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Report to Rapport au:

Transit Commission Commission du transport en commun

September 17, 2014 17 septembre 2014

Submitted by Soumis par: Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager, City Operations, Directeur municipal adjoint, Opérations municipales

Contact Person Personne ressource: John Manconi, General Manager, Transit Services, Directeur général, Services du transport en commun 613-842-3636 x2111, John.Manconi@.ca

Ward: CITY WIDE / À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA File Number: ACS2014-COS-TRA-0011 VILLE SUBJECT: TRANSIT – SYSTEM AND LINE NAMES

OBJET: TRAIN LÉGER – NOMS DE SYSTÈMES ET DE LIGNES

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Transit Commission:

1. Approve extending the use of the system name “O-Train” to include both of Ottawa’s rail transit lines;

2. Approve the name “Confederation Line” for the new east-west rail line between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair Stations; and,

3. Approve the name “” for the existing north-south rail line between Bayview and Greenboro Stations.

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RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que la Commission du transport en commun approuve :

1. L’utilisation du nom de système « O-Train » pour désigner les deux lignes de transport sur rails à Ottawa;

2. Le nom « Ligne de la Confédération » pour désigner la nouvelle voie ferrée est-ouest entre les stations Tunney’s Pasture et Blair; et,

3. Le nom « Ligne Trillium » pour désigner la voie ferrée nord-sud existante entre les stations Bayview et Greenboro.

BACKGROUND

At its meeting of June 12, 2013, City Council approved the Confederation Line Governance report, which outlined some of the project elements and decisions that would fall within the purview of the Transit Commission and the Transit Services Department. As a result of this report, the Commission will oversee matters that are operational in nature, including wayfinding and branding.

On May 15, 2013, the Transit Commission carried a motion which established an ad- hoc working group comprised of Chair Deans and Commissioners Hobbs and Crew, the General Manager, Transit Services, and other senior managers from OC Transpo, to provide input to the governance report and on operational matters related to the light rail project. On June 14, 2014, the Commission appointed Commissioner Rahn to that group to replace former Commissioner Crew.

In 2001, the name “O-Train” was selected by staff as the name for Ottawa’s first modern rail transit service, the north-south line between Bayview and Greenboro Stations.

On December 19, 2012, City Council adopted the name “Confederation Line” for the new east-west light rail line between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair Stations during the period of construction and that “Once construction is complete, OC Transpo and the Transit Commission will determine the name of the line during its operation that will consider wayfinding and integration into the entire transit system.”

DISCUSSION

Naming the system as “O-Train”

Every transit system that has a rail service as part of its network has a name that is used to identify the rail service and to distinguish it from bus services and 3 other services that make up the complete system. In Montréal, the STM’s network includes four Métro lines. In Toronto, the TTC’s network includes three Subway lines and one RT line. In Calgary, Calgary Transit’s network includes two CTrain lines. Similarly, in Ottawa, a name will be required to collectively identify OC Transpo’s two rail lines and to distinguish them from the other parts of the transit system.

Since it was first developed and applied to Ottawa’s first modern rail transit line in 2001, the identity of the O-Train has become very well known by transit customers, by Ottawa residents, and by visitors to the city. The identity connects with both Ottawa as the name of the City and OC Transpo as the name of the City’s transit system. The identity is easily read, pronounced, understood, and remembered in both English and French. An extensive search by staff has not identified any alternative system identities that compare favourably. The rail system identity “O-Train” has stood the test of time over the last 13 years.

Staff recommend now that the identity “O-Train” continue to be used, but that it be the name of the rail system, as, for instance, “SkyTrain” is in Vancouver, “Underground” is in London, and “Métro” is in Montréal. Ottawa’s two rail lines, the north-south line between Bayview and Greenboro Stations and the new east-west line between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair Stations, would both be part of the O-Train network. Using a single identity for the network that the two lines make up will clearly show that both are part of a complete rail transit system. (Staff have considered and recommend against the alternative of continuing to use the identity “O-Train” for only one of the two lines.) In making this recommendation, staff note the challenge for the next four years of making a transition of the “O-Train” identity from a single line to a complete rail system.

Naming the east-west line as the “Confederation Line”

In selecting the name “Confederation Line” for the east-west light rail project in 2012, Council considered the following information from staff:

“The OLRT project is Ottawa’s most significant infrastructure investment since the building of the . The east-west alignment and the location of the Downtown East station bring the project to the very doorstep of the Parliamentary Precinct. The project’s thirteen stations and the connectivity it provides to Ottawa symbolically mirrors Canada’s own development as a nation through the federal government’s investment in national railways to bring together the country. Furthermore, the project’s construction schedule will see the downtown portion of the project substantially complete in time for our country’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. 4

“In recognition of all these facts and as a reflection of the importance of this project to our nation’s capital, this report recommends that the OLRT project be named the ‘Confederation Line’ during the construction period. Once construction is complete, OC Transpo and the Transit Commission will determine the name of the line during its operation that will consider wayfinding and integration into the entire transit system.

