Ottawa mother Natalie Cox says she takes her children to the Ottawa Public Library’s Nepean Centrepointe branch because it’s open on Sundays: “It’s the only day I have off.”

She also enjoys other features of the location, such as the imagine space, where she and her children made buttons recently. However, when the branch was damaged during the Canada Day floods, Cox’s other option was the Emerald Plaza branch, which is closed Sunday.

OPL has 33 branches across Ottawa. Only 10 are open on Saturdays and Sundays.

As election day approaches, some parents are looking for candidates who promise more support for OPL branches, particularly around openings. 

With more than 268,000 active cardholders, as outlined in its 2025 annual report, OPL serves people with a wide range of schedules. The library has a $69.2-million operating budget and a $7.78-million capital budget.

Another Ottawa mom, Caroline Leal, told Capital Current she started the Instagram account, Ottawa But With Kids, during her second maternity leave to highlight family infrastructure in the city, including places to take children that parents will also enjoy. 

Now, she’s started a series about libraries on her Instagram account, reviewing the services branches provide and the amenities around them.  

Leal says some branches’ lack of Sunday hours becomes a bigger issue in the winter, when activities can be limited. Going to a library can be an all-day indoor activity, especially when the weather is harsh, but visits may be cut short by some restricted hours.

“Libraries open at 10 a.m., and families (with young children) can have lived five lifetimes by then,” she said.   

Meanwhile, the Carlingwood branch was also damaged during the Canada Day floods. Parent Onyekachi Kanu said she was unable to take her children to a different branch, so had to wait until the branch reopened. This limited her children’s ability to check out books, since school libraries were also closed in summer.

Candidates’ plans for library hours

Cox said candidates’ plans for libraries will influence how she votes.   

Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper says he’s committed to getting libraries open on Sundays. 

“It’s the city’s obligation to provide the greatest possible number of library hours,” he told Capital Current. “People lead busy lives. It’s often the weekend when they can take advantage of library hours.” 

Shawn Menard, who is seeking re-election in Capital Ward, says he’s pushing for OPL’s Sunnyside branch in his ward to stay open longer, especially on Sundays. He said many families have raised the issue with him, with his campaign’s petition to expand library hours gathering hundreds of signatures. 

“We hear all the time from families that are surprised when they show up to the library on Sunday or on Friday at 11 a.m. and it’s closed,” Menard said. 

Currently, 23 out of 33 branches open late on Fridays — at 1 p.m. — while five are closed on Friday. The rest close earlier Fridays than on weekdays, which is also the case for Saturday hours at all branches.

Leiper said his own family has been affected. With many branches closed on Sundays, his son’s access to the library when he was younger. 

The map locates all OPL branches. The branches in green are open both weekend days and red ones are closed Sunday. [Map @ Zayn Daureeawoo]

Expanding library hours

Menard said Ottawa should following in Toronto’s footsteps in keeping all its library branches open on Sunday, which he said was met with “great fanfare.” 

In a written statement, OPL spokesperson Nadine Bernard said the organization has heard a desire for more hours on Friday mornings and Sundays from many users. The statement said OPL is extending opening hours through “a phased, multi-year approach.” 

“We know how much people value their local library branch and the role branches play in their communities,” Bernard said. “OPL’s approach to expanding hours is based in part on client feedback, alongside operational considerations.”

The statement said a new collective agreement with unionized library workers would include Sundays as core hours, requiring workers to work at least one of every six Sundays and potentially more for part-time employees. Menard said the agreement marks a step toward expanding library opening hours, but funding remains a barrier.  

Leiper said that, if he elected,  he expects he could find the necessary funding in the existing city budget. If extending library hours proves more expensive than his initial thoughts, he said, he’d be “open to modest tax increases.” 

Menard said the city might need to consider library fees, though he’d prefer to keep libraries completely free. He said OPL’s senior staff and board would have the final say. 

“OPL staff would analyze whether a change to operating hours would be feasible and prepare a recommendation for the OPL board,” Bernard said. “Any change would (require) board approval, with any required funding also subject to council approval through the city’s budget process. With the necessary approvals, senior managers would then develop and implement an operational plan.” 

The new Hunt Club branch, expected to open next year, will likely be closed Sundays with reduced hours on Friday and Saturday, OPL spokesperson Anthony Langlois said in a written statement. These hours remain tentative.

“The new (Hunt Club) branch will be classified as a local branch. The usual hours of local branches include full days from Monday to Thursday, half days Friday and Saturday, and are closed on Sunday. Please note that the exact opening hours of Hunt Club branch remain to be confirmed,” the statement said.

Langlois said hours for Ādisōke, a new central branch set to open next year after delays, have not been determined.

“The new central branch at Ādisōke will be classified as central, so compared to a local branch, it will have expanded hours and will open every day, but the exact times remain to be confirmed,” Langlois said.