Official Plan update

Consistent with the Official Plan update workplan and encouragement by the Minister to adopt a Growth Management Strategy (GMS) in early 2027, staff continue with related technical analysis and engagement. This includes evaluating requests from landowners for the inclusion of expansion parcels for any potential settlement area expansion needs from a Council decision in early 2027.

Requests to Consider Expansion Parcels

Landowner requests for the consideration of candidate expansion lands should be submitted by email to op@ottawa.ca by August 4, 2026. Submissions by landowners will be evaluated by staff to inform recommendations to Council in Q1 2027. Staff will only follow up with landowners where additional information or clarification is required.

Mandatory information

To support consideration of lands submitted by landowners, the following information is required:

There is no expectation for submissions to score their lands in relation to the draft residential and industrial land evaluation criteria as the lack of access to the City’s infrastructure and transportation network models will not provide accurate results. Staff will evaluate and score all candidate expansion parcels based on the evaluation criteria through a supporting document to a future staff report to Council in 2027, similar to what was produced for the 2022 Official Plan.

On April 20, 2026 a memorandum was issued by the General Manager of Planning, Development and Building Services to Council explaining that Planning Staff are deferring Growth Management Strategy (GMS) recommendations due to the draft status of provincial initiatives, which could impact how a GMS is conducted and the content of the implementing Official Plan amendment.

The primary concern in advancing the GMS at this time is a risk of misalignment with the final changes to the Project Methodology Guideline and the standardization of Official Plans under Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026

Staff will continue technical work, engagement on the GMS, including consideration of the finalized changes to the Projections Methodology Guideline and Official Plan standardization through Bill 98, with the goal of providing the best recommendation for Council consideration in Q1 2027.

On April 14, 2026 the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved Amendment No. 46 (OPA 46) to the City of Ottawa Official Plan adopted by By-law 2025-294, subject to 17 modifications. OPA 46 updates the City of Ottawa Official Plan to add policies and mapping related to major transit station areas, strategic growth areas, settlement area boundary expansions (policy only), employment areas, agriculture and cultural heritage resources. The modifications increase densities within some major transit station areas, refine permissions in Employment Areas as defined by the Provincial Planning Statement, and updates policies in relation to agriculture, aggregates, and cultural heritage resources. The Minister also modified the growth management section to note the City’s intention to update the growth projections and planning horizon to 2051 through this Official Plan update.

On April 15, 2026, accompanying his decision on OPA 46, the Minister sent a cover letter to the Mayor and notes the requirement to base new growth forecasts on Ministry of Finance population projections as informed by their Projection Methodology Guideline. The Minister also notes Bill 98 for proposed legislative changes, including new Official Plans or Official Plan updates to comply with a standardized format for land use designations, structure, and mapping. The proposed updates to both the Projection Methodology Guideline and Bill 98 are currently in draft and undergoing consultation.