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Global News
19-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Eco-friendly transportation a condition of planned Ottawa Senators arena: agreement
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. Story continues below advertisement 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. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 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. Story continues below advertisement 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. Story continues below advertisement 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.'
Winnipeg Free Press
19-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Eco-friendly transportation a condition of planned Ottawa Senators arena: agreement
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. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 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.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre moved out of his office, but not Stornoway
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre closed his constituency and Parliament Hill offices following his election defeat in Carleton, but is expected to stay in Stornoway — Canada's residence for the leader of the Official Opposition — despite losing that title. While Poilievre remains the leader of the Conservative Party, his caucus selected Andrew Scheer last week as interim leader of the Official Opposition for the spring sitting of Parliament. By law only an MP can hold that title, and Poilievre no longer has a seat in the House of Commons for the first time in 20 years. Scheer says Poilievre's Ottawa offices are now closed but expects Poilievre, his wife and two young children to remain at Stornoway. "Given that Mr. Poilievre hopes to be re-elected as a Member of Parliament in a few months and Prime Minister Carney promised to hold the byelection quickly, it would be more costly to taxpayers to move the family out and then right back into the residence," Scheer said in a statement. "I have no intention to move into the residence and so we expect the family will just remain there through this short transition phase." The House of Commons says MPs who aren't re-elected must vacate their parliamentary and constituency offices within 21 days of losing an election. But it's up to the Conservative Party to manage who lives in Stornoway, the Privy Council Office says. The Conservative Party has faced questions since Poilievre's election loss about if he was allowed to stay in the official residence without serving as an MP. Scheer says his party is referring to him as "parliamentary leader" until Poilievre returns. He cited savings to taxpayers as a reason why the Conservative leader is expected to stay at the government-owned residence. The last time moving costs for an Official Opposition leader were made public was in 2022, when Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen lived in Stornoway for less than a year. The federal government paid close to $20,000 to prepare the official residence for her arrival, the Globe and Mail reported at the time. It's unclear exactly how much it could cost to move Poilievre out and back into Stornoway. CBC News asked the National Capital Commission, which manages official residences, for an average estimated cost, but has not yet received a response. A report released under the Access to Information Act said it cost more than $78,000 in public funds to maintain Stornoway during the 2023-24 fiscal year. That includes the cost of utilities, property management fees and maintenance of Stornoway's grounds. MP Damien Kurek announced he's stepping aside so Poilievre can run in his Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot — a Conservative stronghold. But it could take some time before Poilievre has a chance to return to the House of Commons. Kurek can't resign his seat until 30 days after the election result is published in the federal government's official publication, called the Canada Gazette, which happened on Thursday. The average cost to hold a federal byelection was $1.7 million between 2021 and 2024, according to Elections Canada. The costs can vary depending on the electoral district and length of the election period, the agency says.
Toronto Sun
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Nazi collaborator's name initially engraved on the Victims of Communism memorial
The nameplate, along with other nameplates for the memorial, 'are being stored at a National Capital Commission facility' The Victims of Communism memorial opened to the public with no names inscribed. Photo by JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA The name of a Nazi collaborator was initially engraved on Canada's newest national monument despite warnings to the Department of Canadian Heritage in 2021 that the man participated in the executions of Jews during the Holocaust. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The nameplate commemorating Janis Niedra was installed on the memorial in downtown Ottawa in 2023, according to government records released under the Access to Information Act. It was later removed and there were no names inscribed on the memorial when it opened in late 2024. Canadian Heritage has not explained why it allowed the commemorative nameplate for Niedra to be installed on the monument despite warnings by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. Research data was provided to the department in 2021 by the organization showing that Niedra led a group of 40 men to help the Nazis round up and execute around 350 Latvian Jews. Those killed were women, children and senior citizens. Niedra, who would later go on to serve the Nazis in various positions in Latvia, came to Canada after the war. He died in 1969. