Construction resumes on new main library at Ottawa's LeBreton Flats

A crane at the Centre Block rehabilitation project on Parliament Hill. The Ottawa Construction Association says construction will slow down on the project due to a strike by crane and heavy equipment operators.

Construction resumed on Ottawa's new $334 million central library at LeBreton Flats this week, three weeks after a strike by crane and heavy equipment operators shutdown the project.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 ratified a new three year contract on May 20, ending the strike that impacted projects in Ottawa and across Ontario. The strike by crane and heavy equipment operators was followed by a strike by the carpenters' union and other trade unions.

The city of Ottawa says construction on the new Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada project resumed at LeBreton Flats, but it's unclear what the strike has done to the project timeline.

“The City of Ottawa is encouraged to see that agreements are being reached. Operating Engineers have returned to work, and the construction work for Ādisōke project site will be resuming this week," said Infrastructure Services Director Carina Duclos in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

"The City needs time to evaluate the impact of the strike with its contractors, and for all agreements to be reached, before providing further updates."

The price tag for the new library at LeBreton Flats increased $131 million last fall due to escalating construction costs.

The new library is scheduled to open in mid-2026, according to a report tabled in October. The initial plan was for the new library to open in 2025.

Rail Construction Program Director Michael Morgan says work has continued on the light rail transit extensions into Orleans, Riverside South and Kanata.

"Work continues across the Stage 2 project on the east, west and south extensions," Morgan said in a statement on Friday. "The City continues to closely monitor the situation to see if there are impacts from the strikes."

The Carpenter's District Council of Ontario announced Friday a province-wide strike of carpenters in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector is over after members ratified a tentative deal.