Lansdowne 2.0

Sharing Lansdowne 2.0 FAQs and Myth Busters.

New Lansdowne 2.0 website:

Lansdowne 2.0 | City of Ottawa

Engage Ottawa – Lansdowne (FAQ’s located here):

https://engage.ottawa.ca/lansdowne-2-0

Ownership

  1. Does OSEG own Lansdowne Park?
    • The City of Ottawa owns the Stadium (TD Place), Arena (TD Arena) including all retail buildings, the Great Lawn and play structure, the Horticulture Building, Aberdeen Pavilion, and all the public spaces on the 38-acre site.
    • The City is in a private-public partnership with Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), where OSEG has a leasehold agreement to operate and maintain the assets.

Financial

  1. How much did the Lansdowne 1.0 agreement cost taxpayers?
  • There was no cost to taxpayers living outside of Lansdowne.
  • The City gained a revitalized site with new $123 million south side stands and renovated arena, as well as 360,000 square feet of new retail space.
  • It was completely paid for by taxes generated by the development at Lansdowne, including on-site property and retail taxes, and by eliminating the cost that the City used to spend operating the site.
  • As such, the City-issued debt from Lansdowne 1.0 has been covered by the new revenue generated by the retail space created.
  • OSEG and the partnership were responsible for the rest of the construction cost and start-up operating costs.
  • The City has not lost any money in the partnership. Any losses and shortfalls that have occurred have been covered by OSEG.

 

  1. What is the annual financial impact of Lansdowne on the City?
    • All losses and shortfalls are covered by OSEG. The City has not lost any money in the partnership.
    • Lansdowne as a site is thriving and employs 4,000 people, attracts more than four million visitors a year and contributes more than $300 million annually to Ottawa’s economy.
    • In 2024, a record was set at Lansdowne for hosting 180 ticketed events. Total revenues for 2024 reached a record $59.5 million, up four per cent from the previous year.
    • The closed financial system pays to the capital reserve fund, alleviating the City from capital costs for the municipally-owned facilities.
    • The City hosts over 200 events at Lansdowne each year (non-ticketed events)

 

  1. Why do we need Lansdowne 2.0?
    • Lansdowne is an essential public space for Ottawa, but current facilities have become outdated and no longer serve the needs of a modern, growing city. TD Place Arena is nearly 60 years old and has reached the end of its useful life, requiring extensive and costly repairs just to remain operational.
    • While Lansdowne 1.0 addressed many improvements to the site, Lansdowne 2.0 builds on the collaboration and vision that has guided development at Lansdowne to date.
    • The City’s Lansdowne 2.0 project addresses the need to reinvest in the site with more housing, better public spaces, and destination retail.
    • In particular, the project addresses the functionally obsolete TD Place North Side Stadium Stands and TD Arena.
    • The existing facilities do not meet modern energy efficiency standards and show growing signs of deterioration, including leaks. The washroom capacity is also insufficient, often requiring temporary solutions like portable toilets during events.
    • The new Event Centre will be designed to host major events with state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facilities, and drive opportunities to generate revenue and attract visitors.
    • The new Event Centre and new North Side Stands will include modern seating, expanded concourses, improved accessibility, and more washrooms.
    • The proposed designs reflect feedback from the community and recommendations from independent design experts, including the Urban Design Review Panel, to ensure the proposed facilities are memorable, functional and serve the community’s needs.
    • Lansdowne 2.0 is designed with long-term benefits in mind, creating a destination that supports local businesses, enhances public spaces, and boosts the economy.

 

  1. Is Lansdowne 2.0 a done deal? Didn’t City Council approve a construction budget of $419 million for the project in November 2023?
    • The previous Council directed City staff to bring forward the November 2023 report.
    • While that report was approved by Council, there are still opportunities for City Council to approve or alter spending decisions on Lansdowne 2.0.
    • The decision by Council to accept the final procurement price and award the contract is the ‘go/no go’ decision point prior to staff entering into a contract with the constructor and signing the final legal project agreements with OSEG.
    • City staff will report to Council in Q4 2025 on the final package of approvals, including the construction bid price, air rights bid price, legal agreements, and any required funding strategy amendments prior to construction.

 

  1. Is the City using taxpayer dollars to support OSEG with revenue losses?
    • The City is not financially responsible for the success or failure of private enterprises.
    • The City is responsible for ensuring the maintenance of public asset and the programming in City-owned spaces. The City is in a private-public partnership with OSEG where OSEG has a leasehold agreement to operate and maintain the city-owned assets.
    • The City has not provided OSEG or the partnership any tax dollars.

