City's bungling on transit plan costing nation's capital: WatsonOttawa has basically shot itself in foot, leading minister says(Saturday, December 01, 2007 by Mohammed Adam, The Ottawa Citizen) -- The handling of Ottawa's troubled transit plan is giving the nation's capital a reputation at Queen's Park as a city that doesn't know what it is doing or where it is going, says the new minister of municipal affairs. Jim Watson says the provincial government is frustrated with the City of Ottawa's failure to come up with a credible plan that can be funded like other cities in Ontario.
In a candid interview yesterday with the Citizen, Mr. Watson said the Ottawa contingent at Queen's Park has watched with dismay as billions of dollars are poured into other cities for transit projects, but can't do anything for their own city because they have no plan to fight for. Mr. Watson said Ottawa has basically shot itself in the foot with its tardiness and is losing credibility on the issue. "There has been a level of frustration on the part of a lot of people, not just at the provincial level, but federally, about where Ottawa is going with the transit plan. We keep talking about transit, light rail and tunnels, but we haven't moved the yardstick very far, " Mr. Watson said. "I am frustrated because I see all sorts of money going to other transit projects in Ontario and I am itching to get money into Ottawa, but we just can't give the money until we see a plan." Mr. Watson assumed the municipal affairs and housing portfolio at a time when towns and cities across the province are squeezed for money and facing hard times on everything from crumbling infrastructure, lack of affordable housing and higher taxes. But as a former Ottawa mayor and MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean, Mr. Watson takes a particular interest in his home city. While keen to not second-guess councillors or appear to be criticizing them, he is clearly unhappy with the lack of progress on public transit. While other cities are moving forward with bold plans for the future, Ottawa seems to be treading water since the cancellation of the north-south light rail project. What is particularly troubling is that Ottawa is gaining a reputation at Queen's Park as a city that doesn't know what it is doing or where it is going. He said that since the north-south light rail project was killed, Ottawa has had myriad transit proposals, including the mayor's task force recommendation, a staff plan and now the $2-billion plan -- each of which was touted as the plan for the future. "I don't think they have helped their credibility with the on-again and off-again light-rail debate ... I sit and watch this both as a former mayor, as MPP and minister and it has been frustrating and confusing. To be perfectly honest, I am not entirely sure where the city is going with its transit plan," Mr. Watson said. "My hope is that the City of Ottawa can find a way to put together a mass transit plan and submit it to us so I can then go and work with my colleagues from Ottawa and get the necessary money flowing." City council has just approved a $2-billion plan that it says captures its vision for the future, but Mr. Watson has concerns. He said the plan looks more like a series of proposals from different groups and needs a lot of work. For one, the city has to demonstrate that the proposed plan -- which includes transitways for the east and west, a downtown tunnel and the resuscitation of the north-south rail -- is a good use of public money and is the best plan for the future. Federal and provincial governments won't fund a wish list of different councillors, he said. As well, the plan has to go through rigorous public consultation and council has to show how it will pay for its one-third share of the project. Mr. Watson said if council was concerned that the $1-billion north-south plan would stretch its resources thin, it is important to show federal and provincial governments how it would afford its share of a $2-billion plan. "What they have passed is not a transit plan. It was basically a series of transit ideas they want funding for," Mr. Watson said. "What they've done is come up with a compromised plan with a fair amount of buy-in. But they now have to hand it over to staff to come up with a transit plan. They have to show that this is going to increase transit ridership and is affordable." Mr. Watson said he has spoken to Mayor Larry O'Brien on the need for the city to act with some haste on the issue and believes council is now serious about it. "We've always said that there's going to be a greater requirement for money, but I couldn't tell you right now what their master plan is," he said. "My hope is that they come with something not only because it is good for the environment and transit, but it is good for the credibility of the city to finally get a plan together." © The Ottawa Citizen 2007
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