Ottawa, western Quebec welcome first babies of the year

Dixabahen and Mehulkumar Patel welcomed their baby boy 23 minutes after midnight on Jan. 1. (Montfort Hospital/release)

Ottawa’s first baby of 2026 arrived at the Montfort Family Birthing Centre 23 minutes after midnight on Thursday, the hospital says.

Parents Dixabahen and Mehulkumar Patel welcomed a baby boy weighing 6.19 lbs. The boy is the couple’s first child.

“We wish them a year filled with love, happiness and, above all, health,” Monfort Hospital wrote in a statement.

Montfort says the parents received a gift basket to celebrate the occasion.

Western Quebec

The CISSS de l’Outaouais says the first baby born in the Western Quebec region arrived at 12:07 a.m. on Thursday.

Kayden Gauthier, a baby boy, weighed 7.28 lbs and the family is doing well.  

“The CISSS de l’Outaouais congratulates them and wishes them much happiness!” the CISSS wrote in a statement in French.

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