 

  1. Why is the City proceeding with Lansdowne 2.0 when there are so many other priorities that also need funding?
    • The City owned arena and North Side Stands at Lansdowne are currently deteriorating. The nearly 60-year-old Event Centre and north side stands require extensive maintenance to remain operational, with costs increasing as they age.  The stadium and arena are City assets, and it is the City’s responsibility to replace them. They will need to be replaced eventually and paid for by the City.
    • Maintaining the existing facility would not solve the financial sustainability issue and the partnership would continue to incur deficits annually.
    • These upgrades are designed to replace aging infrastructure, improve accessibility and sustainability, and support tourism, small businesses and local jobs.
    • The proposed facilities introduce improvements including modern designs, improved energy efficiency with LEED certification, and enhanced accessibility, all of which lead to reduced costs to operate and greater revenue potential, particularly for more events, more premium seating and better fan experience.
    • Lansdowne 2.0 is a better deal for taxpayers than what would be incurred if the City allows this asset to continue to disintegrate.

 

  1. What is the proposed project financing and fiscal strategy?
    • The total projected cost of Lansdowne 2.0 is $419 million, to extend the facility’s useful life for another 60 years or more.
    • Approximately $312.7 million of this investment will be financed through long-term debt. The repayment of the debt has been structured to remain within the City’s existing budgets and tax targets, meaning the project will not result in additional tax increases for residents.
    • A significant portion of the cost will be offset by new revenues generated by the project itself and the City’s partnership with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, which operates Lansdowne’s facilities.
    • These revenue streams are projected to generate $272.5 million. These revenues are conditional on the project proceeding and would not be realized otherwise.
    • This approach enables the City to make a long-term capital investment without placing additional pressure on the operating budget or requiring increases in residential property taxes.
    • After accounting for new revenue and proposed financing strategies, the City would spend $146.6 million to gain a new asset worth $419 million.

 

  1. Has the City considered how a new Senators arena at LeBreton Flats will impact Lansdowne?
    • The new Event Centre at Lansdowne will continue to host the Ottawa Charge, Ottawa 67’s and Ottawa BlackJacks.
    • It is being designed to specifically address the needs of professional women’s sports, with customized dressing rooms and training spaces.
    • It will also be a more attractive venue for events such as mid-size concerts and comedy shows, university sports, curling events, Volleyball Nations League events, Memorial Cups and men’s and women’s tournaments.
    • These types of events are different from the larger scale events that would be hosted at new Ottawa Senators arena (such as major concerts and NHL games).
    • Both facilities will serve different functions.

Public engagement

  1. What public consultations were held leading up to the final report in Q4 2025?
    • The City has implemented the 2021 Council-approved Public Engagement Strategy and has connected with thousands of residents from all across the City from the outset of the project.
    • In 2024 Staff implemented a comprehensive engagement strategy for the Site Plan and Detailed Design stages of the Lansdowne 2.0 project, including in-person Open Houses, virtual public meetings, targeted information sessions, targeted engagement sessions, targeted Committee Meetings (Accessibility Advisory Committee), and information sharing and project updates through the use of Engage Ottawa.
    • Staff and the Lansdowne Project team have engaged in open public consultation with residents following the Council approved Public Engagement Strategy in 2022. Public engagement was launched through the Engage Ottawa Lansdowne Park project page and has received almost 14,000 unique visits in 2023 and 2024, and over 7,000 unique visits in 2025 (as of June 1, 2025). The website hosted all public posted information, documents, surveys, As We Heard It reports, and information on Public Information Sessions
    • All feedback has been reviewed and published on our Engage Ottawa webpage.

 

  1. Are there still opportunities to provide feedback on Lansdowne 2.0?
  • Yes, the next phase will include the development parcel for the design, approval and construction of the podium, and air rights development. This will involve public consultation on the site plan application.

Class A Estimate and Scheduling

  1. What is the Class A Estimate and what are the next steps in the Tender process?
  • The Lansdowne Project Team has completed its Class A Estimate, which is in-line with the $419M project costs presented in November 2023.  The Class A estimate is a detailed, high-confidence cost projection prepared by professional quantity surveyors. It is based on fully developed design drawings and includes real-time pricing from suppliers, subcontractors, and labour groups, as well as verified quantity takeoffs.  The next step is the tender result, expected later this summer, which will be the actual bid price submitted by the contractor through a competitive, open-market procurement process. Once received, it will represent the most reliable and market-tested cost for the work.

 

  1. How was the Class A Estimate developed?
  • The Class A estimate was developed using real-world quotes for materials, equipment, and labour received by our primary quantity surveyor. Every component of the project is individually quantified. The estimate was then reviewed and validated by:
    • A third-party quantity surveyor;
    • The City’s architectural and engineering consultants; and
    • Market comparables from other recent large-scale infrastructure projects.

