The Centretown BUZZ is a monthly, non-profit community newspaper serving the neighbourhood of Centretown in Ottawa (everything north of the Queensway to the Ottawa River, from LRT Line 2 to the Rideau Canal.)
We cover community news and events, local history, and issues affecting Centretown residents. We publish regular reports from the Centretown and Dalhousie Community Associations, our city councillor, and our MP and MPP, and we feature several regular columnists. Other organizations and individuals contribute on an occasional basis, and a small team of writers and photographers covers news and current events.
Articles are always welcome: we can’t publish everything but we’re always happy to consider stories. We don’t normally accept poetry or fiction. If you’re a cannabis retailer, please don’t ask us for free advertorial.
Curious about something going on in the neighbourhood? Is there something happening you think we should know about? Send us a tip.
Interested in getting experience as a journalist? We’re happy to assign you stories (or accept your ideas) and will work with you with advice and editing.
Concerned about an issue affecting your neighbourhood? Drop us a letter to the editor or an op-ed.
Get in touch by email (editor@centretownbuzz.ca) or phone (613-565-6012 ext 2).
Don’t want a copy of our printed paper?
If you do not want The BUZZ delivered to your door, post a sticker saying specifically “No Centretown BUZZ” on your mailbox and our volunteer delivery team will pass you by.
Our schedule
The BUZZ is usually published on the third Friday of each month, except July. We may have to vary this schedule slightly to handle statutory holidays. Our current schedule is shown in the right-hand column of this website.
If you would like to submit an article, op-ed, or letter to the editor, please contact the managing editor, Alayne McGregor, at editor@centretownbuzz.ca. Our deadline for submissions is 11 days before the publication date (normally the first Monday of the month), but the earlier the better. Querying in advance will ensure that your article is in the lineup for that issue.
Please send advertising inquiries to ads@centretownbuzz.ca. Our deadline for confirming ad placement is 11 days before the publication date (normally the first Monday of the month.) Our advertising rate card is at centretownbuzz.ca/advertising/ .
Please send notices of upcoming events to events@centretownbuzz.ca. Our community calendar is published online. However, it is currently in abeyance as we install necessary software upgrades.
In the past, we have also published the calendar monthly in the print edition, but have not been able to do this regularly for lack of space. Please note: if you want to get into the print edition we need to get your announcement well in advance.
Short announcements for not-for-profit or community events are published for free, as space is available. Larger events and for-profit organizations will be considered for paid advertising.
Where to Find The BUZZ
The Centretown BUZZ is hand-delivered to residences, businesses, and facilities throughout Centretown, including:
- Plant Recreation Centre
- Dalhousie Community Centre
- McNabb Community Centre
- Jack Purcell Community Centre
- Centennial, Cambridge, Glashan and Elgin Street schools
- Good Companions Centre
- Ottawa Public Library main branch
- YMCA-YWCA
- Herb & Spice
- various establishments on Elgin Street
- most apartment blocks and most home mailboxes between the Rideau Canal and LRT Line 2, and between the Ottawa River and the Queensway. If your building is not currently receiving The BUZZ, please email circulation@centretownbuzz.ca so we can arrange to have copies dropped off.
Please note that some of these locations are still not accepting the BUZZ post-lockdown.
We’re always looking for volunteer carriers! If you’re interested in helping us distribute The BUZZ, please get in touch at circulation@centretownbuzz.ca.
Copyright notice
All content in The Centretown BUZZ is protected by copyright. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without prior permission. The one exception: we are happy to be linked to, and you may include the article head and up to one paragraph of text with the link.
The Centretown BUZZ explicitly DENIES permission to have any of its material used by or input into large language models or any other form of artificial intelligence.