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bizorky
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M
MrOttawa
Guest
The Archivists and Librarians of this site will haunt you and your children for expressing such sacrilege.
Sincerely,
Melville Dewey
Sincerely,
Melville Dewey
S
samsonyuen
Guest
Where'd you hear about the news about the library in Greenboro? Is this the new central library we're talking about here?
B
bizorky
Guest
From what I understand, it is one of the rumoured locations. Presently, the city has no money for the project.
S
spmarshall
Guest
clivedoucet.com/articles/...htrail.htm
DELAYING THE LIGHT-RAIL EXPANSION IS
A SHAMEFUL PROPOSAL
Ottaw Citizen, June 14, 2006
It is difficult to contain my outrage with the `delay the north-south construction crowd'. The irresponsibility of such a proposal is shameful. It fails every test of responsible city stewardship. It fails financially. It fails environmentally. It fails the management test.
Ottawa and Toronto are the only cities in Canada where 100 per cent of the New Deal Infrastructure funding is going for transit. In Montreal, it is only 25 per cent. In Winnipeg, it's 0 per cent.
95% of the light rail project is being funded by New Deal money and development charges, which means 5 per cent comes from our property tax. Compare that to our road costs where the city routinely spends $500 million every year to build and maintain our roads.
Eighty per cent of the $730 million will be spent in the Ottawa area and will create 3,100 direct jobs and 5,500 indirect jobs.
Further, a delay will mean a minimum of $80 million being added to the project simply because of rising supply costs that's if we are able to keep the present funding structure in place.
When I was at a National Transportation Conference last week, everyone there wanted to know, how Ottawa had done it, how was it we were ready with a major transit project just as the federal money was set to follow for transit. My response was eight years. We've been working on this project for eight years. So don't tell me it's an election ploy. Don't tell me it's not financially responsible. And don't tell me it's about roads. Take away the light rail project and we will return to 3 out of 4 transportation dollars going into roads. Hundreds of millions are spent every year on new roads with the only dissenting voice being mine.
And don't tell me it's just about Riverside South and Barrhaven. The Universities of Ottawa and Carleton with be just minutes away from each other. There are 50,000 people using these two institutions. We've purchased the Prince of Wales railroad bridge so that the north-south can be extended into Gatineau with a `unity' loop to connect both cities, which will allow us to get all the STO buses out of downtown Ottawa and more of the OC buses.
It will provide the eastern station anchor for new street rail service to the development at Rockcliffe Air base. It will be 1.5 kilometers from the airport, making an early expansion to the airport, a possibility as soon as the funds are available.
In short, a greener, financially responsible, community sustaining future for Ottawa, all depend on the light rail project. Those demanding a delay either don't understand it or have some fairy tale vision of what one electric light rail can accomplish. It can't be everywhere at once, but we have done as good a job as possible to get the maximum return for the citizens of Ottawa.
Note that in Toronto, the General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission has just resigned, because the city wouldn't use a competitive bid process as we have done here in Ottawa. In Toronto, they have sole sourced to Bombardier.
In Ottawa, we used a demanding competitive bidding process with a `fairness commissioner' engaged specifically to make sure that the process was as fair and as competitive as possible – so that the citizens of Ottawa would get the best service at the lowest price possible. We didn't want it to be like the Transitway with annual cost over-runs. We wanted and what we will get is a fixed price.
Finally, the notion that we haven't listened to people's concerns. We've been listening for eight years; gone to more meetings than I can count. Community groups said they wanted minimal disruption at Lebreton Flats. As a result, there will be no new road construction on either Scott or the Parkway. We listened to the business community who wanted a reduction in buses if light rail came to the down town and we came forward with a new hub and spoke system which will reduce buses by 30 per cent. And we will be looking to get all local buses off the Transitway in the medium term.
We listened to people who said they wanted a Barrhaven town centre connection and have done so. We listened to people who said they want a recreational path along the route for easy bicycle and pedestrian access and have done so.
We listened to people who said they wanted the east-west light rail connection to move ahead faster and have done so. The individual environmental assessments are underway for east west light rail.
We listened to people who said they wanted the missing connections in the western transitway installed and have moved to do this in the next budget year.
And we didn't always agree. We didn't agree with a tunnel under the downtown, primarily because of costs. We didn't agree with diesel instead of electric for all kinds of reasons. One of them was closed stations at Carleton, Gladstone, the University of Ottawa with buildings constructed above are all impossible with diesel.
In the end, it is crystal clear, a delay will cost millions of dollars and maybe years inadequate public transportation.
Clive Doucet is Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee and the Councillor for Capital Ward.
Note: Text of this article is based on Councillor Doucet's
submission to the newspaper and may vary slightly from the published
article.
DELAYING THE LIGHT-RAIL EXPANSION IS
A SHAMEFUL PROPOSAL
Ottaw Citizen, June 14, 2006
It is difficult to contain my outrage with the `delay the north-south construction crowd'. The irresponsibility of such a proposal is shameful. It fails every test of responsible city stewardship. It fails financially. It fails environmentally. It fails the management test.
Ottawa and Toronto are the only cities in Canada where 100 per cent of the New Deal Infrastructure funding is going for transit. In Montreal, it is only 25 per cent. In Winnipeg, it's 0 per cent.
95% of the light rail project is being funded by New Deal money and development charges, which means 5 per cent comes from our property tax. Compare that to our road costs where the city routinely spends $500 million every year to build and maintain our roads.
Eighty per cent of the $730 million will be spent in the Ottawa area and will create 3,100 direct jobs and 5,500 indirect jobs.
Further, a delay will mean a minimum of $80 million being added to the project simply because of rising supply costs that's if we are able to keep the present funding structure in place.
When I was at a National Transportation Conference last week, everyone there wanted to know, how Ottawa had done it, how was it we were ready with a major transit project just as the federal money was set to follow for transit. My response was eight years. We've been working on this project for eight years. So don't tell me it's an election ploy. Don't tell me it's not financially responsible. And don't tell me it's about roads. Take away the light rail project and we will return to 3 out of 4 transportation dollars going into roads. Hundreds of millions are spent every year on new roads with the only dissenting voice being mine.
