A November 7, 2021 letter from the Dow's Lake Residents' Association

 Dear Minister Guilbeault, "The Dow's Lake Residents' Association (DLRA) and Reimagine Ottawa wish you well on your appointment as the Minister for the Environment and Climate Change. We reach out to you with a spirit of partnership and collaboration, with the shared goal of protecting and preserving the environment, and affecting climate change.

As you know, Ottawa is poised to use over 50 acres of federal land - central, urban green space only a 3.6 km walk from Parliament Hill, for the Ottawa Hospital's new Civic Campus.

In 2016, the NCC in partnership with the Ottawa Hospital undertook an exhaustive site review which engaged over 8000 people for the Civic Campus. In this review, Tunney's Pasture was selected as the ideal site based on the overall impacts of developing a new hospital and the criteria put forward by the Ottawa Hospital. Shortly after the review was made public, the Dow's Lake site was chosen for the new hospital without a clear supporting rationale. The choice to use the Dow's Lake site, next to the Rideau Canal-Ontario's only UNESCO World Heritage site, is one that sacrifices a significant portion of the last remaining Experimental Farm in Canada which has been deemed to be a National Historic Site. This choice will not only have environmental ramifications. It puts into question the value of "heritage" in our country and our commitment to preserving it for future generations. And what is very clear is that these lands will be sacrificed for a new hospital when other, better options were identified, selected, and continue to be available.

Using over 50 acres of federal land and urban green space which is known to be environmentally sensitive and ecologically sensitive, in the heart of the nation's capital-described as "Canada's symbolic focal point'' significantly places Canada's reputation as an environmental steward and partner at risk.

The Dow's Lake community stands at the sea wall of urban growth, tremendous change, and massive development-from a "village" of towers soaring as high as 190 meters or 55 storeys, to a new Civic Campus that will see 10000 staff ebb and flow each day to work, another 10000 ancillary jobs and 1 million hospital visitors per year-or an additional 2740 visitors each day.

The DLRA and Reimagine Ottawa fully support a new, state of the art hospital and centre of excellence. But we are deeply concerned about the lasting and irreversible impacts the new Civic Campus will have on surrounding areas, ecosystems and communities. 

Legislation in the form of the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) exist to address these very issues. This legislation is a reflection of our values, who we are as a People, and the need to build a better and sustainable future for all. Environmental Impact Assessments are central to the IAA and guided by the following principles:

• Reconciliation and Partnerships with Indigenous Peoples.
• Basing decisions on scientific evidence and Indigenous knowledge.
• Providing predictability, transparency, and timeliness.
• And, meaningfully engaging with the public.

If a new hospital is to be built at Dow's Lake, in the heart of Canada's capital city, then it is absolutely imperative that we get it right-for our children, for our city and for the future.

Necessary Action-An Independent Environmental Impact Assessment must be undertaken. 

Request There is currently around the world a collective climate conscience, a concerted effort to tackle climate change, and a desire to leave a healthy planet for our children. We know that urban green spaces are good for cities. They reduce air pollution. They keep cities cooler. They naturally manage stormwater. They keep people healthy. They keep people happy. more