In recent weeks, there have been many opinions expressed about Ottawa’s transit future. Unfortunately, a lot of facts are being ignored.
City Council is about to take the next step on one of the most important and visionary decisions in Ottawa’s history. Building the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT) and running light rail from Tunney’s Pasture to Blair is going to transform the way people live, work and get around for generations to come.
City Council has already overwhelmingly endorsed the City’s Transportation Master Plan by a vote of 22-2. We are now moving from planning the tunnel to building it, a step that takes more than just vision. It takes courage to make the big investment, and courage to stand by a plan that has been validated by international transit experts, endorsed by downtown businesses, praised by community leaders, and embraced by the residents of Ottawa.
So let’s review where we are.
As part of the Transportation Master Plan development process, we asked city staff to give us an estimate of what it would cost to build a tunnel through downtown and to connect eastern and western portions of the core with light rail technology. We approved the DOTT as part of the plan, and agreed to move on to the next step - we asked for more detailed numbers based on recommended routes, station locations and technology choice.
That estimate will be ready before the end of October, and it will be more detailed than the planning estimates because we have identified more of the actual costs. When Council approved the plan last November it was based on a rough estimate. This is the way planning works. As we get closer to construction those estimates will become more precise. So let’s see the estimate, show how we’re going to pay for it, and then talk.
One thing, however, is clear - taking immediate action on our public transit plan is a necessity. As the City grows and ridership increases, the bus system in the downtown will get worse and eventually fail. Those of you who have stood on Albert Street on a dark afternoon in January, staring down a line of buses, shivering and wondering when yours will arrive, know that we are near that breaking point.
Today we have a plan that will provide a bright, warm, indoor transit station connected to the very buildings that many of you work in. When you approach the platform you’re not wondering when your train will arrive, because every train is your train.
Building the Downtown Tunnel will reduce traffic on our streets and allow for a more people-friendly downtown. It will make Ottawa more competitive, more attractive to new business investment and it will be a key driver for future economic development.
This is an important plan for our future. Council has approved the direction each step of the way, we have worked closely with our partners including but not limited to the Federal Government, the NCC and the Province, and we are now approaching an important milestone.
We cannot afford to leave this decision to another Council, and we cannot afford to leave this decision for another time. We have been charged with developing and implementing a new plan, with this Council, and in this term.
Grabbing an opportunity this big takes some gutsy decisions. Let’s make sure those decisions are based on fact, not fiction.