Housing Innovation Task Force Report and Housing Acceleration Plan
File No. ACS2025-SI-SPO-0002 - City-wide
Committee Recommendation(s), as amended
That Council:
Receive the Housing Innovation Task Force’s report, attached as Document 1, for information.
Approve the Housing Acceleration Plan, attached as Document 2, and described in this report.
Approve the following recommendations to enable the implementation of the Housing Acceleration Plan:
That, Action 21 be amended to reduce Community Benefit Charges (CBCs) from 4% to 2% of the land value cost for a period of 5 years from the date of application approval. Within Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs), CBCs shall be further reduced to 1% of land value cost. Funds that have already been collected shall be recalculated to 2% (or 1% within MTSAs) with remaining funds to be returned to the applicant.
Authorize staff to return the funds collected to date under the Community Benefits Charge By-law as follows:
That projects already approved shall be eligible for a discounted rate until either December 31, 2028 or 5 years from when the proponent received approval, whichever is later; and
That the Community Benefit Charges By-law be amended as soon as practicable to bring these changes into force; and
That the intake for discount-eligible projects shall sunset on December 31, 2028, meaning that projects approved after that date will be ineligible for the discount; and
That staff report back to Council on a revised capital project list by the end of Q4 2025; and
That staff be directed to provide information to Council in Q4 2026 assessing the efficacy of the CBC discounted rate, offering Council the opportunity to review or amend the policy and overall CBC strategy.
Direct Staff that the payment of municipal development charges is due by the issuance of the first occupancy permit, limited to residential occupancies, and on an interest-free basis for 18-months or until the Provincial Bill 17 regulations are implemented, whichever occurs first; and
That City staff be directed to bring forward a Report to Council with recommended amendments to reduce development charges if the City receives funding from higher orders of government, up to a 100% elimination on development charges; and
That any reduction in Development Charges be conditional on a funding commitment equivalent to the reduction from higher orders of government so that the municipality remains fully whole with no reduction of investment into items on the City’s Development Charge Background Study; and
That staff be directed to work directly with the Mayor’s office to engage with Federal and Provincial partners on the above resolutions.
Direct staff to review options to extend exemptions currently in place for developments of up to 10 units and report back to Planning and Housing Committee with proposed recommendations to amend the Site Plan Control By-law No. 2014-256, as described in this report.
Defer the Building Code fee scheduled increases specific to Residential Occupancies, to be included in the 2026 Draft Operating Budget.
Direct staff in the Planning, Development and Building Services, to amend the criteria for eligibility under the Reimbursement Program for Development-Related Fees for Charitable or Non-Profit Organizations, to include site plan planning and building permit fees for non-profit affordable housing projects, and delegate the implementation of these fee waivers to staff.
Direct staff to review and implement pre-set building designs, developed and in use by others in Ontario, to allow for expedited building permits.
Update the Parkland First Policy, Delegation of Authority By-law and Parkland Dedication By-law to transfer authority from Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services Department to the Planning, Development and Building Services Department to reflect staff changes and authorities outlined in this report.
Under section 3 (4) of By-law 2022-280 (Parkland Dedication) Council will waive the requirement for parkland dedication for a period of 18 months for “Office building conversion to residential apartments” and “small or adaptive developments”.
Despite section 3 (5) and 4 (3) of Bylaw 2022-280 (Parkland Dedication) Council will temporarily allow for the collection of Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland changes at occupancy, for 18-months, rather than building permit or subdivision approval.
Despite section 4 (4), Table 1, of Bylaw 2022-280 (Parkland Dedication) Council will temporarily allow Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland charges to be reduced to 5 per cent for 18-months for all projects less than 20 units in plans of subdivision prior to 2001 within the greenbelt.
Undertake a review of the delegated authority and Terms of Reference for the Committee of Adjustment and report back to Council by Q4, 2026
Develop a strategy to undertake a comprehensive review of Secondary Plans and report back to Council by end of Q1 2026
Undertake a comprehensive review of the Urban Design guidelines and report back to Council by end of Q4 2026
Undertake a review of the Development Application Study Policy (Information and Materials for Planning Applications (By-Law No. 2023-297) and report back to Council by end of Q1 2026
That the local ward councillor be made fully aware and consulted when properties that are the subject of actions, such as those contemplated in action 29, 38, 42 and similar preparatory actions contained in the Housing Acceleration Plan are undertaken.
That staff provide information on the Bloomberg methodology to Council by end of Q4 2025, with more fulsome reporting on the effectiveness of the financial measures in May 2026 at the time of reporting back to Council on implementation and that staff provide the full results and measurement framework for the Housing Acceleration Plan concurrent to the report back in May 2026.
That a report detailing the performance of each metric against the measurement framework be brought back for deliberation at a Joint Meeting of Finance and Corporate Services and Planning and Housing Committee in Q2 2027.
