Ottawa police chief wants to delay Wellington Street opening

Wellington Street has been closed in front of Parliament Hill for nearly a year since the 'Freedom Convoy' protests began. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa's police chief wants to hit the brakes on plans to open Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill to vehicles on March 1.

Chief Eric Stubbs says a "whole security footprint analysis" of the street and the Parliamentary Precinct needs to be completed before the street opens to traffic.

The Transportation Committee voted last week to reopen Wellington Street, between Elgin and Bank streets, to vehicle traffic "as soon as it is operationally feasible." Council is scheduled to vote on the plan next Wednesday.

While Stubbs supports reopening the street to traffic, he says March 1 is too soon.

"I know how important Wellington Street is to the community, to the country," Stubbs told reporters on Wednesday.

"I understand the need to have it open, but before opening though, I would prefer that all aspects of the security for the hill and that general area are analyzed, are developed, put into place and the funding is there and we sort of launch that new Parliament Hill that includes Wellington all at the same time."

Wellington Street has been closed in front of Parliament Hill since the 'Freedom Convoy' rolled into Ottawa on Jan. 28, 2022.  A House of Commons committee recommended keeping Wellington Street permanently closed to vehicles and extending the vehicle-free zone one block farther west of Kent Street.

Stubbs says Wellington Street is one "piece of pie of everything that is security on the hill", and the federal government, the city of Ottawa and police services need to look at everything before reopening it.

"I understand that desire to open it, but just doing the whole issue all at the same time I'd feel better as a police chief that we've covered off all those different areas including Wellington Street and let's open it up so we can drive on that street again," Stubbs said.