Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

LRT Stage 2 now $1.2B more than projected; SNC-Lavalin, American-French consortium recommended as builders

By Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen, February 23, 2019

City of Ottawa staff revealed Friday that Stage 2 LRT will arrive later and cost $1.2 billion more if council decides to endorse contracts with its preferred project proponents — one of which is the embattled construction group SNC-Lavalin.

At a Friday afternoon technical briefing, Mayor Jim Watson announced that, after a three-year procurement process, the city was recommending TransitNEXT, a wholly owned subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin, as the preferred proponent to work on the next phase of the north-south Trillium Line, which will see LRT extended to Riverside South and the Ottawa International Airport.

East West Connectors, a consortium comprised of American construction company Kiewit and French builder and transit operator Vinci, has been recommended for the design-build of the Confederation Line extension to Trim Road in the east, and Moodie Drive and Algonquin College in the west, while Confederation Line contractor RTG will remain responsible for the maintenance of the line.RTG had agreed not to bid on Stage 2.

Caldwell: A few suggestions from an environmentalist for the United We Roll Convoy

By Adam Caldwell, Ottawa Citizen, February 19, 2019

As I write this, news coverage of the “United We Roll Convoy for Canada,” carrying in equal measure the hopes of Alberta oil workers and the dread of environmentalists, culminates in local stories warning Ottawa residents to be prepared for significant delays and snarled traffic. For me, a longtime environmental and social advocate, the convoy brings a snarl of conflicting issues into my hometown, which happens to be Canada’s political centre.

Many of the issues that play out in the periphery from our capital do not get the same play here as they do in the West. While we have our own problems, they are not the same problems as those in the heart of Canada’s oil patch. This is clearly demonstrated by how reception to the convoy’s passing changes as it moves towards the capital – from roadside rallies in Alberta, to masked protesters in Winnipeg saluting with their middle fingers. This rolling protest, if it achieves nothing else, will definitely succeed in bringing into stark relief the disconnect between Canada’s political centre and its peripheries.

Egan: How winter-ready is our LRT system after snow plow mishap?

By Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen, February 21, 2019

Only seven weeks before the handover deadline for the $2.1-billion LRT system — and a week before a crippling snowstorm — a specialized rail-plow malfunctioned and struck vital transmission equipment on the track.

It is further evidence the city’s keystone public-transit initiative, to be transferred from builder Rideau Transit Group on March 31, will not only miss the deadline but may have shortcomings only uncovered in winter testing under extreme weather conditions.

The city’s director of rail construction program, Michael Morgan, confirmed a plow employed by RTG’s maintenance division damaged parts of the system on Feb. 6 near uOttawa Station.

City taxpayers should see single-digit stormwater increase, environment committee decides

By Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen, February 19, 2019

Ottawa homeowners could pay — very, very slightly — less in stormwater fees in 2019 than originally planned, thanks to a motion passed at environment committee Tuesday that will rework the proposed stormwater fee increase in the city’s draft budget to keep it in the single digits.

When the draft budget was released early February, it called for a 10.8-per-cent increase to the stormwater fee.

Rideau-Goulbourn Coun. Scott Moffatt, chair of the standing committee on environmental protection, water and waste management, then told this newspaper he was working with city staff to see if it was possible to bring this proposed increase down without resorting to “smoke-and-mirrors” tactics of the like seen in the 2018 budget, when council borrowed money to deflate the projected stormwater fee increase from 13 per cent to five per cent, facing an election year. “It didn’t really fix it,” said Moffatt.

How do you want your city to mature?

By Lesley McKay, StittsvilleCentral, February 19, 2019

Last week the Planning Committee for the City of Ottawa introduced and approved a new work plan to assist in the formation of a new Official Plan for Ottawa. The existing official plan has been in place since amalgamation. The new official plan is to be completed, approved by Ottawa’s council and the province by the end of 2021. Public consultations will begin this month and continue throughout 2019.

