Of?ce of the Mayor Bureau du maire City of Ottawa Ville d?Ottawa 110 Laurier Avenue West 110, avenue Laurier Ouest Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa (Ontario) K113 1J1 . Tel: (613) 580?2496 (613) 580?2496 11m Fax: (613) 580?2509 (613) 580-2509 Mayor Maire E-mail: Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca Courriel :Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca March 6, 2018 Hon. Marc Garneau, P.C., MP. Minister of Transport 330 Sparks Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5 Dear Minister Garneau, I am writing to you on behalf of the City of Ottawa, on a matter of pressing concern arising out of recent decision of the Canadian Transportation Agency (the I have taken the liberty of attaching a copy of that decision, dated February 16, 2018, which relates to the Ottawa River Line that crosses the Princes of Wales Bridge over the Ottawa River, the only rail passage that connects the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. As I am certain you have heard, the CTA has, on its own motion, directed the City to make the following choice by Monday, April 30th, 2018: 1. Take the steps necessary to restore the Ottawa River Line, including the Prince of Wales Bridge, to a point where it could be made operable within 12 months of a decision by the CTA to grant running rights to another railway company to operate over that line; or, 2. Take the steps necessary to discontinue the Ottawa River Line, under the Canada Transportation Act. You can certainly appreciate the City?s surprise and disappointment in being asked to make this unfortunate "either or? determination at this point in time. Particularly, it appears that the CTA has rendered its decision without taking into account the ongoing discussions between the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa, as well as with local Members of Parliament, with respect to the future potential use of the Ottawa River Line in connecting our two transit systems. This link is seen as vital to the future integration of transit in the National Capital Region, and studies by the Ministere des Transports du Qu?bec and Ville de Gatineau are currently underway to assess usability and timelines of operations of this Line. The partners currently contemplating the future use of this line are two transit authorities that are currently mandated to deliver public transportation throughout the National Capital Region and on both sides of the Ottawa River. We do not believe there are other viable transit operators with rolling stock and the required capital required to restore rail service over the Prince of Wales Bridge. Furthermore, following a technical review of the required implementation timelines, Staff have assured me that no level of government could undertake to design, finance, procure and restore this major railway bridge in less than two to three years, versus the twelve-month deadline set out by the CTA. While the City?s legal counsel has moved to protect its formal right to appeal the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal, I note also that Section 40 of the Canada Transportation Act provides for an appeal directly to Cabinet, as set out below: 40 The Governor in Council may, at any time, in the discretion of the Governor in Council, either on petition of a party or an interested person or of the Governor in Council?s own motion, vary or rescind any decision, order, rule or requlation of the Agency, Whether the decision or order is made inter partes or otherwise, and whether the rule or regulation is general or limited in its scope and application, and any order that the Governor in Council may make to do so is binding on the Agency and on all parties. As a result, I am asking Cabinet to exercise the supervisory authority set out in Section 40 of the Canada Transportation Act and order that the ruling in this instance be rescinded. The City is taking these steps with a view to collaborating with the federal government to find a better solution to this issue; one that is in the best interests of the Government of Canada, the City of Ottawa, Ville de Gatineau and all the residents of the National Capital Region. Sifr'lqerely, i .v'ql .3 im? Watson Mayor City of Ottawa Hon. Catherine McKenna, P.C., M.P. Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P. M. Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, maire, Ville de Gatineau