The Department of National Defence has established a temporary overflow parking lot at the Connaught Range in an effort to alleviate ongoing parking shortages at its Carling campus headquarters. The arrangement includes shuttle service for employees, as confirmed by DND spokesperson Kened Sadiku in an email to the Ottawa Citizen.
Details of the Temporary Parking Solution
According to an internal document dated May 4, the overflow lot accommodates 30 vehicles, and two 15-passenger vans are currently operating to shuttle staff to the Carling campus. A bus service is planned for the future to transport employees from the range, which is approximately seven kilometres from the headquarters.
The parking is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays only, with potential expansion to Mondays and Fridays based on demand. Users must still pay for parking, though the cost to taxpayers has not been disclosed. Shuttle hours are limited to 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Background of the Parking Crisis
The DND Carling campus, which houses over 10,000 staff, has only about 5,000 parking spots. Employees can purchase a monthly parking pass for $75, but even with a pass, a spot is not guaranteed. This has led to daily scrambles for parking, with some workers parking on grass or in non-designated areas. Recently, military police ordered the towing of 13 vehicles belonging to government workers and military personnel.
The federal government spent $800 million to acquire and outfit the former Nortel complex for DND, expecting savings from consolidating employees at one site. However, planners failed to account for sufficient parking. The Ottawa Citizen previously reported that the overflow parking and shuttle service were proposed in 2019 but not pursued until now.
Sadiku stated that the temporary arrangement will continue until an alternative off-site parking solution is implemented. Additional parking solutions and commuting initiatives are being explored.