That, as part of the implementation of Action Item 29 of the Housing Acceleration Plan, staff be directed to expedite the work to identify additional municipally-owned parcels in the next phase of the Municipal Land Strategy, in consultation with the Mayor’s Office, that are suitable for affordable housing development, including supportive housing, or for mixed-use, mixed-income developments that include affordable housing; and
That staff also identify any associated funding opportunities and provide an assessment of site-specific constraints to ensure the viability of the proposed parcels for development; and
That the identified parcels be prioritized based on the availability of servicing infrastructure, location within appropriate transects (with a preference for sites inside the Greenbelt), proximity to existing or planned transit service, and alignment with the Official Plan and applicable secondary plans; and
That a shortlist of candidate parcels identified through the next round of the Municipal Land Strategy be brought forward to Council for information no later than the end of Q4 2025.
That, as part of Housing Acceleration Plan action Item 37, in Document 2 of the Report, staff be directed to review the City's Official Plan and related policies to ensure there are no unintended barriers to affordable housing; and
That, if unintended barriers are identified, staff return to Council with suggested amendments to strengthen the availability of affordable housing.
That the appropriate City housing dashboards be updated to provide readily available information pertaining to the affordable housing sector, considering inclusion of data sets such as:
The stock of affordable units, including a breakdown based on the number of bedrooms associated with those units
The number of affordable units created from all public sources
The amount of investment into affordable housing from all public sources
The timelines associated with affordable housing development
The current dollar amount that is deemed “affordable”
Centralized waitlist length and estimated average wait time
The overall state and health of the affordable housing sector
That this information be updated regularly to ensure that housing affordability is transparently tracked and fully prioritized.
Direct the Mayor, on behalf of the City of Ottawa, write letters to the Federal and Provincial governments, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to share a copy of this report and highlight the calls for support identified for both levels of government as outlined, including: sustainable and predictable funding for infrastructure, affordable housing, and transit, the transfer of land at no or low cost for residential development, improved environmental approval timelines, the removal of all interprovincial labour mobility restrictions, increased options for developing a local workforce of skilled trades
Direct staff to continue to engage the Housing Innovation Task Force throughout the implementation of the Housing Acceleration Plan.
Direct staff to report back on progress, assess the comprehensiveness of the Housing Acceleration Plan against current conditions, and propose updates as needed by May 2026.
Declare its intention to become a more housing-friendly City; and
That the General Manager of Planning, Development, and Building Services ensure that every effort is made to accomplish this goal; and
That the General Manager of Planning, Development, and Building Services is provided with support to work across departments to accomplish this goal; and
That when new employees are onboarded, they are given as part of their orientation training a briefing on what their role is with respect to advancing service excellence and accomplishing this goal; and
That the General Manager of Planning, Development, and Building Services report back to Council on the City’s progress in evolving the development approvals process and culture; and
That staff be directed to refine and enhance the Housing Approval Dashboard where appropriate to compare Ottawa’s progress toward becoming a more housing-friendly city against a benchmark of the City’s 2024 performance on key performance indicators; and
That staff be directed to create a landing page and communications products that promote Ottawa’s Housing Action Plan so that employees and the public can be made aware of the City’s strategic direction on housing and track the City’s progress.
Direct that as part of the City’s Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, staff develop a comprehensive downtown revitalization toolkit to enable a vibrant downtown economy; and
That this toolkit explore and consider the following actions:
That the office-to-residential conversion incentive program be extended beyond the pilot program set to expire in November 2025, and included conversions to such other uses as hotel, commercial, cultural, entertainment or institutional.
The development of a process to review and approve conversions with consideration given to expedited permitting, technical support, and any other measures that would more quickly bring existing vacant or converted buildings into use.
The implementation of a Municipal Service Corporation model as currently being explored by the Province, Local Improvement Charges, or other financial instruments that would enable development charges to be spread over time or rolled into taxes or levies.
An expansion of the Centretown Façade Improvement Grant Pilot Program or similar type program focused on public realm enhancements (such as lighting, signage, accessibility upgrades, patios, greenery, etc.) to the broader downtown transect, including the ByWard Market, in support of the 200th Anniversary.
Any other relevant measures or actions.
That in developing this toolkit, City staff work with Councillors representing wards in the downtown area to engage in consultations with local communities to ensure that the toolkit is well-designed to meet local needs; and
That staff report back to Council on a proposal for the toolkit as part of the Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan reporting in Q1 2026.
