Tom Spears
Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Past articles by Tom:
Ottawa's Christmases could look a lot greener in the future
Will future generations have a white Christmas in this city? Environment Canada's senior climatologist says the chances aren’t as good. → Read More
Gusts that hit Ottawa in May storm equivalent to EF-2 tornado: Western University researchers
Researchers at Western University think some wind downbursts in the May 21 storm were equal to the force of an EF-2 tornado, probably reaching 190 km/hour → Read More
How political extremists took advantage of COVID-19
“Many violent extremist groups and individuals have adopted conspiratorial beliefs about the pandemic that rationalize their radical worldview and justify… → Read More
Why Canadian intelligence agencies never saw the freedom convoy coming
CSIS briefing notes show the agency believed a threat would come from "an extremist lone actor" against a high-profile target. Instead, we have a blockade of… → Read More
Environment Canada taking years to answer questions from the public
A list drawn up in 2019 shows 617 "abandoned" access-to-information requests since 2009, or about 60 a year. → Read More
Science of Spring: It's a bad season for hatching baby loons
Loons are back on their nests at this time of spring, but a leading loon scientist says we’re unlikely to see a lot of chicks this year. → Read More
Science of Spring: It's a bad season for hatching baby loons
Loons are back on their nests at this time of spring, but a leading loon scientist says we’re unlikely to see a lot of chicks this year. The problem: Black flies, though not the kind that attack humans. There is one type of black fly that targets loons, and only loons. It’s active in May, […] → Read More
Coyote attacks on humans worry Ottawa residents
Riverside South residents have been warned to watch for coyotes after reports of coyotes chasing humans. → Read More
Carleton psychologist says distancing teaches small children 'fear of others'
Physical distancing is teaching young children that people around them are dangerous, which may affect their mental health for years to come, a Carleton University psychologist says. → Read More
Wednesday's heat broiled the previous record — here's why
Wednesday’s heat reached a record high for that date of 35 C, scorching the old record by 3.1 degrees, Environment Canada says. → Read More
Ottawa police investigating after man spits on staff at Stella Luna Café
Ottawa police are investigating a reported assault in which a man spat on an employee at Stella Luna Gelato Café in Old Ottawa South. → Read More
Ottawa stores reopen their doors, two metres at a time
Baseball players get jitters on opening day. Jon Digney had them on reopening day. → Read More
What will weddings, our ultimate gatherings, look like in a post-pandemic world?
Once the novel coronavirus has been tamed or eradicated and the world returns to “normal,” what will that look like? Will COVID-19 fundamentally and permanently alter our lives? In an occasional series, the Citizen examines the potential lasting effects of the pandemic on how we live, work and play. → Read More
Ottawa's deputy police chief faces new allegation
Ottawa police Deputy Chief Uday Jaswal, already suspended over accusations that he sexually harassed a female police employee and assaulted her, now faces a fresh allegation involving another complainant. → Read More
COVID-19: Number of Ontario long-term care homes with outbreaks falls slightly
COVID-19: Number of Ontario long-term care homes with outbreaks drops slightly → Read More
COVID-19: Number of Ontario long-term care homes with outbreaks falls slightly
The number of long-term care homes with active COVID-19 outbreaks fell slightly in provincial figures reported Sunday, but another 35 Ontario residents have died since the day before. → Read More
Earthquake rattles Maniwaki region
The earthquake happened at 3:04 p.m. and was centred 24 kilometres west-northwest of Maniwaki. → Read More
Trucks will stop rumbling through surprised west-end neighbourhood
Residents of two narrow residential streets in the Carling Avenue-Transitway area were surprised this week to find they are now on a major truck route during LRT Stage 2 construction. → Read More
Scientists forecast a risky summer for forest fires
This summer is likely to bring an above-average risk of forest fires across most of Canada, including some extra risk to our own region, federal forestry scientists believe. → Read More
Yes, there really was a Coronosaurus — and it was discovered in Canada
It didn’t take long for people talking about the coronavirus to make up a word that sounds like it, just for comic relief: coronosaurus. → Read More