Stop The Kettle Island Bridge

10 things you should know about the bridge project

1. A bridge at any of the three corridors being considered (Kettle Island, Lower Duck, or Gatineau Airport):

• Will not solve the truck problem on King Edward
• Will deteriorate communities and green space
• Will not integrate well with public transit
• Will encourage urban sprawl
• Will encourage more car commuting, and will increase traffic problems

2. The NCC describes the scope of the current project phase as being to pick “the least worst option” among the three corridors being assessed. No variations beyond those three specifically defined corridors are being considered within this project.

3. The final corridor selection will be made in late Summer 2012, after which all project activity will focus on submission and approval through the Canadian Environment Assessment Act for the selected corridor. This final phase of the project is expected to be completed by January 2013. Upon approval, the bridge will be ready to build, subject to funding and initiation of the required infrastructure project.

4. Based on their approval of the scope of this phase of the project, the funding partners (NCC, Province of Ontario, Province of Quebec) have concluded that any of the three corridors being considered would be suitable for a bridge and trucking route.

5. The Province of Ontario waived the requirement to undertake an Ontario Environment Assessment for this project, thereby eliminating all safeguards to citizens, requirements, and legal protections that this legislation provides to citizens. However, the Province of Ontario has requested that a higher degree of emphasis should be placed on community impacts, public transit, and economic development when making the final selection.

6. The next round of public consultations is planned in February 2012, where the public will be able to see exactly what a bridge and truck route at Kettle Island would look like. Functional designs and mitigation measures for all three options will be presented for comment. Also within the February consultations, the public will have an opportunity to provide input on weighting of the factors that will be used to assess and compare the three potential bridge locations. When applied to the “bridge formula”, these weighting will, ultimately, define which of the three potential bridge locations is selected.

7. In the first phase of the project, Kettle Island ranked as the worst of the 12 corridor options being considered at that time in the categories of factors relating to negative impacts on people and communities along the corridor. However, these factors were assigned a combined weighting of only 13% by the technical oriented committee who assigned weightings behind closed doors. This same committee assigned a combined weighting of 54% to the factors relating to traffic and cost.

8. By increasing the relative importance of Phase 1 factors related to negative community impacts, the “bridge equation” identified other corridors as being more favourable than Kettle Island.

9. We need to ensure that negative impact on communities and people is assigned the weighting it deserves during this final phase of the project, and that it is not overshadowed by technical and cost considerations. Please participate in the upcoming consultation and provide your feedback.

10. The MPCA and the MPCA Bridge Committee are working hard to defend our community against this threat. We have engaged industry consultants, urban planners, and lawyers to strengthen our cause, and there is more to be done as we prepare for the coming months. But we need your financial support.

If you can spare a donation, big or small, towards the bridge fight, please send a cheque to:

Manor Park Community Association (MPCA)
PO Box 74211
5 Beechwood Ave
Ottawa, ON K1M 2H9

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Smart Growth, Dumb Bridge

As submitted for publication in the November Manor Park Chronicle:
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Smart Growth, Dumb Bridge
Christophe Credico,
Chair – Manor Park Bridge Committee

As the Interprovincial Crossings project keeps stubbornly rolling along, recurring themes are emerging. Despite National Capital Commission (NCC) claims to the contrary, the fundamental framework of the project is flawed, and its execution is laughable; though this is no laughing matter.

The NCC prides itself on being progressive with a focus on ensuring sustainability for the National Capital Region. Visionary initiatives such as the NCC’s Horizon 2067: The Plan for Canada’s Capital are high profile and have the right intent. But, ironically, while this is going on, the NCC is also pushing forward the bridge project, founded upon 1950’s transportation planning principles.

Smart Growth planning principles define global best practices for sustainable urban development, livable communities, and integrated transportation planning. The Ontario Smart Growth Network believes:

“that there are three basic requirements with respect to achieving the principles of smart growth in Ontario: stopping urban sprawl, fostering healthy communities, and supporting community involvement in planning”.

As the Nation’s Capital, the region must be held to a high standard. We have aspirations to define ourselves as one of the great cities in the world. It is the role of the NCC to lead by example, to make Canadians proud, and to showcase progressive, sustainable stewardship of the region.

But if this truly is the case, why is the current bridge project violating many basic Smart Growth principles? Instead of truly isolating and defining the problem, assessing a broad range of innovative options that may best provide a solution, and doing so with a regional Smart Growth perspective within the context of an integrated transportation plan with a strong emphasis on public transit, the NCC has instead decided to simply build a bridge.

This bridge will create urban sprawl, will encourage more people to car commute from Gatineau suburbs, will deteriorate communities in and around the selected corridor, and could blemish the region for generations to come, without solving the main problem of removing the truck traffic on King Edward.

Something is seriously wrong.

Granted, the problem on King Edward is terrible. But let’s not be dumb about trying to fix it. And, let’s make sure the attempted fix doesn’t create other, bigger problems for the National Capital Region down the road.
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For more information, please refer to other postings on this website.
For information in French, please visit http://www.pourunmeilleurpont.org.

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Pubic consultations starting this month

Phase 2B, the critical phase of this project that was recently (and controversially) awarded to Roche-NCE, is moving quickly into its public consultation phase.   The intent of these consultations, per the process defined in Phase 2A by Aecom-Delcan, is to engage the public, listen to concerns, and to keep the process transparent.  One of the first objectives of this phase is to select the final location for a new bridge.

While the intent is good, the extent to which these consultations will actually influence any final decisions is not clear.  Given Roche-NCE’s history on this file, there is good reason for concern.

That being said, participation in the public consultations is important, and comments and feedback received at these consultations will be part of the official project record.

Here is the schedule, as defined by the project team:

• Public Consultation Group Meeting – June 7, 2011
• Community Value Planning Workshops – June 14, 15 and 16, 2011
• World Café (Regional Perspectives) – June 11, 2011 – Gatineau
• World Café (Regional Perspectives) – June 18, 2011 – Ottawa
• Public Review of Draft Community Value Plans (web based comments) – July to August 2011

If you wish to attend, pre-registration is required.  For more details, and to pre-register for any of the events, refer to the official project website:  http://www.ncrcrossings.ca/en/consultation.php

Related media coverage:
June 1, Ottawa Citizen:  Months of consultations planned on new east-end bridge

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Phase 2B contract controversially awarded to Roche-NCE

With appropriate dissent, debate and controversy among the NCC Board of Directors, the contract for the next phase of the project (Phase 2B, in which the corridor will be selected and the Environmental Assessment completed) has been award to Roche-NCE.

These are the same consultants who ran the first phase of the project in which Kettle Island was selected as ‘the technically preferred corridor’, only to be rejected by the project stakeholders on the basis that the analysis was incomplete and failed to take into consideration some of their primary objectives.

So after a brief reprieve during Phase 2A, where Aecom-Delcan took the lead, the same team with the same project manager that tried to condemn the Kettle Island corridor in Phase 1 is back in charge.

As Kelly Egan from the Ottawa Citizen points out, this may not be the best way to spend our taxpayer money.

Wednesday morning, the board of the National Capital Commission rejected a proposed $4.5-million contract to further study the next bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau.

After lunch, the board voted to reconsider the motion, then agreed to award the contract to consultants Roche-NCE Joint Venture, as was originally proposed, only hours earlier.

So Mister Screwy was in the building. This is how taxpayer millions are handled?

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Kelly+Egan+board+worth+studying/4578874/story.html#ixzz1IxDcxpzT

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Sustainable Solutions launches new website against an east-end bridge

Sustainable Solutions recently launched a new website in their fight against an east end bridge:

http://www.ssd-ottawa.ca

The website contains great information about the project. In addition to the latest developments, it presents compelling arguments as to how the process if flawed, while recommending ways in which the process could be fixed.

As stated on their website, here is the Sustainable Solutions mission statement:

Our Mission
Sustainable Solutions/Solutions durables believes that none of the currently proposed bridge corridors provide a real solution to the long standing and unacceptable situation of 2500+ heavy trucks per day transiting downtown Ottawa. Furthermore it is our position that it will be unacceptable to build a bridge costing $500M or more (initial estimates from Phase 1) which does not provide a solution to this truck problem.

Our goal is to raise awareness of this issue and build consensus among the affected communities to lobby the study proponents (NCC, MTO, & MTQ along with the Cities of Ottawa and Gatineau) to widen the scope of the study to include a proper evaluation of additional options that could provide a better solution to this truck problem.

Such options had been screened out early in the Phase 1 process without sufficient study or consultation. As a result, important information comparing and contrasting these options to the currently proposed bridge corridors is unavailable to the public and future decision makers.

The success of any proposed project must take into account what communities want. Your involvement in this process will make an important contribution. This site has been created to educate and provide well thought out comment on this study process. Add your voice to ours. Together we can influence decision making in the National Capital Region.

Sustainable Solutions represents a strong collaboration of east end communities, as noted in the About US Section of the website:

The following community groups/organizations have been signatories of the Joint Statement:

1. Action Sandy Hill
2. Beacon Hill Community Association
3. Blackburn Hamlet Community Association
4. Cardinal Glen Community Association
5. City Centre Coalition
6. Common Sense Crossings
7. CREDDO – Conseil régional de l’environnement et du développement durable de l’Outaouais
8. Fairhaven Community Association
9. The Friends of the Greenspace Alliance
10. The Greenbelt Coalition
11. Local Eco-Action Families (LEAF)
12. Manor Park Community Association
13. Queenswood Heights Community Association
14. Rockliffe Mews/Carson Grove Residents Association
15. Rockcliffe Park Residents Association
16. Transport Action Canada

Please visit http://www.ssd-ottawa.ca regularly.

