Vehicles could be trapped for weeks after Ottawa parking garage collapse
A black Stetson is on Tim Sheffield's mind, though not currently on his head.
Sheffield's favourite cowboy hat is in the back of a grey Chevy Volt alongside a handmade, cow-themed jacket that the country musician from Kingston, Ont., wears onstage while performing.
The Chevy Volt, the cowboy hat and the tailored jacket are all inside the downtown Ottawa parking garage that collapsed on Wednesday.
That's a problem for Sheffield and others whose vehicles are stuck inside the damaged structure, and who have been told it could be up to two weeks before they can access them.
"We're just kind of in limbo without a lot of information coming back. We're watching the news just to see what's happening," Sheffield told CBC on Thursday.
On Thursday evening, a representative of Indigo Park Canada Inc. sent an email on behalf of property owner GWL Realty Advisors cautioning people with vehicles inside the garage against expecting a quick retrieval.
"GWLRA (property owner) is working closely with the city, emergency crews and a local team of experts to address the situation, render the site safe, and allow for the removal of vehicles," the email said. "They do not anticipate being able to access vehicles on the property for at least one to two weeks and we will be in touch with regular updates as this work progresses."
A section of the six-level parking garage, which spans Slater Street to Laurier Avenue W. just west of O'Connor Street, collapsed around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday.
While the city has not confirmed the cause, Scott Lockhart, Ottawa's deputy chief building official, told CBC Radio's All In A Day that engineers suspect a hefty pile of snow on the upper level may have buckled support girders.
The pancake collapse took out the garage's ramp, complicating the removal of 50-odd vehicles.
While some automobiles have been crushed by debris, the owners of the undamaged vehicles aren't celebrating yet.
'What's their plan?'
Rick Brown from Blue Mountain, Ont., said his insurance company told him they would not pay any expenses as his car was not damaged.
"So I can't even open the claim to get a rental car," he told CBC.
But Brown, who was in Ottawa for business meetings when the collapse occurred, said his greatest source of frustration has been the lack of clear communication from authorities and the owner of the garage.
"It would be nice to have some idea what their thoughts are," he said. "What's their plan? Yeah, I don't know."
Likewise, François Ste-Marie suspects the next few weeks will be a headache.
His vehicle is visible in photos of the partially demolished garage. A grey car on the level below has been crushed, but Ste-Marie's shiny red truck looks untouched.
But without knowing how it will be extracted from the garage, or whether insurance will cover a replacement rental, Ste-Marie is not sure how his family will go on their March vacation.
"It's going to be quite problematic," he told CBC. "I'm not getting any answers back from my insurance company as well as to whether or not they would … compensate us for a rental vehicle."
And while Sheffield the musician has been told his insurance will eventually pay up, he's anticipating a lean patch until he's reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.
"We're just bucking up and and realizing that it's going to be very expensive for us over the next little while, as we collect the receipts," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
07-06-2025
Faster isn't always better. Slow-charging EVs could have big benefits
When Julia McNally decided to buy an EV and started her research, she came across a lot of articles and ads pushing an apparent must-have accessory — a speedy home charger designed specifically for EVs. Everything was pointing me to Level 2, recalled McNally, director of climate action at Toronto Hydro. She knew that all EVs can do Level 1 slow charging, or trickle charging, from a regular 120-volt wall outlet, adding about six kilometres of range per hour (except in very cold winter temperatures, which can slow charging speeds). And she already had an outlet of those in her backyard, near the alleyway where she planned to park her new Mini EV. But more than four out of five U.S. EV owners used Level 2 for home-charging in 2023, according to market research firm J.D. Power (new window) . Using a higher 240 voltage, often needed for a stove or dryer, Level 2 chargers can add about 30 to 50 kilometres of range per hour and refill a typical EV's entire 400-kilometre range overnight. Meanwhile, Level 3, or DC fast chargers, often installed along major highways, can add 250 kilometres of range per hour (some are even faster (new window) ) and charge a battery to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Get more with a free CBC account Comment on articles, stay in the know with our newsletters and stream more on CBC Gem. Sign In (new window) Create a free account (new window) Why faster may not be better Some experts, such as