April 15, 2016 Mayor Jim Watson City of Ottawa 110 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1 Dear Mayor Watson, RE: LRT Extension to Kanata Kanata has been a significant economic engine for the City of Ottawa and continues to be a growth area for new residential construction. Since moving our hockey operation here some 20 years ago, we have witnessed this growth first hand. During that time, we have developed close working relationships with many of the businesses in Kanata and the west end. We hear the same issues from them when we discuss barriers for their future growth. At a recent gathering of Invest Ottawa, with many west end based businesses in attendance, the key barrier to growth expressed by them all was “talent”. Hiring good, skilled professionals is the key to future growth. Lack of mass transit, and a plan to extend LRT to Kanata, is a barrier to attracting talent and attracting new businesses to our City. You are aware that we have submitted a proposal to the NCC for the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats. Let us be clear, we believe that the long term future of the Ottawa Senators should be downtown, on the new LRT line, and we feel that LeBreton is an ideal location. However, if we are successful and the hockey club were to relocate to downtown, we would still own a major asset (Canadian Tire Centre) and a large parcel of land that will require redevelopment. The types of uses and redevelopment we are contemplating would be best served by an improved mass transit solution, such as an LRT extension. For these reasons, and given the recent Federal Budget announcement with support for infrastructure projects, we are asking the City to consider an important addition to your current plans for the City’s Light Rail Transit. We support the Kanata North BIA proposal to extend the LRT to Terry Fox Drive and we would further suggest that the LRT also be extended from Terry Fox Drive to Canadian Tire Centre. The City should immediately fund and undertake an Environmental Assessment for the LRT extension from Bayshore to the Canadian Tire Centre. This will allow this component of the LRT to be “shovel-ready” and ready to proceed, should additional infrastructure funds be secured.

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The LRT Project is a major step forward for the City of Ottawa and we applaud you, Council and the City for their efforts in moving this essential infrastructure investment forward in such a major way. We ask you to commit to working with the interested Kanata business community to consider leveraging the Federal Government to procure infrastructure funds to ensure that Kanata can now be included in Stage 2. Sincerely,

Cyril M. Leeder, FCPA, FCA President Senators Sports & Entertainment c.c. Mark Nisbett, Chair, West Ottawa Board of Trade Jenna Sudds, Executive Director, Kanata North Business Improvement Area Shad Qadri, Councillor, City of Ottawa Karen McCrimmon, Member of Parliament, Kanata-Carleton