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Ottawa mayoral candidates state positions on an East End Bridge

Although the list of Ottawa mayoral candidates is lengthy, it is likely that most votes will be cast among one of four candidates:  Jim Watson, Andrew Haydon, Clive Doucet, or the incumbent Larry O’Brien.  Their positions on an East End bridge are outlined below.

Their election platforms are broad and varied, but one fact is certain:  A vote for Larry O’Brien is a vote for a bridge at Kettle Island.

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Jim Watson: “A bridge over Kettle Island will have an extremely negative impact on several communities. Solving one community’s problem by putting it into another makes no sense and I will not support the Kettle Island option.” (Jim Watson election flyer).

In recent email correspondence with concerned citizens, Jim Watson expanded on his position on an East End Bridge:

“I do not support the three options that are being proposed by the NCC.

I don’t believe you solve one community’s problems by transferring them to another.

Truck traffic on King Edward is a serious problem and even with the bridge options proposed, it is clear that Gatineau council still expects to have 60 % of truck traffic use King Edward which is not acceptable.

Kettle island as an option would have a negative effect on several communities and I have not supported that option going back to my days on regional council.

The two other options (6 and 7) would have a negative impact on the quality of life for the people of Orleans and add even greater overload to the 174 and 417 at the split and beyond.

I have been impressed with community groups who have put forward alternative options including a truck toll tunnel and I want the NCC to be open to studying alternatives that would have less negative impact on established residential communities.

Finally, my first priority is public transit, and not a bridge. The Federal government has already said they do not have funds for a bridge at this point.

While the city will not have the final say, my view is we need to work to get light rail out to Orleans faster than is planned to help ease congestion and if there are extra funds available from the other levels of government, I want those dollars spent on our transit plan over a bridge.”

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Andrew Haydon:  At the Rideau-Rockcliffe candidates debate (Oct 14, 2010), Mr. Haydon outwardly spoke against a Kettle Island bridge.  Below is an excerpt from an article in the Ottawa Sun where he described his position on trucks and interprovincial traffic (Oct. 6th, 2010, Ottawa Sun, Andy pitches his dream).

He also wants to create a second Greenbelt near a proposed ring road south of Manotick.

But perhaps his most ambitious dream is the construction of traffic lanes from Quebec across the Prince of Wales Bridge all the way to the Queensway along O-train rail tracks to decrease bus and truck traffic.

“I’ve been looking at this for years,” he said. “The bottom line is no more Quebec bus traffic on Wellington St. and King Edward Ave. will be truck-free.”

He sees trucks using the new crossing during non-peak bus hours.

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Clive Doucet: Mr. Doucet was also clear at the Rideau-Rockcliffe forum that he opposes KI. However, his published platform material is not as explicit.  Below is an excerpt from his website discussing traffic-related issues:

Transit economies. Ottawa spends $600M every year on building and maintaining city roads. We can spend an equivalent amount once and have a Preston Street (O-Train connection) to Kanata LRT system up and running.

We will maintain existing roads before building new ones. The LRT will free up space on roads and Hwy 417 making commuting easier and reducing wear and tear on roadbeds.

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Larry O’Brien: Larry O’Brien is an outward supporter of the Kettle Island bridge.  A vote for Larry O’Brien is a vote for a bridge at Kettle Island.  Here’s an excerpt from Mr. O’Brien’s Five-Point Traffic Management Plan:

“1.  Two major road-building initiatives to keep Ottawa moving
The mayor proposes the construction of a ring-road around Ottawa, as well to support the recommendation for a new bridge to link Ottawa and Gatineau over Kettle Island.”

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Rideau-Rockcliffe election candidates offer positions on the bridge

Over the past weeks, the MPCA bridge committee has met with many Rideau-Rockcliffe municipal election candidates to discuss the interprovincial crossings project.  Following these meetings, candidates were invited to formally submit a written position for posting on this website.

Submissions received from  candidates will be posted here, and this posting will be updated as we receive additional feedback.
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Pierre Maheu:
“To summarize our discussion that we had at Bridgehead, I am in support of a tunnel to alleviate the heavy truck traffic downtown. As I stated, it has to be big enough to accommodate “several” lanes of traffic.”
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Corry Burke:
“There is no question that the issue of transport truck volume along the King Edward corridor is a significant one. Averaging in excess of 2000 transport vehicles a day, the residents and businesses in that area are unduly penalized by the lack of an appropriate route for interprovincial crossing. In light of the experience in that corridor, it is abundantly clear that residential communities and heavy truck transport are not meant to coexist. Any proposed solution that does not alleviate this situation 100% should not be considered viable.

The Kettle Island route, so-called Option 5, does nothing to alleviate this issue, all it serves to perform is a movement of the issue 2km east, through numerous established communities, businesses, and environmentally sensitive areas. A $500 million dollar investment in infrastructure should improve the quality of life for all, not for a few, while damaging that same quality of life for others. If the federal and provincial governments are engaged in supporting the best option, not just the most convenient option to them, it is incumbent upon the community to communicate what that should be. We cannot assume they are aware of our perspective, we must make certain they know the breadth of our knowledge and our collective commitment to the issue. Unified in charting a sustainable solution for the communities on both sides of the Ottawa River is how we all win. Stay engaged and stay vigilant.

As a candidate for councillor of Rideau-Rockcliffe ward, I would make the resolution of this issue my number one priority, making the City Hall council office the central hub for all activity related to finding a unified solution. I would accept this as my mandate and my responsibility to fulfill in conjunction with those already engaged in the endeavour.”
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Peter Clark:
“As Regional Chair (1991-97) I never supported or voted on Kettle Island as an interprovincial crossing.

This transportation corridor belongs in a more under-populated area. An area with room for creative and sustainable transport optiona that discourage increased commuter traffic.”
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Richard Cannings:
Ottawa, ON, September 28.2010 —–Richard Cannings, a candidate for City Council, finds Mayor O’Brien’s remark on CFRA that there is nothing much the city can do to stop the bridge, appalling.

“This is just another example of regional interests running rough-shod over well-established communities in the older inner city” Cannings said.

“How is that bridge a remedy? Are the people in the downtown core second-class citizens? Is shuttling cars with one occupant and 18-wheelers back and forth to Quebec more important than quality of life in Manor Park and its neighbors?”

Cannings is fed up with decision-makers going madly off in all directions. “Yes, we have a traffic congestion problem”, he stated. “But no, you don’t clomp all over Manor Park and New Edinburgh with concrete and steel to solve the problem.”

Cannings recalled an editorial by The Citizen’s Ken Gray who wrote that if Ottawa is beautiful in the city core, it’s not because of anything the city has done. Gray’s opinion is that if we carve out the inner city to satisfy the sprawling suburbs with their continuously expanding traffic we might as well be Mississauga-on-the-Rideau.

Looking back at a similar situation in Toronto, in 1971 Premier Bill Davis cancelled the Spadina Expressway and famously stated that “if we are building a transportation system to serve the automobile, the Spadina Expressway would be a good place to start. But if we are building a transportation system to serve people, the Spadina Expressway is a good place to stop”.

A long time resident of Manor Park, Cannings is a candidate in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward. He served on Council from 1991-2000 and has always opposed the Kettle Island site. When the proposal came to the table he mobilized his troops to mount a successful campaign including signs bearing the slogan “Communities Over Bridges”.
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Sheila Perry:
As our City grows, it needs to grow in a smart, sustainable way. Development must be reasonable and respect Heritage, City Zoning. Intensification and Urban Design must respect community values and environment. Transportation and development that is focused along existing major arteries will limit the pressure for urban sprawl. Important issues include: promoting safe pedestrian and cycling networks that link neighbourhoods, resolving transportion issues, including the LRT and the east end bridge challenge. A Kettle Island bridge location and a corridor that disrupts the quality of life of residents in the area is not appropriate. A better solution must be found with all political partners: NCC, Federal, Provincial and Municipal.
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NCC approves Phase 2A report; next steps contingent upon provincial funding

The NCC Board of Directors unanimously approved the Phase 2A report last week, with only three options to be considered. The flexibility to look at other options beyond the three identified corridors is not currently within the scope of the next phase of the project, where a final determination of the crossing location will be made.

As noted in an earlier posting, none of the three options currently being considered will sufficiently address the problems.

Although the NCC has approved the Phase 2A report and funding for the next phase, the project is effectively on hold until the Provinces provide their approval and associated funding.