Daniel Breton, CEO of Electric Mobility Canada, have argued people "really need" Level 2 chargers at home (new window) , as it can take days to charge an empty battery to full at Level 1. But most people don't drive the hundreds of kilometres needed to empty their battery each day — and there's a downside to faster charging. You're adding cost, McNally said — potentially thousands of dollars. Installing a Level 2 charger requires a licensed electrician, she said. In Toronto, it means consulting with Toronto Hydro and the Electrical Safety Authority. And homeowners often will need to increase the size of their electrical panel, adding additional costs. But it's something more Canadians may be thinking about soon, amid Canada's zero-emission vehicle mandate (new window) , requiring that 20 per cent of cars, vans and light trucks sold in Canada be electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered cars by next year. The goal is to reach 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had vowed to scrap the target if elected (new window) , but with a Liberal re-election (new window) , the target still stands. WATCH | Can northern power grids handle electric vehicles and heat?: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Can northern power grids handle electric vehicles and heat? Electric vehicles and electric heating are expected to put a strain on northern power grids. A new study out of Yukon University offers utilities some ways to fix that. The CBC's Liny Lamberink has more. Level 2 charging isn't just more expensive and logistically difficult for individual EV owners. In some Canadian communities, the aging electrical grid may not be able to handle too much Level 2 charging at once. For example, a recent Yukon University study found that if more northerners install Level 2 chargers and electric heating, that could cause problems for transformers (new window) — a key piece of equipment in local electricity distribution networks. At the time of the study, published last December, there were only 88 EVs in all of Yukon, and half of them were plug-in hybrids. Blake Shaffer, a University of Calgary associate professor, studied the situation in his community with local utility Enmax. He previously told CBC News (new window) that electricity distribution networks would need significant upgrades in order for all EV drivers to be able to charge at Level 2. That's where the real challenge of EVs comes about, he said, noting high costs for both individuals and electric utilities. McNally says Toronto Hydro has adequate capacity for whatever EVs and heat pumps come at us. She acknowledged, however, that in cases where someone does ask Toronto Hydro for extra capacity you need to pay for the upgrades. Meanwhile, Level 1 takes advantage of wall outlets that people often already have, including residents of apartments or condo buildings. In colder parts of Canada, many parking spaces have a plug intended for block heaters. (Although tenants may have to negotiate with their landlord to use it for charging (new window) .) WATCH | This electric vehicle owner says tenants who pay hydro should be able to plug in: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? This electric vehicle owner says tenants who pay hydro should be able to plug in Renters might find themselves in uncharted legal territory if their landlord wants to make them pay for charging their electric vehicles — even if electricity is included in their lease. Many people don't need Level 2 at home Living in Toronto, McNally doesn't drive 400 kilometres a day; typically, she only covers 600 kilometres in an entire month. So she knew that Level 1 charging was probably good enough for her needs. That's not unusual — even outside Canada's largest city. Shaffer studied the driving and parking habits of 129 EV drivers in Calgary from December 2021 to December 2022. (While that was during the tail end of the pandemic, Statistics Canada reports very similar commute times in Calgary in 2022 and 2024 (new window) .) The study found 29 per cent of drivers only ever needed Level 1 charging (new window) because they drove very little relative to the time they were parked. Another 53 per cent could use Level 1 most of the time, but might need to visit a public Level 2 or fast charging station up to once per month to top off their battery. WATCH | Canada needs more charging stations to hit EV targets: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Canada needs more charging stations to hit EV targets Experts say Canada needs hundreds of thousands more charging stations to support electric vehicle targets, but it's unclear who's in charge of building them. The City of Vancouver estimates that the average driver can meet their daily driving needs in under four hours using a Level 1 charger and in about 45 minutes using a Level 2 charger (new window) . Either of those is plenty of time if people have a place to park and charge overnight. Level 1 can even work for drivers in rural communities. Rob van Adrichem lives in Prince George, B.C., and got