Hotel group warned Ottawa that protesters planned to deadlock city, inquiry hears

Both the City of Ottawa and local police were warned that some protesters planned to stay in the city for weeks and gridlock streets, according to evidence presented Monday as part of the inquiry looking into the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to disperse the crowds last winter.

In an email, Steve Ball, president of the Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel Association, wrote to the mayor's office on Jan. 25 — a few days before trucks began rolling into the capital — to say that someone from the Canada United Truckers Convoy had reached out looking to book hotel rooms for 30 days.

"He basically laid out the plan, which is basically that they will leave their trucks in place, chain them together and attempt to block all accesses to the city," reads the email, which was entered into evidence as part of the Public Order Emergency Commission. 

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"What is our level of preparedness to respond to this should it go on for many weeks or months? Who is our lead in responding and presumably liaising with the federal authorities?

That message made its way to Steve Kanellakos, the City of Ottawa manager, who is testifying under oath Monday

Kanellakos said the email was also passed on to police.

At the time, the Ottawa Police Service was signalling that the protest would disperse after the first weekend.

On Monday, Kanellakos said he felt assured Ottawa police were able to handle the protest.

"I was confident that we were prepared for that first weekend with the assumption that they were leaving after the weekend," he said.

Protesters used vehicles to block main arteries in downtown Ottawa for nearly a month in what started as a demonstration against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and took on anti-government sentiments. The protest was marked by incessant honking that only let up after a private citizen sought an injunction.

The crowds were cleared after the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, which granted authorities new powers allowing them to freeze the finances of those connected to blockades and protests, ban travel to protest zones, prohibit people from bringing minors to unlawful assemblies and commandeer tow trucks.

That decision is under review as part of the inquiry. 

Later this week, Canadians can expect to hear from City of Ottawa officials — including Mayor Jim Watson — and officials from the city's police, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police.