Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Mon. January 27th, 2025

Less than 48 hours before Ontario’s Premier launches a snap election, the province’s financial watchdog has dropped a stunning report on alcohol sales. It says, by 2030, the decision to liberalize alcohol sales will cost $1.4 billion. That is almost 3 times higher than what Doug Ford said it was going to cost at first glance. Does this news surprise you? Was it worth it to ditch The Beer Store contract so early? Kristy Cameron picks the brain of Dan Malleck in Hour 1. He is a Professor of Health Sciences at Brock University and he is also an expert on the history of Canada’s liquor laws. Meantime, the federal government is announcing a major funding injection for Ottawa’s transit system. As of right now, $180 million will be given to OC Transpo over a 10-year window, with the purpose of replacing or modernizing our public transit infrastructure. The government is also working to ensure that more Canadians will be able to live near public transit. CTV’s Josh Marano delivers the details.