Hotel to be built at Ottawa Airport without controversial tax grant
A proposed hotel will be built at the Ottawa International Airport despite city council voting against a tax break for it.
Germain Hotels proposed a $55-million Alt Hotel connected to the airport this past spring, with 180 rooms, a restaurant, meeting rooms and covered pathway connecting the hotel to the airport terminal.
The company applied for a community improvement grant of $13 million, but council voted it down in April. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was opposed to tax breaks for private businesses.
Both the hotel company and the airport expressed disappointment in council's decision but said they would continue to work together.
In an email to CTV News Ottawa on Friday, a spokesperson for Germain Hotels said the project will go ahead after all.
The hotel, now with 178 rooms instead of 180, is expected to open by the fall of 2025. It will still have a full-service restaurant, a gym, and meeting rooms and will still connect directly to the terminal via a pedway.
"We are pleased that the construction of the Alt Hotel Ottawa Airport at YOW is getting ready for take off!" said airport spokesperson Krista Kealey in a statement. "We thank those who have supported this project and helped get it this far. We look forward to watching this project come to life, introducing the Alt brand by Le Germain Hotels to our passengers and making a lasting impact on Canada's Capital Region."
Kealey said the airport would have more information to share about construction schedules in the coming weeks and will work to minimize impacts to travellers and employees.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.