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To / Destinataire
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Chair and
Members of Transportation Committee/
Présidente et
Membres du Comité des transports
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File/N°
de fichier:
ACS2006-PGM-POL-0081
Updated
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From / Expéditeur
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John L. Moser
Acting Deputy City
Manager
Planning and Growth
Management/
Directeur
municipal adjoint par intérim
Urbanisme et
Gestion de la croissance
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Subject
/ Objet
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Status of
Major Transportation Environmental Assessments (EAs) /
État des études environnemental importantes en
matière de transport
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Date:
11 October 2006
le
11 octobre 2006
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This memorandum has been updated as of October 18, 2006
pursuant to directions received at Committee.
On 04 October 2006, several inquires
were made at the Transportation Committee meeting regarding the status of
specific EAs such as the East-West LRT, Rideau-Montréal LRT, Carling LRT and
Interprovincial Bridges Study. Further
to direction given by the Transportation Committee, this memo also provides a
brief update on the status of other major transportation EAs currently underway
or about to begin this year.
A more comprehensive
status report on the East-West LRT EA (detailing the technical findings to
date, public comments and study team responses etc.) will be prepared and
presented to Transportation Committee in early 2007. Pending feedback from Committee on the work done to date by staff
and the project consultants, and further consultation with the public and other
government agencies, the study’s final recommendations could be ready for
presentation to Committee by mid 2007.
East-West LRT EA (Orleans to
Kanata)
Council and
Transportation Committee Decisions To Date
- February 2003: Council approved the
Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES)
- East-West LRT corridor was
identified at a strategic level, as part of an overall transportation
network
- Rationale for this corridor was
described
- July 2003: Council received the findings of the Ottawa Rapid Transit
Expansion Program (ORTEP) Implementation Strategy
- East-West LRT corridor and the
North-South LRT were identified as critical projects to meet the
implementation timeframe for light rail projects
- EA studies were recommended to be
initiated immediately
- September 2003: Council approved the Transportation
Master Plan as a supporting document to the City’s Official Plan
- TMP included the findings of RTES
and ORTEP
- April 2004: Committee approved the Statement of
Work (SoW) which outlined the scope of the EA study to be undertaken
- Study limits and the corridor were
presented, including study rationale
- Based on Committee’s approval of
the SoW, a consultant team was retained to carry out the study (Delcan Corporation).
- February 2005: Committee was presented with the
study’s Terms of Reference (a requirement of the Ontario Environmental
Assessment Act)
- The Terms of Reference (ToR) were
developed with input from the study’s consultation groups as well as the
general public (meetings and open houses took place in November and
December 2004)
- The ToR identified various
alignments to be examined in the EA
- Committee directed the Study Team
to re-consult with the public
- May 2005: Committee approved the re-submitted ToR (Council approval in
June 2005)
- Approved ToR had relatively minor
editorial modifications to the original version
- ToR was approved by the Ministry
of the Environment (MOE) in September 2005, with no changes
- Study team proceeded with the
detailed analysis and evaluation required of an EA, in accordance with
the MOE approved ToR
Study Activities
Undertaken
- November 2005: A series of meetings with the study’s
consultation groups (Public, Agency, Business) and the general public
(through open houses) took place to present the study area’s existing
conditions, alternative solutions to the transportation problem
(do-nothing, road, and transit solutions). Transit was confirmed as the preferred solution for this
project.
- February 2006: A special meeting was held with the
Air-Quality subgroup of the study’s Public Consultation Group. The issues discussed pertained to air
quality predictions and monitoring.
- May 2006: A series of meetings with the study’s consultation groups
and general public took place to present all corridor alignments that were
investigated, the technology comparisons, and the technically preferred
alignment and technology.
- June 2006 to Present: The Study Team is carrying out the
detailed functional planning/designing and refining the technically
preferred alignment - based on comments received to date. Meetings with stakeholders continue
(examples: Blackburn Hamlet
Community Association, Scotiabank Place, MTO, Parks Canada, etc). Staff
will be providing a detailed update of this work and seek direction from
Committee in early 2007 prior to any further formal public consultation. A
final round of public open houses is planned before finalizing the study
recommendations for Committee and Council’s consideration (mid 2007).
- To date, $1.8M has been spent on
this study. Between now and the
end of the year, the study team is continuing with the detailed functional
planning and refinement of the corridor. By year-end, it is expected that a further $300,000 will have
been incurred for work.
Carling Corridor LRT EA and Rideau-Montreal Corridor LRT EA:
These independent projects make up the two remaining
east-west LRT links in the Council-approved transportation network. They will connect to other corridors
(including the East-West LRT (Orleans
to Kanata) project) to provide access options and flexibility for
transit users. After all three
east-west studies are completed, Council will decide on the implementation
priority for each project.
Committee approved the Statements of Work for Carling and
Rideau-Montréal studies in May 2006.
Consultant teams have just been selected (Delcan for the Carling study;
the team of Morrison Hershfield and Marshall Macklin Monaghan for the
Rideau-Montreal study). Terms of
References will be prepared for each, with presentations to Committee and
Council for approval by Spring 2007.