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The existence of the nameplate honouring Niedra was first reported by Ricochet Media, an investigative online news outlet. Canadian Heritage spokesperson Caroline Czajkowski said in an email that Niedra's name was removed from the memorial before its public inauguration. It was flagged in 2023 after a Canadian Heritage employee raised concerns about Niedra's Nazi connections. The documents show the main concern in the department was that the public or news media might see the name engraved on the memorial. The nameplate, along with other nameplates for the memorial, 'are being stored at a National Capital Commission facility,' according to the department. The memorial opened in late 2024. Photo by JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA Czajkowski would not say exactly where the items were being stored. Canadian Heritage declined to say how many names were engraved on the panels that were supposed to eventually be installed on the Ottawa memorial. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Czajkowski did not comment on why Canadian Heritage previously claimed that no names had been engraved on the monument despite the government records clearly showing that was not the case. She would not comment on what will happen now with the nameplates. It is unclear whether Canadian Heritage will eventually install Niedra's name on the national monument or have the plate destroyed. Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, a senior director at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, said the organization repeatedly warned Canadian Heritage that numerous individuals slated to be honoured on the memorial were not victims at all. Instead, they were Nazi collaborators responsible for the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity, she added. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Over the years, we have submitted documentation detailing the atrocities committed by several individuals on the (memorial) list – including in 2021, when we provided comprehensive evidence of the war crimes committed by Janis Niedra against Latvia's Jewish population,' said Kirzner-Roberts. 'It is deeply disturbing that, despite our repeated warnings and the clear, documented evidence, the name of a Nazi involved in the murder of Jews during the Holocaust was ultimately engraved on the Memorial. This is simply unacceptable.' The memorial, which is located near the corner of Wellington and Bay streets, is supposed to honour those who suffered under communism. But concerns have been raised over the years by Jewish organizations and historians that names of eastern Europeans who collaborated with the Nazis in the Holocaust have been put forward in an attempt to whitewash their past. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In 2021, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center revealed that Roman Shukhevych, a Ukrainian nationalist who collaborated with the Nazis and was linked to the massacres of Jews and Poles, was one of those being commemorated. Only after the group repeatedly raised the matter with the department was Shukhevych's name removed. The memorial sits on the west side of the Garden of the Provinces and Territories in downtown Ottawa. Photo by JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA The monument has been the focus of multiple controversies over its exact purpose, location, size and cost over the last 15 years. The price tag for the project ballooned to an estimated $7.5 million — including $6 million in public funds — from an original budget of $1.5 million. The cost of the memorial was supposed to be funded entirely through private donations from Tribute to Liberty, the organization behind the monument. But those fundraising efforts fell far short and taxpayers had to foot most of the cost. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ludwik Klimkowski, chairman of Tribute to Liberty, did not respond to a request for comment. But in a Dec. 14, 2024 post on the social media platform X, Klimkowski responded to concerns the monument was honouring Nazi collaborators. 'Let's stop the nonsense of the Nazi commemoration nonsense perpetrated by Canadian Marxists and the agents of the Kremlin's regime,' Klimkowski wrote. Holocaust scholars and Jewish groups have continued to denounce claims their efforts to expose Nazi war criminals and collaborators are part of some Russian plot or disinformation scheme. The fact that some eastern Europeans played key roles in the Holocaust and supporting the Nazi regime is well documented, they add. Federal officials in other departments have also continued to warn Canadian Heritage that the inclusion of Nazi collaborators on the memorial will cause international embarrassment. 'It is important to note that many anti-communist and anti-Soviet advocates and fighters were also active Nazi collaborators, who committed documented massacres,' Global Affairs Canada officials warned their counterparts at Canadian Heritage in 2021. Those records were obtained by the Ottawa Citizen using the access law. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In addition, on Oct. 7, 2024 the Ottawa Citizen revealed that a report prepared for Canadian Heritage recommended more than half of the 550 names planned to go on the memorial should be removed. That was because of potential links to the Nazis, questions about affiliations with fascist groups or a lack of information about what the individuals did during the Second World War. As originally planned, there were to be 553 entries on the memorial's Wall of Remembrance. The department had already determined that 50 to 60 of the names or organizations were likely directly linked to the Nazis, according to the documents. David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: Read More
Toronto Star
10-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
Ottawa looks to off-load costly, seldom-used mobile hospitals bought for the pandemic