And don't tell me it's just about Riverside South and Barrhaven. The Universities of Ottawa and Carleton with be just minutes away from each other. There are 50,000 people using these two institutions. We've purchased the Prince of Wales railroad bridge so that the north-south can be extended into Gatineau with a `unity' loop to connect both cities, which will allow us to get all the STO buses out of downtown Ottawa and more of the OC buses.
It will provide the eastern station anchor for new street rail service to the development at Rockcliffe Air base. It will be 1.5 kilometers from the airport, making an early expansion to the airport, a possibility as soon as the funds are available.
In short, a greener, financially responsible, community sustaining future for Ottawa, all depend on the light rail project. Those demanding a delay either don't understand it or have some fairy tale vision of what one electric light rail can accomplish. It can't be everywhere at once, but we have done as good a job as possible to get the maximum return for the citizens of Ottawa.
Note that in Toronto, the General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission has just resigned, because the city wouldn't use a competitive bid process as we have done here in Ottawa. In Toronto, they have sole sourced to Bombardier.
In Ottawa, we used a demanding competitive bidding process with a `fairness commissioner' engaged specifically to make sure that the process was as fair and as competitive as possible – so that the citizens of Ottawa would get the best service at the lowest price possible. We didn't want it to be like the Transitway with annual cost over-runs. We wanted and what we will get is a fixed price.
Finally, the notion that we haven't listened to people's concerns. We've been listening for eight years; gone to more meetings than I can count. Community groups said they wanted minimal disruption at Lebreton Flats. As a result, there will be no new road construction on either Scott or the Parkway. We listened to the business community who wanted a reduction in buses if light rail came to the down town and we came forward with a new hub and spoke system which will reduce buses by 30 per cent. And we will be looking to get all local buses off the Transitway in the medium term.
We listened to people who said they wanted a Barrhaven town centre connection and have done so. We listened to people who said they want a recreational path along the route for easy bicycle and pedestrian access and have done so.
We listened to people who said they wanted the east-west light rail connection to move ahead faster and have done so. The individual environmental assessments are underway for east west light rail.
We listened to people who said they wanted the missing connections in the western transitway installed and have moved to do this in the next budget year.
And we didn't always agree. We didn't agree with a tunnel under the downtown, primarily because of costs. We didn't agree with diesel instead of electric for all kinds of reasons. One of them was closed stations at Carleton, Gladstone, the University of Ottawa with buildings constructed above are all impossible with diesel.
In the end, it is crystal clear, a delay will cost millions of dollars and maybe years inadequate public transportation.
Clive Doucet is Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee and the Councillor for Capital Ward.
Note: Text of this article is based on Councillor Doucet's
submission to the newspaper and may vary slightly from the published
article.
M
MrOttawa
Guest
Greenboro library is a local lib and not the central lib.
I agree with what Clive says, mostly. However, the East-West Rail connections are street car serivice only running along Carling and Baseline, stopping once or twice each block. This has to be re-examinted. I think the East-West should be on the Transitway. It was built for it.
I agree with what Clive says, mostly. However, the East-West Rail connections are street car serivice only running along Carling and Baseline, stopping once or twice each block. This has to be re-examinted. I think the East-West should be on the Transitway. It was built for it.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: ottsun.canoe.ca/News/Otta...9-sun.html
________________________
Sat, July 8, 2006
LRT no go for Kanata, councillor says
By DONNA CASEY
                       
With city council set to vote on the future of light rail transit next Wednesday, one city councillor says the train should not leave the station unless there's major changes to the plan.
Kanata Coun. Peggy Feltmate said she'll be voting to put the brakes on the estimated $800-million north-south light rail transit line.
"For me, I'm just not comfortable with the plan as it's proposed," Feltmate said yesterday.
She said city staff have presented the project with a "take or leave it" stance.
"Well, under those conditions, I'm leaving it," said Feltmate.
The west-end councillor said many of the project's financial details weren't available at recent open houses, creating confusion over one of the largest proposed projects in the city's history.
"I see what's happening here and I'm afraid it's not going to be successful," said Feltmate, adding the north-south line boondoggle will doom any future for an east-west line reaching Kanata residents.
Calling the trains "glorified streetcars," Feltmate said many Kanata residents were led to believe the city was looking at a rapid-transit system.
"I don't think it's what people thought they were buying," she said.
________________________
Sat, July 8, 2006
LRT no go for Kanata, councillor says
By DONNA CASEY
                       
With city council set to vote on the future of light rail transit next Wednesday, one city councillor says the train should not leave the station unless there's major changes to the plan.
Kanata Coun. Peggy Feltmate said she'll be voting to put the brakes on the estimated $800-million north-south light rail transit line.
"For me, I'm just not comfortable with the plan as it's proposed," Feltmate said yesterday.
She said city staff have presented the project with a "take or leave it" stance.
"Well, under those conditions, I'm leaving it," said Feltmate.
The west-end councillor said many of the project's financial details weren't available at recent open houses, creating confusion over one of the largest proposed projects in the city's history.
"I see what's happening here and I'm afraid it's not going to be successful," said Feltmate, adding the north-south line boondoggle will doom any future for an east-west line reaching Kanata residents.
Calling the trains "glorified streetcars," Feltmate said many Kanata residents were led to believe the city was looking at a rapid-transit system.
"I don't think it's what people thought they were buying," she said.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: www.canada.com:80/ottawac...f4dcb82479
________________________
________________________
Public backs light-rail solution
poll: Chiarelli, however, can't count on their vote, survey cautions
Mohammed Adam
The Ottawa Citizen
Saturday, July 08, 2006
As Ottawa city councillors prepare for next week's defining vote on north-south commuter rail, a new poll says most residents support the multimillion-dollar project.
A Decima-Citizen survey conducted in the days after the city's plan was unveiled, found 49 per cent of residents favoured the project and 36 per cent were against it. While the poll gives light-rail backers a platform to push the project through, it does not translate into public support for Mayor Bob Chiarelli, the plan's chief architect and booster. In fact, when asked whose view of light rail expansion they are inclined to support, slightly more people favour Alex Munter's diesel alternative.
Light rail has become a defining issue for the city, not only because of the project's potential to transform the nation's capital, but also because a lot of money is riding on it. The cost of the project ranges from $744 million to close to $900 million.