“This bilingual name reflects the unique nature of the project and its placement through the heart of our federal institutions. In addition to the line naming, the City has required RTG to prepare the system to play an active role in our sesquicentennial celebrations on July 1st, 2017. This will include having downtown stations available for tours, as well as making light rail vehicles accessible for display and available for tours of a segment of the line.”

All of these considerations apply not only to the construction phase but also to the operation in 2018 and for the years to come. The name “Confederation Line” is becoming more and more recognized by transit customers and Ottawa residents as the identity of the east-west rail transit line, and there would be some momentum to overcome if a different name were selected. Transit systems around the world identify individual rail lines by colour, number, letter, or name. Of the systems that use names, such as Toronto, Vancouver, and London, some use street names, some use geographic names, and some use names that, like the Confederation Line, recognise important events in history.

Staff recommend that “Confederation Line” continue to be used as the identity of the east-west line within the O-Train rail transit system.

Naming the north south line as the “Trillium Line”

Following on from the recommendations above to name the rail transit system the O- Train and to name the east-west line the Confederation Line comes the need to select an identity for the north-south line between Bayview and Greenboro Stations.

Staff prepared a list of potential line names for the consideration of the working group delegated by the Commission to consider operational matters such as wayfinding, and noted the strengths and weaknesses of each. Staff recommended that the name to be selected should be easily read, pronounced, and understood in both English and French, and should be clear and unambiguous, avoiding confusion with the Confederation Line and with other parts of Ottawa’s transportation system. 5

The working group selected the name “Trillium Line”, which meets all of these criteria. Like “Confederation Line”, the name is symbolic and not descriptive, and unlike “Confederation Line”, the name refers to the Ontario provincial flower and to a flower that is found in the Ottawa area. Just as the “Confederatlon Line” name makes an indirect reference to the valuable role of the federal government in building Ottawa and its transit system, the name “Trillium Line” makes a similar indirect reference to the valuable role of the Ontario provincial government.

The Commission’s working group recommends the name “Trillium Line” as the name for the north-south line within the O-Train rail transit system.

As noted earlier, staff will organize a transition in customer information from the current O-Train identity to present the north-south rail service as the Trillium Line of the O- Train.

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

The recommendation in this report would have no effect on the rural parts of the City.

CONSULTATION

The recommendations in this report have been discussed by staff with the working group that the Commission established to consider such matters on its behalf. In particular, the working group selected and recommends the name “Trillium Line” for the north-south rail transit line.

The recommendations in this report have been discussed with the French Language Services Branch of the City, who agree that they are consistent with the City’s goals to provide good customer service in both English and French. FLS has stated that the name “Trillium”, as a Latin word, is suitable in both French and English. It is commonly used in French and English names.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no legal impediments to implementing the recommendations in this report. However, by virtue of the Motion No. 17/5 passed at Council on July 14, 2011 amending the Report entitled Implementation of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Project, the Commission is aware that in the 2014 – 2018 term of Council, and in accordance with the Delegation of Authority from Transport Canada concerning the Confederation Line (as set out in the Agreement for Regulation of the Design, Construction, Operation, Safety, and Security of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Systems dated October 1, 2011), 6

Council will be establishing the Office of the Regulator with respect to the regulatory authority over the Confederation Line. The Trillium Line shall remain federally regulated. The Regulator appointed to the Office may have further insights and operational concerns over the naming of the entire system “O-Train” and may revisit the recommendations in this report.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are no risk implications.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications associated with this report.

ACCESSIBILITY IMPACTS

There are no recommendations in this report that affect accessibility.

TECHNOLOGY IMPLICATIONS

There are no technical implications associated with receiving this report.

TERM OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES

This report indirectly supports the following objectives of the Term of Council Priorities: TM1 – Ensure sustainable transit services TM4 – Promote alternative mobility choices SE1 – Ensure a positive experience for every client interaction SE2 – Improve operational performance

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1: Map of the O-Train System in 2018

DISPOSITION

The Transit Services Department will follow the decisions of the Transit Commission in creating future customer information, including wayfinding signs and systems, maps, and other electronic and printed information. 7

Document 1: Map of the O-Train System in 2018