Direct that the City continue to focus on seniors as a priority group in the updated 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 2025-2035; and
That staff be directed to work with the Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table to address low-income seniors’ housing needs in the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan workplan; and
That staff report back to Council on seniors’ specific metrics (as available) as part of the annual 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan progress report; and
That staff engage with senior levels of government to outline needs for low-income seniors housing including new development, housing benefits and other ancillary housing stability supports; and
That Community and Social Services continue to align efforts to support seniors though the Older Adult Plan and the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan; and
That, as part of Action 1 of the Housing Acceleration Plan, staff continue to review site specific options to allow for zoning conditions, if not already permitted, for residential developments that are oriented to serve the needs of seniors.
Planning and Housing Committee Report 54
Vacant Industrial and Business Park Inventory, Mid-2022 to Mid-2024 Update
File No. ACS2025-PDB-PS-0024 – City-wide
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council receive this report for information.
Greenfield Residential Land Survey - Mid-2024 Update
File No. ACS2025-PDB-PS-0056 – City-wide
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council receive this report for information.
Zoning By-law Amendment - 1137 Ogilvie Road and 1111 Cummings Ave
File No. ACS2025-PDB-PSX-0023 – Beacon Hill-Cyrville (Ward 11)
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 1137 and 1147 Ogilvie Road and 1111 Cummings Avenue, as shown in Document 1, to permit for two 30- storey mixed-use buildings, as detailed in Document 2 and Document 3.
Zoning By-law Amendment - 1299 Richmond Road
File No. ACS2025-PDB-PSX-0038 – Bay (Ward 7)
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 1299 Richmond Road, as shown in Document 1, to permit a high-rise mixed-use development with a maximum height of 30 storeys, as detailed in Documents 2 and 3.
Public Works and Infrastructure Committee Report 21
All-Way Stop Control – Bren-Maur/Eisenhower-Kelowna
File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0105 - Barrhaven East (Ward 24)
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council approve the installation of an all-way stop control (AWSC) at the intersection of Bren-Maur Road and Eisenhower Crescent-Kelowna Street.
Motion - L. Dudas - Alto High-Speed Rail Network Introduction
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council approve the following:
That the Mayor, on behalf of Council, write to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Transport, and the Minister of Infrastructure to expresses the City of Ottawa’s strong support for the Alto High-Speed Rail project, and to urge the Federal Government to maintain momentum and prioritize Alto High-Speed Rail project through the Major Projects Office; and
That City staff be directed to continue engagement with Alto technical teams and report back to Council on opportunities for local integration, community benefits, and with major project updates.
Bulk Consent Agenda
Public Works and Infrastructure Committee Report 21
St-Laurent Boulevard Transit Priority Corridor (Hemlock Road to Innes Road) Environmental Assessment Study – Recommended Plan
File No. ACS2025-PDB-TP-0013 - Beacon Hill-Cyrville (Ward 11), Rideau-Vanier (Ward 12), Rideau-Rockcliffe (Ward 13), Alta Vista (Ward 18)
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council:
Approve the functional design for the St-Laurent Boulevard Transit Priority Corridor (Hemlock Road to Innes Road/Industrial Avenue) Environmental Assessment Study, as described in this report; and,
Direct Transportation Planning staff to finalize the Environmental Study Report (ESR) and proceed with its posting for the 30-day public review period in accordance with the Ontario Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process.
Motion – Councillor W. Lo - Winter Parking Ban – Grovehurst Drive South Side
File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0088 - City-wide
Committee Recommendation(s)
That Council direct staff to implement a winter parking prohibition on the south side of Grovehurst Drive, from Crestway to Oldfield, before winter 2025.
City Clerk – Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions
Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of September 24, 2025
File No. ACS2025-OCC-CCS-0111 - City-wide
Report Recommendation(s)
That Council approve the Summaries of Oral and Written Public Submissions for items considered at the City Council Meeting of September 24, 2025, that are sub-ject to the ‘Explanation Requirements’ being the Planning Act, subsections 17(23.1), 22(6.7), 34(10.10) and 34(18.1), as applicable, as described in this report and attached as Documents 1.
