Current status

Environmental assessment: approved, February 13, 2008

Project summary

The purpose of the undertaking is for the proposed extension of the Southwest Transitway Project from Strandherd Drive to Cambrian Road.

Proponent

City of Ottawa

Location

City of Ottawa

Type

Transit

Reference number

05066

Contact

Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: January 5, 2007
Expiry of public comment period: February 23, 2007
Expiry of public comment period for Ministry Review: July 20, 2007
Decision date: February 13, 2008

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: March 11, 2005
Expiry of public comment period: April 15, 2005
Decision date:June 1, 2005

Environmental assessment

The City of Ottawa submitted an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed extension of the Southwest Transitway Project from Strandherd Drive to Cambrian Road to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for public and government review, as required under the provincial Environmental Assessment Act (EAA).

The EA was required to be submitted under the EAA in order for the City of Ottawa to obtain the Minister’s approval to construct and operate a transitway system from Strandherd Drive at the South Nepean Town Centre to Cambrian Drive within the planned South Barrhaven Community.

A Notice of Completion of the ministry’s Review was published on June 11, 2007. The five-week public comment period on the Review expired on July 20, 2007, during which time any person could make comments about the proposed undertaking, the EA, and the ministry’s Review.

On February 13, 2008 the Minister with Cabinet’s concurrence approved the Ottawa southwest transit facility subject to conditions of approval. All comments received by the ministry were taken into consideration prior to a decision being made on the undertaking. All those who commented on the EA or the ministry’s Review will receive notice of the decision.

Terms of reference

Background

In May 2003, the City of Ottawa adopted a new Official Plan (OP) that projected a population increase from 800,000 to 1,200,000 people by 2021, a level of growth that will open new opportunities and challenges for the City and its residents. The OP sets out a growth management strategy that emphasizes urban intensification and increased mixed-use development focused on rapid transit as a key means to address travel demand and provided effective alternatives to automobile use for peak period travel. To support this strategy, the City approved its new Transportation Master Plan (TMP) in September 2003. The TMP establishes objectives for transit use that would see the overall peak hour transit modal split increase from 17% to 30% over the life of the OP. The TMP identifies an expanded rapid transit network as a key component to achieving this objective.

The Study Area includes the South Nepean Town Centre (SNTC) area of the South Urban Community (SUC). The SUC is one of the three major urban development areas located outside the Greenbelt and is comprised of Barrhaven and the developing SNTC and Riverside South. Over the next twenty years, the population of the SUC is expected to grow to four times its current level (42,000 to 172,000) while the number of jobs in the area is expected to grow from 5,300 to 49,000 (approximately nine times its current level). A significant component of the future growth of the SUC will take place in the SNTC.

The TMP and the more detailed 2003 Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES) identified an overall rapid transit network, with the extended Southwest Transitway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the future Chapman Mills Drive (formerly Main Street) Light Rail Transit (LRT) as the transit focus for the SNTC. The transportation needs of the SNTC will be complemented by the addition of the Greenbank Road and Chapman Mills Drive corridors to address vehicle movement requirements.

Description of the undertaking being proposed

The purpose of the undertaking is: to respond to growth pressures by providing adequate transportation capacity in the study area; and, to support the growth of Ottawa as a liveable and economically viable city by planning infrastructure and services that are required to encourage sustainable land use practices, support desired modal shifts, prevent unacceptable congestion and delay, and minimize air pollution.