Public Works and Infrastructure Committee

WHEREAS according to the Official Plan, 47% of the City’s growth is projected to occur through intensification, putting pressure on the transportation networks within existing communities; and WHEREAS many neighbourhoods within the Outer Urban Transect are prime candidates for intensification, with features that include wide, deep lots; an aging population; proximity to Ottawa’s urban areas; and proximity to transit hubs; and WHEREAS road widening projects are neither feasible nor desirable in such communities, requiring investment in space-efficient modes of transportation (walking, cycling, transit) to meet mobility needs; and WHEREAS the Transportation Master Plan identifies two new programs that will support intensification by adding pedestrian and/or cycling facilities, namely the Road Urbanization program and the Mainstreet Improvement program; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that as part of the next update to the Transportation Master Plan, staff be directed to review the Road Urbanization and Mainstreet Improvement programs to identify potential opportunities to refine these programs to better support intensification in the Outer Urban Transect and other areas of the city that are experiencing, or likely to experience, rapid intensification; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the identification and prioritization of active transportation projects likewise consider the potential for intensification as one of the criteria in the next TMP Update.

WHEREAS Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) is a form of vehicle-based metrics which focuses on the movement and flow of vehicles, and which assesses roadway capacity and congestion from a vehicular perspective; and WHEREAS Personal Delay Index (PDI) is a form of people-based metrics which focuses on the movement and flow of people, and which highlights the efficiency of transit; and WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s use of the Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) is sometimes in tension with the broader goals of the Official Plan, and where the planning implications of vehicle-based metrics generally conflict with Ottawa’s strategic goals, namely, to shift towards sustainable transportation modes, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to support urban infill and transit-oriented development; and WHEREAS Transportation Master Plan Policy 8-6 states that the City should “avoid road or highway widenings that compete with rapid transit corridors unless all reasonable alternatives to address long-term travel demands have been exhausted”, yet certain road widening projects have been prioritized despite their apparent contradiction to Policy 8-6, due to the city’s reliance on Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) analysis; WHEREAS municipalities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal have shifted towards greater use of person-based metrics in their planning frameworks, with the shift supporting these cities’ broader strategic goals; and WHEREAS Ottawa has used “Multi-Modal Level of Service” since 2015 to assess level of s

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff be directed to review the need for and merit of extending the Baseline Transitway west, from the current terminus at Bayshore Station, to connect to Bells Corners, Kanata South and Stittsville, as part of the next update to the Transportation Master Plan.

WHEREAS the Leitrim Road Realignment (Limebank Road to Bank Street) is part of the Needs-Based Network; and WHEREAS the realignment is required due to the Ottawa International Airport Authority’s plans for a new southern runway; and WHEREAS the May 2018 report to Transportation Committee and Council (ACS2018-TSD-PLN-0003) on the Environmental Assessment for this project noted that the City may seek cost-sharing arrangements with the Airport Authority; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that federal funding and/or necessary land transfers for the Leitrim Road Realignment (Limebank Road to Bank Street) be pursued as part of the project planning.

WHEREAS the existing Prince of Wales Drive crossing of the Jock River is a high-speed four-lane road with paved shoulders and no dedicated facilities for active transportation users; and WHEREAS the crossing is critical for the transportation network in this area; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT for the next TMP Update, staff consider the addition of active transportation components to the Prince of Wales Drive crossing of the Jock River.

WHEREAS the transitway at Strandherd Drive is currently grade separated by an underpass, which includes a paved area behind raised curbs used as a shoulder and snow storage; and WHEREAS pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited from using the transitway; and WHEREAS some residents disregard the prohibition and use the underpass regardless, rather than crossing Strandherd Drive at Riocan Avenue; and WHEREAS the LRT Stage 3 to Barrhaven includes the addition of an active transportation element to the underpass; and WHEREAS the timeline for building the LRT Stage 3 to Barrhaven remains unknown; and WHEREAS the underpass would be an important connection between the commercial and residential areas on the two sides of Strandherd Drive; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT for the next TMP Update, staff consider the addition of active transportation elements to the Strandherd Drive transitway underpass.

