Report to/Rapport au :

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee

Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique

and Council/et au Conseil

24 June 2002/ le 24 juin 2002

Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, General Manager/Directeur général

Development Services Department / Services d’aménagement

Contact/Personne-ressource : Réjean Chartrand, Director, Business Development/

Directeur, Développement des affaires

580-2424 ext 21696 , Réjean.Chartrand@ottawa.ca

Ref N°: ACS2002-DEV-BUS-0010

SUBJECT: THE FITZROY HARBOUR BOAT BY-PASS:
THE CONNECTING LINK TO THE TEMISKAWA WATERWAY

OBJET : SITE DE CONTOURNEMENT DE FITZROY HARBOUR :
LA LIAISON À LA VOIE TEMISKAWA

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council approve the request for the City of Ottawa to provide partnership funding in the amount of $350,000 over a two-year period to support the implementation of the Fitzroy Harbour Bypass.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique recommande au Conseil municipal d’approuver la demande voulant que la Ville d’Ottawa injecte des fonds de partenariat de l’ordre de 350 000 $, sur une période de deux ans, afin d’appuyer la mise en œuvre du site de contournement de Fitzroy Harbour.

BACKGROUND

The Ottawa River is one of the largest rivers in the world and is deeply rooted in history, culture and heritage. The river was used for centuries by Canada’s Native people as a major transportation route and later by Canada’s earliest explorers.

Despite this context, navigation of the Upper Ottawa River is blocked by a series of rapids and dams and, since the mid-1800’s, many attempts have been made to open the Ottawa River to navigation.

No longer used for the fur and timber trades, the Ottawa River has become a provincial, national and international destination for tourism, heritage interpretation and recreation. Municipalities on both shores of the Upper Ottawa have recognized the potential economic spin-offs of these activities and have created the Temiskawa Waterway – a 500-kilometre stretch of the Ottawa River, which runs from Arnprior to Notre-Dame-du-Nord (see Attachment 1). Within the Waterway, a series of 5 bypasses incorporating a simple truck and trailer system, have been constructed to move boats around obstructed sections of the river.

Currently, as a part of this system, there are by-pass sites located at Témiscaming, Mattawa, Rapides-des-Joachims, Desjardinville - Chapeau, Bryson - Portage-du-Fort. The next step is to bypass Chat’s Dam in Fitzroy Harbour in order to give access to boater population in Canada’s Capital and open the final 50 kilometres from Arnprior to Britannia Bay in the City of Ottawa. By giving access to Ottawa as a new and major destination, the Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass will be a major step in enhancing this attraction throughout North America and beyond.

The ownership of this project is achieved through a mixture of not-for-profit companies that develop and operate the waterway system and its components, while the municipalities along the waterway (both on the Ontario & Quebec sides of the River), the Ontario and Quebec Provincial Governments as well as the Federal Government provide support financially.

With the support of all 3 levels of government, the bypass concept has progressed from Lake Temiskaming for a distance of 500 kilometres to Arnprior. Opening the final 50 kilometres from Arnprior to Ottawa is the next essential step in the system as it is the last obstacle to navigation before the City of Ottawa.

The current Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass project has been initiated through the submission of an application to the SuperBuild Sports, Culture and Tourism Partnership (SCTP) fund. Since both the Provincial and Federal levels of government have approved this project, the proponents of the waterway are now requesting the City of Ottawa makes their portion of the project funding accessible. Therefore this report is seeking the approval of Committee for $350,000 in order to support the development of a $1,435,000.00 boat bypass system around the Chat’s Dam at Fitzroy Harbour.

DISCUSSION

The Fitzroy Harbour bypass project mirrors five other successful and similar bypasses that have been completed in the Temiskama Waterway.

The By-pass System

The “truck/trailer” solution to the “moving boats around obstacles to navigation” is an innovative, cost effective solution to a long-standing problem. The Temiskawa's unique system of marine hydraulic trailers is utilized to move boats around these obstacles, safely and securely.

