Ottawa Senators lobby federal, Ontario governments on LeBreton Flats arena plans

The team has hired a firm to talk with senior levels of government about the future arena at LeBreton Flats, including finances. CTV’s Stefan Keyes reports.

The Ottawa Senators are looking for the federal and Ontario governments to join the team to help build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats.

The lobbyist registries for both the federal government and the Ontario government show Toronto-based lobbying firm StrategyCorp has engaged with officials at both levels of government on behalf of Capital Sports Development Inc., which is the Ottawa Senators.

In August, the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission reached an agreement for the club to purchase approximately 11 acres of land at LeBreton Flats. The plan would see the Senators build a new major event centre and arena district on the land just west of downtown Ottawa.

“StrategyCorp has been retained by the developer to communicate with government to keep them informed about the transformative residential, commercial, and entertainment destination project planned for LeBreton Flats and its benefits for the Ottawa region, province, and country,” the Ottawa Senators told CTV News Ottawa in a statement.

The federal lobbyist registry on the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada’s website shows six lobbyists with StrategyCorp Inc. have registered since September to discuss the LeBreton Flats plans with federal officials.

According to the lobbyist registry, they were discussing “policies and programs” with federal officials, and the subject matters included “Aboriginal Affairs, Budget, Economic Development, Housing, Infrastructure, Municipalities, Sports, Taxation and Finance, Tourism and Transportation.”

“Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSDI) is engaging with the federal government on a plan to revitalize downtown Ottawa with a world-class mixed-use event centre and entertainment district at LeBreton Flats as the catalyst,” said the lobbyist registry.

The list of government institutions on the lobbying information includes the Prime Minister’s Office, the Privy Council Office, the National Capital Commission, Canada Infrastructure Bank, Canadian Heritage and Public Services and Procurement Canada.

The Ontario government’s lobbyist registry shows three officials with StrategyCorp have registered to lobby on behalf of Capital Sports Development.

According to StrategyCorp, they want to have “discussions with government regarding arena eligibility for infrastructure financing and other government programs.”

The lobbying targets include the offices of Premier Doug Ford and the ministers of finance, economic development, infrastructure, intergovernmental affairs, Treasury Board and tourism culture and gaming.

Senators owner Michael Andlauer has previously said a new arena should not cost Ottawa taxpayers money.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said in August there was “no appetite” for municipal tax dollars to support a new Senators arena.

“I don’t think there’s an appetite for public dollars to go into an NHL hockey arena,” Sutcliffe said on Aug. 13. “There are other priorities that we’re working on right now to invest in public assets, including recreation facilities, including Lansdowne Park, including roads and sidewalks and bike lanes”

The Ottawa Citizen first reported the Senators were lobbying federal and provincial governments for funding to support the LeBreton Flats arena project.