Lansdowne 2.0: Building Confidence in Ottawa’s Future

Lansdowne 2.0 is a smart, cost-effective investment in Ottawa’s future - it uses taxpayer dollars wisely, adds much-needed housing and density in the core, and renews a civic landmark that has served our community for over 50 years. 

The $130 million cost - spread over forty years - is funded through project revenues, not new property taxes. It costs about $9 per year per household, which works out to roughly the price of a coffee and muffin. A delayed rebuild could cost ten times as much. By leveraging public-private partnerships, Ottawa will deliver better facilities and keep public ownership while sharing risk. 

This project will add nearly $590 million in GDP and create 4,900 local jobs in construction, hospitality, retail, and events. It brings millions in private investment, new property-tax revenues, and direct support for Ottawa’s small businesses. 

Lansdowne 2.0 is designed to be accessible, sustainable, and barrier-free - reducing energy use by 36% and emissions by 31%. Twenty-five percent of air rights revenue will support Ottawa’s affordable housing fund. 

We urge Ottawa’s City Council to prioritize Lansdowne’s renewal. Ottawa needs inclusive, sustainable growth and smart management of public assets - let’s seize this opportunity to renew the Lansdowne area and invest in our city’s prosperous future. 

Please see below for OBOT President & CEO, Sueling Ching’s, remarks from a presentation on Lansdowne 2.0 at Ottawa City Hall on October 29, 2025. 

 

 

Thank you, Mayor Sutcliffe, members of Council, and engaged citizens of Ottawa.
My name is Sueling Ching, and I am honoured to be the President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade. 

We are the voice of business, an independent, non-partisan partner with a mission to cultivate a thriving, world-class business community - one that drives affordable, inclusive, and sustainable city-building.  

We are also a founding member of Ottawa Unlimited, a collaborative partnership between OBOT, Ottawa Tourism and Invest Ottawa that was created to present a united front in promoting Ottawa as a premier destination for business, innovation, talent, tourism and investment in the global marketplace. 

Thank you for the opportunity to express our strong support for the city staff recommended advancement of Lansdowne 2.0 - a strategic and future-focused investment in Ottawa’s prosperity. 

This project is about renewing confidence in our city, creating the kind of community where people want to live, work, and visit, and building momentum at a time when we need it most. 

Over the past few years, Ottawa has faced significant headwinds, recovering from the pandemic, adapting to federal downsizing, managing inflationary pressures,
navigating shifting U.S. trade relations, and responding to geopolitical uncertainty that affects investment and supply chains. 

And now, with AI transforming our workforce and industries, the ground beneath our economy continues to shift. That is why we need visible, tangible signs that Ottawa is growing, we are investing, and we are leading.  

And we need them now. 

Lansdowne 2.0 is one of those signals. As a bold, long-term investment, it will: 

• Generate nearly $600 million in GDP and create close to 4,900 local and diverse jobs; 

• Add 770 new homes, including contributions to affordable housing; and 

• Attract 150,000 more visitors each year, strengthening tourism sector which is the front door to every other form of economic development including talent and investment attraction. 

In terms of everyday impact - that means more jobs, more local spending, and more confidence in our future. The City’s investment starting now, for a civic landmark that will serve generations is fiscally responsible. If we delay the inevitable renewal, construction and hard costs will increase significantly  

But more importantly the opportunity cost is greater still - lost private-sector investment, lost event revenue, lost momentum for downtown revitalization. 

Rebuilding later, without partnership revenues, will cost taxpayers much more. Acting now avoids those costs and protects what we already own. 

Lansdowne 2.0 also reflects modern, responsible city-building - density where infrastructure already exists, lower emissions, energy efficiency, and universal accessibility. It leverages private capital to renew public space - the kind of collaboration that allows Ottawa to do more with less. But beyond the numbers, this is about the kind of city we want to be: a vibrant, lifestyle-rich capital where young people see opportunity, where families enjoy community, and where visitors experience a confident, creative Ottawa. 

If we want to attract and keep the talent and entrepreneurs who will power our economy,
we must invest in the places that make people proud to live here - amenities, events, housing, and experiences that reflect who we are and especially where we are going. 

Lansdowne is one of those places - a gathering space that brings us together and showcases the very best of Ottawa: our sport, our culture, our sense of community. 

We know Council faces difficult decisions. But this is not a choice between Lansdowne and other priorities. It is a both-and decision -one that keeps roads, parks, and services funded while unlocking new private dollars and tax revenues that strengthen the City’s overall capacity. 

It’s not about choosing between caution and ambition - it’s about practising both. 

The Ottawa Board of Trade believes that confidence is the foundation of prosperity. Lansdowne 2.0 is a chance for us to demonstrate that confidence and unity -
in our city, our partnerships, and our shared responsibility to build a vibrant, inclusive capital that competes with the best in the world. 

Thank you, Mayor and members of Council, for your leadership and for giving our community this opportunity to imagine what’s next for Ottawa. And thank you to each of you for your part in building up the National Capital Region - as part of building our great nation.