This solution for the bypass system was first proposed in a 1975 Pluritec Study which examined in great detail the options of Lock and Canal, Marine Railway, and the Truck and Trailer systems. The truck and trailer system has been selected as the cheapest and least intrusive. Therefore the proposed system consists of two boat ramps, one above and one below the dam, a system of connecting roads, minor structures for storage, boat trailers and tow equipment, safety, rescue, environmental, and communication resources.

In the case of the Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass, the proposed lower ramp is in Fitzroy Provincial Park while the location of the upper ramp is proposed to empty into the headwaters above the Chat’s Dam. The road leaving the Park, which will be used to transport the boats, is approximately 1 kilometre in length and runs through Fitzroy Harbour. From here, the road enters the Hydro property, and for the majority of the overall bypass towing distance, the exiting road, road improvements, signs and traffic control points, and all other miscellaneous changes are all on OntarioPower Generation property.

The proposed system for moving boats around non-navigable sections of the Ottawa Rivers has been proven to work as an affordable solution to opening up the River.

The Development Phase of Chat’s Dam/Fitzroy Harbour Bypass

The actual planning and construction of this project will be undertaken by the Ottawa River Project Inc., a not-for-profit organization. Once complete, the management of the facility will be undertaken by a sister not-for-profit organization known as the Temiskawa Waterway Corporation. Both groups operate in close cooperation and represent the collective wishes and objectives of the municipalities of the Upper Ottawa Valley. More than 9 years of joint operation have proven that this coordinated system of development and management works.

The Ottawa River Project Incorporated has only one single purpose which is to act as the proponent for the Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass. Acting on behalf of the municipalities and private sector partners along the River, the Ottawa River Project obtains funds, designs and manages the construction of individual bypass projects. The Ottawa River Project and its management team also have access to the resources and assistance of each municipality.

The development of the Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass will be managed by the Board of Directors of the Ottawa River Project. Councillor Dwight Eastman and City of Ottawa resident Egbert Reitsma are both members on the Board and will be representing the interests of the City of Ottawa during the development of this project.

Financially, the cost of construction of the Chats Dam Bypass including equipment and vehicles for the operation of the facility is estimated at $1,435,000.00. The City’s contribution to this project would be a maximum $350,000 spread over a 2-year period. In other words, the City of Ottawa is in the position to leverage approximately $1,085,000.00 in either cash or in-kind services from other sources. The other partners in the project have committed the following amounts:

The Outaouais Economic Diversification Corporation (OEDC) $150,000

OntarioPower Generators Inc. (OPG) $200,000 (in kind)

The Temiskawa Waterway $185,000

The County of Renfrew $50,000

SuperBuild Portion (Provincial & Federal Combined) $500,000

The City of Ottawa $350,000

Total Contributions $1,435,000

The funds for this project have been previously identified in the Business Development Branch’s 2002 Budget. As such, to access the funds committed by the Provincial and Federal governments, the City of Ottawa must also make their funding contribution available at this time.

The Management of the Temiskawa Waterway

By deliberate management structure of the Temiskawa Waterway Corporation, this project encourages and demonstrates inter-municipal cooperation. More that eleven widely spread municipalities continue to cooperate after fifteen years of developing and nine years of jointly operating the system.

The Temiskawa Waterway Corporation is a not-for-profit organization combining the goals and management skills of the municipalities and other stakeholders along the Ottawa River. The corporation is owned by its members and maintains a viable operation with financial and management assistance from its partners.

This corporation is the operational entity that coordinates the overall management of the entire waterway bypass system by generating the budgets, and cooperatively managing the system schedule, fees, hours of operation and marketing efforts. Representatives from all municipalities having bypasses in or near their jurisdiction or who benefit from the system manage the Corporation.

Through each of its partners the Temiskawa Waterway Corporation has access to the necessary resources to run the system. These resources are expended locally but under a joint management agreement with the partners. Resources are moved around as boat traffic dictates.