 

  • This multi-tiered review concluded that the estimate remains within the approved project budget envelope of $419 million including appropriate contingencies. It represents the best possible projection prior to receipt of actual bids.

 

  1. How did the construction schedule get developed?
  • The Lansdowne Project Team engaged with industry contractors in commercially confidential meetings to validate construction timelines, and hired a third-party General Contractor Advocate provide construction advice, including project timelines.

Construction impacts

 

  1. How will construction on Lansdowne 2.0 impact local businesses?
  • If approved, construction for the Event Centre could begin as soon as late 2025 to 2027, and the North Side Stands from 2028 to 2030.
  • Ticketed sport and entertainment events at the arena and stadium, the Farmer’s Market and Christmas Market will continue without disruption during the construction period.
  • The Lansdowne 2.0 Project Team is committed to supporting local businesses throughout the construction process.
  • Careful planning is underway to mitigate construction impacts responsibly, with clear timelines and communication throughout the process.

 

  1. How will disruptions during construction be mitigated?
  • The City’s Lansdowne 2.0 Project Team will work with the residential and commercial community through a communications plan, establishment of an on-site project team, and enforcement of the City’s Noise By-law.
  • Work will take place almost entirely behind construction hoarding.
  • Construction will not be readily visible or spill out onto the Lansdowne site.
  • The City will also pursue measures including enhanced cleaning of construction vehicles to keep debris and dust from surrounding areas.

 

  1. How will increased truck traffic impacts be mitigated?
  • The City’s Lansdowne 2.0 Project team will work with the residential and commercial community through the development of a detailed Construction Management plan.
  • This plan will emphasize public safety, mitigations on construction traffic impacts, and mitigations on construction dust/noise.
  • Methods to mitigate issues will include: providing a targeted haul road under the Bank Street bridge, providing upgraded hoarding in high traffic areas, providing enhanced communication with stakeholders, and providing on-site project team to address concerns, among others.

 

  1. What will be done to prevent parking issues during construction?
  • Contractor parking will be made available within the underground garage to mitigate impacts of parking within the adjacent residential neighbourhood.

New design

  1. Did City staff remove the green roof and North Side Stands cover from the plan?
  • At Council’s request, City staff reviewed the cost of a green roof and roof over the North Side Stands.
  • In October 2023, the green roof was presented as an option for Council’s consideration
  • The roof over the North Side Stands was also presented as an option for Council’s consideration.
  • In November 2023, Council approved the Lansdowne Partnership Plan to proceed to the next steps without the inclusion of a green roof or North Side Stands cover, maintaining the original estimated budget of $419 million.
  • The Lansdowne 2.0 Project Team has worked with Architects (BBB) to design the upper bowl to overhang sections in the lower bowl to provide some protected seating.
  • The design has also ensured the new North Side Stands have a protected concourse, much like the south side stands, where fans can escape the weather while still watching the game from the new concourse level.
  • The Event Centre roof is made of a PVC membrane, using a high quality and reflects a traditional colour (patina). Patina (or heritage green) represents prestigious buildings around the world (such as the buildings on Parliamentary), and fits into the landscape and enivornmental setting of Lansdowne, compared to a traditional ‘white roof’

 

  1. What will be the capacity of the new Event Centre?
  • The event centre will accommodate up to 7,000 people for concerts and 6,600 for hockey. This total capacity includes 5,850 seats combined with standing room. This is the size of the Event Centre that Council directed Staff to have detailed, designed and tendered for construction.
  • This is an industry proven size for the types of events/sports that it is to host and allows for a larger NHL arena downtown.
  • OSEG and the City believe that the proposed Event Centre size is the right fit for the Ottawa market, slotting between the National Arts Centre and the Canadian Tire Centre or future LeBreton Flats arena for entertainment events.
  • The new mid-size arena’s location and size will attract new events and ensure the continued success of existing ones.

 

  1. Is it necessary to build the new Event Centre in the proposed location? Could it be located somewhere else to save green space?
  • Relocating the Event Centre outside of the existing arena footprint (in the east end zone / berm area) will allow sports teams and programmed events to be uninterrupted throughout the construction period.
  • If the Event Centre were moved to a different location, outside of Lansdowne, would remove the interrelated aspect of the sports and entertainment district at Lansdowne.

 

  1. Will the new stands have more washrooms than the current North Side Stands?
  • Yes, adding more washrooms to the facility was a public comment the project team heard during our public consultations.