The city has settled on a double-track electric-powered system, but a heated debate is raging on whether that is the best plan. Some believe a diesel system, which is cheaper, is the better option.
In the midst of the debate, Decima Research conducted a telephone survey of 403 residents June 23-26 on various issues related to public transit.
The survey, which has a margin of error of 4.9 per cent, is considered accurate 19 times out of 20.
By a margin of 49 per cent to 36 per cent Ottawa residents saw more benefits than disadvantages in the project. Fifteen per cent didn't know or wouldn't say.
According to the survey, support for light rail was highest among regular bus riders, with 54 per cent saying the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Among those who don't use public transit support is split, with 44 per cent seeing more benefits in light rail versus 42 per cent who don't.
Decima president Bruce Anderson says while support for light rail is still high, it is not "as clear a slam dunk as it has been in the past" and that's because the cost of the project, which is perceived to be high, has sapped some of the earlier support.
Still, more people want light rail because of the fear of growing gridlock in the city. The poll found that 78 per cent of Ottawa residents feel traffic congestion is getting worse and they want something done about it.
Support for rail is also reflected in "fairly positive" user satisfaction for OC Transpo, which 63 per cent of respondents say is doing a good job. Only 20 per cent say the transit company is not doing a good job.
"Support for light rail is driven by a sense that traffic is bad, and anything that helps to resolve it we should embrace," Mr. Anderson said. "People want a solution to traffic gridlock and they see LRT as part of it."
But in a somewhat surprising finding, public support for the project does not improve the fortunes of Mr. Chiarelli, the politician who most personifies light rail.
When asked to indicate support for either the mayor's plan or Mr. Munter's plan, 25 per cent backed Mr. Munter and 20 per cent chose the city plan, considered to be Mr. Chiarelli's. Fifty-five per cent couldn't or wouldn't say.
Regular transit users are more likely to back the mayor than Mr. Munter, whose plan draws most support from those who don't use transit or say traffic congestion is getting worse. Under Mr. Munter's plan, the city would switch to diesel system for both north-south and east-west, which would run on existing rail corridors.
Mr. Anderson said the mayor would be right to wonder why support for light rail does not extend to him.
"Mayor Chiarelli has led the fight for LRT, he is the champion of LRT and is leading the charge to create more of it and the mayor would have hoped that his numbers would be higher," Mr. Anderson said.
He says the reason for the mayor's low numbers is not because people have analysed the plans and found his wanting. It may simply be a visceral reaction to the cost of the north-south plan and a feeling among a substantial number of Ottawa residents, that the city plan "is not east-west friendly enough."
As well, many residents worried about traffic congestion may be reluctant to invest their hope for a solution in a mayor who has been around during the time the problem worsened.
"If I care about LRT and I care about affordability, Mr. Munter's plan would appeal to me more than the mayor's," Mr. Anderson said.
"And if people are looking for a vision on the issue and they are not seeing it, it is hard for an incumbent to prove the case for a new vision."
But he says during the election campaign in the fall when people are really paying attention and analysing the issues in greater detail, the mayor could have the upper hand.
"This is still a very competitive situation and over the course of the campaign, he has a chance to make his vision more compelling for people," Mr. Anderson said.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: ottsun.canoe.ca/News/Otta...2-sun.html
__________________________
Sun, July 9, 2006
Rolling out for O-Train
Transit group rails against impending shutdown if council OKs LRT line
By NELLY ELAYOUBI
A vote by city council this week to go ahead with the north-south light-rail project will halt the O-Train.
If councillors approve the $800-million line in a vote Wednesday, O-Train service will be stopped next April, to be replaced by the new LRT line, which won't be ready until 2009.
"The result is that for almost two years, (transit) users will be overloading the buses and congesting city roads," argues David Gladstone, of Friends of the O-Train, who want to see the existing service maintained and the LRT line proposal reviewed and revised after the fall election.
'WILL BE IMPACTED'
The group is drawing attention to the issue by riding the O-Train tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday, starting at 7 a.m., leaving from Bayview station. "We want to let riders know that they will be impacted," Gladstone says.
Councillors say O-Train service -- which has been hailed as a "success" -- has to be halted for work on the LRT service.
"There is no choice because that is a route that we're going to continue to use and it has to be changed," says Bell-South Nepean Coun. Jan Harder.
Harder says OC Transpo has given assurance it can handle an expected rise in bus ridership caused by the rail shutdown.
"It's not the optimum choice, but it's a small time pain for a long time gain."
Gladstone predicts there won't be sufficient service. "You're replacing an existing winter independent service with buses on the road."
Friends of the O-Train are also protesting the sale of three trains that have "99.8% reliability and are accident free." Harder points out the sale will net $9 million to be used for the LRT line.
NECESSARY EVIL
While West-Carleton Coun. Eli El-Chantiry hasn't decided how he will vote Wednesday, he agrees with Harder that a "minor" transit disruption is necessary when looking at the "bigger picture."
El-Chantiry's priority, however, is getting the city to address its $85-million backlog for the repair and rehabilitation of city roads. "It's going to come to a point that if the city ignores the roads, small repairs will become big repairs, if the city delays."
__________________________
Sun, July 9, 2006
Rolling out for O-Train
Transit group rails against impending shutdown if council OKs LRT line
By NELLY ELAYOUBI
A vote by city council this week to go ahead with the north-south light-rail project will halt the O-Train.
If councillors approve the $800-million line in a vote Wednesday, O-Train service will be stopped next April, to be replaced by the new LRT line, which won't be ready until 2009.
"The result is that for almost two years, (transit) users will be overloading the buses and congesting city roads," argues David Gladstone, of Friends of the O-Train, who want to see the existing service maintained and the LRT line proposal reviewed and revised after the fall election.
'WILL BE IMPACTED'
The group is drawing attention to the issue by riding the O-Train tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday, starting at 7 a.m., leaving from Bayview station. "We want to let riders know that they will be impacted," Gladstone says.
Councillors say O-Train service -- which has been hailed as a "success" -- has to be halted for work on the LRT service.
"There is no choice because that is a route that we're going to continue to use and it has to be changed," says Bell-South Nepean Coun. Jan Harder.
Harder says OC Transpo has given assurance it can handle an expected rise in bus ridership caused by the rail shutdown.
