The city of Ottawa submitted its wish list today for light rail and it's a big one; one billion dollars from the federal government, one billion from the provincial government. That would fund the second phase of the LRT, adding another 30 kilometres of rail to Ottawa’s O-train network, extending it in the west to Bayshore, in the east to Place D'orleans and in the south to Riverside South. The city says Phase 2 of light rail would connect Ottawa's major post-secondary institutions,  UOttawa, Carleton, La Cité and now Algonquin, with infrastructure already in place. A little over three years ago, the city built a tunnel underneath the new building called the Centre for Construction Excellence at Algonquin, in the hopes light rail would expand to the college. It runs about a city block long.

‘Buses would come down on either side in to the Baseline station,’ says Doug Wotherspoon with Algonquin College, ‘unload passengers and they would be able to get on the train and move downtown from here.  This project will change the life of Algonquin College students.’

Holding signs that read “All Aboard,” Ottawa city councilors gathered with Ottawa’s mayor inside the tunnel to make their pitch to the federal and provincial governments for their share of the $3 billion dollar price tag for phase 2 of LRT.  That would add 30 kilometres of rail and 19 new stations including the one at Algonquin.

‘I think it would be a great thing for Algonquin,’ says one student, ‘to be able to be able to get to places downtown.’

‘I know it's going to cost money,’ says another, ‘but we can get it from provincial and federal government.’

The mayor says the Ontario province committed its share of the funds during the election campaign and he says he has Premier Kathleen Wynne’s commitment the money is there.  He is also confident the federal government will commit, too.

‘I’m optimistic,’ says Mayor Jim Watson, ‘because  the prime minister made an announcement in Toronto recently for $2.6 billion for their project which hasn't gone through the EA (environmental assessment) process, doesn't have council resolution and doesn't have community support we have here so we are ready to hit the ground running and very much look forward to discussions in the next weeks and months for our fair share of funding.’

But not everyone is "all aboard" this plan.     The western expansion will tunnel about 50 feet from a seniors’ complex off Richmond Road. Residents of Unitarian House say two years of digging will be more than they can handle.

‘I guess I will move out,’ says resident Elizabeth Bowen, ‘if the noise and dust gets too be too much.’

The residents have signed a petition, asking the city to reconsider the proposed western extension, preferring the site that would encompass Rochester Field.

‘Noise, vibration, destruction of the environment for two years when you are 90 years old, that affects you,’ says Christina O’Neil, the Executive Director of the Unitarian House of Ottawa.

The mayor says he understands their concerns but says it will be a temporary disruption for a long term gain.  The city has plans to expand beyond phase 2, building east to Trim Road and south to the airport.  The question, though, is whether the federal and provincial government  are on board with that.