The provincial government has approved an environmental assessment for Ottawa's light rail transit plan.
The assessment examined the potential impact of a downtown tunnel, as well as 12.5 kilometres of light rail between Tunney's Pasture and Blair Station.
The assessment zeroed in on noise and vibration related to the project, as well as concerns over preserving wildlife, and air and water quality in the area.
"It's a little premature to say ground broken, but now we're doing detailed design," said Mayor Larry O'Brien, who regarded the approval as a giant step forward for Ottawa transit.
The total cost for phase one is estimated at $2.1 billion. The city has already secured $1.2 billion in funding from the federal and provincial governments.
The next step for the project is to win environmental approval from the federal government.