"It's not the optimum choice, but it's a small time pain for a long time gain."
Gladstone predicts there won't be sufficient service. "You're replacing an existing winter independent service with buses on the road."
Friends of the O-Train are also protesting the sale of three trains that have "99.8% reliability and are accident free." Harder points out the sale will net $9 million to be used for the LRT line.
NECESSARY EVIL
While West-Carleton Coun. Eli El-Chantiry hasn't decided how he will vote Wednesday, he agrees with Harder that a "minor" transit disruption is necessary when looking at the "bigger picture."
El-Chantiry's priority, however, is getting the city to address its $85-million backlog for the repair and rehabilitation of city roads. "It's going to come to a point that if the city ignores the roads, small repairs will become big repairs, if the city delays."
B
bizorky
Guest
El-Chantiry's priority, however, is getting the city to address its $85-million backlog for the repair and rehabilitation of city roads. "It's going to come to a point that if the city ignores the roads, small repairs will become big repairs, if the city delays."
There are road repairs all over the place. Ottawa has some of the best conditioned city streets in Ontario.
Maybe council should have stopped worrying so much about investing in widening the long boulevards to nowhere out in Kanata and beyond. Suburban and exurban expenditures on roads were probably about six times that spent in the downtown and its environs.
M
MrOttawa
Guest
Peggy Feltmate changes her arguements as often as a whore changes underware. She has been a poor councilor. Does not return calls/emails, is ill informed at council.
I must say, even though she waffles back and forth and each time as a different argument against the rail plan, at least she is taking a stand. That is unusual for her.
I must say, even though she waffles back and forth and each time as a different argument against the rail plan, at least she is taking a stand. That is unusual for her.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: www.ottawabusinessjournal...151443.php
_______________________
City insists LRT risks on builders' shoulders thanks to terms of deal
By Jim Donnelly, Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Mon, Jul 10, 2006 12:00 AM EST
If folks in Ottawa want a good indication of where the city's light rail transit project is headed, all that's needed is a brief glance to the west.
That's because the city of Vancouver is involved in a nearly-identical project called the Canada Line (formerly called the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver Line), scheduled to open in 2009 and partly funded from private-sector investments.
Both projects, it turns out, are public private partnerships (P3s), a relatively new form of governmental procurement involving a mashup of public and private interests. In Ottawa's case, says the city's Rejean Chartrand, this type of agreement transfers overrun risk to the Siemens-PCL/Dufferin consortium who won the design, build and maintenance contract a few months ago.
"The structure of the contract is for the design, the construction and the 15-year maintenance period," says Mr. Chartrand. "This is what really creates the partnership component. It's a fixed commitment and firm price to both design and build it, and also a fixed price to maintain it for 15 years."
That's similar to Vancouver's deal, but not quite – its maintenance agreement is scheduled to last 35 years, 20 years longer than Ottawa's. Vancouver's Canada Line, now well into its construction phase, has also secured five separate funding partners including the federal and B.C. provincial governments, the Vancouver YVR International Airport, the regional transportation authority, and even the private sector company tasked with building the railway.
According to Canada Line's communications director, Alan Dever, In Transit B.C. (a company one-third owned by SNC Lavalin, the B.C. provincial pension fund, and a Quebec interest) is dunking $720 million into the $2-billion project – no small sum, considering Ottawa's private sector investment adds up to a nice round zero.
The amount of public funds designated for Canada Line has been capped at $1.3 billion, said Mr. Dever. Any snags in the construction phase will theoretically be paid by the contractor, as in Ottawa's deal, so money is doled out as the project is built rather than by the amount of materials used, as under a more traditional procurement agreement.
Same with federal and provincial money going towards the project, says Mr. Chartrand. "The understanding is premised on construction milestones.
The plan is that we will have a schedule of payment with the contractor, so when they build component 'a' worth $1 million, then we pay the contractor $1 million, and we claim back from the province and f ederal government their share of the million.
"And we'll be doing this on a monthly basis."
Canada Line's Mr. Dever says the P3 side of light rail construction is very much like building a house. "The contract, among other things, what it does is transfers all the risk for construction overrun to the private sector. The public sector funding is $1.3 billion or so, and it's capped at that amount. And any overruns are paid for by the private sector.
"If you want to see changes in scope, then you have to pay for it, just like if you're building a house. If there are changes to the scope of the house, then those are additional funds."
Mr. Chartrand says Ottawa's financing structure is different, despite the fact that both projects are P3s and both have similar objectives. In Vancouver's case, "They effectively told the contractor we have so much money to put towards this, and you, the contractor, have to come up with the difference in financing. And the contractor is financing the difference."
"In our case, we don't have the contractor providing any financing," thanks to the way the deal was originally constructed, says Mr. Chartrand.
So if the track needs a slight extension during the construction phase, or if a new station not in the current plan needs building, the city must pay. The municipality is footing most of the bill for the project (other than $400 million kicked in by the federal and provincial governments), whose price ranges from $750 million to $1 billion depending on who you speak with.
"But otherwise, everything is fixed for the 15-year period," he says. "So they take the risk.
"So a public private partnership is about risk transfer, so the risk transfer is whatever they design and build, they have to maintain for a fixed price. So if they don't build it properly, and its going to cost them more during the 15 year maintenance, well, that's the risk that they take.
"And in addition, we're securing guarantees from the company itself," continues Mr. Chartrand. "Which means that at that point in time, you can take them to court and their assets – the company assets are being pledged, is essentially what this means."
Mr. Chartrand calls these guarantees "effectively ironclad." The Siemens consortium has, he says, provided a $300-million performance bond, another $300-million labour and materials payment bond, and finally a $16-million letter of credit "that will be irrevocable in the city's name, and if they don't perform the city has the ability to access this letter of credit if things aren't done properly," he says.
Opponents to the city's light rail plan say these guarantees aren't enough to finance a project that's sure to cost over $1 billion when all is said and done. "This project started off in the $400-million range when first budgeted," says Peter Hillier of the Get It Right group, a conglomerate of business groups who want the LRT decision deferred until after the election. As it stands now, council is set to vote on the project July 14.