OTTAWA - The federal government expects to spend about $7 million this fiscal year to store and maintain four custom-made, portable hospitals that cost taxpayers more than $200 million to buy — facilities meant to bolster overwhelmed hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic that were barely used. Early on in the pandemic, as the federal government moved at breakneck speed to respond to a global health crisis, it issued rush orders for these Mobile Health Units. They are deployable field hospitals designed to deal with acute respiratory illness cases and were meant to backstop overflowing hospitals. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW But the facilities are now packed away in controlled storage spaces in Brockville and Chesterville, Ont., and the federal government is spending millions of dollars every year to maintain them there. Documents obtained through the Access to Information Act reveal that off-loading the massive, technically complex structures — which were deployed during the pandemic but saw only a handful of patients — has turned out to be a difficult and slow-moving task. The same documents also suggest Ottawa has been negotiating agreements to sell or donate the field hospitals since last year, and that GCSurplus, which handles surplus federal government assets, 'aims to clear both warehouses by September 2025.' While cost forecasts for the field hospitals for 2025-26 were redacted from the documents, the federal government has said it expects to spend 12 to 18 months and $8.4 million in maintenance fees to turn the facilities over to new owners. 'Public Services and Procurement Canada is actively pursuing multiple divestment avenues for Mobile Health Unit assets,' department spokesperson Nicole Allen said in an email. 'This includes transferring the assets to other federal government departments, selling assets, and donating assets to eligible organizations and other levels of government within Canada.' The four units take up 588 tractor trailers worth of space and need constant access to electricity to refrigerate medicine. Fully deploying one can take about seven weeks. One of the units takes 75 transport trucks to move — almost as many as pop star Taylor Swift's 'Eras' tour. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Documents show PSPC struggled to get speedy approval to get rid of the units — after learning that the obvious places to off-load them already had smaller versions of their own. 'PSPC purposed all opportunities to donate the MHUs, such as working with Global Affairs Canada and National Defence to support situations in places such as Ukraine, Turkey, the Middle East and Libya. The department also received inquiries from municipal governments such as Toronto and Ottawa, to temporarily alleviate homelessness situations,' an internal government memo says. 'In all cases, it was determined that the MHUs did not meet the needs for various reasons, including the size of the units, the high complexity of deployment, the configuration of the equipment, the significant maintenance costs of these units, etc.' Global Affairs Canada said there was no benefit to keeping the units or donating them to the international arm of the Red Cross. The government said the facilities 'would not be practical for international deployments for humanitarian purposes,' according to an internal draft Public Safety slide deck from 2023. The Canadian Red Cross maintains its own mobile health units, which are smaller and can be deployed quickly, while the Canadian Armed Forces has a 50-bed structure that does not come with an intensive care unit or advanced medical equipment. Ottawa had allocated up to $300 million for the units at the outset of the pandemic in spring 2020, when it granted two contracts — one to Weatherhaven and another to SNC-Lavalin in a joint venture with Pacific Architects and Engineers — to build them. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Documents said the purchase followed a 'limited tendering process' and the firms were chosen because they had made 'similar types of structures' for National Defence. As of Jan. 3, 2024, Ottawa had paid $124.9 million to Weatherhaven Global Resources Inc. and $82.1 million to SNC-Lavalin-PAE to build the units, an internal memo said. Internal emails show procurement bureaucrats were frustrated because they were stuck managing the structures as their pandemic funding was running out. The units were supposed to be shipped off to another department, such as National Defence or the Public Health Agency of Canada. No other department wanted them. The Department of Finance told PSPC to try to divest the assets back in October 2022. A year later, on Dec. 18, 2023, the Deputy Minister Emergency Management Committee, which originally endorsed the swift purchase of the health units in 2020, approved a plan to get rid of them. A departmental memo signed by then-public services minister Jean-Yves Duclos, dated Feb. 27, 2024, declared them surplus and granted GCSurplus approval to sell them at below market value, sell off sub-components or donate them. One procurement manager in November 2023 said it was 'deflating' that it took a year after recommending next steps to get top-level officials to advance the file, only for the project to end up back at 'square one' without a divestment plan or the goods declared surplus. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Ottawa ordered two of the units in 2020. Then, in the second wave of the pandemic in 2021, Ontario requested federal permission to use them, so the federal government ordered another two. The two units dispatched in Ontario were temporarily deployed at Sunnybrook Health Sciences in Toronto and at Hamilton Health Sciences. Neither one was actually used to deal with critical hospital overflow, federal documents said, although the one at Sunnybrook took in 32 'low-risk' patients, according to a 2021 media report. Other provinces weren't interested in requesting them because — according to Duclos' 2024 memo — the 'size (capacity) and design of the units made deployment and takedown complex and too long,' and provinces were short of health-care workers who could operate them. The oxygen concentration system from one of the units was deployed to Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, then was moved to a hospital in Northwest Territories in 2022. The federal government donated the units' expiring supplies to schools and moved some of their medical equipment into the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