WHEREAS the previous Origin-Destination household travel survey was conducted in 2022, and travel patterns are continuing to evolve post-pandemic in response to changing work arrangements, new infrastructure projects, and on-going growth and development; and WHEREAS the Origin-Destination survey data is a key input to the Transportation Master Plan; and WHEREAS the City will be updating the Official Plan growth projections based on the Ministry of Finance population projections; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City, in partnership with other transportation agencies in the National Capital Region, collect new Origin-Destination travel survey data to provide insight into the ongoing evolution of travel patterns citywide; and AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Transportation Master Plan Capital Infrastructure Plan be updated once the Official Plan growth projections are complete and new Origin-Destination travel survey data is available.

City recently completed a feasibility study for a pathway in the Poole Creek corridor, funded in part through the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund. This study identified a new pathway connection through a hydro corridor from Stittsville Main Street to the Amberwood community at Springbrook Drive. Staff are directed to ensure that this project is considered as a candidate Active Transportation Project as part of the next TMP update.

That staff be directed to incorporate the following items for review and re-consideration as part of the next refresh of the TMP Capital Infrastructure: That staff evaluate a phased approach to the urbanization of Tenth Line Road from Harvest Valley Avenue to the future E-1 community, with a focus on: Phase 1: Harvest Valley Avenue to Sweetvalley Drive, to accommodate near-term growth and the new school with frontage on Tenth Line; Phase 2: Sweetvalley Drive to the future E-1 lands, recognizing that these lands are expected to develop 5–10 years later and may be timed accordingly. That staff review the Navan Road Widening project (from Renaud Road to the Blackburn Hamlet Bypass, including urbanization) for re-prioritization, including a strategy to address project timing uncertainties related to the receivership of adjacent lands and the required sewer servicing works that may affect project delivery.

That, as part of the next TMP Update, staff be directed to review and score the widening of the segment of Brian Coburn Boulevard from Tenth Line Road to Trim Road for potential inclusion in the Needs-Based and/or Priority Networks of the Transportation Master Plan Part 2 Capital Infrastructure Plan.

That staff review the timing of the Albion Road widening (currently in the Needs-based Network) as part of the next Transportation Master Plan update, in anticipation of planned growth in the south and potential traffic generators such as the newly expanding Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

WHEREAS Section 5 “Comments and Themes that Did Not Yield Changes” of the TMP Phase 5 Change Report, in response to comments expressing “Interest in and support for rapid transit projects along existing rail corridors”, staff indicated that: “In particular, the Beachburg rail corridor from Kanata North to the Ottawa International Airport should continue to be considered for future rail use. From a land use perspective, it intersects multiple Mainstreet Corridors that already have high-rise permissions under the Official Plan. In the future, as the City’s population increases, [the Beachburg rail corridor] could catalyze additional transit-oriented development in the Outer Urban Transect, supporting intensification where it is already planned and desired. From a mobility and economic development standpoint, this corridor would offer a direct transit connection between significant employment and travel hubs, including the Kanata North Technology Park and the Ottawa International Airport.”; and WHEREAS staff’s rationale for foregoing any immediate consideration of the Beachburg rail corridor for transit is that the corridor was well below minimum ridership thresholds for the 2046 horizon based current population projections from the Official Plan; and WHEREAS new development, beyond that contemplated in the current Official Plan, may support a dedicated transit facility within the Beachburg rail corridor over the long-term, including but not limited to development associated wit