Read more:
July 2, Ottawa Citizen, No word yet on provincial funding for bridge

If you have concerns, now is the time to voice them to the Province:

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur
MPP for Ottawa-Vanier
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
Minister of Community and Social Services
237 Montreal Rd Vanier, ON K1L 6C7
Telephone: (613) 744-4484 Fax: (613) 744-0889
E-mail: mmeilleur.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Yasir Naqvi, MPP
MPP for Ottawa-Centre
204- 411 Roosevelt Ave.
Ottawa ON K2A 3X9
Tel: 613-722-6414
Fax: 613-722-6703
ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org

Phil McNeely, MPP
MPP for Ottawa-Orléans
6- 110 Bearbrook Rd
Gloucester ON K1B 5R2
Tel 613-834-8679
Fax 613-834-7647
pmcneely.mpp@liberal.ola.org

Dalton McGuinty, Premier
Legislative Building
Queen’s Park
Toronto ON M7A 1A1
Fax:(416) 325-3745.
dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Kathleen Wynne
Minister of Transportation
Click here to send a message to the Minister

Margarett Best
Minister of Health
777 Bay Street- 18th Floor
Toronto, On
M7A 1S5
Tel: 416-326-8500
Fax:416-326-8520
www.mhp.gov.on.ca/english/contact/minister.asp

John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment
12th Floor, 135 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5
Telephone: (416) 314-6790
Fax: (416) 314-7337
jgerretsen.mpp@liberal.ola.org

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NCC Board Meeting – June 29th

The Phase 2A report will be presented at the upcoming NCC Board of Directors meeting:

June 29th
9:00 am – 5:20 pm
40 Elgin Street, Ottawa
Room 324

The public is invited to watch and listen, although there will be no opportunity for active public participation in the meeting.

The Interprovincial Crossings Phase 2A report is scheduled for 90 minutes, beginning at 2:15 pm. If you’d like to see first hand how the NCC reacts to the report, feel free to attend in person, or watch the meeting online on the NCC website.

Click here for the complete meeting agenda.

If you want to share your thoughts about the Interprovincial Crossing project with NCC Board of Directors, provide your feedback prior to the June 29th meeting.

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CBC Ottawa Morning – East end bridge debaters vs the NCC

Members of Sustainable Solutions, a coalition of community associations in Ottawa concerned about the NCC’s plans for a new bridge across the Ottawa River, discussed the current status of the Interprovincial Crossing’s project on CBC’s Ottawa Morning show.

Click here to listen to the show via the CBC Ottawa Morning online archives.

Scroll to June 14: East end bridge debaters vs the NCC.

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Online discussion forum: Interprovincial Crossings

The Interprovincial Crossings debate is featured on an active online discussion forum: SkyscraperPage.com.

The global membership discusses development news and construction activity on projects from around the world, alongside discussions on urban design, architecture, transportation and many other topics.

Among other topics, members of the forum have recognized the potential of a downtown tunnel as a viable alternative to removing trucks from Ottawa’s downtown streets.

View and participate in the discussion at:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=144112&page=14

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Transportation Committee approves motions for further study and Ontario EA application

The NCC presented their Phase 2A report on June 2nd to the City of Ottawa Transportation Committee.  The meeting also provided a forum for public presentations and questions.  Sustainable Solutions took this opportunity to present their case that the current study does not solve the fundamental problem of trucks on King Edward.  In addition, several community members presented their concerns about Ontario having opted out of the Environment Assessment process.

Based on the presentations and subsequent debate and discussion, the Committee passed three motions to be carried forward to City Council:

1. A motion asking Ontario to apply Ontario EA law in the next phase such that residents of Ottawa will receive the benefits and protections that this affords.
2. A motion asking that a scope of the NCC undertake a study to determine how any of the three corridors could solve the truck problem downtown, prior to selection of a recommended corridor.
3. A motion asking that the interprovincial transit strategy be completed before a decision is made on a new bridge.

In response to these motions:

NCC representative Fred Gaspar told the committee that although officials haven’t had time to review in detail all of the committee’s recommendations,

“I don’t see any reason why they would present any sort of a problem and we certainly commit ourselves to working towards these objectives.”

Read more:
Jun. 3, Ottawa Citizen: City eyes diverting trucks from downtown

The formal motions are included in the minutes from the June 2nd Transportation Committee meeting.

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‘Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables’ formed to press for a real cure for the downtown truck problem

On June 2 at Ottawa Transportation Committee, the NCC’s consultant will table a report on the Phase 2A consultation process which is moving towards the selection of a location for an east end bridge.

12 Community Associations have come together under the name “Sustainable Solutions” to sign a joint statement and will attend the meeting to make presentations to the committee regarding the common position they have adopted in response to the current process.

Please see the attached media advisory and a copy of the joint statement. Members of Sustainable Solutions will have at the meeting the signed versions of the joint statement.

Sustainable Solutions will be calling on the NCC, the MTO, and the City of Ottawa to clarify how the proposed project will deliver a solution to the problem of inter-provincial heavy through trucks on the streets of Ottawa. Details can be found in the attached joint statement.

Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables is composed of the following associations:

Action Sandy Hill
Manor Park Community Association
Rockcliffe Park Residents Association
New Edinburgh Community Association
Rockcliffe Mews/Carson Grove Community Association
Beacon Hill Community Association
Common Sense Crossings (Convent Glen Community Association)
City Centre Coalition
The Friends of the Greenspace Alliance
The Greenbelt Coalition
Queenswood Heights Community Association
Blackburn Hamlet Community Association

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Media Advisory:  ‘Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables’ formed to press for a real cure for the downtown truck problem

OTTAWA, May 30, 2010 – Communities and organizations with an interest in the future of the National Capital Region have united to press the National Capital Commission (NCC), the Province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa to work with communities to find a solution to the ongoing problem of through-traffic of heavy trucks through Ottawa’s historic downtown area. This initiative is supported by prominent MPs, MPPs and City Councillors.

For decades, the heavy truck problem has plagued residents and businesses of the historic downtown. The problem is particularly acute along the King Edward-Rideau-Waller-Nicholas (KERWN) corridor. It has negatively impacted the livability and economic health of the district, and detracts seriously from the experience of visitors to the National Capital. Solving this problem should be a top priority of all levels of government.

The motivation for forming Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables has been the frustation felt by residents in having meaningful input into an NCC-led process focused on the narrow goal of constructing a new vehicular bridge across the Ottawa River. The NCC now proposes to study three potential bridge locations, ultimately selecting one that will be the subject of a federal environmental assessment.

One of the originally expressed goals of the NCC initiative was to substantially alleviate the downtown truck problem. However, the confusing information that has emanated from the process to date strongly suggests that a bridge would not solve the truck problem. Indeed, the figures presented indicate that the majority of trucks would continue to use the downtown corridor rather than a new bridge corridor. Information about the origins, destinations and purposes of the truck traffic across the Ottawa River is lacking, and the NCC has yet to initiate the commercial vehicle planning study that was requested by the NCC Board

The bridges under consideration would give rise to a host of very serious problems, such as urban sprawl; further community disruption on both sides of the river; loss of enjoyment of the NCC parkways and cycling paths in the east end; and serious impairment of ecologically significant areas (e.g. the NCC Greenbelt, Kettle Island, Greens Creek, McLaurin Bay). In spite of the virtually insurmountable problems associated with all three proposed bridge options, the NCC has shown little inclination to look seriously at options that would substantively address the pressing problem of heavy trucks in the downtown area.

On June 2, the consultants for the NCC will be presenting their Phase 2a study report to the City of Ottawa Transportation Committee. That report will outline their recommended study design and public consultation approach for Phase 2b, when the NCC proposes to select its preferred bridge option and conduct a federal environmental assessment of that option.

Members of Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables will be making representations to the Transportation Committee along with others affected by NCC proposals. Expect a lively and newsworthy discussion.

Contact:
Hugh Carter
Sustainable Solutions – Solutions Durables
Tel.: 613-830-3393
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Joint Statement (to be signed by all member Community Associations and presented to Transportation Committee)

The Interprovincial Crossings Study is led jointly by the National Capital Commission (NCC), the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Québec Ministry of Transportation, with technical support from the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. The Study as currently envisaged is focused on selecting one out of three potential corridors for building a new bridge east of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge.

One of the most critical issues facing the Region is the passage of about 2,500 heavy trucks per day between Highway 417 and the Macdonald – Cartier bridge, through residential streets in Ottawa’s downtown. The consequences in terms of health, safety and degradation of the surrounding areas are well-known and unacceptable. An environmentally sustainable solution must be found, one that does not simply spread the problem to even more neighbourhoods.

Phase 1 of the Study has recommended that heavy trucks be permitted on both the new corridor and the current approaches to the Macdonald – Cartier bridge, with the majority of the trucks remaining in the downtown core. The City of Ottawa Official Plan states that heavy trucks should be removed from the current King Edward, Rideau, Waller, Nicholas (KERWN) corridor once a new bridge is constructed. Meanwhile, the City of Gatineau has passed a motion that requests that heavy trucks remain on the King Edward corridor.

Significant uncertainty exists as to what will happen with heavy trucks if a new bridge is built. Will all heavy trucks be removed from Ottawa’s downtown? Will trucks be diffused between the new bridge and downtown? Will all heavy trucks be forced to use the new crossing? Who has the legal authority to ban heavy trucks on the KERWN corridor (since it serves as an interconnection between the Quebec and Ontario highway systems)? Would this decision be subject to legal appeal and potential negation?

Our organizations believe that these questions must be clearly answered in order to engage in meaningful public consultations in Phase 2B of the Study, and to enable a clear focus on the critical truck issue. We urge the Interprovincial Crossings Study Team to recognize the solidarity and determination of the public, as represented by our organizations, and to resolve this critical issue.