an electric car this past summer. He only has Level 1 charging at home, but tops up at Level 2 chargers at the park or the library in town if he needs to. I'm finding Level 1 is no problem, he said. I think people get scared off on Level 2s because they think it's going to be thousands of dollars and I don't know that it's always necessary. Is it a tenant's right to charge an EV at their rental? (new window) Ali Mohazab is co-founder of a startup called Parkizio Technologies that helps people such as apartment dwellers access electricity for charging. He said people thinking about switching to an EV may imagine doing a variation of what they did with their gas car: driving to empty and then going to a gas station and filling the entire tank — something they're forced to do because they don't have a gas pump at their home. Mohazab said that gas mentality may not allow people to see that with an EV, every parking opportunity is a charging opportunity and it doesn't matter if you charge faster so your battery is full at 1 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. when you leave for work — you can just leave it plugged in overnight. He added, If you kind of look at your car as a, you know, cell phone with wheels, then it really makes sense. McNally has found that she doesn't even need to charge every day, even at Level 1. I charge about once a week, she said. Couldn't be easier. But how can you tell if Level 1 will be enough for you? Level 1 is probably enough for most people, Mohazab says, except those who drive all day for work, such as Uber drivers. McNally suggests this rule of thumb: If you drive less than 60 kilometres a day, you are probably just fine with the regular plug that is already at your house. She recommends that new EV owners start with Level 1 to keep things cheap and simple. Start there, see how it works, learn your patterns — and then if you really want Level 2, you can add that cost later. Emily Chung (new window) · CBC News
CBC
05-06-2025
- CBC
Happy birthday Chrysler! Brand celebrates 100 years with Belle Isle jaunt
Chrysler marked its 100th anniversary on Wednesday by taking some historic cars out for a spin on scenic Belle Isle in Detroit. The CBC's Michael Evans was there to check it out.
CBC
04-06-2025
- CBC
P.E.I. drivers warned to be careful as work begins to replace Albany Y overpass
Social Sharing Work is underway to upgrade an overpass at one of the main highway interchanges on the way into and out of Prince Edward Island, so drivers will see a temporary redesign over the next several months. The so-called Albany Y intersection is where the Trans-Canada Highway intersects with Route 1A. Drivers coming off the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton have the option to either take the overpass that leads them east toward Charlottetown, or veer right onto a ramp that takes them out under the highway and onto the 1A west toward Summerside. The overpass was built in the 1960s and needs to be replaced. At the same time that's happening, P.E.I.'s Transportation Department will shift it slightly further west, toward Middleton, to smooth out the tight curve that drivers headed east currently have to navigate. WATCH | Temporary roundabout coming to key intersection near Borden-Carleton for at least 6 months: Temporary roundabout coming to key intersection near Borden-Carleton for at least 6 months 2 hours ago Duration 1:35 Work has begun to replace the overpass at the intersection near Borden-Carleton known as the Albany Y. The P.E.I. government says traffic will be diverted in the meantime to a temporary roundabout. CBC's Nicola MacLeod explains. "We're going to change that to meet current highway design criteria," said Neil Lawless, the province's bridge engineer. "It's more the bend on the Borden-Carleton side of the site, which is… too tight of a curve, we'll say." Starting this week, all traffic going through the Albany area will be directed through a temporary roundabout with marked exits for each destination. The usual off-ramps that were always one-way exits will now see traffic flowing in both directions. Lawless said the temporary roundabout route will be in place until about the end of November, when the new overpass is expected to be open. Until then, the province wants drivers to pay attention and slow down at the construction site, though Lawless said the detours will be well-marked, with signage and lower speed limits. Lawless said the province's plan should be able to handle high volumes of traffic in the area, even during the popular Cavendish Beach Music Festival and Sommo Fest. "With all the diversions that we're going to do… with the temporary roundabout, the department's confident that converting both ramps to two-way traffic will certainly accommodate the traffic," he said. "During the Cavendish concerts, first in July and then in September, the department will be cognizant of the volume of traffic coming off the Confederation Bridge and then going back on after the concerts, so we'll work with our contractor to minimize the disruption."
