The Department of National Defence (DND) has been grappling with a persistent parking shortage at its Carling Avenue campus since 2019, and the issue remains unresolved in 2026. This ongoing problem casts doubt on the department's ability to manage a proposed $84 billion spending boost over five years, as promised by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
A Decade of Inaction
DND's parking woes began when the department moved into the former Nortel campus, which houses 10,000 employees but offers only 5,000 parking spots. Despite years of discussion, no concrete solution has been implemented. A planned parking garage was abandoned, and a proposal to shuttle employees from the Connaught Ranges and Primary Training Centre, a 10-minute drive away, was rejected in 2019 as too time-consuming and complex.
Failed Strategies
In the absence of a viable plan, DND has resorted to a combination of persuasion and enforcement. Senior staff have pleaded with employees to choose less crowded days like Mondays and Fridays, while military police have towed vehicles parked on grass verges, costing owners around $400 to retrieve them. Meanwhile, the $75 monthly parking pass does not guarantee a spot, and the situation is expected to worsen as government employees return to the office four days a week later this year.
Transit Woes
The campus's location at Carling and Moodie Drive is poorly served by public transit. For employees living in Orleans, a bus journey starting at 7 a.m. can take nearly two hours, involving multiple transfers, compared to a 30-minute drive. Similarly, a bus from Tunney's Pasture Station takes over an hour, while driving takes 20 minutes. The western LRT extension ends at Moodie Drive, just two kilometres from the campus, but the city has not yet discussed bus connections to DND, with service expected late next year at the earliest.
No Easy Fix
DND's inability to solve a basic logistical challenge raises questions about its capacity to handle a massive budget increase. The department has floundered for years, and the problem is only getting worse. Without a clear plan, the $84 billion boost may not be money well spent.
