Report to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
1 November 2005 / le 1 novembre 2005
Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Vivi Chi, Manager, Transportation and
Infrastructure Policy Division/ Division de la planification du transport et de
l'infrastructure
Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
Policy/Politiques d’urbanisme, d’environnement et d’infrastructure
(613) 580-2424 x 21877, Vivi.Chi@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Transportation Committee recommend Council receive the attached draft Statement of Work for the Environmental Assessment Study of the Future Interprovincial Crossings in the National Capital Region.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des transports
recommande au Conseil de prendre connaissance de l'énoncé prélimininaire des
travaux ci-joint concernant l'évaluation environnementale des futurs ponts
interprovinciaux dans la région de la capitale nationale.
BACKGROUND
Continuing growth in population, employment, and
tourism on both sides of the Ottawa River is having a direct impact on the
capacity of the interprovincial transportation network in the National Capital
Region (NCR). In order to ensure the
safe, efficient, and sustainable mobility of people and goods, the capacity
deficiencies of this network need to be evaluated and corrected. This Environmental Assessment (EA) study
will look at options for providing the needed additional interprovincial
capacity to serve the NCR over the next 20 years and beyond.
This report outlines the general scope of work for an EA study to be
undertaken for future interprovincial crossings. The study will utilize a two-phase approach. Phase 1 of the EA process includes the
development of the study Terms of Reference for the approval of the Ontario
Ministry of the Environment (MOE). It
will also focus on the need assessment of these facilities, the alternative
transportation options that are available, the identification and evaluation of
appropriate corridors for the crossings, and the assessment of their
impacts. The following Phase 2 will
emphasize the development of conceptual and preliminary designs for these
crossings and their alignments within the selected corridors, the mitigation
plan and the development of project costs.
The National Capital Commission (NCC), the Ministère des transports
du Québec (MTQ) and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) have formed a
partnership to conduct this EA study, with the NCC taking on the lead role for
project administration. The City of
Ottawa and the City of Gatineau are among the primary stakeholders to be
consulted throughout this process. City
staff have reviewed and commented on the Statement of Work. The English and French copies of the draft
Statement of Work are included with this report as Documents 1 and 2,
respectively.
The EA study will address the federal and the two provincial
(Ontario and Quebec) environmental assessment requirements.
DISCUSSION
Study Area
The study area is the Ottawa River corridor, defined by the urban
and non-urban areas straddling the Ottawa and Gatineau shorelines of the Ottawa
River within both municipal boundaries.
Study Scope
This EA study will examine all feasible future interprovincial
crossing locations and associated links with roadway and highway networks in
Ottawa and Gatineau. Corridor options
include but are not limited to the following: Kanata-Aylmer,
Britannia-Deschênes, Lemiex Island, Kettle Island, Petrie Island, MacLaurin Bay,
and Cumberland-Masson.
The study will consider mid and long-term planning horizons and a
balanced examination of options that will help relieve interprovincial traffic
congestion and promote integrated land use and transportation development as
well as inter-modal linkages and access to key activity and growth areas.
Along with the development and evaluation of new interprovincial
facilities, the study will take into account alternative transportation options
to enhance the capacity and maximize the use of existing infrastructure, for
example: Travel Demand Management (TDM), Transportation Systems Management
(TSM), diversion of goods movement from the Core Area to peripheral areas of
the NCR.
Comprehensive assessment of impacts, extensive public and
stakeholder consultations, development of mitigation plans, costing of the
recommended solution(s), and a preliminary implementation-phasing plan will be
undertaken.
Study Deliverables
The duration of this study is approximately 3 years. The primary documents that will be produced
are: the MOE Terms of Reference; the
Project Definition Report; the Environmental Screening Report; the
Environmental Study Report (ESR). These
reports are required to address the federal and two provincial EA processes and
to obtain the required environmental assessment approvals.
The ESR is the comprehensive report that documents the entire
environmental assessment, including consultation, which resulted in the
recommended project solution.
Conceptual and preliminary design plans of the recommended solution(s),
including profiles and property requirements, will be produced. The ESR will also identify the approvals
that would be required to advance the project into the implementation phase, as
well as the process to address changes to the project once the EA is completed
and approved.
Study Management & Administration
The NCC leads the administration of this study, with partnership and
joint funding contributions from the MTO and MTQ. The cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, although not funding partners,
have major involvement in the process as well.
All five agencies have representation on the Project Steering Committee
(senior management) and the Project Team, which provides guidance to the
consultant team.
Transportation Committee and Council
Following this report on the Statement of Work, the next report to
Committee and Council will address the Terms of Reference for MOE
approval. Update reporting is also
scheduled at key stages in the study.
Findings and recommendations at the conclusion of each phase of this
two-phase study will be presented to Committee and Council for approval.
Current Status and Next Steps
On 28 September 2005, the NCC initiated the Request for
Pre-qualifications proposal call to the consulting industry. Respondents will describe their team,
expertise and experience suitable to conduct an EA of this complexity. Deadline for submissions is 8 November 2005. By early December, the short-listed
pre-qualified firms will be invited to submit a more detailed proposal specific
to this project including study tasks, schedule, and cost.
CONSULTATION
Consultation with the general public is not necessary for the preparation of the Statement of Work. In accordance with EA legislation, public and agency consultation will occur during the development of the study Terms of Reference (ToR) as well as during the EA Study. A comprehensive consultation program will be developed by the EA consultant at that time and will be presented to Committee for consideration. Generally, the public will be consulted in the Ottawa and Gatineau portions of the study area at key stages. A Public Advisory Committee (community associations and special interest groups) as well as a Technical Advisory Committee (government agencies) will be established to complement the usual project study open houses/public meetings. A project website will also be developed to enhance and broaden the communication program.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The NCC and the Ontario and Quebec ministries of transportation are funding the EA Study equally.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document
1 (Appendix A) Statement of Work
- Environmental Assessment Study of Future Interprovincial Crossings in
Canada’s Capital Region (distributed separately)
Document 2 (Annexe A) Énoncé des travaux – Étude
d’évaluation environnementale des futures liaisons interprovinciales dans la
région de la capitale du (distribuée
séparément)
DISPOSITION
City staff will work closely with the NCC, MTO, MTQ, and the City of Gatineau to select a consultant to undertake the EA study. Staff will continue to participate in the study to ensure that the City’s interests are protected and report back to Transportation Committee (with the study team) on project updates at key points in the study.