Photograph taken while parked outside the Ottawa Valley Grain company waiting for our order to be delivered from inside the mill to our car. With the increase in interest in back-to-basics hobbies like baking (especially bread) it is near impossible to get any kind of flour in grocery stores or large online suppliers. While they too have been sold out at intervals, this company of local grain producers milling their own goods, has been offering large bags of a variety of flours during this time. The sign on the left reads "Ottawa Valley Grain/ ONLINE ORDER PICK UP HERE/ ONLINE ORDER PICK UP PARKING" followed by their phone number to call when you arrive to let them know you're there. The one on the right "Thank You/ Ottawa Valley Grain/ For Still Working/ During This Hard Time"

Petition to halt the removal of a homeless encampment in a Kingston park. The eviction is not occurring entirely because of the pandemic but was moved up with the rationale of health concerns.

A tweet by a Toronto Star newspaper columnist and instructor at the University of Toronto, pointing out that the painting of 'social distancing circles' on the grass in Trinity-Bellwoods Park, which had previously been overcrowded, is a reasonable and tempered response as oppose to closing the park entirely.

The time honoured tradition of summer camp in northern Ontario, usually drawing children from across the country and around the world, especially the Northeastern United States is obviously not viable in its usual form during the pandemic but some camps are lobbying to be able to open nonetheless, with strict precautions, they say.

A post in which a university student reflects on the historical precedents and potential of current events. The accompanying caption reads: "As a History student, I can’t help but think that we will look back at what is currently happening in the world and we will feel gravely disappointed in ourselves for the selfishness many seem to have during this pandemic. For those who know me, you know I love to study propaganda and food has always played an extremely important role in propaganda and I couldn’t help but think of these two posters while hearing about everything that is happening right now. The authors of @humansofny have compared COVID-19 to a world war, calling it this generation’s world war. This will be the defining conflict of our generation and we have the power to determine how we appear one hundred years from now. We can choose to hoard essentials that everyone needs, or we can try to make sure everyone gets enough. Please. Be responsible when you shop. Be selfless during times like this. We are only as strong as our weakest link and in times like these we must do everything to protect that weak link in our society. Be kind. Be patient. We can get through this together."

Article describing the cultural and financial impact of the cancelling of powwows across Canada. While the impacts are significant there is also the feeling that cancellations are necessary and that life and powwows will go on in the future.

Music Professor examines the media's use of sound and music to portray the health pandemic

This article relays an unexpected benefit to the pandemic. Because more people are staying put, putting off moving for work and school, among other reasons, there has been a downturn in the rental market. This has opened up better and more plentiful housing options for those struggling to find accommodations for large families when builders and landlords prefer smaller single or two bedroom units. Centres which aid women leaving abusive relationships and indigenous people (or both), such as the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, are finding this a particular boon, allowing them to clear their waiting lists/backlogs and find housing for clients previously in limbo.

Article regarding the call for a reduction in university tuition for the upcoming school year/term from the Canadian Federation of Students and student governments across the country and the refusal of many major universities to do so. The universities rationale is that the quality of education will not be effected by the move to predominantly online/distant classes and that they are fulfilling all their obligations. The article outlines the decisions of each of the major Canadian universities including Dalhousie, McGill, the University of Toronto, the University of Ottawa, Carleton, Queen's, the University of Winnipeg, the University of Alberta, and the University of British Columbia.

In keeping with the Canadian Federation of Students and Student Governors from Universities across the country, the Undergraduate Trustee and Rector of Queen's University at Kingston call for a reduction of tuition for the upcoming school term to reflect the quality of education which will be received in predominantly online/distant learning classes and the decreased potential for student earnings through summer employment to pay for school when many seasonal industries, such as tourism, have been closed completely due to the pandemic.

A news article about a group of women in Western Canada who started a group, which then became a trend, where they dress up in costume and deliver wine and other treats to unsuspecting residents who may need a pick-me-up. The game 'Ding Dong Ditch' as referenced in the title is one where people, usually children or teenagers, ring a doorbell and then run away and hide as a joke. In this case they are brightening up people's days while avoiding physical interaction which could spread the virus.

A screenshot of a tumblr post which is, in turn, a screenshot the original poster took of twitter trending topics which initially seems as though the #endthelockdown hashtag and sentiment was gaining popularity in Canada, but that hashtag was shown to have been frequently used with the additional hashtag #morons, suggesting that instead Canadians were angry that anyone would hold such a sentiment when there is still a significant risk of infection.

