Ottawa Construction News staff writer
Ottawa City Council has unanimously approved a new comprehensive Zoning By-law, a decision city officials are calling the most significant step toward housing affordability and density in the municipality’s history.
The new by-law, approved Wednesday, enacts the policies of the Official Plan approved in 2021 and concludes five years of community consultation. It is designed to streamline regulations, minimize barriers to development, and facilitate the construction of “missing middle” housing across the city.
“What we are approving today is ambitious,” Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said following the vote. “It will shape the future of our city in a very positive way. We have been doing everything in our power to say yes to housing.”
The new regulations mark a shift from “typology-based” zoning—which restricted lots to specific building types like duplexes or semi-detached dwellings—to “form-based” rules. This approach prioritizes building size and location over the number of units, allowing for greater density within existing building envelopes.
Key changes in the by-law include:
- Four units per lot: Permission for up to four housing units on every serviced residential lot.
- Height increases: Raising height limits to three storeys (roughly 11 metres) in most neighbourhoods, with straightforward permissions for midrise and highrise developments near transit stations.
- Flexible parking: The removal of minimum parking mandates, allowing market demand to determine parking needs for most new developments.
- Missing Middle focus: Incentives for small residential buildings of eight to 16 units, a category the city says was previously limited by restrictive zoning.
“This zoning bylaw is about less sprawl and more housing in existing neighbourhoods. It is about addressing the housing crisis,” Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster said. “It means I don’t have to sit through another planning and housing meeting ever again where people come and say, ‘I know we need more housing, but just not here.'”
While the by-law passed unanimously, some councillors voiced concerns regarding infrastructure and the removal of parking minimums.
College Ward Coun. Laine Johnson noted that while she supported the motion, residents in her ward are “nervous that the services and the infrastructure will not keep pace” with increased density. Similarly, West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly expressed concern about the elimination of parking minimums in suburban and rural contexts, warning of potential congestion on local streets.
Beyond residential construction, the by-law introduces simpler commercial zones intended to reduce restrictions on small businesses and expand permitted uses on busy streets. It also expands permissions for home-based businesses in both rural and urban areas.
City acquires major landfill site
In a separate but significant move for the region’s infrastructure, Council also finalized the purchase of the Capital Region Resource Recovery Centre (CRRRC) for $95 million.
The acquisition secures a private waste management site with 30 years of landfill capacity. The purchase includes eight parcels of land totaling 191.5 hectares and all provincial permits required for operation.
“Buying the CRRRC now avoids higher costs later, ensures the site is publicly owned rather than controlled by another municipality or a private owner, and supports long‑term financial stability,” the City stated in a release.
The purchase price was reportedly below the estimated value range of $110 million to $140 million. While the acquisition secures capacity, the City noted that a long-term waste management solution will be determined following staff recommendations in 2027.
Kanata Lakes green space
Council also approved a motion regarding the future of the Kanata Lakes Golf and Country Club lands. The City affirmed it will ensure any development applications are consistent with the Official Plan and will explore options to protect the 40 per cent open space requirement originally intended for the area, potentially through acquisition or voluntary agreements.