 

  1. Will the entry gates to the new North Side Stands all be accessible?
  • Yes, the new event centre will have accessible entrances at all gates.

 

  1. Is the City planning on integrating public art into the design?
  • $2 million of the total project budget will be dedicated to creating dynamic public art installations, celebrating Ottawa’s diverse culture.

Landscaping, green space and public space

  1. Will the new berm allow for a sledding hill?
  • The project team designed the hill for sledding and concert viewing.
  • The proposed slope of the new berm (6m) is comparable, if not higher than some of the community slopes advertised on the City of Ottawa’s map of sledding hills.

Environmental

  1. Are the facilities going to be designed with sustainability in mind?
  • Yes, the new facilities are expected to use 36 per cent less energy and will lower their environmental impact by producing 31 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the buildings they replace.
  • This high level of efficiency is achieved through modern technologies like high-performance insulation and energy-efficient HVAC systems, including heat pumps.
  • These sustainability features are expected to result in the project earning a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Transportation

  1. Why do we not have bus lanes along Bank Street to help get people to Lansdowne (especially for events)?
  • As directed by Council, through a motion brought forward by Councillor Menard, staff have initiated a Bank Street Feasibility Study to look at reconfiguration opportunities to improve active transportation and/or transit.
  • Please visit this Engage Ottawa link for more information.
  1. What is the traffic management plan?
  • A hallmark of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan for Lansdowne is the provision of free transit service to all ticketholders attending ticketed events at Lansdowne.
  • This innovative TDM strategy, which is the first of its kind in North America for a large mixed-use entertainment district, provides free transit to all ticketed events starting two hours prior to the start of events and two hours after the end of events held at Lansdowne.
  • The cost of any enhanced transit service provided for OSEG events with attendance levels of 5,000 or more are bourn by OSEG.
  • The cost of any enhanced transit service provided for City events with attendance levels of 5,000 or more are bourn by event organizers.
  • The comprehensive TDM program implemented in 2014 as part of the original revitalization of Lansdowne Park will continue to play a critical role in supporting the transportation program for Lansdowne 2.0.
  • This includes the provision of free transit for all ticketed events at Lansdowne.
  • The current transit service enhancements and TDM measures will sufficiently serve the approximate 6,000 seat Event Centre as it replaces the programming provided at the existing TD Place Arena, and therefore it is not expected to generate additional transportation demands to Lansdowne.
  • A shuttle exists for smaller events such as 67’s and Ottawa Charge games and utilizes the Carleton parking garage as the staging point for the shuttle to Lansdowne.
  • In addition, the Great Lawn Loop is used for school bus shuttles from various restaurants and pick up points across the City.

 

  1. What parking will there be for non-commercial vehicles (personal vehicles)?
  • Parking arrangement will continue with the existing 1,200 space parking garage with approximately 800 spaces available to the general public.
  • In addition, the new Event Centre, North Side Stands, and air rights development will yield approximately 35 surface parking spaces between the new North Side Stands and the air rights parcel for use by the public.

 

  1. How will the transportation plan work for the increase in traffic of 3 towers and 1200 units?
  • Through public feedback regarding the scale and density of the Lansdowne 2.0 proposal, the plan was revised to reduce the density from approximately 1200 units to approximately 750 units, and from 3 residential towers to a limit of 2 towers.
  • The Zoning By-law Amendment, Official Plan Amendment, and Site Plan Applications (Link to applications) for the Lansdowne 2.0 project were supported by a Transportation Impact Assessment (TIA) which details how the site would function from a transportation perspective.  The TIA identified that the full build-out of Lansdowne 2.0 development is anticipated to generate between 130 and 180 net new auto trips (two-way) during the Weekday AM, Weekday PM, and Weekend Saturday and Sunday peak periods.  An analysis of study area intersections was completed under Existing Conditions, the interim 2028 Future Conditions (i.e. the completion of the new event centre), as well as construction of the north side stands, and mixed-use development. All study area intersections were shown to operate acceptably with similar levels of services currently observed today.
  • The Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategy of encouraging multi-modal travel (car, bike, transit, walking) will continue to be applied to the events at Lansdowne through the existing TDM strategy, as well as applied to the new mixed-use development.  A separate site plan application will be required for the specific design, number of units, type of units, square feet of retail etc, for the development parcel, and will include a Transportation Impact Assessment as a requirement

 

 

  1. Why isn’t the development on a major LRT line?
  • Lansdowne is on a Transit Priority Street or ‘Frequent Transit Street’.
  • The Bank Street transit routes are identified by OC Transpo as the next highest frequency after rapid transit, where they operate seven days a week and play a structural function in the overall transit system.