………………………………………………………..
Name and Position

………………………………………………………..
Organization
2nd June 2010
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Phase 2A Final Report now available

AECOM Delcan has completed their final Phase 2A report, defining the process for making the final selection and the scope of Phase 2B, and summarizing the public feedback received to date.

Click here to access the report from the AECOM Delcan website.

The report will be presented at the following three events, which are open to the public:

• June 2: City of Ottawa Transportation Committee;
• June 8: Ville de Gatineau Comité plenier;
• June 29: NCC Board of Directors Meeting.

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MPCA Community Meeting – Summary and Fundraising

Over 400 concerned citizens attended the MPCA community meeting last night to learn about recent bridge activities and implications.

The Province of Ontario backing out of the Environmental Assessment process was highlighted as a primary concern. Judy Lishman delivered a presentation on this topic, summarizing the impacts of this decision. Click here to download the presentation.

Also highlighted was the importance of continuing the letter-writing campaign to persuade the Province of Ontario to opt back in.

In order to strengthen our position, the MPCA has engaged an environmental lawyer whose immediate task will be to ask pointed questions of the Province of Ontario, highlighting our concerns. Based on his findings, the lawyer will provide a formal legal opinion on how to best proceed in order to ensure that our concerns are addressed, and that a fair and legal decision-making process is followed throughout the Interprovincial Crossings project. This could, potentially, lead to further legal engagements.

See below for a message from the MPCA about its fundraising efforts:
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The Manor Park Community Association (MPCA) believes that we have a strong legal position, but we need legal representation, which costs money.

The MPCA thanks you for your time and attention to this very important matter. The potential for an interprovincial crossing in our neighborhood(s), and the negative impact it could have on our environment, local traffic and property values deserves our full attention. The MPCA intends to make sure that the proponents for an interprovincial crossing are accountable for their actions, and your financial support will help us ensure that happens
———————–
If you have specific questions of the MPCA, please send an email to mpca@manorpark.ca.

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Emergency Community Meeting: May 26, 7:00 pm

MPCA is calling an emergency community meeting about the Kettle Island Bridge issue. The concerns reported in the May edition of the Manor Park Chronicle are rapidly developing. The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public and ask for community support.

When: Wednesday, May 26

Where: Manor Park Public School gymnasium, 100 Braemar

Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Who: Residents of Manor Park and surrounding communities—anyone and everyone concerned about the impact of a bridge at Kettle Island and a designated interprovincial truck route on the Aviation Parkway.

Our community needs your support.

Please attend the meeting and circulate this email to neighbours and friends.

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Why an Ontario Environmental Assessment is important

As presented in an earlier posting (Ontario has opted out of the Environmental Assessment), Ontario has opted out of the Environmental Assessment process for the Interprovincial Crossings Project, and it is important for us to raise concerns with our provincial politicians to lobby them to opt back in.

The following information was prepared by Judy Lishman, a member of the Manor Park Bridge Committee. Judy describes the significance of Ontario’s decision.  Thanks to Judy for her contribution.
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The following is a list of some of the impacts on communities, and public concerns about Phase 1 which have been ignored by the consultants and which would be subject to review and approval by the MOE if the ONT. EA Act were in place.

• Phase 1 concludes that there would be no air quality impacts in the Kettle Island corridor even though this is the most heavily populated corridor and the residences are closer to the proposed truck route than in any other corridor.
• Phase 1 concludes that there would be no increase in vibration effects on residences in corridor 5. As a result of the closure of the base in November 2009, buses are now travelling on the Aviation Parkway. Houses adjacent to the Parkway rattle when the bus passes. Three thousand trucks a day would surely have an impact.
• Phase I did not evaluate the safety risk of hazardous materials being transported through built up communities and past a hospital.
• The weight given to noise impacts on residents in the evaluation of the corridors was a meagre 2%.
• The fundamental reason for this study as far as Ontario is concerned is to remove the trucks from a built up community. The answer is not to put them through another built up community.
• Phase 1 evaluation heavily weighted transportation and cost. The public overwhelmingly favoured heavily weighting the natural and human environment when choosing a corridor. The public was ignored.
• Phase 1 stated that the recommended corridor is “the least useful interprovincial crossing for transit”.
• There was no evaluation done and no consideration given to the impacts on the Montfort Hospital of a 4 lane truck route adjacent to the hospital.
• There was no factor for public safety.
• Many technical problems with Phase 1, which significantly affected the outcome, were identified and brought by the public to the attention of the consultants who ignored them and were able to do so because Ontario had opted out of the Environmental Assessment.

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The three study partners/proponents for The Interprovincial Crossings Study, as outlined in the Terms of Reference, are the NCC and the two provincial transportation ministries: MTO and MTQ. Each of these partners is subject only to its own environmental legislation. Because this is a joint project, the Terms of Reference state that the “three study partners have agreed to follow the strictest application of the various EA (Environmental Assessment) approval processes” through a harmonized process. There are harmonization agreements between the federal government and each province which outline the process for harmonized EA projects.

The Ontario Environmental Assessment Act is triggered at the beginning of a study when the Terms of Reference are submitted by a proponent, in this case the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario), to the MOE (Ministry of the Environment) for approval by the minister. The Ontario Environmental Assessment Act is in effect until the construction is completed. The Act outlines a process for review and approvals. It also gives citizens protection through the right to consult about and to appeal any of the decisions made.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) for a Screening Study is not triggered until a site specific project, in this case the bridge corridor, has been selected. Consequently, if the Ontario EA Act is not in effect the selection of the corridor on the Ontario side will not be subject to any environmental legislation. Furthermore, under the CEAA, public consultation is discretionary and there is no public appeal process.

The NCC is claiming that the CEAA has been triggered for Phase 2A of the study, but one of the lawyers responsible for writing the Act has said that the Act has not been triggered because there is no provision under the Act for the study of three corridors. The project manager at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, which is responsible for administering the application of the CEAA has agreed that the review of the three corridors under study will not meet the standards set out by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

The NCC project coordinator claims that since the process is following environmental guidelines that it doesn’t matter if the Ontario Act is in effect. This is not true. Ontario is not acting in compliance with the Terms of Reference to conduct a harmonized EA process. The MTO along with the MOE, opted out of Phase 1 at the very beginning. This action allowed the consultants to avoid accountability through a review and approval process and denied citizens their right to protection and appeal as provided by the Ontario EA Act. Without the Ontario EA Act no one will review or correct any of the serious errors made in Phase 1 and Phase 2B will proceed based on faulty data and conclusions.

Those of us who are following this study closely were unaware, until after the end of Phase 1, that we all, as Ontario citizens, are being denied our rights under the law. If the Minister of the Environment decides to dispense with the requirements imposed by the EA Act he must make a declaration with written reasons, give adequate notice to the public, and ensure that the public has an opportunity to comment. None of this has been done. I wrote to Minister Gerretsen and asked why the proper process has not been followed. The reply I received did not address this question.

At the end of Phase 1 Ontario agreed, on the advice of the consultant, that the CEAA would be the only legislation in effect. This agreement was predicated on the NCC being the sole proponent, which it is not since Quebec is still a proponent. Furthermore, at the time, there was a recommendation from the consultants that only one corridor be carried foreward for detailed evaluation This recommendation was rejected as a result of subsequent letters from the provinces of Ontario and Quebec stating that three corridors should be carried to Phase 2. This is significant because, as noted above, the CEAA legislation is not triggered until one corridor has been selected. Hence, the study partners are continuing to falsely assure the Ontario public that their rights are protected by calling this an Environmental Assessment Study when it is not because the evaluation and selection of the corridor is not subject to any environmental legislation. Furthermore, Ontario has given up decision making authority for this project to the NCC. Quebec has not.

The public’s concerns about Phase 1 were not heeded because the consultants knew they were not accountable to any EA process. If Ontario does not opt back into a harmonized process, the evaluation and selection of the bridge corridor will once again not be subject to any environmental review or approval and once again the public will be denied their right to protection and appeal. It is therefore imperative that the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act apply to this study through a harmonized process, as defined by the Terms of Reference. By agreeing to be a proponent as originally intended, Ontario will regain decision making authority, the Ontario EA Act will apply, the consultants’work will be subject to review and approval and the citizens of Ontario will have the protection guaranteed by the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.

Requests to the Ontario Government to opt back into the EA process have so far been refused.
————————-

What can you do?

ASAP, email our Ontario politicians, requesting that Ontario opts back in to the Environmental Assessment for the Interprovincial Crossings study.

To Premier McGuinty mcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Cc: Minister of Transportation Wynne minister@mto.gov.on.ca
Cc: Minister of the Environment Gerretsen minister.moe@ontario.ca
Cc: Our MPP Madeleine Meilleur mmeilleur.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

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Ontario has opted out of the Environmental Assessment

The Province of Ontario has opted out of the Environmental Assessment of the Interprovincial Crossings Study although they are still a funding partner with the NCC and Quebec.

What does this mean?

