Ottawa’s new central library won’t open in 2026

A photo of the Adisoke library as presented to Ottawa's finance and corporate services committee on Dec. 2, 2025. (City of Ottawa)

The new Ādisōke library at LeBreton Flats will not open next year, as scheduled.

The City of Ottawa’s finance and corporate services committee received a project update Tuesday, announcing the delay.

The $334-million joint Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and Library and Archives Canada building was slated to open in the summer of 2026. The facility, once complete, will replace the OPL’s main branch on Metcalfe Street.

Earlier this year, staff told councillors that the contractor building the library said the complexity of the project was putting “pressure on the construction schedule.”

On Tuesday, staff said the contractor has signalled further pressures and has said any significant schedule recovery is “unlikely.”

Staff said the City of Ottawa has not accepted the delays as reported nor amended the contract; however, it means the library will not open in 2026 because of the extent of work that is required between the building’s completion and its public opening.

“There is a lot of work to do that requires focus and care. Nothing should be rushed,” said Carina Duclos, the city’s director of infrastructure services. “Everyone involved is united in their commitments to delivering this project responsibly.”

Construction on Ādisōke began in 2021. The library was initially expected to open in late 2024, but was later pushed back to mid-2026. The price tag for the facility also jumped from $193 million to $334 million, blamed on construction costs rising during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new date for opening has yet to be confirmed.

The City of Ottawa is contributing $201 million to the project, while Library and Archives Canada is contributing $133 million.

The name, Ādisōke, is an Anishinaabemowin word that means “storytelling.”

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