A news article in which a doctor and professor at the University at Toronto relays his and his family's experiences of being turned away from their local TD Bank due to their potential exposure as health care workers.

An article discussing the rise in incidents of extreme speeding while roads are empty due to individuals staying home to avoid the virus. This includes a widely publicized case in which an 18 year old student driver was caught going 308 km/hr on the QEW highway near Hamilton, Ontario in his parents' expensive car.

Many establishments in the popular shopping, dining, and bar area of the Byward Market have boarded up their front windows with plywood to reduce the chance of robbery while they remain closed due to the pandemic and restrictions of gatherings. The Kinki restaurant did not board up its windows but did place a sign informing any would-be robbers that "ALL CASH, BEER + BOOZE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS PREMISES." Many of the shops and restaurants which did not board up its windows has similar signs.

Many establishments in the popular shopping, dining, and bar area of the Byward Market have boarded up their front windows with plywood to reduce the chance of robbery while they remain closed due to the pandemic and restrictions of gatherings. While some remain plain, or are painted black, other establishments chose to hire muralists to liven up the natural wood with images related to vibe of each bar. The Aude Dubliner Irish pub in the Market has some of its windows covered with murals depicting small items of significance for the pub in addition to plastered posters explaining the shut down. While there are more murals and posters around its corner, no photographs were taken out of respect for the homeless individuals taking advantage of the patio and overhang there as a place to sleep.

Boarded up Bars in the Byward Market: Heart and Crown Posters Many establishments in the popular shopping, dining, and bar area of the Byward Market have boarded up their front windows with plywood to reduce the chance of robbery while they remain closed due to the pandemic and restrictions of gatherings. While some remain plain, or are painted black, other establishments chose to hire muralists to liven up the natural wood with images related to vibe of each bar. Some also plastered the wood with posters. One such poster display is on one of the boarded windows of the Heart and Crown pub not taken up by murals. Riffing off the popular Second World War posters in Britain which read "Keep Calm and Carry On" they read "Keep Calm and Shop Local" as well as "Keep Calm and Support Local Artists" in an attempt to create a sense of solidarity and duty when facing this crisis. They were created by the Byward Market itself.

Many establishments in the popular shopping, dining, and bar area of the Byward Market have boarded up their front windows with plywood to reduce the chance of robbery while they remain closed due to the pandemic and restrictions of gatherings. While some remain plain, or are painted black, other establishments chose to hire muralists to liven up the natural wood with images related to vibe of each bar. The well known Heart and Crown Irish pub in the Market has some of its windows covered with murals depicting small items of significance for the pub in addition to plastered posters explaining the shut down. Text on the murals reads "28 YEARS" (a reference to the pub's time in business) "HEART + CROWN" and "BACK SOON" followed by a small black heart.

Many establishments in the popular shopping, dining, and bar area of the Byward Market have boarded up their front windows with plywood to reduce the chance of robbery while they remain closed due to the pandemic and resulting restrictions of gatherings. While some remain plain, or are painted black, other establishments chose to hire muralists to liven up the natural wood with images related to vibe of each bar. The boards on the windows of the Chateau Lafayette, often called simply "the Laff" by locals, read "It's going to be OK./ We'll be back." A sentiment which at the beginning of the pandemic, in late March, was comforting but now seems overly optimist and distant.

A flyer/poster stapled to an electrical/telephone pole at the corner of McArthur Avenue and the Vanier Parkway, next to a now well known mural in support of frontline workers and across the street from a large grocery store. The area around this pole hosts several apartment tours and the Vanier neighbourhood has a reputation as an area which, in some part, hosts numerous impoverished individuals. The poster is promoting the movement for non payment of rent if circumstances are such that it is impossible during the pandemic, and the prevention of eviction during the pandemic. This is a contensious issue; there are those who feel landlords are profiting from misery and the basic need for shelter while others do not feel depriving landlords of income is the answer and that the renting of properties is a perfectly legitimate method of earning a living. The sign reads "DIDN'T PAY YOUR RENT?/ WHAT COMES NEXT?/ Jobs lost./ Hours cut./ Bills to pay./ Families to feed./ CONNECT WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS" followed by several different contacts

Based on an initial sketch called 'Front Line' which was part of a fundraiser to provide brown-bag meals to health care workers, this mural by artist Dominic Laporte is positioned along the side of the busy Vanier Parkway across from a Loblaws grocery store.