• Ontario citizens are being denied the rights and protection of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act which include the right to be consulted and to appeal to the Minister of the Environment about any aspect of the project.
• Ontario has given up decision making authority to the NCC for this entire project including the location of a bridge.  John Baird, the minister responsible for the NCC and the final decision maker, has said he favours a bridge at Kettle Island.
• The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act will not be triggered until after the bridge location has been selected. Even then there is no public appeal process under this legislation.
• Under the Ontario EA Act, all the work done by the consultants is subject to review and approval by the Minister of the Environment. No such review or approval exists under the Canadian EA Act until after the bridge location is selected; therefore, to date, there has been no accountability by the consultants.
• Quebec has not opted out. The protection of their EA Act applies to this project.

What can you do?

ASAP, email our Ontario politicians, requesting that Ontario opts back in to the Environmental Assessment for the Interprovincial Crossings study.

To Premier McGuinty mcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Cc: Minister of Transportation Wynne minister@mto.gov.on.ca
Cc: Minister of the Environment Gerretsen minister.moe@ontario.ca
Cc: Our MPP Madeleine Meilleur mmeilleur.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Each person in your household should send a separate email as numbers count.  Feel free to reference the points above, or any other material on this website. A short e-mail will suffice.

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Bridge debate back in the news

The Phase 2A public consultations have raised the profile of the bridge debate, which has been relatively quiet in recent months.  Many questions and issues remain, but the consultations are leading us to believe that there will be a more balanced approach taken to make the final determination of the corridor location in Phase 2B; one that takes into greater consideration the negative impacts on health, safety, community, and quality of life.

However, this is all theoretical at this point.  As much as there may be processes implemented during Phase 2B to gather public input, the extent to which this input will impact the decision makers is ultimately unknown.

As concerned citizens, we need to insist on as much accountability and transparency as possible to ensure that our interests are properly represented, and that our input has appropriate influence on the final decision.

CBC News published an article on March 31, bringing the bridge debate back into the public eye, and tying the issue to the upcoming municipal elections.

Mar. 31, CBC News: Ottawa River bridge plan divides east end

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Your participation: Phase 2A public consultation, March 30-31

Phase 2A of the Interprovincial Crossing Environmental Assessment is well under way. The main task in this phase is to develop the Study Design to be used in Phase 2B, during which the recommended corridor will be selected and the detailed Environmental Assessment completed.

In order to remove the threat of a Kettle Island Bridge and a heavy truck route through our communities, we need to pay attention to the Study Design and make our views known. For example, the Manor Park Community Association has stressed the following:

• Input from the public, and in particular from those who would be most affected by each corridor, must be given serious consideration
• The impact of a corridor and heavy truck route on established communities, and in particular on health and safety, should be of the utmost importance in the decision
• The goal should be to select the best location within the general confines of the three corridors carried forward, rather than the options being limited to the suggested routes as determined in the deeply flawed Phase 1.

Only one set of public consultations will take place during Phase 2A. Opponents of Kettle Island need to attend in large numbers.

Here are the details:

The communities of Ottawa and Gatineau are invited to review information boards, participate in discussions with Study experts at various ‘consultation kiosks’ that will be set-up on location, and provide comments on the draft Study Design report, anytime between 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Ottawa
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Ottawa City Hall – Jean Piggott Hall
110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON

Gatineau
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Maison du Citoyen – Agora
25, rue Laurier, Gatineau, QC

Please make your views known. Spread the word to your neighbours and friends.

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NCC says there is no flexibility in corridor alignments

Since the end of Phase I of the Interprovincial Bridge Environmental Assessment in February 2009, developments have been slow. Phase 2A, with a mandate to define the process for the final selection of one corridor and the associated Environment Impact Assessment, was initiated on Oct 14th, 2009, with the selection of AECOM-Delcan as the consultant. Phase 2A is scheduled for completion in June 2010.

In Phase 2B, the final corridor will be selected based on the process defined in Phase 2A. The project will then focus on preparing an Environmental Assessment for that corridor alone. Phase 2B is scheduled for completion by December 2012, with all required approvals obtained by December 2013. Construction could conceivably begin by mid 2014.

The first meeting of the Public Consultation Group (PCG) was held on December 15, 2009. The PCG provides a forum for dialogue between the Phase 2A consultants and about 25 member organizations representing communities, environmental groups and other interested parties.

The NCC-led Study Team has taken the position that its mandate allows study of only corridors 5 (Kettle Island), 6 (Lower Duck) and 7(Gatineau Airport) as defined in Phase 1. This would exclude the study of any variation of those corridors or potentially better alternatives put forward by community associations, Hon. Mauril Belanger and others. This is important, because there are serious problems with all three corridors as specifically defined in Phase 1.

Community groups represented at the PCG strongly opposed the NCC position and were in agreement that the issue is critical to a successful outcome of Phase 2. These groups will be working to remove the strict definition of the corridor options in order to ensure that Phase 2 results in a recommendation for the crossing at the best possible location in the general vicinity of the three corridors. The decision needs to take into account community concerns and the requirement that the study put emphasis on community impacts, transit and economic development, as cited in the letter sent by the Province of Ontario to the NCC following release of the Phase 1 recommendation.

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Francophone website proposing alternatives to Kettle Island

A group of Francophone Ottawa and Gatineau citizens concerned about the negative impacts of a bridge at Kettle Island and a truck route in our communities have launched a new website http://www.pourunmeilleurpont.org. While the aim of the site is to engage French-speaking citizens in this issue, the point-form presentation of information is easy to read even for beginners in French. There are also striking photos that speak loudly in any language, as well as graphics and maps of a few citizen-proposed variations on the three options being studied. The content will be updated regularly as the story unfolds. Be sure to spread the word among your friends, colleagues, and acquaintances.

Le site Web http://www.pourunmeilleurpont.org a été créé à l’initiative de résidents d’Ottawa et de Gatineau préoccupés par les propositions qui privilégient la construction d’un pont et d’une route pour les camions lourds à travers des zones résidentielles densément peuplées – propositions qui ne feraient que répéter le problème de la rue King Edward.

L’intention du groupe est d’offrir une tribune qui favorise la diffusion d’informations et de solutions alternatives en plus de démontrer les aspects inacceptables d’une route de camions lourds au sein de communautés à forte densité résidentielle.

En vertu de nos recherches, tout porte à croire que, parmi les trois options à l’étude, le choix d’un lien interprovincial passant par l’île Kettle n’est pas un choix adéquat pour notre région et que des ajustements aux deux autres options à l’étude sont souhaitables.

L’information y est présentée avec plusieurs photos et diagrammes à l’appui, le tout entouré de courts paragraphes dans le but d’obtenir de l’information rapidement sur divers sujets. On y retrouve trois catégories principales : Faits, Contradictions et Options. Les sources comprennent des opinions de divers professionnels (ingénieurs, comptables, vérificateurs, analystes de systèmes, consultants et analystes financiers), des associations de quartier, et de citoyens engagés; des documents en provenance de la CCN, des études en provenance d’autres organismes nationaux et internationaux, plusieurs articles de journaux et communiqués officiels, etc.

Divers sujets sont abordés, tels que les dangers d’accidents, les impacts sur la santé, l’économie, la qualité de vie, l’environnement, la circulation, le développement du centre-ville et l’avenir de nos institutions nationales et touristiques, etc.

Les responsables du site Web ne représentent aucun groupe ou quartier en particulier et vous invitent à diffuser l’adresse du site Web à vos amis ainsi qu’à vos réseaux. Si vous avez des commentaires ou informations à ajouter au site Pour un meilleur pont, la section des Commentaires du site vous attend!

Diane Gibeault, porte-parole du site Web Pour un meilleur pont

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Consultant chosen for next phase of the project

The NCC issued a press release today announcing its selection of a consultant of the next phase of the project, which will focus first on selecting which crossing location – Kettle Island, Lower Duck Island, or Gatineau Airport – will be carried forward.  The selected consulting team represents a collaboration between AECOM and Delcan.

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AECOM – Delcan to lead next phase of the interprovincial crossings Environmental Assessment Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCCN-09-10-08-NR

October 14, 2009

Canada’s Capital Region – The National Capital Commission (NCC), the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) today announced that Co-entreprise AECOM – Delcan will lead the first step of the next phase of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to identify a future interprovincial crossing in the National Capital Region. The three highest rated corridors (Kettle Island, Lower Duck Island and Gatineau Airport/McLaurin Bay) will be assessed in the Phase 2 Study.

In a revised process, the Study’s funding partners divided the second phase into two steps:

(i) Phase 2A will provide the framework for the EA Study and will ensure opportunities for public consultation; and
(ii) Phase 2B will be the completion of the environmental assessment process.

Following a competitive procurement process led by NCC, in partnership with MTO and MTQ, and input from the City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau, Co-entreprise AECOM – Delcan was awarded the contract. They will carry out Phase 2A in accordance with the objectives and requirements of the Request for Proposal.

For Phase 2A, Co-entreprise AECOM – Delcan will be responsible for developing the following:

• A Summary Report on review and analysis of background data;
• A Summary Report on correspondence received from the public during the period between completion of the Phase 1 Study and the commencement of work on the Phase 2 EA Study;
• The EA Study Design Report, including public consultation report; and
• The Scoping Document under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act process: Scope of Project and Scope of Assessment Report, for posting on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry.

Consistent with NCC’s practice and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, public consultations will be an essential feature of Phase 2A because they will shape the completion of the Environmental Assessment Study in Phase 2B. Public consultations for Phase 2A of the Study are scheduled to begin early in 2010.