"It quickly ran up to $625 million and over the last six months has risen from $725 to $900 million, including ancillary projects that are necessary but they left off the project budget.
"We're getting $400 million from the Provincial and Federal Governments and the mayor has yet to fully explain where he is going to drum up the rest."
_______________________
City insists LRT risks on builders' shoulders thanks to terms of deal
By Jim Donnelly, Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Mon, Jul 10, 2006 12:00 AM EST
If folks in Ottawa want a good indication of where the city's light rail transit project is headed, all that's needed is a brief glance to the west.
That's because the city of Vancouver is involved in a nearly-identical project called the Canada Line (formerly called the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver Line), scheduled to open in 2009 and partly funded from private-sector investments.
Both projects, it turns out, are public private partnerships (P3s), a relatively new form of governmental procurement involving a mashup of public and private interests. In Ottawa's case, says the city's Rejean Chartrand, this type of agreement transfers overrun risk to the Siemens-PCL/Dufferin consortium who won the design, build and maintenance contract a few months ago.
"The structure of the contract is for the design, the construction and the 15-year maintenance period," says Mr. Chartrand. "This is what really creates the partnership component. It's a fixed commitment and firm price to both design and build it, and also a fixed price to maintain it for 15 years."
That's similar to Vancouver's deal, but not quite – its maintenance agreement is scheduled to last 35 years, 20 years longer than Ottawa's. Vancouver's Canada Line, now well into its construction phase, has also secured five separate funding partners including the federal and B.C. provincial governments, the Vancouver YVR International Airport, the regional transportation authority, and even the private sector company tasked with building the railway.
According to Canada Line's communications director, Alan Dever, In Transit B.C. (a company one-third owned by SNC Lavalin, the B.C. provincial pension fund, and a Quebec interest) is dunking $720 million into the $2-billion project – no small sum, considering Ottawa's private sector investment adds up to a nice round zero.
The amount of public funds designated for Canada Line has been capped at $1.3 billion, said Mr. Dever. Any snags in the construction phase will theoretically be paid by the contractor, as in Ottawa's deal, so money is doled out as the project is built rather than by the amount of materials used, as under a more traditional procurement agreement.
Same with federal and provincial money going towards the project, says Mr. Chartrand. "The understanding is premised on construction milestones.
The plan is that we will have a schedule of payment with the contractor, so when they build component 'a' worth $1 million, then we pay the contractor $1 million, and we claim back from the province and f ederal government their share of the million.
"And we'll be doing this on a monthly basis."
Canada Line's Mr. Dever says the P3 side of light rail construction is very much like building a house. "The contract, among other things, what it does is transfers all the risk for construction overrun to the private sector. The public sector funding is $1.3 billion or so, and it's capped at that amount. And any overruns are paid for by the private sector.
"If you want to see changes in scope, then you have to pay for it, just like if you're building a house. If there are changes to the scope of the house, then those are additional funds."
Mr. Chartrand says Ottawa's financing structure is different, despite the fact that both projects are P3s and both have similar objectives. In Vancouver's case, "They effectively told the contractor we have so much money to put towards this, and you, the contractor, have to come up with the difference in financing. And the contractor is financing the difference."
"In our case, we don't have the contractor providing any financing," thanks to the way the deal was originally constructed, says Mr. Chartrand.
So if the track needs a slight extension during the construction phase, or if a new station not in the current plan needs building, the city must pay. The municipality is footing most of the bill for the project (other than $400 million kicked in by the federal and provincial governments), whose price ranges from $750 million to $1 billion depending on who you speak with.
"But otherwise, everything is fixed for the 15-year period," he says. "So they take the risk.
"So a public private partnership is about risk transfer, so the risk transfer is whatever they design and build, they have to maintain for a fixed price. So if they don't build it properly, and its going to cost them more during the 15 year maintenance, well, that's the risk that they take.
"And in addition, we're securing guarantees from the company itself," continues Mr. Chartrand. "Which means that at that point in time, you can take them to court and their assets – the company assets are being pledged, is essentially what this means."
Mr. Chartrand calls these guarantees "effectively ironclad." The Siemens consortium has, he says, provided a $300-million performance bond, another $300-million labour and materials payment bond, and finally a $16-million letter of credit "that will be irrevocable in the city's name, and if they don't perform the city has the ability to access this letter of credit if things aren't done properly," he says.
Opponents to the city's light rail plan say these guarantees aren't enough to finance a project that's sure to cost over $1 billion when all is said and done. "This project started off in the $400-million range when first budgeted," says Peter Hillier of the Get It Right group, a conglomerate of business groups who want the LRT decision deferred until after the election. As it stands now, council is set to vote on the project July 14.
"It quickly ran up to $625 million and over the last six months has risen from $725 to $900 million, including ancillary projects that are necessary but they left off the project budget.
"We're getting $400 million from the Provincial and Federal Governments and the mayor has yet to fully explain where he is going to drum up the rest."
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: www.ottawasun.ca/News/Ott...1-sun.html
______________________
Tue, July 11, 2006
So many trains of thought
Councillors weighing 'overwhelming' arguments as debate over light-rail project begins today
By DEREK PUDDICOMBE
THE LONG and arduous debate over whether to approve an almost billion-dollar 29.7-km light rail transit project for the city begins today.
It looks like it will be a tough debate.
Some councillors have decided to vote against the project for a variety of reasons -- safety, money or simply because they say it's not the right LRT plan for the city.
Others, who have favoured the project from the beginning, are also having some second thoughts.
Baseline Coun. Rick Chiarelli, says he still hasn't made up his mind.
'THE SCALE IS LOADED'
"I really wanted to vote in favour of it," said Chiarelli, "but there are overwhelming reasons to vote for it and overwhelming reasons to be cautious as well. The scale is loaded on both sides."
One reason Chiarelli is cautious about what would be the largest construction project in the city's history is the cost.
"It's an awful lot of money and we have to know how it will affect flexibility in the future," he said.
Some councillors are saying the true cost of the project is anyone's guess. Estimates have ranged from $778 million to $1 billion. Even when staff presented the number a month ago, an informal poll revealed councillors didn't understand the real cost of the proposed light rail system and Chiarelli says that's been city staff's fault.
"The flow of information on the project has been confusing," he said.
