The Rockcliffe Control Station safely reduces the pressure of natural gas that is delivered from the Enbridge Gas St. Laurent pipeline to the Niagara Gas Transmission Limited (NGTL) export pipeline that crosses the Ottawa River and serves Gatineau, Québec.
This station was installed on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River in 1985 to address reports of low natural gas pressure in Aylmer, Québec. As the current location poses access and safety concerns and the technology at the station itself is now outdated, Enbridge Gas is proposing to build a new natural gas pressure regulation station in the vicinity. The new station must be located at a site that is more accessible and meets current safety and engineering design standards.
The Project is located on lands administered by the National Capital Commission (NCC) and is therefore subject to a Federal Land Use, Design and Transaction Approval (FLUDTA) under the National Capital Act. The Project also triggers Section 82 of the Impact Assessment Act, which requires that projects proposed on federal land are reviewed by a responsible federal authority to determine if they are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. In this case, the NCC is the responsible federal authority.
Enbridge Gas met with the NCC and presented three options for the new station site. Enbridge Gas is preparing relevant applications for Option 2, as shown on the map, which is located approximately 390 m southeast from the existing Rockcliffe Control Station.
This site was identified as the proposed preferred site for relocating the Rockcliffe Control Station as it:
- offers sufficient space for the new facility;
- allows for landscaping to visually blend the facility into the community, providing a visual barrier from Hillsdale Road and adjacent residences;
- avoids the need to remove woodland areas and the undertaking of significant grading as compared to Option 3 or expanding the existing station in its current location;
- preserves viewsheds from valued scenic areas along the Capital Parkway and Pathway;
- is easily accessible in the event of an emergency;
- is the least disruptive in terms of site preparation work; and
- is the superior option for safety and the security of the infrastructure.
Portions of the Project that fall outside of the NCC’s regulatory purview will be reviewed under an application to the Canada Energy Regulator.
Project updates
Members of the public, landowners, government agencies, Indigenous communities, and other interested parties are invited to participate in the Project’s environmental assessment process.
An in-person public meeting was held on July 12, 2023 at the Rockcliffe Community Centre to share more details about this project.
The presentation from the public meeting may be viewed here.