North-South LRT
EA (University of Ottawa to Barrhaven Town Centre):
Federal and
Provincial EA approval has been received for the original EA (Rideau Centre to
Barrhaven Town Centre). An Addendum to
the EA has been completed for the extension to the University and to allow car
traffic back onto MacKenzie King Bridge.
A report on the Addendum was presented to Transportation Committee on 18
October 2006. The Addendum will now be
finalized and submitted for provincial and federal approval.
Interprovincial
Transit Integration (Core Area) EA:
Consultant proposals
are currently being evaluated and it is expected that the study can get
underway before year-end. The Terms of
Reference will be presented to Committee and Council for approval by mid
2007. A change in project management
(previously National Capital Commission were to lead) now has this study being
jointly chaired between the City of Ottawa and STO. All three agencies (the
City, STO, and the NCC) are contributing 1/3 to the study ($350,000 each). Committee approved the Statement of Work in
October 2004.
Interprovincial
Crossings EA:
The NCC is leading this study, with equal funding
contributions from the MTO and MTQ. The
NCC presented the study’s Statement of Work to Committee in November 2005. A consultant team has been selected and
contract award is awaiting Treasury Board approval – at which time the
consultant will be named. The City has
representation on the study’s Steering Committee as well as the Core Study
Team. Consultation and communication of
study progress will be a major effort for the NCC and its provincial
partners. The Terms of Reference will
be presented to Committee in 2007.
Innes-Walkley
Link EA and Hunt Club
Extension EA:
National Capital
Engineering (NCE) is the consulting firm doing these studies. Several meetings and open houses have been
held with the general public and government agencies. Refinements to the alignment are taking place with on-going
discussions with the NCC and the MTO.
This work can wrap up in 2007.
One final open house will be held before presenting the study
recommendations to Committee and Council.
Campeau Drive
Widening EA (Didsbury Road to March Road):
A final open house is
scheduled for late 2006. The consultant
team is Morrison Hershfield.
Presentation of the study recommendations to Committee and Council will
be in March/April 2007.
Eagleson Road
Widening EA (Cope Drive to Hope Side Road):
A final open house is scheduled for late 2006. The consultant team is Dillon. Presentation of the study recommendations to
Committee and Council will be in March/April 2007.
Jockvale Road Widening EA (Rideau River to Prince of Wales)
The Statement of Work was presented to Committee on 18
October 2006. The process to retain the
consultant will be initiated shortly.
Original signed by
John L. Moser
STATUS
OF MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS (EAs)
ÉTAT DES ÉTUDES D’ÉVALUATION ENVIRONNEMENTALE IMPORTANTES EN MATIÈRE DE
TRANSPORT
Councillor Stavinga suggested Councillor Bloess speak to the notice
of motion he presented at the last committee meeting, which triggered this
Information Previously Distributed (IPD) item coming to the Committee at this
meeting.
Councillor Bloess agreed that an update on the status of all the
Environmental Assessments (EAs) was the best way to begin, with his motion following
subsequent to this in terms of trying to open up the Terms of Reference of the
East-West LRT EA and figuring out the most appropriate way to open up the EA
and get some of the corridors, which were ruled out back on the table.
Councillor Legendre agreed that this IPD was an organized way to
look at the various EAs currently being undertaken and thanked staff for the
Update.
With regards to the Carling Corridor LRT EA and the Rideau-Montréal
Corridor LRT EA, Councillor Legendre noted that consultant teams have just been
selected. However, he expressed concern
that the Committee was not provided with the names of the consultant
teams. At the request of the
Councillor, Staff agreed to provide the names and contact information for the
selected consultant teams to all members of the Committee.
With regards to the Interprovincial Transit Integration (Core Area)
EA, Councillor Legendre asked for some background on why and when the project
management had changed.
Dennis Jacobs, Director, Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
Policy, Planning and Growth Management Services, stated that the management of
the project was changed from National Capital Commission (NCC) management to
Joint City of Ottawa-STO management roughly a year ago. He indicated that the change occurred
because the NCC was unable to secure support for funding from the Treasury
Board that did not recognize the NCC as having a role in transit. He explained that the only way the project
could have moved forward was under the leadership of the City of Ottawa in
partnership with the City of Gatineau, STO and the other stakeholders. He noted that there were a number of issues
beyond the City’s control that have resulted in this project not moving as quickly
as anticipated.
Councillor Legendre expressed confusion at the fact that the City of
Ottawa is jointly chairing the project with STO, rather than the City of
Gatineau, as the two organizations are not equivalent. Mr. Jacobs explained that, whereas in Ottawa
since amalgamation transit services are a responsibility of City Council, that
same situation does not exist in Gatineau.
Thus the City of Ottawa represents the transit authority in Ottawa, and
they are dealing with the STO, which is the transit authority in Gatineau.