Bell-South Nepean Coun. Jan Harder says the project is vital to keep traffic flowing from Barrhaven into the city's core.
"I hope this council has the vision after years and years of research and consultations," said Harder. "This is not for today or tomorrow. This is for the next 50 years."
Innes Ward Coun. Rainer Bloess visited Houston, Texas, last week on his own dime to get a feel for its LRT system -- the same make and model Ottawa will be voting on this week.
Admittedly not sure how he was going to vote before heading south, and still left with some questions, Bloess said the trip opened his eyes to the value of light rail transit.
Bloess' east-end council colleague Cumberland Coun. Rob Jellett also has some remaining concerns but likes the concept of LRT.
'CHEAPER TO RUN'
"Light rail is a better technology than using buses. It's better for the environment and cheaper to run," said Jellett.
Osgoode Coun. Doug Thompson said some rural residents oppose the system but many support it.
"Light rail is the only way that a major city can develop and Ottawa is certainly a major city," he said, and added many rural residents who travel into the core of the city would probably use the system.
______________________
Tue, July 11, 2006
So many trains of thought
Councillors weighing 'overwhelming' arguments as debate over light-rail project begins today
By DEREK PUDDICOMBE
THE LONG and arduous debate over whether to approve an almost billion-dollar 29.7-km light rail transit project for the city begins today.
It looks like it will be a tough debate.
Some councillors have decided to vote against the project for a variety of reasons -- safety, money or simply because they say it's not the right LRT plan for the city.
Others, who have favoured the project from the beginning, are also having some second thoughts.
Baseline Coun. Rick Chiarelli, says he still hasn't made up his mind.
'THE SCALE IS LOADED'
"I really wanted to vote in favour of it," said Chiarelli, "but there are overwhelming reasons to vote for it and overwhelming reasons to be cautious as well. The scale is loaded on both sides."
One reason Chiarelli is cautious about what would be the largest construction project in the city's history is the cost.
"It's an awful lot of money and we have to know how it will affect flexibility in the future," he said.
Some councillors are saying the true cost of the project is anyone's guess. Estimates have ranged from $778 million to $1 billion. Even when staff presented the number a month ago, an informal poll revealed councillors didn't understand the real cost of the proposed light rail system and Chiarelli says that's been city staff's fault.
"The flow of information on the project has been confusing," he said.
Bell-South Nepean Coun. Jan Harder says the project is vital to keep traffic flowing from Barrhaven into the city's core.
"I hope this council has the vision after years and years of research and consultations," said Harder. "This is not for today or tomorrow. This is for the next 50 years."
Innes Ward Coun. Rainer Bloess visited Houston, Texas, last week on his own dime to get a feel for its LRT system -- the same make and model Ottawa will be voting on this week.
Admittedly not sure how he was going to vote before heading south, and still left with some questions, Bloess said the trip opened his eyes to the value of light rail transit.
Bloess' east-end council colleague Cumberland Coun. Rob Jellett also has some remaining concerns but likes the concept of LRT.
'CHEAPER TO RUN'
"Light rail is a better technology than using buses. It's better for the environment and cheaper to run," said Jellett.
Osgoode Coun. Doug Thompson said some rural residents oppose the system but many support it.
"Light rail is the only way that a major city can develop and Ottawa is certainly a major city," he said, and added many rural residents who travel into the core of the city would probably use the system.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: www.canada.com/ottawaciti...02&k=46051
____________________
Attempt to delay light-rail vote fails
14 of 21 city councillors decide against deferral motion pitched by Alex Cullen
Jake Rupert
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Ottawa's proposed north-south light-rail project is headed toward reality after city council yesterday voted down a move to defer a decision on the issue until after this fall's election.
Bay Councillor Alex Cullen brought the deferral motion, which died on a vote of 14 to seven, with many councillors saying that after years of study and planning, it was time to decide the issue.
Final voting on whether or not to go ahead with the 29-kilometre University of Ottawa to Barrhaven electric line, with a price tag of $780 million to $1 billion, is set for today after further debate.
The losing deferral vote is seen as a preview of what the final vote will be because most of the councillors who voted against deferral are expected to support the project.
In this camp is Gloucester-Southgate Councillor Diane Deans, whose growing area, including Riverside South, will be served by the line. She said this city council has been wrestling with the issue for years and is in a far better position to make the decision than the next council.
"At some point, council has to have the intestinal fortitude to make a decision on this," she said.
"I don't believe it's in the long-term interest of this city to delay. It's judgment day for this council."
Bell-South Nepean Councillor Jan Harder, whose ward includes Barrhaven, concurred.
"Members of this council and the one before it voted to make this the No. 1 transit priority, and it's time to move ahead with it," she said.
Mr. Cullen brought the motion because he felt taxpayers would have more direct impact on the decision if it became an election issue. This position was supported by a coalition of community groups and both main candidates running against Mayor Bob Chiarelli.
"This is taxpayers' money no matter how you slice it, and we should find out from our electorate if they are seeing this as an appropriate use of their money," Mr. Cullen said.
The city's light-rail project leader, Rejean Chartrand, warned council that the group of companies chosen to design, build, provide cars for and maintain the system for 15 years say a six-month delay would add $60 million to $80 million to the cost of the project.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli, the project's chief booster, didn't ask questions of staff or speak during the deferral debate after it became clear Mr. Cullen's motion wasn't going to pass.
The provincial and federal governments have each committed $200 million toward the project and the city is financing the rest, largely using gas tax transfers from the upper levels of government and development charges dedicated to transit projects.
Mr. Chartrand said he's confident this is the right project, at the right time, for the right price, with the right protections built in for the city.
"You can be sure that this is the best price for this project," said Mr. Chartrand.
"The city will pay for performance only, and there will be penalties if deadlines and performance standards aren't met."
Furthermore, city manager Kent Kirkpatrick said the city's whole planning process in the south end of Ottawa has been designed around the line, the roads into the area can't deal with any more cars, and the funding is in place to pay for the line with minimal impact to taxpayers.
"If you decided not to build this infrastructure ... a lot of planning will have to be undone and changed," he said. "This is the best strategy to service an area where the city has focused growth."
Mr. Kirkpatrick said there will be no pressure put on taxpayers until 2010, when the line starts running and the city will have to find roughly $16 million per year to run it.
