First written 20 January 2016, last updated 29 January 2016.
Earlier this month the Ottawa Hospital launched pre-consultations on the design of its future Civic Campus. PACE Consulting, an Ottawa-based public relations firm, has approached a number of stakeholders to determine potential issues TOH may face going forward. The most important outstanding issue is the location of the new hospital. Consultations on the design of a new hospital are premature before light is shed on how TOH got its sweetheart deal to lease 60 acres of nationally and internationally significant research land for a dollar a year.
Earlier this month the Ottawa Hospital launched pre-consultations on the design of its future Civic Campus. PACE Consulting, an Ottawa-based public relations firm, has approached a number of stakeholders to determine potential issues TOH may face going forward. The most important outstanding issue is the location of the new hospital. Consultations on the design of a new hospital are premature before light is shed on how TOH got its sweetheart deal to lease 60 acres of nationally and internationally significant research land for a dollar a year.
At its public board meeting, the National Capital Commission
voted to rescind its approval to have a monument to the victims of communism
located beside the Supreme Court of Canada. This sets an important precedent
for the Liberals to investigate other shady deals in the national capital
region. It is time for the NCC’s board and the Liberal government to revisit
the severance of 60 acres from the Central Experimental Farm.
Councillors Riley Brockington and Jeff Leiper have been
fighting for consultations for a year. Earlier this month, after meeting with
Environment and Climate Change Minister and local MP Catherine McKenna,
Brockington expressed frustration at the lack of information provided by TOH,
NCC, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. On Thursday, McKenna echoed his
concerns and called the lack of documentation on the transfer “worrying.”
Although TOH selected its preferred site from a set of 12
publicly owned locations, it has avoided justifying its decision for the 60
acres across from the current Civic Hospital. Indeed, in emails during the secret
2014 negotiations, NCC and AAFC staff working on the severance expressed
misgivings about TOH’s case for the land. I have obtained a copy of TOH’s “Land
Transfer Matrix” through a freedom of information request. This document was
prepared in 2007 and was not updated before being used to justify their site selection
in 2014, despite TOH’s preferred site being rejected by the Conservative
government in 2008.
Two criteria stand out: “Agriculture Canada Impact” and
“Future Expansion.” The first sought to measure the impact the acquisition of
any land parcel would have on AAFC’s research program. The current site was
rated as only having some impact—despite the fact that it is the most
scientifically significant section of the entire Experimental Farm. Worse: the
covering documents state that this rating had to be confirmed by NCC and AAFC.
AAFC’s Science and Technology Branch was not consulted until the day of the
announcement, and then only to comment on communications documents.
Under “Future Expansion” TOH made it clear that they were
seeking a site where they could expand beyond current plans—that is the
threatened 60 acres are only the first bite.
To date there has been no consultation on the land deal
itself. Consultation plans from spring and fall 2014 state that the NCC and
AAFC would hold consultations on the land transfer. This has not happened.
Indeed, TOH has continually frustrated every attempt by local politicians—including
Brockington and Leiper—to hold public information sessions. Despite TOH Chief of Staff Jeff Turnbull's statement that they "understand the need for public consultation and engaging our community," the
pre-consultation currently underway only touches the design of a future
campus. If TOH has its way, the land
grab will not be subject to public scrutiny.
The Central Experimental Farm is a National Historic Site of
Canada and has a long-term management plan overseen by the Central Experimental
Farm Advisory Council. Both the plan and the CEFAC have been ignored in the
rush to give away important federal research land.
No one is arguing against rebuilding the Civic Hospital. A
win-win solution, where the Farm remains a viable and intact research station
and TOH gets the facilities it needs, is possible. This can only happen with a rigorous,
fully open and evidence based process. It is time to hit the reset button on
the severance and ensure that we, as a city and a nation, plan properly for the
future.
