The City of Ottawa announced that is preparing to expand the Stage 2 LRT system with a package of three rail extensions that together make up the next phase of rapid rail transit in Ottawa.
The new expanded scope of Stage 2 will see the O-Train system reach farther to the east, west and south, extending efficient, more reliable light rail rapid transit to serve more customers in neighbourhoods across Ottawa.
Although the scope of our plans has gotten bigger, the budget for the Stage 2 LRT project remains CAD 3 billion (more than EUR 2 billion), as approved in 2015. In addition to the original plans for Confederation Line East and West and Trillium Line South, the city is including the new Moodie Extension within the original budget, extending Confederation Line West from Bayshore to Moodie, with a potential new Maintenance and Storage Facility in the Moodie Drive area.
Outside of the CAD 3 billion budget, two additional projects have been added that are conditional on receiving 100 per cent provincial and federal funding. For Trim Extension (extending Confederation Line East from Place d’Orléans to Trim) will be need CAD 160 million (EUR 115.5 million) and for Airport Rail Link (additional Trillium Line extension from South Keys to the Ottawa Airport), there will be needed CAD 155 million (EUR 111.9 million). The Trillium Line extension will be opened in 2021, the Confederation Line East in 2022, and the Confederation Line West in 2023.
When Stage 2 is fully complete in 2023, it will be added 38 km new rail and 23 new stations to Ottawa’s transit system, and over 70 per cent of the City’s population will live within five kilometres of affordable and convenient light rail transit.
As the original Stage 2 budget has not grown, the federal and provincial partners’ contributions are critical to these new extensions. The Ontario government has already announced its commitment to fund up to CAD 1 billion (EUR 721.7 million) of Stage 2 and half of the capital costs for both the Trim and Airport extensions. The City is currently in discussion with the Government of Canada, with the goal of receiving a formal funding commitment on their part.
Share on:
