Lansdowne 2.0

Lansdowne is one of our city’s most iconic gathering places. As the City owns both the land and the buildings, it is the City’s responsibility to maintain and renew these public facilities. Many of the site’s key amenities, including the nearly 60-year-old north-side stands and event centre, have reached the end of their useful life and no longer meet modern standards, particularly for accessibility. Choosing to do nothing would only lead to escalating repair bills and fewer benefits for the community.

In November 2023, after a long debate and extensive public engagement, City Council voted to advance Lansdowne 2.0 and bring greater certainty to the project’s costs and revenues. Since that time, the results have come back favourably, particularly around construction costs and the sale of air rights. Bids were independently competitive and within the expected range.

Despite some claims that there is no support for Lansdowne, the site remains a proven success. More than four million people visit every year, attending world-class sporting events, concerts, and local celebrations that energize our city.

Lansdowne 2.0 is a strategic investment to modernize aging infrastructure, add housing, improve public spaces, and ensure Lansdowne remains a year-round destination. The plan includes a new, fully accessible, and energy-efficient event centre for concerts, community events, and professional sports, including the Ottawa Charge of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. It features modernized north-side stadium stands with upgraded seating, wider concourses, more washrooms, and universal accessibility. Hundreds of new residential units will also be built on site, with the City earning revenue from air rights sales to help fund Lansdowne 2.0 and support affordable housing elsewhere in Ottawa. The project will restore public spaces, including the Great Lawn, new pathways, and year-round outdoor amenities, and dedicate two million dollars to a public art program celebrating Ottawa’s culture and diversity.

Independent analysis from Deloitte confirms that Lansdowne 2.0 will create nearly five thousand jobs and boost Ottawa’s GDP by more than half a billion dollars over the next decade. The Ottawa Board of Trade has described the project as “a renewed confidence in the city,” and Ottawa Tourism has said it is essential for revitalizing our downtown and promoting innovation. With the Mayor’s recent update that the projected cost to the City is lower than expected, now 4.3 million dollars annually rather than 5 million, Lansdowne 2.0 makes sound financial sense. For a net taxpayer cost of 146.6 million dollars, Ottawa will gain a 419-million-dollar public asset, while new revenues from property tax uplift, ticket surcharges, and hotel tax will offset nearly two-thirds of the total investment.

There has been a great deal of misinformation about this project. To clarify, Lansdowne 2.0 is not a do-over of what was built ten years ago, it builds on the 2014 redevelopment and adds new facilities. The north-side stands, and event centre are about sixty years old and no longer meet modern accessibility or safety standards. The City is not selling Lansdowne. The City will retain ownership of all land and assets while the private partnership helps reduce ongoing operating costs. Affordable housing remains part of the plan, with revenues from air rights being reinvested into affordable housing projects elsewhere in Ottawa.

Since Lansdowne is a publicly owned asset, the costs of renewal and maintenance will always be borne by taxpayers, either through smart, planned investments like Lansdowne 2.0, or through ongoing repairs that cost more over time and deliver fewer benefits. This project has not been rushed, it has been carefully studied, refined, and planned over several years. It represents a responsible and forward-looking choice that protects the public’s investment and ensures future generations can continue to enjoy a safe, accessible, and vibrant Lansdowne.

We must also recognize that the federal government’s recent downsizing announcements will impact Ottawa’s economy. As thousands of jobs are reviewed or reduced, it is vital for all levels of government to prioritize local economic growth. Real hope begins with stable employment, and projects like Lansdowne 2.0 will help deliver that stability. Ottawa has already made important complementary investments such as the 21-million-dollar Flora MacDonald Bridge, which improved access to the site. To strengthen mobility further, we need partners like the NCC to ensure that Queen Elizabeth Drive remains open to all users so families, businesses, and visitors can reach Lansdowne just as they have for decades.

It is clear that Lansdowne’s current facilities are no longer competitive. Event promoters, accessibility advocates, and adaptive-sports organizations have said as much. Without reinvestment, Ottawa will continue to lose major events and opportunities for tourism, culture, and community gathering.

Lansdowne 2.0 represents stability and long-term vision. Doing nothing is not an option. Patching over accessibility issues or deferring maintenance will only repeat the mistakes of the past.

I will say in closing that I remain skeptical that Councillors who now call for funds to be spent elsewhere would genuinely support suburban Ottawa priorities. Some of the same Councillors who now present themselves as advocates for “other priorities” voted against the new recreation complex in Riverside South, a major facility that will serve families, youth, and residents across south Ottawa. These same Councillors have opposed key suburban projects such as the Airport Parkway expansion and upgrades to Strandherd Drive, both of which are essential to improving transportation connections and supporting growth in south Ottawa. It is also important to clarify that the funding for Lansdowne 2.0 cannot be redirected to other projects. This investment is supported through a dedicated financial framework that relies on project-specific revenues, including the sale of air rights and long-term financing tied directly to the redevelopment.

I encourage residents to review the details of the project, which City Council recently approved, at Council approves Lansdowne2.0 redevelopment plan.