A photograph of a bilingual sign from the City of Ottawa zip tied to a play structure at Calzavara Family Park declaring the park closed and you are only allowed to walk through it.

The attached image is a screenshot from an Instagram story I posted on March 17, making light at the end of a few days of attempting to access medicine and joke about my growing confidence in my ability to handle the pandemic situation, even if I did end up ill. Directly following the declaration of a state of emergency in Ontario, in March, I realized I was running low on a maintenance prescription I take and had no refills left on it. To have my family doctor back home, in Ottawa, fax it to a pharmacy in the London, where I was attending the University of Western Ontario at the time, it usually costs $30 out of pocket, so I wanted to see if I could get an appointment before I tried that. I checked the student health website to see if they were restricting appointments and all seemed normal so I called. Plus, with my asthma and history of respiratory infections, I thought it would be a good idea to have a Flovent (steroid) puffer (inhaler) on hand in case I do get sick. I was on hold for 40 mins only to have the receptionist get exceptionally snarky with me and eventually tell me they were not taking regular appointments at that time. So, I called my family physician's office and they/she not only faxed the prescription I was low on but also the puffer and waved the renewal fee. The receptionist said many doctors are doing this to avoid people requesting in person appointments to have prescriptions done, as those are covered in socialized health care. Having the puffer available to me if I began having difficulty breathing is greatly reassuring both in that I would be less likely to require other medical intervention with it at my disposal, but also that I would not be taking up resources from someone who might have the disease worse or be at a higher risk than me, an otherwise health young woman.

A sign a child made in a Toronto neighbourhood to remind people of what physical distancing in. The child expresses concern for his community, the world, and for his baby sister especially. The sign reads "Because of Covid-19 6 ft apart at all time's./ And wash your hands every one has [illegible]/ we need our neighborhood I have a Baby sister so I want every one to be [illegible] to be safe and the world." It features two drawings, one of a boy and girl 2 "feet" (semicircles) apart with an x over their heads and another with a boy and a girl 6 "feet" (semicircles) apart with a check over their heads. While it was likely a serious project for the creator, the friend who took the picture because she was amused by drawing when she saw it on a walk around her neighbourhood.

As many are struggling to pay their rent due to reduced earning potential or lay offs due to the pandemic, the #KeepYourRent movement has emerged urging nonpayment of rent. To highlight the perceived hypocrisy of landlords and their organizations demanding rent, and claiming they will themselves face hardship without the income, this article discusses tenants protesting in front of the estates of their landlords and the reactions of the landlords to this event.

This article relays photographs taken and interviews conducted at an Ottawa mosque during physically distanced Eid al-Fitr services.

The fact that people will go to stores and take everything there instead of only what is needed causing more issues. *From Date: Mar 15, 2020 8:59 am

A line of people queue using tape lines on the sidewalk 2 meters apart in front of the LCBO location at the Ottawa Trainyards. Those retail spaces allowed to open are limited in the number of people they can hold at one time to permit physical distancing, meaning any additional shoppers must wait outside for other customers to leave. Despite some backlash liquor stores were listed as essential businesses by the province of Ontario from the beginning of the state of emergency in late March. This was in acknowledgement of that fact that there are those within Ontario society with a physical dependency on alcohol and if their access was restricted it might result in an unnecessary strain on the health care system. Not only would time and resources be used if an individual required medical assistance due to withdrawal, they might also be unnecessarily exposed to the virus while seeking treatment. Some industry services have been limited, however; the Beer Store, the only store which buys back empty bottles, is no longer doing so. This is a blow to those who collect bottles on the street or from recycling bins as an income.

News article regarding calls from bus drivers and maintenance workers for Ottawa-Carleton (OC) Transportation to make the wearing of masks on public transport mandatory in the city for their protection. *Josh Pringle, CTV News Ottawa

Attached to the permanent, metal private property sign at the edge of the yard of St. Thomas More Catholic School, is depicted a plasticized sign announcing that “Due to COVID-19 these school grounds are CLOSED except for walk through” by authority of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. In the background, across the grounds, at the basketball hoops attached to the school, three young men can be seen flouting the signs posted at several entrances in order to shoot hoops. Provincial restrictions have been relaxed since this photograph was taken, allowing for sunbathing and distant sports, such as tennis, in public spaces, however, the school grounds are private property and the signs remain. There has been an increase in activity around the basketball hoops since this announcement.