At the same February 14th Planning Committee meeting, a report was presented to Committee members, entitled ‘Ottawa Next Beyond 2036’. This 89-page report outlines the “Scenarios, Change Drivers, and Planning Considerations” to assist in shaping Ottawa’s future, The report will be used as a working tool to support the review and planning of the new official plan.

Ottawa’s official plan will be the blueprint for the direction in which the city will mature in the future with respect to urban, suburban and rural growth; economic development; transit and the environment to name some areas that the plan covers.

Keep climate change money flowing, environment committee urged

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, February 19, 2019

Ottawa city councillors approved nearly $800 million in annual spending on garbage, water and the environment on Tuesday, but still came under fire from residents who say the city isn't devoting enough attention to combating climate change.

• Ottawa taxpayers to pay 3% more this year

The City of Ottawa plans to spend $77 million in 2019 to run its garbage, recycling and compost programs, up $2.5 million from the 2018 budget.

Snowfall freezes LRT testing

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, February 20, 2019

There's been no testing of light rail trains on Ottawa's $2-billion Confederation Line since last week's severe snow storm, raising questions about how well the system will work in winter weather.

"We have not deployed the trains on the track since the end of the storm … Wednesday or Thursday," the city's general manager of transportation, John Manconi, confirmed Tuesday.

Ottawa buys light-rail trains with no proven track record

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, February 14, 2019

The light-rail vehicles that are one of the significant reasons for delays to Ottawa's $2-billion LRT project have no proven track record and are expected to make their North American debut in Ottawa.

France-based company Alstom, a member of Rideau Transit Group — the SNC Lavalin-led consortium building the 13-station Confederation Line —  is supplying the trains for the project.

Alstom's Citadis line of trains is used in more than 50 cities in 20 countries, largely in Europe.

Mayor, MRC want municipal authority for soil testing

By James Morgan, The Review, February 12, 2019

The mayor of St-André d’Argenteuil hopes the Québec government will be more attentive when it comes to preventing contaminated soil from being dumped on local properties.

Mayor Marc-Olivier Labelle said contaminated soil was dumped on a building lot by Route 344 near the St-Placide boundary.

The soil, which was dumped in the fall of 2018, is not contaminated enough to prevent the owner from building a house on the property.

Snow storm offers opportunity for LRT testing in harsh conditions

By 1310 News, February 13, 2019

Although many at the City of Ottawa wish its new rail line had opened to the public long ago, the delays are allowing for extensive testing in a variety of weather conditions.

Heavy snow started to fall on Ottawa, Tuesday, with more than 30 cm accumulating by Wednesday afternoon.

"We had a very big meeting throughout the weekend and [Monday] with [the Rideau Transit Group] to say, 'Okay, let's see where things work well and where they don't work well,'" said Transportation Services John Manconi. "They're going to push their equipment through and test it."

City of Ottawa reaching settlements with some Westboro bus crash victims

By Mike Vlasveld, 1310 News, February 13, 2019

Lawyer Derek Nicholson has reached an agreement in principle with the City of Ottawa and its insurance provider, for "his client and others" who were injured in the OC Transpo bus crash at Westboro Station.

Nicholson sent a letter to media outlets, Wednesday, notifying them of the agreement.

According to a report from the CBC, Nicholson represents Gwen Lambert in a lawsuit, demanding $6.375-million from the city.

Ottawa councillors share experiences as transit challenge comes to an end

By CTV News Ottawa, February 11, 2019

Ottawa City Councillors are sharing their highs and lows of riding public transit for an entire week.

It was part of the Transit Challenge, organized by transit advocacy group Free Transit Ottawa.

"It was an eye-opener for me," said Gloucestor-South Nepean Councillor Carol Anne Meehan.

(...)One of the organizers of the Transit Challenge, Kirstin Pulles, says she was overwhelmed by the response from councillors, but dissappointed some chose not to take part.

"They are saying the transit system is ineffective and doesn't work for them, and is insufficient service to meet the needs of a busy person, and our city is full of busy people,"