some believe students are already volunteering by buying the drink and dumping it into the Rideau Canal in a show of support.
Following a recent debate at a University of Ottawa Students’ Union’s (UOSU) Board of Directors (BOD) meeting, UOSU has admitted they are “seriously considering” supporting a recent initiative by the National Capital Commission (NCC) to drain the water in the Rideau Canal and replace it with Arizona Iced Tea. The initiative comes after the NCC announced they would be finding new ways to encourage tourists to visit the Rideau Canal during the summer months.
“I think it’s a really great way to encourage tourism and we hope that University of Ottawa students make the correct decision to partake in this initiative, seeing as the drink is popular amongst students on campus.” stated an NCC official.
While no partnership has officially been announced, sources say that UOSU is strongly considering assisting the NCC not only to celebrate the drink’s impact and presence on campus, but also to assist with the rising costs of the ginseng drink. UOSU officials confirmed that the BOD was recently made aware of the rising cost of purchasing Arizona Iced Tea to sell to students.
“If we partner in the project to fill the Rideau Canal with Arizona Iced Tea, the brand may be willing to compromise with us on the per-unit cost now that we’re giving them a large amount of publicity.” said a UOSU spokesperson. “Whatever the decision is, we will make sure that it’s in the best interest of students, specifically their caffeine habits.”
While neither officials from either UOSU nor the NCC have confirmed when this initiative will begin, local residents have noticed large amounts of construction vehicles surrounding the Rideau Canal in recent days. This has led to speculation that the NCC is looking to complete the replacement before the start of the 2024-2025 academic school year.
UOSU board and executive members are expected to meet in the coming days to decide whether or not they will be supporting the NCC. However, many students are not waiting for the decision of the union. PiViK has recently reported an uptick in sales of Arizona Iced Tea which has led some to believe students are already volunteering by buying the drink and dumping it into the Rideau Canal in a show of support.
The NCC has not commented on if the Arizona Iced Tea-filled Rideau Canal will be safe to swim in.