In response to Councillor Legendre’s question as to why the IPD
states one third of the funding would be provided by the NCC, when Mr. Jacobs
in his earlier remark indicated that federal funds were not coming in. Mr. Jacobs agreed that this funding formula
would require further investigation.
With reference to the Interprovincial Crossings EA, Councillor
Legendre again asked that Committee Members be provided with the names of the
consulting teams that had been chosen.
Regarding the East-West LRT EA, Councillor Bloess appreciated that
the IPD presented complies with the first half of the motion he introduced at
the last meeting which directed staff to report on the status of the East/West
LRT EA, and noted that it went even further by giving the status of all the EAs.
With regards to the second half of his motion, which recommended
that the East/West LRT EA be frozen until Council can consider alternative
corridors for inclusion in the study, Councillor Bloess asked for guidance on
how to get the door back open through Committee and Council to look at some of
the other options to see whether they should have been eliminated and how to
get them back on the table.
Chair Stavinga understood that there would be an opportunity when
the report update would be provided in early 2007, at which point Committee
could put forward amendments. She
stated that staff had assured her that there is nothing happening right now
that would preclude or prevent Committee in the future to change a path, for
example. In response to concerns from
Councillor Bloess, Chair Stavinga clarified that the upcoming report in early
2007 is an interim report, not the final report, and assured Councillor Bloess
that there would still be sufficient ability and flexibility to change the
course.
At the request of Councillor Bloess, Mr. Jacobs agreed that staff
would endeavour to provide in the upcoming report the issues and the rationale
with respect to the corridors that were eliminated for Committee and Council
consideration. He noted that, at that
point, Committee would not just be looking at individual corridors, but would
need to look at the entire Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES) as a
network. He also noted that staff is
working up to refresh the City’s Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan
(TMP) in 2008, so this would be a good opportunity to revisit that kind of
work.
Councillor Legendre expressed concern that money is still being
spent on the East-West LRT EA Project until the interim report and questioned
why, if there was agreement amongst Councillors that change was needed, and
they were waiting to give staff new direction.
Mr Jacobs explained that the EAs and the corridors, while they are
studied individually, are dealt with as a part of an overall network, so to
deal with a specific piece or a leg of that network without consideration of
the broader perspective could perhaps cause problems for the overall principles
and objectives in the network. He
agreed that money is being spent in forwarding an Environmental Assessment
towards a conclusion. However, he
explained that unless there is a change on the direction made by Council to say
they are no longer supporting the framework that is in the RTES, staff is not
in a position to change a great deal.
Councillor
Legendre wondered when the “Lame Duck” phase of Council began. Chair Stavinga explained that the City
Solicitor has assured her that the lame duck provision would not kicked in for
this Council because of the estimated number of returning councillors.
Councillor
Legendre suggested that this Council, before the Election, should then give the
study some new direction as soon as possible, because if it does get changed,
some money could likely be saved.
Chair Stavinga
explained that when she initially went to staff about this issue, staff had
indicated that they could probably bring something forward on November 15. However, she was concerned that given at
that point the election would have occurred and she did not think it was
appropriate for the Committee to be dealing with a matter of that magnitude at
the end of this Council with the new Council literally two weeks away.
Chair Stavinga
maintained that staff had assured her that nothing is happening in the next
couple of months that would be closing doors and ringing up the cash register.
She asked Mr.
Jacobs if he could provide some greater follow up from his staff in order to
provide that additional assurances and confidence to members of the Committee
who feel that they have to react now, thinking that there is a lot of activity
still underway.
In response to a
question from Councillor Cullen, Mr. Jacobs confirmed that the reference in the
IPD of a meeting in “early 2007” referred to the first regular business meeting
after the new Council is constituted in January 2007.
Councillor Cullen
expressed concern that the current EA is fundamentally flawed because it is not
proposing rapid transit corridors, due to the corridors involving mixed
traffic. However, he suggested that
there was plenty of time to do it right.
He added that the information does need to come out because it is an
election issue, and people want to know what is happening with the East-West
LRT EA.
In response to a
question from Councillor El-Chantiry, Chair Stavinga noted that the IPD is not
scheduled to go to Council, but was circulated to all members of City
Council. Councillor Bloess suggested he
would be bringing forward a motion to direct that the IPD be forwarded to
Council for information.
Councillor
Stavinga noted that Mr. Jacobs would endeavour to ensure that the IPD that goes
to Council includes the names of the consulting teams, as requested by
Councillor Legendre.
In response to a
question from Councillor El Chantiry, Mr. Jacobs explained that any directive
to stop feeding money into the project would have to come by way of a motion of
Council because it was a motion of Council that initiated the work.
Councillor
Stavinga requested that Mr. Jacobs also provide, for clarity, information on
what work is being done before January and how much that will cost.
Moved
by R. Bloess:
1.
That this Report be forwarded to City Council for information.
2.
That staff be directed to include in the comprehensive status report on
the East-West LRT EA to be presented for consideration to Transportation
Committee and the newly elected City Council in January 2007 all corridors
considered in the evaluation process, as well as the rationale for proceeding
with certain corridors, while excluding others.
CARRIED
