Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Ottawa is accelerating its 2026 construction pipeline, bringing millions of dollars in infrastructure tenders to market this month while advancing the design phase for the Sparks Street revitalization and critical municipal facility upgrades.
With the spring thaw approaching, local contractors are preparing for a wave of municipal projects ranging from heavy civil street renewals to specialized roofing contracts.
Heritage and recreation roof replacements
The city has issued a substantial tender for the historic Champagne Bath Fitness Centre in Lowertown. Project IWS IS DCFB CF000371 calls for the replacement of Roofs 4 and 7 at the 321 King Edward Ave. facility.
According to MERX procurement documents, the project carries an estimated value of $900,000. The architectural specifications require the winning contractor to provide all labour, equipment, and materials for the replacement. Bidders must download and attach a mandatory, signed Form of Tender (FOT) with their submission. Contractors intending to bid are recommended to attend an on-site visit scheduled for March 30 at 2 p.m. The tender officially closes on April 7, 2026.
Running concurrently is another major municipal facility upgrade in Stittsville: the Cardel Recreation Complex roof replacement. Project IWS/IS/DCMB CF001476 involves the replacement of Roofs 11 and 12 at 1500 Shea Rd., with a bid closing date of April 8.
Sparks Street design procurement
On the public realm front, the city recently closed Request for Proposals (RFP) 18025-92536-P01 for the “Functional Design, Landscape Plan and Related Studies” for the Sparks Street pedestrian mall.
The bidding process utilized a strict two-envelope system to evaluate proponents. Envelope 1 required a technical proposal detailing the firm’s responses to the city’s rated requirements, with a strict directive that no pricing information be included to ensure an objective design evaluation. Envelope 2 contained the financial proposal, requiring bidders to submit their total professional and design services price alongside prompt payment acknowledgements.
Kevin McHale, executive director of the Downtown Ottawa BIA, stated earlier this month that the design contract is expected to be awarded this spring. The planning phase will take approximately a year, re-evaluating initial concepts developed in 2019, before a phased construction tender is issued to ensure businesses are not disrupted simultaneously.
Heavy civil work resumes on Clare and Dovercourt
Beyond municipal facilities and design procurement, heavy civil work resumes in mid-March on the $15.5-million integrated renewal of Clare Street and Dovercourt Avenue.
Designed by Novatech, the project features full road reconstruction, including the replacement of end-of-life watermains and sanitary sewers. According to city project documents, the 2026 construction season will focus on Dovercourt Avenue and the segment of Clare Street from Highcroft Avenue to Kirkwood Avenue.
The surface design incorporates traffic calming measures, narrowing vehicle lanes to 3.5 metres and introducing speed humps. During construction, Clare Street will be reduced to a single eastbound lane in the affected zones, with westbound traffic detoured via Kirkwood, Byron, or Carling avenues. The entire multi-year project is slated for completion in mid-2027.