WHEREAS the active transportation networks provide vital connections between communities and increase access for residents to move around their communities; and WHEREAS the East Light Rail Transit Extension will soon bring increased connectivity and access to transit in the east end; and WHEREAS the Ottawa River Pathway in the north, Innes Road in the middle, and the future Brian Coburn Boulevard extension, with cycling infrastructure in the south, provide critical east-west connections for Orléans residents to and from the city; and WHEREAS active transportation connections that run perpendicular, north-south through Orléans, are lacking; and WHEREAS the continuation of cycling infrastructure, along Orléans Boulevard, from Boyer Road to Innes Road, would complete this connection, and greatly bolster the north-south cycling connections through Orléans; and WHEREAS separated or buffered cycling facilities on Orléans Boulevard, from the Ottawa River Pathway to Boyer Road, are included in the Transportation Master Plan, Active Transportation Projects have been prioritized in the first phase, and planning is already underway; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee direct staff to include a feasibility study of extending the cycling facilities to Innes Road, as part of the current cycling infrastructure project along Orléans Boulevard (Ottawa River Pathway to Boyer Road); and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff be directed to consider implementat

WHEREAS the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) includes active transportation projects that aim to provide safe infrastructure for vulnerable road users; and WHEREAS children and youth walking and cycling to school are considered some of the most vulnerable road users; and WHEREAS the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board recently restructured their catchment areas, which may alter the walking and cycling routes for children and youth; and WHEREAS these recent changes were not considered in developing the prioritized list of Active Transportation projects in the TMP. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff be directed to identify any sidewalk or cycling projects that would have ranked higher under the new school catchment areas and consider these projects for implementation within phase 1 through the annual budget process.

WHEREAS Prince of Wales Drive is an important route for commuters in the growing communities of Barrhaven, Manotick, and Riverside South, among others; and WHEREAS Table B2 (Priority Road Network) in the TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan identifies different sections of Prince of Wales Drive for capacity projects or urbanization projects as follows: Between Meadowlands and Colonnade – phase 2 urbanization project Between Colonnade and West Hunt Club – phase 2 capacity project Between Deakin and Amberwood – phase 1 capacity project Between Amberwood and Merivale – phase 2 urbanization project Between Merivale and Barnstone – phase 2 capacity project; and WHEREAS the widening of Prince of Wales Drive between Amberwood Crescent and Merivale Road is part of the Needs-Based Road Network; and WHEREAS the Network Modification Program includes “intersection improvements and/or targeted widening to reduce congestion around the intersection” at Prince of Wales and Fallowfield; and WHEREAS Prince of Wales has multiple commuting routes from the south converging at Prince of Wales and Fallowfield to head to and/from the north; and, WHEREAS the urbanization project between Amberwood and Merivale was added following the TMP Phase 5 consultation because of the notable gap for active transportation between the two widening projects; and WHEREAS the 2011 Environmental Assessment for the Prince of Wales widening identified the need for sound barriers along several segments of the corridor; THEREF

WHEREAS the Barrhaven Light Rail Transit and Rail Grade Separation Planning and Environmental Assessment study was completed on October 16, 2024; and WHEREAS recommendation number 4 of the LRT Public Inquiry Report states “Public entities should avoid, wherever possible, introducing complexity into the major components of the project”; and WHEREAS the recommended alignment between Knoxdale and Sportsplex Stations was shifted from west of Woodroffe Avenue to over Woodroffe Avenue, thereby introducing complexity into the project; and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT if and when the LRT Stage 3 Barrhaven proceeds, a value engineering exercise be conducted on the alignment between Knoxdale and Sportsplex Stations, to determine if a straight alignment would be better; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the value engineering exercise also evaluate the impact of a straight alignment west of Woodroffe Avenue on the potential for future housing development, particularly at the municipally-owned greenfield at Woodroffe and Knoxdale, and also seek to preserve opportunities for residential intensification in the area wherever possible; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the value engineering would also explore ways to mitigate the cost of expropriation and the impact to residents as a result of this change. For (4) M. Luloff, S. Desroches, W. Lo, and Councillor Isabelle Skalski Against (7) L. Dudas, G. Gower, T. Tierney, C. Kitts, S. Devine, J. Bradley, and A. Troster

