Feds reducing office space 'opens the door' to the idea of a NHL rink in downtown Ottawa, mayor says

In Tuesday's federal budget, the government committed $1.1 billion over 10 years to reduce the size of its office portfolio, including accelerating the end of leases.

"Obviously, this represents a big change for our city and we've known this is coming, but the idea that the federal government is going to move out of 50 per cent of its buildings in the downtown core is probably the biggest change to downtown Ottawa we will ever experience and have ever experienced," Sutcliffe said on TSN Mornings on TSN 1200 with John Rodenburg and Steve Lloyd.

Sutcliffe hopes the federal move to reduce its real estate portfolio "opens the door to a conversation about other opportunities in the downtown core.

There have been concerns about the future of downtown Ottawa coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the federal government implementing a hybrid work format requiring employees to be in the office two or three days a week and transit ridership slow to return.

The mayor says the federal government's move shows Ottawa and its partners need to come up with a plan for the downtown core to help revitalize it.

"Seventeen or 18-thousand-seat arena where there would be concerts and hockey games and other events, and where it could be connected maybe to hotels and other facilities that are hosting conferences and international gatherings.