Phase 2A is currently scheduled to be completed in June 2010.

For further information regarding the Interprovincial Crossings Environmental Assessment Study, the public may visit www.canadascapital.gc.ca/crossings.
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AECOM describes itself as follows (http://www.aecom.com):

Who We Are

AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental and energy.

With more than 44,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural and social environments.

A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in more than 100 countries and had revenue of $6.1 billion during the 12-month period ended June 30, 2009.

Declan defines itself as follows (http://www.delcan.com):

Vision / Mission / Values

Vision: To be a successful, respected, global company.

Mission: Through leadership and innovation, we will respond to the needs of society, providing quality, comprehensive services. We will contribute to a sustainable global environment and fully meet our client’s needs, while providing a solid return to our shareholders.

Values: Within our company we believe:

• Motivated, quality people are our primary resource and the foundation of our success
• Individual commitment and creative expression are essential to success in business
• Employee performance must be objectively and consistently stimulated, recognized and rewarded
• Investment in corporate development and individual training must be continuous
• Effective internal communication is essential for personal and corporate success and excellence
• Regional initiatives must be undertaken within a supportive corporate framework

In our client relations we believe:

• Unique needs and expectations of every client are met through our expertise and commitment to excellence
• Appropriate corporate resources must be allocated to meet each client’s needs and expectations
• Our global corporate framework ensures comprehensive resource support to all areas of operation
• Teamwork is founded on open communication and mutual respect

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Classic air rally at the Canada Aviation Museum: Kettle Island bridge impacts

The Canada Aviation Museum hosted the 2009 Classic Air Rally on Sunday, August 30th. This event is a celebration of aviation history that attracts flight enthusiasts from far and wide. The Classic Air Rally represents another example of the cultural significance of the area, and of the negative impacts that a bridge at Kettle Island would have.

Maria Cook presents her comments in her latest blog posting:
Aug. 30, Maria Cook’s blog: Today’s Classic Air Rally is reminder of Kettle Island bridge impact

A few excerpts from her posting below:

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The location of the Aviation Museum at a historic working airport adds immeasurably to the experience.

It is possible to observe vintage planes taking off, landing and in flight.

Today is an opportunity to see additional classic planes which have come for the rally.

The collection itself is known throughout the world as one of the finest collections of aircraft to be seen anywhere.

The museum recently completed enhancements to its entrance and public areas. Close to 200,000 visitors a year come to the museum.

Should the interprovincial bridge route take over Aviation Parkway for use as a truck route to cross at Kettle Island, the Aviation Museum and RCMP Musical Ride and stables adjacent will be severely compromised.

What is now a coherent cultural landscape where aviation history and the heritage of the Canadian mounted police can be experienced in a working landscape of airfields and pastures, will be disrupted by the noise and pollution of major truck trafic.

Historic aircraft, in particular, take off and land very low.

Trucks and tall lamp-posts will conflict with flight safety to the point that the airstrips could be moved.

———-

I also came across a few photos from the event, posted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/francoismouzard/sets/72157622064805181/show/

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New Francophone website opposes Kettle Island

A group of Francophone citizens concerned about the negative imacts of a bridge at Kettle Island are working on a new website.  Congratulations to its creators.

The official launch is expected in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned.

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Design Tourist Ottawa: The Musical Ride

On her latest Designing Ottawa blog posting, Ottawa Citizen journalist Maria Cook comments on the cultural signifigance of the RCMP Musical Ride and on the negative impacts a bridge at Kettle Island would have on this treasured institution.

Excerpts from her commentary below:

Red coats, black horses, green grass. The Mountie is arguably Canada’s most recognizable piece of design and the Musical Ride a wonderful pageant.
…

Should the interprovincial bridge be routed via Kettle Island, the view would be of trucks.

Noise could prevent the musical ride from performing and it appears possible the stables and horses would move away from Ottawa.

It is to be hoped that this historic landscape will be preserved.

Meanwhile, the combination of horses, red coats and summer evening is a lush visual experience, a echo of ancient pageantry.

The complete posting is available on her blog:
June 25, Designing Ottawa: Design Tourist Ottawa: The Musical Ride

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Inland tunnel: A viable alternative to a new bridge

The City Centre Coalition (CCC) represents 9 community associations toward the centre of Ottawa as well as Citizens for Safe Cycling and the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA).  It has a focus on community-friendly, environment-friendly solutions to transportation issues in Ottawa and across the Ottawa River.  CCC advocates a significant shift in investment away from road building and toward public transit especially light rail rapid transit as well proper facilities for walking and bicycling.

The following are excerpts from a presentation made by Derek Reid, the chairman of the City Centre Coalition (CCC), to the NCC on June 18th:

Currently, the City of Ottawa, the City of Gatineau and the NCC are allocating a lot of money for projects to fix transportation problems in the region. However, these parties are not acting in an integrated cohesive manner with a unified sustainable vision for the region.

The presentation I will make is meant to illustrate what is possible if all parties were to re-examine their plans, and pool their efforts into an integrated visionary solution.

This presentation is not about its details, but about the NCC taking a leadership role to inspire a sustainable integrated regional vision.

On the topic of a new east end bridge, his presentation states the following:

The NCC is considering a new $400M east-end bridge. The result would be an expanded road network, and the reduction of the quality of life for those who happen to be near the new route. It would impact the surrounding environment, and create more pollution from thousands of trucks per day that would be forced to travel further to cross the river. It would not restore King Edward as a beautiful avenue friendly to green transportation modes.

A better solution for King Edward Avenue has been studied by the City of Ottawa. A $190M inland tunnel could link the Mac Donald-Cartier Bridge with the Queensway via Nicholas. This option could significantly improve conditions along King Edward avenue — currently a depressing gateway to Ottawa.

The option of an inland tunnel link needs to be assessed by the NCC as a fourth option for an inter-provincial corridor, and as an alternative to a new bridge.

Click here to see Derek’s full presentation and transit vision.

Key Gray also comments on Derek’s presentation here:
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/06/25/the-making-of-modern-ottawa-1.aspx

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RCMP Musical Ride Sunset Ceremonies: June 26th – June 30th

Don’t miss the upcoming Musical Ride Sunset Ceremonies, June 26th to June 30th, at the at the home of the Musical Ride – the RCMP Stables at the Canadian Police College. Come and experience a living tribute to Canadian heritage and history.

The RCMP promotes this as “the ultimate family experience in the nation’s capital”.

Admission and public parking are both free, however, donation boxes will be set up on the grounds to collect funds for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.

Click here for details.

While you’re enjoying the exhibition, don’t overlook the fact that a bridge at Kettle Island would result in as many as 3000 trucks per day barreling along the parkway within approximately 150m of the main stage.  

This would mean 250 trucks (about 1 every 30 seconds) could pass immediately behind the ceremonies during the course of the 2-hour show. Bad for the show, but even worse for the horses who live at the RCMP Stables year round and the children and families who regularly visit them.

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Cheap oil and willful blindness to climate chaos threat

Stephen Hazell, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada Foundation, presented his thoughts on a bridge at Kettle Island at the MPCA AGM, June 18th, 2009.

His position focuses primarily on sustainability and the looming environment crisis facing us all.

“Kettle is an outmoded approach to urban development that relies on cheap oil and willful blindness to climate chaos threat”

Stephen’s presentation is available for download below.

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MPCA Annual General Meeting

The MPCA AGM is coming up this week. In addition to the keynote speaker, Stephen Hazell from the Sierra Club, local politicians – Mauril Belanger, Madeleine Meilleur and Jacques Legendre – have all agreed to speak.  No doubt the bridge issue will figure in their remarks.

Please attend if you can.

———–
Manor Park Community Association
Annual General Meeting
Thursday, June 18, 2009
7:30 p.m.
at
Terry Fox Youth Centre
1805 Gaspé Ave.
(east of St.Laurent and south of Sandridge)

• MPCA reports & updates
• Election of officers and directors
• Remarks from elected representatives

Guest Speaker
Stephen Hazell
Executive Director, Sierra Club of Canada
———–

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Project update: Email exchange with Marie Lemay, NCC CEO

The following exchange has recently taken place between John Forsey, MPCA President, and Marie Lemay, NCC CEO. A few facts have come to light about the next phase of the study:

• There will be no public consultation while defining the terms of reference for Phase 2 of the study.  However, the consultant’s statement of work, once finalized, will be posted on the NCC website in the coming months.
• Alignments beyond the three that have been selected for further analysis may be considered in Phase 2, although this seems unlikely.  The extent to which other options will be assessed will become clear through the Terms of Reference (which will not be publicly disclosed) and the consultants’ Statement of Work.
• The NCC is fully prepared to ammend its traffic policy on parkways to accommodate trucks, in the case of the Aviation Parkway, if required.
• The NCC states that public consultation will be an important component of Phase 2 as the project evolves, and that comments related to the project (even without a formal public consultation) will be submitted to the project team for consideration.  Please share any of your thoughts or concerns with the NCC.

This message is sent on behalf of Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer, National Capital Commission.

June 01, 2009 

Mr. John Forsey
President
Manor Park Community Association

Dear Mr. Forsey:

Thank you for your e-mail of April 21, 2009, in which you provide additional comments on the Interprovincial Crossings Environmental Assessment (EA) study.

