A Close Call on Ottawa's Rural Roads
Ottawa farmer Craig Waddell is counting his lucky stars after a terrifying collision left him shaken and questioning whether it's still safe to work the land his family has farmed for six generations.
Waddell was operating his tractor on Mitch Owens Road — a rural stretch in Ottawa's south end — when a semi-truck slammed into him from behind at high speed. The impact could have been fatal. Instead, Waddell walked away, but the experience has him and his family deeply rattled.
"We're facing close calls almost daily," Waddell said, describing the relentless pressure of sharing rural roads with heavy truck traffic that shows little regard for slow-moving farm equipment.
Six Generations, One Road
The Waddell family has worked the same land on Mitch Owens Road for over 150 years — a living piece of Ottawa's agricultural heritage. But what was once a quiet country road has transformed into a busy corridor for transport trucks, many of which travel at highway speeds despite the presence of farm machinery, cyclists, and local residents.
For farmers like Waddell, moving equipment between fields is a daily necessity. Tractors, combines, and other large machinery must share the road with commercial vehicles — and the size and speed difference makes every trip a potential hazard.
Growing Traffic, Growing Danger
The collision on Mitch Owens Road isn't an isolated incident. Rural Ottawa has seen a surge in truck traffic in recent years, driven by population growth in the city's southern suburbs and increased freight movement through the region. For families who have farmed these corridors for generations, the change has been dramatic and dangerous.
Waddell's family says near-misses have become routine — a grim new reality that no amount of caution or signage seems to fix. They're calling on the City of Ottawa and provincial authorities to take a serious look at traffic enforcement and road safety measures along rural routes where farm equipment regularly operates.
What Needs to Change
Road safety advocates and farming groups have long pushed for better protections for agricultural workers on public roads. Recommendations often include lower speed limits near active farm zones, enhanced signage, rumble strips, and stricter enforcement against distracted or aggressive driving.
For the Waddells, this isn't a policy debate — it's personal. One bad moment on a road their family has traveled for six generations nearly cost Craig his life.
The City of Ottawa has not yet issued a public response to the incident on Mitch Owens Road, but calls from the farming community for urgent action are growing louder.
For now, Craig Waddell says he's grateful to be alive — and hoping that his story prompts drivers to slow down and share the road before the next close call turns into a tragedy.
Source: CBC Ottawa
