Delivered! A $5.6M, 3-month rink

An early buzzword of the Trudeau government was “deliverology” — converting promises to results. The Liberals have struggled a bit with it, as anyone watching the Indigenous, electoral reform, military procurement and budgeting files may have noticed. But there is one thing the government has delivered on: letting people in Ottawa skate for free.

A few people, anyway. And the deal doesn’t include playing hockey, except during approved times. But still.

It’s all part of the Canada 150 celebrations. Canadian Heritage ordered an outdoor rink be built on the grounds of Parliament Hill.

The cost? A pittance, hardly worth mentioning. A mere $5.6 million to construct and operate. True, that’s probably lowballing it, as that cost assumed the rink would only have a 26-day lifespan (running from Dec. 5 to Dec. 31). It’ll cost more to run it to the end of February, which is now the plan since enough people complained. How much more it will cost no one knows, but coming from the government that spent $212,234 on a budget cover page, anything’s possible. Still, it’s surely worth it. Otherwise, where else would Ottawans get to enjoy a nice outdoor skate just steps from Parliament?

Well, there is the Rideau Canal, we suppose, the world’s largest outdoor rink and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was completed in 1832. But what would a skate through a literal monument to Canadian enterprise and history have to do with the 150 celebrations?

And besides, what else can a government get these days for a measly $5.6 million? Perhaps Mme. Joly should ask the residents of Smithers, B.C. In 2015, they opened an NHL-sized rink, with room for 350 spectators. The facility will last generations. It cost ... $4.7 million.

Okay, so that’s a million bucks less than what Ottawa is spending on an outdoor rink (next to a bigger outdoor rink) for three months. But hey. The Liberals promised to deliver things to Canadians. Technically, it counts.