All comments are being collected and will be considered as part of Phase 2 of the study. We have also sent a copy of your comments and this response to the Phase 2 Study Team.

With regard to your concern of the Consultant’s mandate, the National Capital Commission (NCC) believes that the first step in the Consultant’s work program will be very important. It will lay out a study design, which will be subjected to a full public consultation, as well as guide the study to its conclusion. The Consultant’s terms of reference will not be subject to a formal public consultation. The Consultant’s Statement of Work will be posted on the NCC’s website, at www.canadascapital.gc.ca, in the coming month, and your comments will be welcome.

Rest assured that the NCC and its partners are committed to a comprehensive, participatory and transparent public consultation on aspects of the Phase 2 EA and that public and agency comments, concerns and issues will be taken carefully into account and addressed effectively and appropriately by the Phase 2 Consultant.

Although there will be further consultation in Phase 2, we wanted to provide comments on the alignment alternative presented in your letter of February 11, 2009. This option considered an alternative alignment for Corridor 6 in Ville de Gatineau, utilizing an alignment at Lac-Beauchamp Park to a new interchange on Autoroute 50.

As part of the Phase 1 work program, each of the alternative crossing locations assessed available alignment alternatives to provide access between the two provincial freeway road networks. Corridor 6, which is centred on Lorrain Boulevard in Ville de Gatineau, considered environmental constraints and the technical feasibility of other alignments both to the east and west. In fact, a previously identified alignment using the park had been identified in the JACPAT study in the early 1990s. This alignment was revisited as part of the Phase 1 work and not carried forward because of substantial residential development that has occurred in the north end of the Corridor 6 study area since the 1990s. Several hundred homes have already been built on the previously identified corridor, as illustrated in the attached Figure 1.

The new alternative identified in your letter proposes a more westerly interchange connection to Autoroute 50. This would be a new interchange. The freeway design constraints utilized as part of the study on every corridor maintained the standards of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec of having a 2 km spacing between interchanges on a freeway. This interchange spacing is a North American standard that allows for signing and the spacing of acceleration and deceleration of vehicles on speed change lanes (ramps) to and from the freeway. The alternative identified in your letter does not comply with this provincial freeway standard.

As indicated above, this alternative, and your comments, will be documented for review in Phase 2 of the study.

The NCC Board of Directors’ decision included the statement that “It is understood that amendments may be needed to the Traffic and Property Regulations and NCC Policy on Parkways and Driveways (1984) or to the Greenbelt Master Plan (1996) in order to proceed to the construction of the Bridge.” These amendments, if necessary, will be undertaken.

The “participant funding” as defined in the Act is administered by the CEA Agency.

Thank you for providing these comments. We look forward to your continued participation in Phase 2 of the study.

Yours sincerely,

Marie Lemay, P.Eng., ing.

Chief Executive Officer

——————–

From: Forsey, R. John
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:31 AM
Subject: RE: Response from M. Lemay, CEO, National Capital Commission to your letter of February 11, 2009 and your e-mail of March 4, 2009

Dear Ms. Lemay,

Thank you for responding to my letter of March 4 and for forwarding a copy to the NCC Board members.

I have also taken the opportunity to review the Phase 2 Next Steps and Frequently Asked Questions posted on the NCC web site and I would like to make the following additional comments:

1. It appears that no public consultation will occur until 2010. As I noted in my March 4 letter, the Terms of Reference under which the Phase 2 consultants will be engaged are critical. Once the overall direction and scope of the study is set, it will be very difficult to change, no matter how valid the points raised during public consultations. Manor Park Community Association therefore urges the NCC to allow public comment on the draft Terms of Reference.

2. The NCC website indicates that “Corridors 5 (Kettle Island), 6 (Lower Duck Island) and 7 (Gatineau Airport / McLaurin Bay) will be evaluated in Phase 2 of Study.” As also suggested in my letter, the actual corridors to be studied in Phase 2 should not be strictly limited to Corridors 5, 6 and 7 (as defined by Roche-NCE) since some flexibility could allow the determination of the optimal solution.

3. The NCC website indicates that “Input from the Greenbelt Master Plan study and its public consultation will be considered by this study.” This is appropriate, given the location of Corridors 6 and 7. However, as noted by the NCC Board, selection of Corridor 5 would require a change in the NCC policy concerning NCC Parkways. Hence equal consideration must be given in Phase 2 to the implications for the future of the NCC’s scenic parkways.

4. It appears that Phase 2 will be a “screening study” under the CEAA. Will there be any provision for participant funding?

I urge you to give consideration to these points and to share them with the Phase 2 study team.

Yours sincerely,

John Forsey

President, Manor Park Community Association

——————–

Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:19 PM
To: Forsey, R. John
Subject: Response from M. Lemay, CEO, National Capital Commission to your letter of February 11, 2009 and your e-mail of March 4, 2009

This message is sent on behalf of Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer, National Capital Commission.

Dear Mr. Forsey:

Thank you for your letter of February 11, 2009 and your e-mail of March 4, 2009, which included a letter addressed to Mr. Russell Mills, Chair of the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) Board of Directors, regarding the Interprovincial Crossings study.

As requested, we have forwarded your letter to the NCC’s Board of Directors.

The Interprovincial Crossing Environmental Assessment (EA) study is part of long-term transportation planning by the federal, provincial and municipal authorities in Canada’s Capital Region. This EA Study is lead jointly by the NCC, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ), with technical support of the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. ROCHE-NCE provided consulting expertise to the study partners during Phase 1 of the EA study, which has now been completed.

Phase 1 of the EA study recommended Kettle Island Corridor as the highest ranked and technically preferred location for a future interprovincial crossing. It also recommended carrying forward a number of important planning strategies.

The summary report, the technical studies and outcome of the public consultations of the final report on Phase 1 of the EA study were made public on January 5, 2009.

In order to proceed to Phase 2 and complete the Interprovincial Crossings EA Study in conformity with the Partnership Agreement between the governments of Canada, Quebec and Ontario, unanimity amongst NCC, MTO and MTQ, on the number and location of crossing corridor(s) and alignments is required. Our funding partners, MTO and MTQ, in a letter dated January 27, 2009, informed us of their interest in doing more detailed study of the first three ranking corridors instead of only the first ranking corridor.

On February 13, 2009, the NCC’s Board of Directors approved the recommendations contained in the January 5, 2009, Interprovincial Crossings EA Study – Summary Report, by Roche-NCE, with the following amendments:

In addition to the consultant’s recommendation to assess in detail the Kettle Island crossing, the corridors at Lower Duck Island/Lorrain Boulevard, and Lower Duck Island/Gatineau Airport/McLaurin Bay be included in Phase 2 of the study, subject to approval by the three funding partners, NCC, the MTO and the MTQ.
The Board also approved that the commercial vehicles planning study to review interprovincial crossings and the ability to meet forecast demand be started in parallel to the EA study.
The Board’s decision has been communicated to the MTO and MTQ in a letter asking that they confirm their commitment to provide additional funding, in order to proceed to Phase 2.

Phase 2 of the study will involve the following steps and targeted dates:

Choosing and contracting consultant services, through a Request for Proposals process – completion by September 2009;
Phase 2 of the Study – completion by July 2012; and
Environmental approvals – completion by October 2013.
Phase 2 of the study will evaluate in more detail the environmental, social, economic, heritage and transportation effects of the corridors and propose mitigation measures to address these effects. The analysis, as per our partners’ request, will include impacts on communities, economic development and transit.

The NCC will continue to manage and administer the study in a collaborative effort between the three funding partners, the City of Ottawa and the Ville de Gatineau.

Once Phase 2 is initiated, we will invite all interested parties to actively participate in the consultation process. I encourage you to consult the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca for information regarding the Interprovincial Crossings Study.

Thank you for your interest in this important initiative.

Yours sincerely,

Marie Lemay, P.Eng., ing.
Chief Executive Officer

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Interprovincial Transit Study – Public Consultation

The recently initiated Interprovincial Transit Study is reaching out for public consultation. Within the initial round of consultation, one event has already occurred, but there is a second event next week in Gatineau:

Tuesday May 19 2009
4:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Gatineau Maison du Citoyen – Agora
25 Laurier Street, Gatineau

Click here for details about the public consultation process.

It is important to note that the Kettle Island crossing is the least effective crossing in terms of public transit usage.

If you are unable to attend these events, click here to submit your comments online.

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New study focusing on transit between Ottawa and Gatineau

Press Release issued by the NCC, City of Ottawa, and STO on May 4th:

PUBLIC LAUNCH OF STUDY ON INTEGRATING TRANSIT BETWEEN OTTAWA AND GATINEAU DOWNTOWN CORES

Canada’s Capital Region ― The National Capital Commission (NCC) and its partners announced today that it is launching the Interprovincial Transit Strategy and looking for public input into ways of better integrating transit between the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau. The consultation’s website, www.Interprovincial-Transit-Strategy.ca, is live and offers the public its first opportunity to have its say.

The Interprovincial Transit Strategy is a collaborative effort funded by the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) and the City of Ottawa, with participation by the Ville de Gatineau.

“Active public engagement in this study will provide a relevant, realistic and efficient regional transit solution that meets the needs of residents living and working on both sides of the Ottawa River, in the core of Canada’s Capital region” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC.

