The City of Ottawa is taking a significant step to address the housing crisis by overhauling its Zoning By-law, making it easier to build new homes across the city.
At the heart of the changes is a simple but significant shift: the new Zoning By-law will reduce barriers to development and open the door to a broader mix of housing options. With Ottawa expected to add about 118,000 households by 2035, city officials say these updates are critical to keeping up with demand.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe stated, “Ottawa’s Housing Action Plan will overhaul the system at City Hall, cutting red tape and making it easier for responsible projects to move forward.”
The by-law puts the city’s Official Plan into action, encouraging more housing in more places while simplifying the rules for builders and residents alike. Among the most notable changes:
• Expanding where housing can be built and allowing a wider variety of housing types
• Permitting more mid-rise and high-rise buildings close to transit hubs
• Removing minimum parking requirements in urban areas to better reflect market demand
•Streamlining policies to encourage gentle infill in established neighbourhoods
• Supporting economic growth by easing property-use restrictions
The new framework is described as a comprehensive strategy to tackle the housing crisis and ensure Ottawa uses every municipal tool available to make homebuilding easier, faster, and more predictable.
Residents are invited to learn more by reviewing the final draft of the Zoning By-law on Engage Ottawa, exploring the updated zoning maps and interactive tools, and attending one the open houses this month.
• In-person open houses: Sept. 23 at the EY Centre and Sept. 29 at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre
• Virtual open houses: Sept. 17 and Sept. 25 (registration available online)
Following the consultations, staff will present the final draft to a joint meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in December, with the goal of bringing the by-law to City Council in January.
