Background
LeBreton Flats is a 29-hectare site anchored by two LRT stations at Pimisi and Bayview, with access to the Ottawa River. It was once an important trading site of the Algonquin-Anishinaabe peoples. Under the authority of the National Capital Commission (NCC), the site will be developed over the span of many years. Jean-Yves Duclos, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, has oversight authority for the NCC. The Building LeBreton Master Concept Plan was approved in April 2021 and is a multi-decade vision to transform the site into what the National Capital Commission refers to as “a complete urban community and Capital destination”. Build Community is one of the Plan’s guiding principles. The Master Concept Plan approach is to develop LeBreton through staged land parcel developments.
The CBA Campaign
OCBN is committed to a CBA outcome for Building LeBreton while, at the same time, committed to working with developers to optimize community benefit outcomes from the specific land parcel developments. Aside from advocacy to the NCC and the City, OCBN has provided input to the Master Plan, collaborated with the City on identifying community benefits priorities for the development and:
- Developed a Roadmap of how a CBA could work for Building LeBreton- OCBN Roadmap
- Developed a sustainable energy Roadmap
- Building a collaborative relationship with the Dream LeBreton Consortium and Ellis Don on the Library Parcel project
- OCBN members participate on the Building LeBreton Project Advisory Group (PAG)
Of note, Dream LeBreton recently unveiled its vision for the Library Parcel project which includes social procurement targets pertaining to procurement and employment. OCBN played an important role in advocating to the NCC for these type of community benefits outcomes.
CBA for the Building LeBreton Major Attractions Parcel
The NCC has signed a memorandum of understanding with Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSDI), a group led by the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey team, for the development of a major event centre at LeBreton Flats. CSDI is proposing to build an NHL hockey arena and events venue, surrounded by mixed-use development.
OCBN is calling for a CBA on this development. There are plenty of North American CBA precedents in stadium/entertainment district developments, in often complex jurisdictional circumstances. The very first CBA struck in North America was for a stadium development. Here are some examples:
· Vancouver- 2007 Olympic Village and the Parq Urban Resort and Casino.
· Toronto- Casino Woodbine redevelopment.
· Atlanta Falcons stadium deal
· Soccer stadium developments in Cincinnati and St. Louis
· Triple A Worcester Mass Red Sox Polar Park stadium.