Ontario Construction News staff writer
OTTAWA – Construction on the controversial Lansdowne 2.0 redevelopment is set to begin immediately, following the City of Ottawa’s execution of a construction agreement with EBC Inc.
In a memo to the Mayor and Members of Council on Friday, Tammy Rose, General Manager of Infrastructure and Water Services, confirmed that the city has issued a formal “Commence Work Order” to the Quebec-based general contractor.
The move follows City Council’s final approval of the project on Nov. 7, which passed in a 15-10 vote. The total approved budget for the redevelopment is $418.8 million, with EBC Inc. securing the work through a fixed-price bid of approximately $312.8 million.
According to the memo, preliminary work at the site will begin as early as this week..
“The first phase of the project will focus on the construction of the new Event Centre,” Rose wrote.
Immediate construction steps
Residents and visitors to Lansdowne Park can expect to see fencing installed starting now, followed by the arrival of site trailers and exploratory works later in December.
The initial scope of work includes:
- Berm removal and environmental remediation.
- Site servicing and accessible drop-off infrastructure.
- Modifications to TD Place to maintain operations during the redevelopment.
- Phase 1 of underground loading dock construction.
- Landscaping of the Great Lawn and new berm construction.
Financial context and transparency
The selection of EBC Inc. was finalized after a competitive bidding process where their proposal was deemed the “best value” among pre-qualified contractors. To address transparency concerns surrounding the high-profile public-private partnership, the city has committed to making the Request for Tender (RFT) documentation publicly available on its website within 30 days.
While the project has faced scrutiny regarding financial risks—with the Auditor General previously describing the $36.1 million contingency fund as a “minimum buffer”—Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has maintained that the net cost to taxpayers will be roughly $130.7 million after accounting for air rights revenue and other funding streams. The air and subterranean rights were awarded to Mirabella Development Corporation for $65 million.
Community engagement
Acknowledging the disruption caused by a major construction project in a dense urban area, the city stated a communications campaign will launch in tandem with the construction work.
“The City of Ottawa is committed to keeping residents and businesses informed throughout the construction of Lansdowne 2.0,” Rose stated in the memo.
A dedicated project page on “Engage Ottawa” will serve as the primary hub for construction notices, FAQs, and factsheets. Officials are also planning a drop-in public information session to outline milestones and mitigation efforts, with details to be released once confirmed.