Experience to date would indicate that the revenue currently being generated at each individual bypass is sufficient enough to allow the facilities to financially operate at slightly below breakeven conditions. It is anticipated that by exposing the Temiskawa Waterway to the Ottawa market and by increasing user fees to today’s standards, all bypass facilities will generate enough revenue to be financially self-sustaining.

The Vision for the Ottawa River

Having the Fitzroy Harbour/Chat’s Dam bypass open is critical to the Temiskawa Waterway, the Ottawa River in the National Capital Region and its future growth. Opening the bypass gives those on the upper section of the River, from both Ontario and Quebec, access to the City of Ottawa. In time, the overall Vision for the entire Ottawa River is to create a waterway that would be accessible and navigable from Lake Tamiskaming to the Atlantic Seaboard. This bypass is the next step in realizing that overall Vision.

Currently the City of Ottawa is a partner in the Ottawa River Study which is examining “Blue Triangle Waterway” - the waterway formed by connecting Ottawa, Montreal and Kingston. The study has also identified a Vision for this particular section of the Ottawa River as follows:

“The Ottawa River stands as a natural feature and an important public space, and is identified to the history of the national capital region and of the country, more specifically of the Ottawa and Gatineau metropolitan area. Being at the origin of the region’s development, the enhancement and the protection of this resource must be done respecting its natural areas (natural characteristic) and the residents who live within its watershed (human resource). The River provides an opportunity to integrate and enhance our cultural and built heritage in a sustainable manner, while contributing to partnerships between both shores. Its presence adds value to the quality of life of citizen’s and provides a unique experience to visitors discovering the Capital. The location of the River within the Blue Triangle network distinguishes it from other urban centers by the role the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau play as the capital of Canada and a green destination”.

This Vision was based on the following themes:

quality of life
heritage
natural areas protection
recreational and functional uses
the river as a destination for boaters

Although the study focused primarily on the “Blue Triangle Waterway” the vision and objectives of the study are also reflected in and transferable to the Upper Ottawa River including that section which will contain the Chat’s Dam bypass. As a result, supporting the Temiskawa Waterway would help to further achieve the vision and the objectives developed for the protection and enhancement of the Ottawa River. The project delivers a heritage, cultural and social experience to tourists and local people alike and has increased the awareness of our history and the importance of the Ottawa River.

In addition, the City of Ottawa’s Rural Tourism Study, which is just being released, identifies water based tourism and heritage interpretation as vital components in the overall well being of the City of Ottawa. This would include providing proper access to waterways as well as developing proper facilities to support recreational boating activities such as those found in the Temiskawa Waterway System. By undertaking this project, the City of Ottawa will be fulfilling some needs and recommendations identified in the Rural Tourism Study.

This project has the full support of all communities who themselves have all contributed financially to the other bypasses along the Ottawa River over the past several years. The project creates economic opportunity, direct and indirect job creation, increases visits to new and existing Heritage and Culture facilities, enhances service in other municipal, provincial and federal facilities, strengthens market position, attracts new markets and provides increased environmental awareness.

The Temiskawa Waterway reflects a true team effort in creating and sustaining a vision for the future. The Chat’s Dam/Fitzroy Harbour bypass is a part of that vision and completion of this project will enhance the overall vision of establishing the Ottawa River as one of Canada’s great heritage rivers.

CONSULTATION

The Ottawa River Project Inc. has recently met with the Vydon Acres Residents Association. To facilitate the completion of the Fitzroy Harbour bypass, there will be further consultation with residents of Fitzroy Harbour and other project partners.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Funds are available in the approved 2002 Capital Budget (2002 Capital Budget, Economic Affairs, Project #900003).

The $350,000 requested would be encumbered in the 2002 budget and distributed over a two-year period based on approved performance milestones.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 – Temiskawa Waterway System

DISPOSITION

Business Development Branch to jointly develop performance milestones, monitor progress, and issue payments accordingly.

ATTACHMENT 1

Temiskawa Waterway System