On Tuesday morning, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe met with Ontario’s Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria in city hall as part of Sutcliffe’s Mayor’s Breakfast conversations. The two discussed issues surrounding transportation and public transit in Ottawa. 

During the meeting, Sarkaria expressed that he believed there was a “good case” for a ring road in Ottawa, and that the province was open to examining the possibility further. Sarkaria said that the conversations being had on the possibility are “very preliminary.” 

The OC Transpo LRT and provincial ownership of Highway 174 were the central topics discussed during Tuesday’s meeting at city hall. 

Sarkaria reiterated a promise made by Doug Ford during his visit to Ottawa on Monday, that the province will upload the cost of Ottawa’s LRT system. Ford met with Sutcliffe on the sidelines of a summit hosted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, where he said he made a commitment that Queen’s Park would take over the O-Train system. 

Sutcliffe confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that the province had also committed to taking ownership of Highway 174, which runs in the city’s east end. Shifting ownership of the highway will be a multi-step process, Sutcliffe said. 

Last summer, the city approved a plan for the next 20 years of transportation in Ottawa, dubbed the 2046 Transportation Master Plan. During the debates over what to include in the plan, Tierney advocated for the inclusion of a ring road. 

Plans for a ring road were not included in the plan which was released in July. Tierney welcomes the newfound openness from the province and the mayor towards a ring road as a turning point for the project. 

Tierney’s outlook on the future of such a project has changed like “night and day,” the Ward 11 councillor said. 

“I’m glad everyone’s seeing the light,” Tierney said. “I think we heard the public outcry, and now things are changing,” he added.

Constituents have come to Tierney with concerns over traffic congestion in the city, which Tierney said has reached a boiling point. Beyond that, implementing a ring road in the city would help to reduce pollution, he said. 

“If we can remove traffic from the 417, the 416, and move it around, it will make it much easier for everyone, cut down on pollution, and allow for people to spend more time at home,” Tierney said. 

The province has been receptive to concerns from Ottawa residents, which has led to the potential project being considered more seriously than it has been previously, by both the city and Queen’s Park. 

“I’m happy to hear it’s back on the radar,” Tierney said, “the province has certainly heard from residents in Ottawa.” The existence of a ring road comes hand in hand with an improved LRT system, the councillor added.

The O-Train, which has suffered significant technical and financial issues over the past year, being under provincial ownership is compatible with provincial assistance for a ring road project in the city, he said. 

Conversations between city officials and the province have picked up steam in recent months, Tierney said, bringing greater attention to the prospective project. 

“We’re definitely moving ahead… now things are changing,” Tierney said, expressing optimism as he described “talking quite a bit” with Minister Sarkaria.

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In Ottawa, some areas have already been affected by minor flooding. In low-lying areas, such as Petrie Island, roads have been closed as a precaution. 

“Residents who live along the Ottawa River and its tributaries are encouraged to stay informed, monitor conditions and initiate preparation plans as flooding conditions evolve,” the city said in a statement released on April 17. 

The city is organizing efforts to prevent flood damage by activating its Emergency Coordination Centre, or ECC, which will coordinate efforts across city agencies. Sandbag facilities have also been opened at multiple higher risk parts of the city, the statement said. 

The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, or the ORRPB issued a statement on April 17, warning that water levels will increase substantially in the coming days, and that the threshold for minor flooding has been exceeded in most flood prone areas across the Ottawa River’s basin.

Water levels should continue increasing in level over the weekend, and stabilize in levels by Monday, the Board said. 

Board officials said a rapid rise in water levels began at the beginning of April, as higher levels of snow and a rapid swing from colder to mild temperatures all contribute to the rise in flood risk across the river’s basin. 

“Water levels and flows continue to rise at all locations along the main stem of the Ottawa River as significant runoff from rainfall and snowmelt from the unregulated portion of the basin flow into the river,” the statement from the ORRPB said. 

Firefighters will be visiting homes and businesses in flood-prone parts of Ottawa, to assist residents with preparedness for early flooding this weekend. 

Officials from the City of Ottawa and the ORRPB are calling on residents to regularly check for updates on the status of flooding, and to prepare their homes while keeping children and pets away from streams or waterways.

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