Eco-friendly transportation a condition of planned Ottawa Senators arena: agreement

In this photo taken using a drone, the LeBreton Flats area is seen west of Parliament Hill in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA — Public transit, cycling and walking will be the “primary and preferred modes” of getting fans to and from the Ottawa Senators’ planned downtown arena, says a newly disclosed agreement on the project.

Under the agreement, a group led by the NHL team would be responsible for designing, building and paying for a publicly accessible cycling and pedestrian bridge linking a major Ottawa street to the LeBreton Flats arena site.

In addition, the arena and associated elements would be “zero carbon” buildings — highly energy-efficient structures with minimal greenhouse gas emissions from materials and operations.

The National Capital Commission, the federal agency that controls the land, and Capital Sports Development Inc., led by the Senators, signed a memorandum of understanding last September on the planned purchase of five parcels totalling 10 acres.

The sale of the land near Parliament Hill could be completed later this year following finalization of a price based on fair market value.

Many Senators fans have long desired a central venue for the team, which has played since 1996 in an arena in the suburb of Kanata about 25 kilometres west of downtown.

The proposed arena, billed as a major events centre, would also host concerts and other attractions.

The memorandum and documents related to the September 2024 agreement were recently obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information Act.

Some portions of the documents were withheld from release on the basis the information could prejudice a competitive position or interfere with negotiations if made public.

Representatives of the NCC and the Senators declined to answer questions about the documents, citing the ongoing negotiations.

At a September press conference to announce the agreement, Senators president Cyril Leeder called the move “a great first step” but added there was a lot of work ahead. “This allows that work to take place.”

The memorandum of understanding says excavation and decontamination of the soil in one parcel of land must be completed by Capital Sports Development by a deadline after the sale closes, failing which the NCC would have the right to “take back” the parcel.

The emphasis in the memorandum on active and ecologically friendly forms of transport and green building standards flow from the master concept plan for LeBreton Flats drafted by the NCC following extensive consultations.

The 175-page master plan “prioritizes universal accessibility, transit access and active modes. The community design and proposed land uses enable an urban lifestyle that provides for the daily needs of residents without requiring automobile travel.”

It notes the site is connected to two light-rail transit stations as well as pedestrian and cycling facilities and roadways to accommodate and disperse large crowds. New links, staircases and underpasses are planned.

Capital Sports Development would be obligated to design and construct one such component — a pedestrian and cycling bridge leading from Preston Street over the light-rail tracks into the Flats, connecting communities to the south, the memorandum of understanding says.

It also says construction of the arena and associated buildings would be certified to the Canada Green Building Council’s zero carbon standard. In addition, all buildings are to be connected to a planned LeBreton Flats energy system.

It is unclear to what extent any new parking spaces on the site would be underground or in surface lots. On the question of surface parking, a document prepared by the NCC says the agreement “contains provisions for temporary parking on nearby NCC lands.”

In addition to the new arena, the NCC’s vision for LeBreton Flats includes a mix of residential units, retail outlets, restaurants, green spaces and efforts to honour the rich Algonquin Nation presence in the region.

The memorandum stipulates the NCC “shall ensure the continued development” of lands within the master plan.

After the announcement in September, Senators majority owner Michael Andlauer expressed optimism about moving ahead with the arena project, saying it could be possible to drop the first puck at LeBreton in five years.

He did not seem worried by the breakdowns and glitches that had plagued Ottawa’s light-rail system, saying he was confident “they’ll have all the bugs out” by the time the arena is built.

However, Andlauer indicated he was taken aback early in the process by the NCC’s environmentally friendly requirements, saying the commission could be a bit too “ideological.”

“They mean well, but … I’m thinking through the lens of the fan,” Andlauer said.

In response to questions about the September agreement, including whether the transportation and ecological conditions would be achievable, the Ottawa Senators said the hockey club would “refrain from making any comments” out of respect for the current negotiations.

Valérie Dufour, an NCC spokesperson, said that in order to “respect the integrity of ongoing discussions, we will not make any further comments at this time.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press