In Camera Items
Motion to Adopt Reports
Motions of Which Notice Has Been Previously Given
Upload of LRT by the Government of Ontario
Moved by G. Gower
Seconded byM. Sutcliffe
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada have invested $8.15 billion in Ottawa’s Stage 1 and 2 LRT project, based on a cost-sharing model that has seen Ottawa taxpayers contribute 55% of the overall cost of the project; and
WHEREAS in other large Ontario cities, like Toronto, Brampton, Hamilton and Waterloo, the Province and Metrolinx have built, own and maintain light-rail transit systems at little to no cost to local taxpayers; and
WHEREAS Mayor Sutcliffe has been advocating with the provincial government for the fair treatment of the City of Ottawa and its taxpayers for almost a year, especially as it relates to the ownership and maintenance of LRT assets; and
WHEREAS Premier Ford and Transportation Minister Sarkaria were in Ottawa on February 4, 2025 to announce a campaign commitment to upload Ottawa’s LRT, which Premier Ford reiterated in his speech on Election Day; and
WHEREAS in the provincial budget tabled on May 15, 2025, Minister Bethlenfalvy reiterated the Province’s commitment to pursuing the upload of Ottawa’s LRT;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and the City Manager enter into negotiations with the Province of Ontario regarding the upload of LRT, and that the following principles be foundational to those discussions and inform a future Agreement with the Province:
that a deal must be fair to Ottawa taxpayers and consistent with precedent deals reached in other Ontario municipalities;
that the governance structure of Metrolinx includes appropriate mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency for Ottawa residents;
that Metrolinx has a significant presence and adequate resources in Ottawa to meet its commitments to the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo;
that OC Transpo maintain local control over service delivery and hiring of personnel;
that any savings from reduced debt-servicing and maintenance costs be re-invested into OC Transpo;
that the value of Transit Oriented Development opportunities available along the LRT corridors be identified, assessed and factored into valuations;
that the Province consult and collaborate with the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo on the planning, design, procurement, construction, delivery and operation of Stage 3 LRT to Kanata, Stittsville and Barrhaven; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the City Manager report back to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee on the status of their discussions as key milestones are achieved.
Greg Kazmierski Diamond
Moved by L. Dudas
Seconded byM. Luloff
WHEREAS Gregory “Mayor Greg” Kazmierski was proof positive that having an intellectual disability does not need to hold you back, overcoming every challenge life threw at him with courage, humour, and heart; and
WHEREAS Born with Down Syndrome and two holes in his heart, Greg defied expectations from the very beginning, fighting for his place in school, in society, and in the hearts of his community; and
WHEREAS Greg was a fighter in every sense—earning a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and training at local martial arts gyms, while also overcoming challenges with strength, kindness, and determination; and
WHEREAS Greg was a beloved and iconic figure in Blackburn Hamlet, affectionately known as the Honourary Mayor of Blackburn Hamlet, recognized for his leadership in fostering community spirit and connection; and
WHEREAS Greg worked for 35 years at the local grocery store, where his welcoming presence and genuine care for others made him a daily source of joy and comfort for generations of families; and
WHEREAS Greg was a tireless community builder, known for his enthusiastic support of local events such as the Blackburn Fun Fair, holiday celebrations, and neighbourhood gatherings, where he was often seen giving out his signature bear hugs and uplifting everyone around him; and
WHEREAS Greg had a deep love for sports and was a fixture at local hockey games at the Blackburn Arena and baseball games at the Blackburn Park diamond, where he cheered on players with unmatched spirit and kindness; and
WHEREAS Greg was also a regular at the Blackburn Arms Pub, where he played darts, sang Elvis tunes, and cheered loudly for his beloved Ottawa Senators, further cementing his role as a joyful and familiar presence in the community; and
WHEREAS Greg’s extraordinary contributions to community life were recognized through prestigious honours, including the Canada 125 Medal (1993), the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (2008), and his designation as Honourary Mayor of Blackburn Hamlet in 2008; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the baseball diamond located in Blackburn Park be officially named the Greg Kazmierski Diamond, in honour of his life, legacy, and enduring impact on the Blackburn Hamlet community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT any costs associated with the installation of signage or a plaque in recognition, be covered through eligible sources.
Motions Requiring Suspension of the Rules of Procedure
Notices of Motion (for Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)
Motion to Introduce By-laws
Three Readings
That the by-laws listed on the Agenda under Motion to Introduce By-laws, Three Readings, be read and passed.
a. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish certain lands as common and public highway and assume them for public use (Falls Drive and Cyd Street).b. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at Tonic Crescent, Galanthus Walk, Catnip Crescent, Elixir Place, Tincture Place, Leone Farrell Street, Demulcent Lane, Mortar Terrace, Bee Pollen Way on Plan 4M-1767, as being exempt from Part Lot Controlc. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2017-180 respecting the appointment of Municipal Law Enforcement Officers in accordance with private property parking enforcement.d. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate the Fleming Convalescent Home, 410-412 Besserer Street to be of cultural heritage value or interest.e. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at Finsbury Avenue, Cardamom Terrace, David Wiens Street, Mountmellick, Goldhawk Drive, Killinchey Row and Back Bush Terrace, as being exempt from Part Lot Control.f. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to designate certain lands at Clyde Avenue on Plan 30 as being exempt from Part Lot Controlg. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of lands known municipally as 1137 and 1147 Ogilvie Road and 1111 Cummings Avenue.h. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of lands known municipally as 1299 Richmond Road.i. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of lands known municipally as 2132 Brianna Way.j. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of lands known municipally as 6335 Perth Street.k. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2008-250 to change the zoning of part of the lands known municipally as 1047 Richmond Road.l. A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish certain lands as common and public highway and assume them for public use (Postilion Street, Cantering Drive, and Oldenburg Avenue).