A west-end Ottawa councillor is calling on the city to do more than simply repair flood damage near Moodie Station, saying residents need assurances the same problem won’t happen again and need better transit service in the meantime. In a memo sent to the mayor and councillors, OC Transpo says the West Extension is being inspected to determine impacts following the July 1 extreme weather event. This includes examining infrastructure such as electrical equipment, rail switches, ballast and sections of the track. OC Transpo reiterates that no decisions have been made regarding the repairs that may be required. Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley says the focus should be on both preventing future flooding and improving service for Kanata commuters while repairs continue. “What’s being talked about here is how to repair the damage and how long it’s going to take. What they need to tell us and tell the ridership is what they’re doing to prevent future flooding,” Hubley says. The councillor noted the west end has experienced multiple major storms in recent years, raising concerns that similar flooding could happen again. “I represent an area that had three 100-year storms in 10 years,” the councillor said. “Just because you’re saying this is a 200-year storm, the next one could be two months away. What are we doing to make sure that doesn’t flood again before we put ridership back in there?” The city has said the extent of the damage is still being assessed, with some evaluations expected to continue into 2027. While officials have discussed the possibility of partially opening the western extension, the councillor says residents need better transit options now instead of waiting for the rail line to open. Hubley is urging OC Transpo to examine introducing an enhanced R1 replacement service or a bus rapid transit (BRT) system serving Kanata before the rail extension is complete. “My residents call me and talk about the delay in getting home or getting to work,” the councillor said. “They don’t say, ‘How fast can you get me on a train?’ They say, ‘How fast can you get me home?’” OC Transpo says an external consultant is assessing the overall schedule for the Stage 2 West Extension. The consultant is reviewing all aspects of the project, and the full update is expected to be provided in early 2027. This includes looking at many ways to mitigate project timelines, including the potential for a staged opening. Barrhaven Coun. Wilson Lo says he hopes officials examine every possible partial opening option. “Perhaps there’s also a way to open out to Bayshore and see what capacity that the Belfast Yard has to maintain and store the trains. Perhaps we can open it to Bayshore without having to open that end section of the track,” Lo says. “I think all options need to be on the table. We need to see what it looks like if we just open the Algonquin portion, if the whole section gets delayed or if a portion of the section, let’s say north of Lincoln Fields opens, I think all options need to be on the table.” Lo says getting the extension to Algonquin will be a huge asset to Barrhaven commuters. “Because the OC Transpo current plan is that all of our local buses would come up to Algonquin, and that’s going to make a big difference in people’s commutes from Barrhaven.”