“As we move forward with Ottawa’s Transportation Master Plan it is important that we integrate our plans with the future direction of our neighbours in Gatineau,” added Ottawa Deputy Mayor Diane Deans.

“Our region’s population is growing, and our transportation networks have to grow with it to ensure that users’ needs are met. We must work together and as one to provide a harmonized transportation system,” added Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau.

The Strategy will take approximately 10 months to complete (with an expected completion date of January 2010), and will deliver short, medium and long term solutions up to the year 2031. It has a budget of $750,000 and it will be shared equally by all three partners.

The Interprovincial Transit Strategy reflects each partners’ commitment to sustainable transportation and is part of a shared goal to make the National Capital Region’s core area a more vibrant, liveable and attractive place, with less reliance on private vehicles.

Patrice Martin, Chairman at the STO stressed the need for an improved and seamless transit service between the city cores: “We know that there is room for innovation and much public interest in the interconnection of the services that are available to the communities of Ottawa and Gatineau – from individuals, commuters, local businesses, homeowners, employers, community groups and other organizations. We look forward to a meaningful dialogue with these groups about what the future of rapid transit might look like in the downtown cores in respect of the two transit systems already in place.”

The NCC has retained the services of McCormick Rankin Corporation, Tecsult AECOM and PACE Public Affairs & Community Engagement to assist it in this process. Several opportunities have been planned for the public and stakeholders to have their say in the Strategy and to provide their ideas for the best solution for the National Capital Region. More information on the Strategy, as well as details on how to become involved can be found at www.Interprovincial-Transit-Strategy.ca.

Media Information:
Jean Wolff
NCC Media Relations
613-239-5703 (office)
613-797-0279 (cellular)
jwolff@ncc-ccn.ca
Céline Gauthier

STO Media Relations
819-770-7900, extension 6937 (office)
819-664-7234 (cellular)
cgauthier@sto.ca
Public Affairs – City of Ottawa
613-580-2450
medias@ottawa.ca

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The creep and crawl of the highway 417-174 split

A Podcast from Ken Gray’s Inner City website:

Ken Gray talks with Rob Orchin, a traffic planner at the City of Ottawa, about ways to improve the infamous Split where just less than 60,000 cars a day try to cram their way through the interchange. Orchin talks about the best times to avoid rush-hour traffic at the Split and how other commuter routes downtown don’t work better than Ottawa’s busiest traffic location.

In this Podcast, Rob suggests an alternative to snaking through an interchange where two freeways join into one: the bus

Click here to listen to the discussion.

A follow up article in the Citizen is available here:
Apr. 3, Ottawa Citizen: Tinkering with the Split

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Further arguments for an alternate route: Lower Duck/Beauchamp

In a previous posting, we presented an alternate route. Let’s call it Option 6B – Lower Duck/Beauchamp.

Here are a few points to reinforce the validity and overall attractiveness of this option:

• Ottawa wants to prohibit trucks on King Edward/Rideau Streets. Gatineau wants to limit trucks on Montée Paiement in the Kettle Island corridor. The solution may be to build a bridge outside of the city cores and designate it as a truck route in an essentially vacant corridor on both sides of the river – Lower Duck/Beauchamp.
• On the Quebec side, the corridor follows a new route through green space that is mainly bush land and on the Ontario side follows the same route as the current Alternative 6, away from communities.
• This variation on Alternative 6 offers many of the traffic/transportation advantages that Alternative 5, Kettle Island, does but it reduces significantly the main opposition to Alternative 5 i.e. the serious impacts on institutions and on people living in the corridor. Kettle Island is the worst option for transit and according to the consultant encourages car use. This new corridor would provide good connection to planned transit facilities on both sides of the river.

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Message from Stephen Hazell, CEO of Sierra Club Canada‏

MPCA executives received the following note from Stephen Hazell, CEO of the Sierra Club Canada, as part of an ongoing dialogue with him about the bridge study.  This note adds some clarification to and adds further concern about the recent changes to the Environmental Assessment Act implemented by the federal government.
———–
Colleagues

Some of you may have seen yesterday’s Globe and Mail. For those who did not, here’s the link: www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090321.ASSESS21/TPStory/

Here is a lengthier explanation of what I was getting at. It appears that John Baird and Jim Prentice have made the necessary changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) and Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) regulations to allow them to eliminate any requirement for a federal environmental assessment of an Ottawa River bridge and related heavy truck route.

The changes to the NWPA (approved as part of the Budget Implementation Act) authorize the Minister of Transport to issue an order directing that a permit for any work that obstructs navigation (such as an Ottawa River bridge) is not required. If no permit is required under the NWPA, no federal environmental assessment under CEAA is required either. Under final regulations published in the Canada Gazette Part II last week (without any public notice) no federal environmental assessment is required for the proposed widening of a road if no more than two additional lanes are to be added, if the project is located within 300 metres of a transportation right-of-way and if laws and measures are in place to deal with environmentally sensitive areas (such as Kettle Island) located within 250 metres of the project.

Sounds like Kettle Island doesn’t it?

Stephen
———–

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An alternate route?

There have been a number of references in recent weeks to the fact that there may exist better options beyond the top three alternatives presented by ROCHE-NCE.  Each of the current alternatives has flaws – some to greater extents than others.

If there are better options, what would they look like?  And will the terms of reference for Phase 2 of the study permit further exploration of potentially better options?

Below is one suggested alternate route, a variation on Corridor 6 (Lower Duck), that just may be a more balanced option that could potentially better represent the broader needs of the National Capital Region.

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Overhaul of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

The federal government, as part of their attempt to stimulate the economy, has overhauled the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

From a Globe and Mail article on the topic:

On Thursday, the changes were revealed in the Canada Gazette. Effective immediately, and for the next two years, numerous types of projects will not require a federal environmental assessment in certain circumstances. They include construction and remodelling of community buildings, water treatment and distribution systems, transit, road construction and waste management projects.

“When you look at the exclusion list … [it's] big enough to run your rapid transit through. I mean, the loopholes [are] major opportunities for abuse,” Stephen Hazell, the executive director of Sierra Club Canada, said yesterday. “My reading of this … would allow [Ottawa MP] John Baird to authorize a bigger bridge over the Ottawa River and the highway up to it without any environmental assessment.”

The complete article can be found here:
Mar. 21, Globe and Mail: ‘Abuse’ foreseen in assessment exemptions

Given the sensitivity around the location of the bridge, this is cause for concern.  Although exactly how this regulation change will impact the next phase of the study is undetermined at this point.

What it does to is further murky the waters as to how exactly the NCC will proceed in the next phase of the study, reinforcing the importance of public consultation and transparency in determining the phase 2 terms of reference.

Will the NCC provide this public consultation and transparency around their process to define the terms of reference?  This is TBD, but it is important for the public to voice any concerns around this process before it is too late.

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Petition update from Mauril Bélanger

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

Presentation to the House of Commons of the latest petitions regarding future interprovincial crossings

OTTAWA, March 9, 2009 – The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, Member for Ottawa-Vanier, presented to the House of Commons today the rest of the petitions calling on the Government of Canada to require the National Capital Commission (NCC) to conduct a comprehensive study of a bridge linking Canotek Industrial Park to the Gatineau Airport. The MP has been presenting petitions since the end of November 2008, at nearly every sitting. Thousands of people have signed these petitions, on both sides of the river.

“I am delighted that the NCC’s Board of Directors unanimously adopted at a public meeting just over three weeks ago a resolution to proceed with Phase 2 of the environmental assessment of interprovincial crossings in the national capital region, specifically corridors 5 (Kettle Island), 6 (Lower Duck Island) and 7 (Gatineau Executive Airport – Canotek Industrial Park)”, stated Mr. Bélanger. “These petitions have apparently had a positive result and we can be very proud of this.”

On the Ontario side, the ideal corridor, in the opinion of Mr. Bélanger and many community members, should be west of the greenbelt and east of the R.O. Pickard water purification plant, close to the Canotek Industrial Park.

“I am glad that NCC has been made aware of my efforts, judging from its recent decision,” concluded the Member for Ottawa-Vanier.

Information:
Alexandre Mattard-Michaud
Office of the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, PC, MP
613-992-4766

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NCC’s official Phase 1 submission to the Board of Directors

I just came across the official submission to the NCC Board of Directors, posted on the NCC Interprovincial Crossings website. This is the NCC’s official document of record of the history and current state of the project upon the completion of Phase 1, and was presented to the NCC Board on February 13, 2009 for approval.

As noted on the NCC web:

The Board of Directors members approved the following:

The recommendations contained in the January 5, 2009, Interprovincial Crossings EA Study – Summary Report, by Roche-NCE, with the following amendments:

• In addition to the consultant’s recommendation to assess in detail the Kettle Island crossing, the corridors at Lower Duck Island and Gatineau Airport/McLaurin Bay be included in Phase 2 of the study, subject to approval by the three funding partners.

• The Board also approved that the commercial vehicles planning study to review interprovincial crossings and the ability to meet forecast demand be started in parallel to the EA study.

This document summarizes Phase 1 results, stakeholder recommendations, funding, impacts and risks, next steps, and includes an appendix with official correspondence with and documentation from MTO, MTQ, City of Ottawa, and City of Gatineau.

Click here to access the full document.

It’s a worthy read.

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