Stage 2 O-Train South Extension

The City of Ottawa embarked on a two-year project to improve and extend the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Trillium Line through the O-Train South Extension, part of the Stage 2 LRT Expansion. The project included upgrades to the existing 8 km north–south line, with two new stations added to better serve local communities and address service gaps. The existing stations underwent platform extensions and amenity upgrades to shelters, furniture, wayfinding and safety. As part of the 11 km extension, four new stations were built with facilities for rail/bus interchange, park and ride, and commuter parking. A 4 km spur line was also part of the project and added two more stations serving the Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport and the EY Centre.

NORR designed seven of the thirteen aboveground stations, including Bayview, Carling, Carleton, Mooney’s Bay (Confederation), Greenboro, South Keys and Bowesville. South Keys and Bowesville were new stations designed from concept through construction documentation, while the other five varied in scope of renovations. The station design reinforced a system identity unique to Ottawa’s light rail network and remains adaptable for future extensions. The primary design features create an intuitive, safe and positive ridership experience, with improvements for passenger flow, accessibility, and connections between station plazas and local buses, trains and the community.

NORR also designed the new Maintenance and Service Facility (MSF), which includes a main service and maintenance building, management and operations center, a rail vehicle wash building, and various structures that support daily fueling, inspection and servicing of the LRT vehicles.

The completed Trillium LRT line is integrated with Ottawa’s Confederation LRT line and bus network. It also supports transit-oriented development within local communities. The project was delivered as a Public-Private Partnership (P3) by a large multidisciplinary team led by AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin).