June 12, 2015 – Ottawa – Transport Canada
Today, Royal Galipeau, MP (Ottawa—Orléans), Bob Chiarelli, MPP (Ottawa West—Nepean) and Mayor Jim Watson installed the first official rail track of the O-Train Confederation Line light rail transit project.
This milestone sets the stage for the City’s Transitway to be converted to light rail, beginning this summer. Construction of the track along the entire line will continue well into 2017.
Spanning 12.5 kilometres between Tunney’s Pasture Station in the west and Blair Station in the east, the majority of the O-Train Confederation Line track will be built in the Transitway’s existing footprint. It will have a mix of at-grade, elevated and tunnel sections, and will replace existing diesel powered buses.
The system has 13 stations, including three new underground stations, and a maintenance and storage facility at Belfast Yard. The dignitaries toured this facility, where the vehicles for the line will be assembled.
The Confederation Line is a $2.1 billion project that is jointly funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa. The Government of Canada is contributing $600 million through the Building Canada Fund. The City of Ottawa will also allocate up to $161.5 million of its federal Gas Tax Fund transfers to this project. The Government of Ontario is contributing up to $600 million. In addition, the City of Ottawa will allocate $287 million of provincial gas tax transfers to the capital infrastructure. The remaining project budget funds will come from development charge revenues and transit reserves.
The Rideau Transit Group is the private sector partner responsible for this first stage in Ottawa’s future rail network. The 12.5-kilometre electric light rail line will provide rapid transit between Blair Station in the east and Tunney’s Pasture in the west. The route includes 13 stations and a 2.5-kilometre tunnel that will reduce congestion through the downtown core. For more information, visit ottawa.ca.
Vincent Rabault
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Patrick Searle
Minister’s Office
Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Toronto
416-327-1815
Media contact
613-580-2450
Public enquiries:
ottawa.ca
3-1-1
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