That translates into a two-per-cent tax increase, beginning in 2010.
Still, a minority of councillors are expected to vote against the project today because they aren't convinced it is worth the price tag. Knoxdale-Merivale Councillor Gord Hunter is a long-time an opponent of the project for this reason.
____________________
Attempt to delay light-rail vote fails
14 of 21 city councillors decide against deferral motion pitched by Alex Cullen
Jake Rupert
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Ottawa's proposed north-south light-rail project is headed toward reality after city council yesterday voted down a move to defer a decision on the issue until after this fall's election.
Bay Councillor Alex Cullen brought the deferral motion, which died on a vote of 14 to seven, with many councillors saying that after years of study and planning, it was time to decide the issue.
Final voting on whether or not to go ahead with the 29-kilometre University of Ottawa to Barrhaven electric line, with a price tag of $780 million to $1 billion, is set for today after further debate.
The losing deferral vote is seen as a preview of what the final vote will be because most of the councillors who voted against deferral are expected to support the project.
In this camp is Gloucester-Southgate Councillor Diane Deans, whose growing area, including Riverside South, will be served by the line. She said this city council has been wrestling with the issue for years and is in a far better position to make the decision than the next council.
"At some point, council has to have the intestinal fortitude to make a decision on this," she said.
"I don't believe it's in the long-term interest of this city to delay. It's judgment day for this council."
Bell-South Nepean Councillor Jan Harder, whose ward includes Barrhaven, concurred.
"Members of this council and the one before it voted to make this the No. 1 transit priority, and it's time to move ahead with it," she said.
Mr. Cullen brought the motion because he felt taxpayers would have more direct impact on the decision if it became an election issue. This position was supported by a coalition of community groups and both main candidates running against Mayor Bob Chiarelli.
"This is taxpayers' money no matter how you slice it, and we should find out from our electorate if they are seeing this as an appropriate use of their money," Mr. Cullen said.
The city's light-rail project leader, Rejean Chartrand, warned council that the group of companies chosen to design, build, provide cars for and maintain the system for 15 years say a six-month delay would add $60 million to $80 million to the cost of the project.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli, the project's chief booster, didn't ask questions of staff or speak during the deferral debate after it became clear Mr. Cullen's motion wasn't going to pass.
The provincial and federal governments have each committed $200 million toward the project and the city is financing the rest, largely using gas tax transfers from the upper levels of government and development charges dedicated to transit projects.
Mr. Chartrand said he's confident this is the right project, at the right time, for the right price, with the right protections built in for the city.
"You can be sure that this is the best price for this project," said Mr. Chartrand.
"The city will pay for performance only, and there will be penalties if deadlines and performance standards aren't met."
Furthermore, city manager Kent Kirkpatrick said the city's whole planning process in the south end of Ottawa has been designed around the line, the roads into the area can't deal with any more cars, and the funding is in place to pay for the line with minimal impact to taxpayers.
"If you decided not to build this infrastructure ... a lot of planning will have to be undone and changed," he said. "This is the best strategy to service an area where the city has focused growth."
Mr. Kirkpatrick said there will be no pressure put on taxpayers until 2010, when the line starts running and the city will have to find roughly $16 million per year to run it.
That translates into a two-per-cent tax increase, beginning in 2010.
Still, a minority of councillors are expected to vote against the project today because they aren't convinced it is worth the price tag. Knoxdale-Merivale Councillor Gord Hunter is a long-time an opponent of the project for this reason.
S
samsonyuen
Guest
From: www.canada.com/ottawaciti...93&k=99119
_____________
All aboard rail? We'll soon see
'There should be enough votes' for light-rail plan, mayor says
Jake Rupert
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
'We're just not getting a lot of public transit for the money' says David Jeanes, president of the advocacy group Transport 2000, of Ottawa's multimillion-dollar light-rail project.
With the fate of Ottawa's north-south light-rail project hanging on one more vote, most likely to take place tomorrow, the pro, con and defer camps on city council were out in force yesterday.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli spent much of the day meeting with various councillors trying to secure their votes for the rail line, which would run from the University of Ottawa to Barrhaven at a cost somewhere between $780 million and $1 billion, depending on who does the math.
Mr. Chiarelli, who has been the leading force behind the project, said there are councillors who had concerns about it, but they have been answered.
"We aren't going to take the debate lightly, but we're fairly confident that there should be enough (votes) to carry it," Mr. Chiarelli said. "This will be beneficial to the whole city, and I think enough councillors see that."
Others, such as Bay Councillor Alex Cullen and Knoxdale-Merivale Councillor Gord Hunter, were working to get the votes to delay a decision on the matter until after this fall's municipal election, or to kill the project outright.
Mr. Cullen said he felt his move to have the vote deferred was gaining ground.
Indeed, Kanata Councillor Peggy Feltmate is now in favour of deferral, and two other councillors, Cumberland's Rob Jellett and Baseline's Rick Chiarelli, now say they are thinking about deferring the vote.
Mr. Cullen said if deferral fails, he will be voting against the project as it stands. He said initially the project was supposed to cost $600 million, and he just can't see the value anymore.
"I wanted to believe, but this is not what we started out trying to do," he said. "I want rail in Ottawa, but at $858 million, conservatively, we should be getting more than this. I just don't see this as value for the money we would be spending."
Mayor Chiarelli said the city has the money for the project, and he doesn't want to see it added to the list of capital project failures in the city. He said these include Lebreton Flats, 50 years and counting with nothing built, 15 years without an expansion of the Ottawa Congress Centre despite having almost $100 million in available funding, and no east end bridge over the Ottawa River despite a clear need.
"We've got the money in our hands, so let's get it done," Mr. Chiarelli said. "No one is saying it's perfection, but let's get the show on the road. Let's start building a world-class city."
Bell-South Nepean councillor Jan Harder spent the day working on getting support for the extension of the line from the Rideau River into the heart of Barrhaven. The extension was initially part of the plan, but was lopped off in an ultimately vain attempt to keep things close to budget.
A compromise solution will see the line reduced to one track into Barrhaven. This option, estimated to cost $24 million, will be voted on separately.
Ms. Harder says if others on council don't vote for the extension, she'll be voting against the project because it would no longer make sense.
Some councillors, like Baseline Councillor Rick Chiarelli, say they still need more information before they can make a decision.
In particular, Councillor Chiarelli wants to know the extent to which the $400 million coming from the provincial and federal governments is tied to this particular project and how the decision on this project is going to impact other transit projects planned for the future.
He said city staff have said the money from the other levels of government will be taken off the table if the project doesn't go ahead.
But Ottawa West-Nepean MP John Baird, who is also president of Treasury Board, says the money will remain on the table for other transit projects if this one is voted down.
Rick Chiarelli says he wants clear answers on this issue for both the federal and the provincial elements, which are worth $200 million each.
"If this money isn't tied to this project, there's a lot more possibilities," he said. "This is one transit project. There are others."
Rick Chiarelli said he's worried that financing the rest of the project using gas tax transfers from the two upper levels of government will mean the "other" projects won't get done.
Cumberland Councillor Rob Jellett says tension over the vote is so high that he and the mayor got in a heated argument over the issue recently.
"Bob and I got into it, and it got personal," Mr. Jellett said. "Nobody threatened anybody, but it was personal."
He said it got that way because he is now leaning towards deferring the project until after the election.
He said he's leaning that way because of the feedback he has been getting from his constituents.
"People want a chance to step back and look at this project one more time," Mr. Jellett said. "There are questions that need answering: Is the ridership there? Is this the right route? Is this the right project for the money right now?"
If the contract is awarded, it will go to a consortium consisting of Siemens, which will supply rail vehicles and technology, and PCL and Dufferin construction companies.
The city's light-rail team will start making presentations at 1 p.m. today followed by questions from councillors, debate and then the vote. However, it is expected that the meeting will not finish today and that the vote will held tomorrow after the meeting resumes at 9 a.m.
_____________
All aboard rail? We'll soon see
'There should be enough votes' for light-rail plan, mayor says
Jake Rupert
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
'We're just not getting a lot of public transit for the money' says David Jeanes, president of the advocacy group Transport 2000, of Ottawa's multimillion-dollar light-rail project.
With the fate of Ottawa's north-south light-rail project hanging on one more vote, most likely to take place tomorrow, the pro, con and defer camps on city council were out in force yesterday.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli spent much of the day meeting with various councillors trying to secure their votes for the rail line, which would run from the University of Ottawa to Barrhaven at a cost somewhere between $780 million and $1 billion, depending on who does the math.
Mr. Chiarelli, who has been the leading force behind the project, said there are councillors who had concerns about it, but they have been answered.
"We aren't going to take the debate lightly, but we're fairly confident that there should be enough (votes) to carry it," Mr. Chiarelli said. "This will be beneficial to the whole city, and I think enough councillors see that."
Others, such as Bay Councillor Alex Cullen and Knoxdale-Merivale Councillor Gord Hunter, were working to get the votes to delay a decision on the matter until after this fall's municipal election, or to kill the project outright.
Mr. Cullen said he felt his move to have the vote deferred was gaining ground.
Indeed, Kanata Councillor Peggy Feltmate is now in favour of deferral, and two other councillors, Cumberland's Rob Jellett and Baseline's Rick Chiarelli, now say they are thinking about deferring the vote.
Mr. Cullen said if deferral fails, he will be voting against the project as it stands. He said initially the project was supposed to cost $600 million, and he just can't see the value anymore.
"I wanted to believe, but this is not what we started out trying to do," he said. "I want rail in Ottawa, but at $858 million, conservatively, we should be getting more than this. I just don't see this as value for the money we would be spending."
Mayor Chiarelli said the city has the money for the project, and he doesn't want to see it added to the list of capital project failures in the city. He said these include Lebreton Flats, 50 years and counting with nothing built, 15 years without an expansion of the Ottawa Congress Centre despite having almost $100 million in available funding, and no east end bridge over the Ottawa River despite a clear need.
"We've got the money in our hands, so let's get it done," Mr. Chiarelli said. "No one is saying it's perfection, but let's get the show on the road. Let's start building a world-class city."
Bell-South Nepean councillor Jan Harder spent the day working on getting support for the extension of the line from the Rideau River into the heart of Barrhaven. The extension was initially part of the plan, but was lopped off in an ultimately vain attempt to keep things close to budget.
A compromise solution will see the line reduced to one track into Barrhaven. This option, estimated to cost $24 million, will be voted on separately.
Ms. Harder says if others on council don't vote for the extension, she'll be voting against the project because it would no longer make sense.
Some councillors, like Baseline Councillor Rick Chiarelli, say they still need more information before they can make a decision.
In particular, Councillor Chiarelli wants to know the extent to which the $400 million coming from the provincial and federal governments is tied to this particular project and how the decision on this project is going to impact other transit projects planned for the future.
He said city staff have said the money from the other levels of government will be taken off the table if the project doesn't go ahead.
But Ottawa West-Nepean MP John Baird, who is also president of Treasury Board, says the money will remain on the table for other transit projects if this one is voted down.
Rick Chiarelli says he wants clear answers on this issue for both the federal and the provincial elements, which are worth $200 million each.
"If this money isn't tied to this project, there's a lot more possibilities," he said. "This is one transit project. There are others."
Rick Chiarelli said he's worried that financing the rest of the project using gas tax transfers from the two upper levels of government will mean the "other" projects won't get done.
Cumberland Councillor Rob Jellett says tension over the vote is so high that he and the mayor got in a heated argument over the issue recently.
"Bob and I got into it, and it got personal," Mr. Jellett said. "Nobody threatened anybody, but it was personal."
He said it got that way because he is now leaning towards deferring the project until after the election.
He said he's leaning that way because of the feedback he has been getting from his constituents.
"People want a chance to step back and look at this project one more time," Mr. Jellett said. "There are questions that need answering: Is the ridership there? Is this the right route? Is this the right project for the money right now?"
If the contract is awarded, it will go to a consortium consisting of Siemens, which will supply rail vehicles and technology, and PCL and Dufferin construction companies.
The city's light-rail team will start making presentations at 1 p.m. today followed by questions from councillors, debate and then the vote. However, it is expected that the meeting will not finish today and that the vote will held tomorrow after the meeting resumes at 9 a.m.