Photographs taken along the 401, through the Toronto corridor and into Eastern Ontario. Road signs usually used to indicate road closures and promote road safety are used to promote remaining inside. As this route is also that which is taken by many "snow birds" (people who winter in the south and return to Canada in the summer) as they returned by car the signs remind them they are obligated to quarantine for 14 days. Other flashed messages on these signs said as much explicitly. These photographs were taken while driving in a moving van after travelling from London in the southwest off the province to Ottawa in the East after collecting my (Hope Gresser's) belongings which had been previously been left behind when returning home from university due to threads and rumours of a full lock-down which would have stranded me there after my lease was up.

Photographs taken along the 401, through the Toronto corridor and into Eastern Ontario. Road signs usually used to indicate road closures and promote road safety are used to promote remaining inside. As this route is also that which is taken by many "snow birds" (people who winter in the south and return to Canada in the summer) as they returned by car the signs remind them they are obligated to quarantine for 14 days. Other flashed messages on these signs said as much explicitly. These photographs were taken while driving in a moving van after travelling from London in the southwest off the province to Ottawa in the East after collecting my (Hope Gresser's) belongings which had been previously been left behind when returning home from university due to threads and rumours of a full lock-down which would have stranded me there after my lease was up.

Photographs taken along the 401, through the Toronto corridor and into Eastern Ontario. Road signs usually used to indicate road closures and promote road safety are used to promote remaining inside. As this route is also that which is taken by many "snow birds" (people who winter in the south and return to Canada in the summer) as they returned by car, the signs remind them they are obligated to quarantine for 14 days. Other flashed messages on these signs said as much explicitly. These photographs were taken while driving in a moving van after travelling from London in the southwest off the province to Ottawa in the East after collecting my (Hope Gresser's) belongings which had been previously been left behind when returning home from university due to threads and rumours of a full lock-down which would have stranded me there after my lease was up.

News article relaying that, after initial local support, city council and the mayor vetoed a plan to close some lanes of Bank Street, a major road, to traffic, to allow those walking on the sidewalk, especially when crossing the Bank Street Bridge over the Rideau Canal. would be able to maintain a 2 meter distance from one another. Local businesses were concerned with the reduction in traffic and roadside parking spaces this would cause, further reducing their business in an already difficult time. Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa

A text conversation between a group who play Dungeons and Dragons together, in mid March 2020, discussing a rumour that the province of Ontario was going to go into full lockdown, preventing local travel and shopping, perhaps even for groceries. The lockdown did not occur, but this interaction serves to illustrate the differing priorities people had when preparing themselves for an extended stay in their own homes, in a somewhat silly and joking manner. The first friend ended up buying a “flat” (low cardboard box used for staking) of Diet Coke, as he drinks it daily and did not want to be without it. The second was concerned with becoming bored and wanted to ensure she had enough activities (crafts) to keep her busy, as well as enough orange juice to take her with which to take medication as instructed. Additionally, as part of the fear of infection simply by being in public, she feared having to go to the store to fulfill those needs. The third friend was also concerned with having a supply of her favourite drink and with products to ensure safe sex in the long term. In the initial phases of the pandemic, when protocols for interaction were still being developed, rumours abounded but additionally, priorities varied greatly due to values but also due to perspective on how long restrictions would last and how much the pandemic would affect us.

Public appeal published on the City of Ottawa website requesting non-medical grade masks which it intends to distribute to residents at risk. The appeal specifies the type of mask and materials to be used in their construction as well as a contact to arrange their donation.

While in many respects the world has come to a halt in the midst of the pandemic, there are some events of significance which are only tangentially related to the virus. On April 18th and 19th, 2020, the worst mass shooting in Canadian history was committed across several locations in the province of Nova Scotia. As all provinces remained in some degree of lockdown or a state of emergency, the normal mass gatherings, protests, and expressions of grief which would normal follow such a tragedy were impossible. Indeed, the victims could not even have the funerals well attended by the community and media which would previously have occurred. Instead, the outpouring of national grief was largely restricted to digital communication and small physical memorials. Local schools and government buildings lowered their flags to half mast for a week. Several houses in my neighbourhood put printed-out Nova Scotia flags in their windows as an acknowledge. This larger flag was attached to an existing poster-board and wood sign urging others to “Be Kind” and “Stay Safe” took on a whole new meaning. No longer was it just espousing patience and understanding in a time where blame is leveled against individuals and groups, and to stay healthy. Now it promotes the added message of peace (kindness) following violence, and safety when that is not true. The communal grieving process which would follow violence on the scale of that which occurred in Nova Scotia still occurred, but it looked very different.

