I never said Ottawa isn’t safe or that it's bad—I only said how dirty it has become. I think some of you are just projecting your own thoughts onto my post. Ottawa is pretty safe, it has nice infrastructure and the people are pretty chill. But my post wasn't about that. It was about the lack of clean spaces.

The other day, I saw vomit mixed with blood near City Hall. On King Edward, there were poop smears all over the sidewalk. On Somerset, it was the same. On Montreal Road, it was the same. On William Street, on Dalhousie, on Cumberland, on Elgin, on Bank… the list goes on. I haven't taken any pictures of those places because the images are already ingrained in my mind. However, for the people who think otherwise, I might make another post where I add pictures.

Anyway, I know this city can do better and I am hoping for things to improve—for everyone living here. (Don't come after my hope, that's all I have these days)