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The full 4.5-kilometre closed-circuit streetcar route would provide convenient access to the Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of History and restaurants and office buildings on both sides of the river.

The full 4.5-kilometre closed-circuit streetcar route would provide convenient access to the Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of History and restaurants and office buildings on both sides of the river. More importantly, it would solve the issue of connecting Ottawa and Gatineau’s public transit systems. This takes on critical importance as the mayors of both cities confirmed last week that the Prince of Wales Bridge is no longer a candidate for linking the two transit systems.

The streetcar would be convenient, environmentally friendly and possibly driverless. As is the case in much of Europe, pedestrians and streetcars could live in harmony in the same space, without cars and trucks.

From a capital-building perspective, a streetcar would eliminate buses from Confederation Boulevard, the ceremonial route that rings the parliamentary precinct. Connecting two provinces and the national capital, it would be called “The Unity Train.”

While we may need to relocate sewers and other underground infrastructure, the capital cost would be manageable and certainly much less expensive than a new bridge. The bottom line is the capital would be more accessible, convenient, harmonious and green.

When we consider potential capital-building projects, it’s hard to think that dressing up the beleaguered Sparks Street Mall is the best use of resources. But the possibility of taking the idea of a pedestrian mall to another level by adding a closed streetcar loop would not only solve a pressing public transit problem but could enhance the capital experience for all Canadians. Of course, this would take the vision and cooperation of two provinces, two cities and the NCC to make it happen. Hopefully, that’s not too much to ask for.

Bob Plamondon is the author of The Shawinigan Fox: How Jean Chrétien Defied the Elites and Reshaped Canada; and a former board member of the National Capital Commission.

Editor’s note: Laurier Street in Gatineau was misidentified in the first version of this article.

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