Petition pushes feds to pay up for Ottawa side of tramway

Taylor Clark

An e-petition urging the Government of Canada to fund the pre-project studies for Ottawa’s portion of the tramway has been making the rounds.

“It is absolutely essential to always reiterate that this is a need that is demonstrated by the numbers, but also desired by the population,” said the petition’s creator and MOBI-O director general Patrick Robert-Meunier.

Despite the late June announcement where the federal and provincial governments invested $163.5 million to set the planning phase in motion on the Quebec side, funding has yet to be announced for the studies of the 2 kilometres of tramway line planned for the other side of the river.

“The request has always been made, in fact, since the beginning of this project, that the federal government take full responsibility for financing what is happening on the Ontario side,” said Robert-Meunier.

Prior to the tabling of the 2024 federal budget in April, Canada’s Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez assured that the studies for the project would be financed by the federal government. 

Of the recent joint investment, the Government of Quebec covered 60 per cent of the cost while the Government of Canada funded the remaining 40 per cent. Robert-Meunier intends to hold the federal government to its word and foot the complete bill for the Ontario side.

Accommodating over 30,000 passengers daily once in service, the tramway has been deemed the most sustainable solution to meet the needs of residents for the next 30 to 50 years.

“I would say the numbers are clear in relation to the travel needs … Investing in a RapiBus, for example, would mean investing hundreds of millions of dollars in a system which, in a few years, would no longer be functional. It’s not a good public investment to do that.”

With the ability to carry three times the number of passengers than an articulated bus, the system will not only meet the demand but also reduce congestion in the Gatineau and Ottawa downtowns.

As of August 28, the petition surpassed the minimum of 500 signatures required to receive final certification. Once it closes on September 25, the signatures will have to be verified before the petition is presented to the House.

Robert-Meunier was hopeful the Government of Canada would make an announcement this fall to “seal the future of this project.”

“I think that the federal government understands that we will not be able to build a tramway that stops at the bottom of Pont du Portage and that it must cross to Ottawa if we want it to be effective and meet peoples’ travel needs.”

To learn more about the petition and add your name among the signatures, visit https://www.noscommunes.ca/petitions/fr/Petition/Sign/e-5015. 

Photo caption: With the funding secured for the planning stage of Gatineau’s side of the tramway, a petition seeks confirmation on the investment for the Ottawa portion of the interprovincial project.

Photo credit: Tramway Gatineau-Ottawa project office Website