Tremblay Multi-Use Connection (Terminal Avenue to Tremblay LRT Station) Environmental Assessment (EA) Study

Study overview

The City of Ottawa has initiated the Tremblay Multi-Use Connection(Terminal Avenue to Tremblay LRT Station) Environmental Assessment (EA) Study. This EA study will investigate options for grade-separated active transportation (pedestrian and cycling) infrastructure to cross the VIA Rail train tracks and connect to Terminal Avenue. The Study Area is illustrated in the key map (Figure 1).  

The study will evaluate below-grade (tunnel) and above-grade (bridge) multi-use crossing alternatives and alignments and will result in a functional design. This crossing will improve connectivity between lands north and south of VIA Rail, increase access to the Tremblay LRT rapid transit station and the VIA Rail inter-city train station, and form an important link in the overall city active transportation network. The multi-use connection will also improve travel between existing communities and support potential development lands north and south of Highway 417 in line with the City’s planning designations in the area.

Furthermore, this connection will address requirements in a context-sensitive manner, be compatible with surrounding land uses, and minimize impacts on the surrounding environmental (social, cultural, natural/physical, and economic) conditions. The design will support best practices in active transportation infrastructure design including accessibility, multi-modal interactions, and user safety.

Study process

The study is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process for a “Schedule B” project and includes effective consultation and consensus building, that will lead to the development of a technically sound functional design.

There will be ongoing consultation activities throughout the course of the study. Public consultation materials and opportunities to provide feedback will be advertised and updated on the study’s website. Prior to finalizing the EA study, a Project File Report (PFR) will be prepared to document the study process and present the Recommended Plan including the functional design. The PFR will be available for review by the public and review agencies for a period of 30 calendar days. The study is expected to be completed by December 2024.

Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. The City makes every effort to consider accessibility issues in its EA studies and encourages the participation of disability group representatives in consultations. Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request. If you require disability-related accommodations, please contact the City of Ottawa’s Project Manager noted below.

For more information

If you have any questions, comments, and/or would like to be added to the mailing list for notices, please contact the City of Ottawa Project Manager at the coordinates below:

Angela Taylor, P.Eng.
Senior Project Manager
Transportation Environmental Assessments Branch
Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Email: Angela.Taylor@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 15210

The City of Ottawa has initiated the Tremblay Multi-Use Connection (Terminal Avenue to Tremblay LRT Station) Environmental Assessment (EA) Study. This EA study will investigate options for grade-separated active transportation (pedestrian and cycling) infrastructure to cross the VIA Rail train tracks and connect to Terminal Avenue. The Study Area is illustrated in the key map.

The study will evaluate below-grade (tunnel) and above-grade (bridge) multi-use crossing alternatives and alignments and will result in a functional design. This crossing will improve connectivity between lands north and south of the VIA Rail train tracks, increase access to the Tremblay LRT rapid transit station and the VIA Rail inter-city train station, and form an important link in the overall city active transportation network. The multi-use connection will also improve travel between existing communities and support potential development lands north and south of Highway 417 in line with the City’s planning designations in the area.

Study Process

The study is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process for a “Schedule B” project and includes consultation and consensus building, that will lead to the development of a technically sound functional design.

There will be ongoing consultation activities throughout the study. Public consultation materials and opportunities to provide feedback will be advertised and updated on the study’s website. Prior to finalizing the EA study, a Project File Report (PFR) will be prepared to document the study process and present the Recommended Plan including the functional design. The PFR will be available for review by the public and review agencies for a period of 30 calendar days. The study is expected to be completed by December 2024.

Interested persons can provide comments throughout the EA Study. Any comments received will be collected under the Environmental Assessment Act and, with the exception of personal information, will become part of the public record.

Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. If you require special accommodation to provide comments please call or email the City of Ottawa Project Manager, below.

To provide comments or to be placed on the general distribution list to receive notification of consultation opportunities, please contact:

Angela Taylor, P.Eng.
Senior Project Manager
Transportation Environmental Assessments Branch
Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Email: Angela.Taylor@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 15210
ottawa.ca/Tremblayconnection 

Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), personal information included in a submission to the City of Ottawa will not be disclosed to any third parties without having obtained the prior consent of the person to whom the information pertains, except when MFIPPA permits disclosure or other applicable law requires that the City disclose the personal information.

At the City’s Transportation Committee meeting on Thursday October 24, 2024, staff will provide an update on the status of the Tremblay Station Crossing of VIA Rail Station Environmental Assessment (EA) Study. The Transportation Committee meeting commences at 9:30 am and will be held in-person at City Hall, in the Champlain Room at 110 Laurier Avenue West, and virtually on YouTube. This link will provide access to the City’s Committee meeting and the study update.

Staff will be pausing the EA study as the most effective solution for the crossing is to incorporate it directly into the VIA Rail site. However, since VIA Rail's redevelopment plans for the site are not yet known, it is impractical to continue with the study under the current conditions. While VIA Rail has indicated a willingness to integrate its development with the City’s mobility plans, it has not yet commenced its planning work and is unable to provide a timeline for when this will occur. In the absence of a redevelopment plan, VIA Rail would like to preserve all options, thereby ensuring no negative impact on its property. Consequently, this significantly restricts the practical and effective long-term options available for the City to pursue.

In the meantime, through the study of transportation infrastructure in this area, the opportunity to provide a new multi-use pathway (MUP) along Riverside Drive to improve connectivity between Tremblay Road and Terminal Avenue was identified. Staff will include this connection in the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Update for consideration by Council when the TMP is brought forward in 2025.

For questions and concerns, please contact the Project Manager at the contact information below.

Angela Taylor, P.Eng.
Senior Project Manager
Transportation Planning – Environmental Assessments Branch
Planning, Development and Building Services Department
Email: Angela.Taylor@Ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 15210