Mohawk hunters from the community of Kahnawake take up the traditional Cree goose hunting season to provide a taste of home for Covid patients and other Cree individuals unable to leave Montreal due to the outbreak

In March of 2020, highschool had to be adapted to comply with social distancing. Large groups put people at risk of contracting Covid 19 so schools had to be closed. Teachers and students alike had to adapt to this newfound reality. The screenshot represents a Tuesday afternoon in May when I would have been in a classroom. But instead, my assignment was online through Google Classroom and my tutoring session was on-line on the Zoom platform.

The image is a tweet from Ottawa Public Health promoting maintaining a safe distance and observing safety measures during the Victoria Day holiday which usually features outdoor activities. Additionally, it shows the responses to this message by some members of the public, expressing their frustration with others for not following guidelines *screenshot, tweet

Article from CBC News Ottawa relaying an incident in which a young man allowed his siblings to play in a playground not knowing it was out of bounds and received a fine as a result. The article goes on to discuss how misinformation communicated to refugees, and language barriers make them more likely to break covid19 restrictions and be issued fines when they have no malicious intent or are simply ill informed. *Hillary Johnstone, CBC News Ottawa

This photograph was taken while driving through the intersection of Carp Rd. and March Rd. in the National Capital Region. It shows a roadside advertising board, in front of the town sign for the village of Carp, which reads "Wash Yer Mitts Lads" referring to the medical advise to wash your hands often to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus. While other signs exist with similar sentiments, this sign is unique in that it is not visually associated with a business or public entity. Its lack of context gives the impression that it is a message from the community to its members rather than an advertisement or a public health announcement. What is more, the phrasing and spelling of the word "yer" emulates the slang and accent of the Ottawa Valley, further connecting it to the community in which it is situated and making it more lighthearted. While still a warning or admonishment to prevent the spread of the disease, this sign also pokes fun at the current situation in a very local manner.

"Scary, frustrating and challenging are some of the words Indigenous physicians use to describe working in communities as a pandemic grips the world." #IndigenousStories

" — Canada has dispatched nurses to a remote northern indigenous community hit hard by the coronavirus to conduct testing and provide healthcare support, the local leader said on Tuesday." #IndigenousStories

“The Chiefs of Ontario (COO) is urging First Nations across the province to keep communities closed as officials expect a spike in COVID-19 cases over the weekend and the rest of May. The COO, which represents 133 First Nations in Ontario, says higher rates of testing is showing more positive tests for the virus that has ravished parts of the province – especially in long term care facilities. ‘These spikes will happen Mother’s Day and they will again happen on the long weekend, the May long weekend,’ said Assembly of First Nations Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald. ‘Two weeks after that you’ll see another spike in cases increasing in Ontario.’” #IndigenousStories

A family in Manawan says they received the wrong results about their infant’s test for the novel coronavirus, which caused the family and village community great hardship. #IndigenousStories

“‘There was no plan, no supports, no programs, no supply chain, nothing, because both governments are saying, ‘No, it’s not my jurisdiction. It’s yours.’,’ Metis National Council (MNC) spokesperson David Chartrand told the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN), which met virtually to discuss the pandemic’s impact on Indigenous communities.‘Both are still blaming each other, and [COVID-19’s] still creeping into the next villages now because families are taking it to the next villages not realizing they’re carrying it.’” #IndigenousStories

“This week hundreds of Indigenous students from across the country would have been taking to a stage in Toronto for a special dance performance. But like just about every other event these days – it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That didn’t stop organizers from Outside Looking In from putting on a once in a lifetime show.” #IndigenousStories

An image of a restaurant in Canada, that has a very funny way of advertising. It really demonstrates our change in humour and also a change in advertising. -HUM402

"Signs From Around: #13, Vancouver, Canada" is part of a series exploring the signage surrounding COVID-19 from different parts of the world. Businesses try to prevent the virus spreading by not accepting paper currency transferred hand to hand.