The Tavern on the Island at Bate Island

[December 09, 2024] – The National Capital Commission must determine whether the proposed plan for The Tavern on the Island, located at Bates Island in the Ottawa River along the Champlain Bridge, is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects in compliance with sections 81-91 of the Impact Assessment Act and the National Capital Act.

The project involves maintaining the already-installed modular terrace on Bate Island throughout the winter season. Operated under the name "Tavern on the Island," the terrace provides a full-service food and beverage offering, featuring publicly accessible seating and a performance stage. The structure consists of a treated wood deck made of modular pallets covering approximately 500 square meters. Each pallet is elevated, with supports resting on concrete blocks placed directly on the ground. An accessible boardwalk, spanning approximately 60 square meters, connects the food service area to the patio. The associated food trucks and sanitation facilities will be removed seasonally.  The decking area is within the 5-year floodplain and is subject to periodic flooding of varying intensity.

The potential effects of leaving the decking in place year-round include potential scouring of adjacent soil, and the loss of the decking, as well as potential damage to the river bottom or banks or other infrastructure from loose decking.  To ensure that the decking does not create unintended damage, or to protect it from unintended damage, options are being considered, including a removal plan in advance of predicted flood events, anchoring the decking, and seasonally moving the decking to less flood-prone areas.

To help inform this determination, the National Capital Commission is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. It is important to note that all comments received will be considered public. For more information, individual should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website.

Written comments for this project must be submitted within 30 days of the date of this posting, referencing project name and registry number: By email: IA-EI@ncc-ccn.ca

By mail: Environmental Officer, Environmental Assessment group

40 Elgin, 5th floor

Ottawa, ON, Canada

K1P 1C7

The National Capital Commission thanks you for your comments, which will be considered in the project determination. Please note that responses may not be provided.

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Latest update

May 02, 2025 - The assessment decision statement has been issued to the proponent.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
2 Notice of Determination - October 6, 2025
1 Notice of Intent to Make a Determination – Start of Public Comment Period - February 2, 2025

Contacts

National Capital Commission
Environmental Assessment
40 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5A8
Email: IA-EI@ncc-ccn.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • The Tavern on the Island at Bate Island (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Recreation and Tourism

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2025-02-02

  • Proponent

    National Capital Commission

  • Authorities

    • National Capital Commission

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    89099

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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