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa, during the 2018 to 2022 term of Council, has acknowledged and voted in favour of the STO tram, currently in the planning stages and funded by the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada (total project cost $3.5 billion) with the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and rejecting bridge-based options that are likely to induce additional travel demand; and WHEREAS the National Capital Commission (NCC) is conducting a public survey concerning a potential interprovincial bridge crossing, yet concerns have been raised about the methodological integrity of the survey, and the most recent cost estimate for the proposed bridge exceeds $3 billion; and WHEREAS the federal government’s interprovincial crossing study relies on Origin-Destination (OD) survey data collected in 2022, with roadside truck survey results from 2023; and WHEREAS the federal government has indicated publicly a reduction in the federal government workforce; and WHEREAS the federal government has identified a number of federal properties as surplus, including assets such as the Place du Portage complex, which is in a state of disrepair and could be considered for repurposing or redevelopment in support of municipal infrastructure goals; and WHEREAS the federal government has prioritized nation-building transportation infrastructure projects such as the high-speed rail corridor between Quebec City and Toronto, in which Ottawa is confirmed as a designated station; and W

That the Tierney motion on National Transportation Priorities and Southern Ring Road be

WHEREAS the Transportation Master Plan Part 2 outlines a long-range capital infrastructure plan to guide road and transit investment tied to growth to 2046, including in suburban expansion areas across Ottawa; and WHEREAS suburban wards are experiencing rapid population and housing growth, with multiple expansion areas advancing through the development approvals process; and WHEREAS transportation infrastructure, including arterial roads and transit service, has not consistently kept pace with development pressures, creating congestion and impacting the delivery of complete streets and communities; and WHEREAS approving growth in advance of transportation infrastructure delivery risks compounding long-term servicing gaps and undermining citywide policy objectives; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Planning and Development staff be directed to review and report on the feasibility of establishing transportation infrastructure conditions that must be satisfied before subdivision or high-density development applications can be approved in suburban expansion area lands; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT such conditions be based on measurable factors including arterial road capacity, transit service availability, and the feasibility of achieving targeted modal share outcomes, and be designed to ensure that growth approvals are aligned with the timely delivery of supporting transportation infrastructure; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT staff report back to the appropriate Standing Committ

WHEREAS the City will be submitting an Integrated Regional Plan to the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) Metro-Region Agreement Stream following approval of the TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan; and WHEREAS the Cumberland Transitway is the highest priority transitway project for which planning and design work is required prior to implementation (including an update to the Environmental Assessment); and WHEREAS the CPTF Metro-Region Agreement Stream provides significant funding for planning and design costs (up to 80% of eligible costs); THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that both segments of the Cumberland Transitway be identified as the top priority for CPTF planning and design; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City share of planning and design funding for both segments of the Cumberland Transitway be identified through the annual budget process.

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Part 2 identifies a list of comprehensive transportation projects required to support continued population and employment growth to 2046; and WHEREAS many of these comprehensive transportation projects are in high-growth suburban areas such as Orléans South, where existing communities have been developing without this required infrastructure; and WHEREAS the City has historically recovered the cost of infrastructure through development charges (DCs), but construction of the required transportation infrastructure has historically failed to keep pace with the expansion of both population and employment growth; and WHEREAS using debt financing to construct assets with a long service life, especially with the pending statutory delay in the timing of the collection of fees, to be funded from future DC revenues can serve as a responsible and targeted cash flow tool to accelerate delivery of major infrastructure with long-term community and economic benefit; and WHEREAS the social contract with new communities—reflected in previous studies forecasted the delivery of specific comprehensive transportation infrastructure that have yet in some cases to materialize; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff be directed to evaluate and report back on the expanded use of debt as a financing mechanism to accelerate construction of projects identified in the TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the evaluation