City of Ottawa spending $1.7M on LED lighting projects this year

Ottawa City Hall (CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa will be spending nearly $2 million this year on installing LEDs in interior and exterior lights, not including streetlights.

In a response to a request for comment from Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard, city staff tell the Environment and Climate Change Committee that there are 25 projects in the 2025 budget that include LED lighting conversions, valued at $1.7 million.

Staff said it is standard practice to undertake LED upgrades when a broader renewal project includes lighting.

“A recent change to regulations has restricted the sale and manufacture of mercury-containing high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps that are currently part of the lighting systems at many City sites. In response, staff have taken a proactive approach to incorporate LED lighting conversions of these units into existing lifecycle projects, between now and 2030,” staff said in the report.

Seven of the 25 projects include exterior lights, such as those in parks, sports fields, pathways, and parking lots. City staff say they have spent $2.4 million since 2022 on upgrading park lights with LEDs.

“Generally, exterior LED lighting conversions are incorporated into parks, sports fields, pathways, and parking lot renewal projects whenever the opportunity and funding permits. To reduce project costs and eliminate unnecessary disruption to the community and facility users, lighting projects are typically bundled with other renewal work rather than individually planned,” the report said.

Staff say LEDs provide savings over the long-term as they use approximately half the electrical draw as high-intensity discharge lights, and also have longer lifespans; however, it can take years to recover the upfront capital costs of installing LEDs through energy savings alone.

Here is the list of 25 LED conversion project facilities funded in the 2025 Capital Budget approved by Council:

• Bearbrook Community Centre – 8720 Russell Rd.
• Carp Depot Office and Garage – 2847 March Rd.
• Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre and Library - 262 Len Purcell Dr.
• Eastvale Fieldhouse Storage – 740 Eastvale Dr.
• Elmdale Tennis Club: Field House – 250 Holland Ave.
• Entrance Pool Change Pavilion – 2 Eaton St.
• Fire Station 37 – 910 Earl Armstrong Rd.
• Fire Station 71 – 1246 Colonial Rd.
• Fire Station 83 – 2358 Roger Stevens Dr.
• Fire Station 94 – 5669 Manotick Main St.
• Huntley Community Mess Hall – 3911 Carp Rd.
• Huntley Road Equipment Depot and Garage – 2121 Huntley Rd.
• Hurdman Yard Office and Garage – 29 Hurdman Rd.
• John G. Mlacak Centre – 2500 Campeau Dr.
• Larry Robinson Arena – 2785 8th Line Rd.
• Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven - 3500 Cambrian Rd.
• Navan Depot Office and Garage – 2264 Colonial Rd.
• OC Transpo Colonnade Office and Garage – 164 Colonnade Rd.
• OC Transpo St Laurent North Garage and Office – 1500 St Laurent Blvd.
• OC Transpo St Laurent South Garage – 1500 St Laurent Blvd.
• Ottawa Public Library Carlingwood Branch – 281 Woodroffe Ave.
• Ottawa Public Library Hazeldean Branch – 50 Castlefrank Rd.
• Ottawa Public Library Richmond Branch – 6240 Perth St.
• St Lukes Community Centre: Bethell Fieldhouse – 166 Frank St.
• Wellington Street Seniors Centre –1137 Wellington St.