FAQs

The Federal Government sold the property at 1010 Somerset to the City of Ottawa at a discount of $22 M dollars to ensure that the land’s future aligned with its policy priorities. These priorities included: 

• Ensuring most of the land would go to public uses
• Creating an environmentally sustainable development plan
• Further work towards reconciliation by involving the Algonquins of Ontario, who will help provide Indigenous employment and economic development opportunities, as well as space for Algonquin artists 
• Making the City responsible for any future soil clean-up

 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the City of Ottawa agreed to ensure the development of 300 housing units on 1010 Somerset Street, with at least 150 designated as affordable housing. In exchange CMHC, contributed $8,580,000 towards the purchase price in the form of a forgivable mortgage registered on the title.  

For the City of Ottawa, purchasing the property facilitates achieving clear, identifiable civic needs given:

• The strategic priorities of Council
• The Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan goals for parkland and recreation amenities
• The West Downtown Core Secondary Plan, Chapter 3, “Corso Italia Station District” policies

The major elements proposed in the community hub concept plan for 1010 Somerset include:

• New public parkland
• City of Ottawa recreation facilities
• Community arts, cultural and creative spaces
• Space for Algonquin and Indigenous artists
• Affordable Housing (150 units)
• Market-rate Housing (150 units)
• Expansion of Plant Recreation Centre
• A French-language public elementary school
• A child care facility
• Mixed use private development
• District Energy System

The elements of the concept plan were compiled through identified community needs, negotiations between the Federal Government and the City, the requirements per the West Downtown Core Secondary Plan, and Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan targets.  

The negotiation process between City staff, Public Services Procurement Canada (PSPC) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) resulted in purchase and sale agreements that require the development of:

• Affordable housing (150 units) and Market-rate housing (150 units)
• A Collaborative Benefits Agreement (CBA) with the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO)
• Elements to support sustainability and greening strategy targets.

The Secondary Plan for Corso Italia Station District provided vision and goals for the area as well as site-specific policies for 1010 Somerset, which include: 

• A public recreational facility
  • With the potential for an expansion of the existing Plant Recreation Centre
• The potential inclusion of a school
• 1 hectare of park space for public space programming
• Feature(s) of cultural expression, such as public art, Indigenous and local storytelling, or other place-making experiences.

The 1010 Somerset project team analyzed the feedback received during the first phase of the public engagement (June-October 2023) to the first proposed iteration of the concept plan. In short, feedback overwhelmingly agreed that Plouffe park should remain , and that a school should be built to meet the needs of the community. 

We tested various concept plans to ensure that all requirements for the site were met and that the feedback from the community was reflected. Each iteration of the concept plans has a validation process that must be followed to review potential engineering, transportation and planning issues.  

Due to the Secondary Plan, we were limited in our options, having to concentrate all buildings in the north half of the site. After various iterations, we determined that it was necessary to place the school footprint in the south half of the site, with a lane connection from Somerset to Oak to resolve these operational issues.  

As this option requires Official Plan Amendments (OPA), additional reviews were undertaken by City staff to ensure that the amendments sought are kept to a minimum.

We made several attempts to concentrate all building structures into the north half of the site to preserve the park space as demonstrated in the schedules of the West Downtown Core Secondary Plan.

After extensive consultations for several iterations, we determined that this option created unsurmountable traffic and operational issues, which include: 

• Traffic congestion at Somerset Street
• Limited space for placement of District Energy facility. 
• Access for emergency vehicles and site servicing.
• Access points from Somerset too close together.

We determined that the only option – beyond dropping one of the required uses or identified needs from the community – was to place the school footprint in the south half of the site, with a lane connection from Somerset to Oak to resolve these operational issues. 

The lane from Somerset to Oak will facilitate access to the various elements and remove pressures from Somerset Street.  

It was determined through consultation with subject-matter experts from transportation, planning and engineering services that a lane in the southern portion of the site was the best option to facilitate 

• Access and exits to the site, given the volume of uses
• Access for emergency vehicles
• Site servicing (examples: water, sewer, and solid waste)

A detailed transportation study will be performed for the site, which will determine the options for school bus traffic flow and short-term drop-off for the school and child care facility as well as the other proposed array of elements.

The City of Ottawa’s Official Plan provides a vision for the future growth of the city and guides the physical development and use of land over the long-term. It is a legal document that addresses matters of provincial interest defined by the Provincial Policy Statement under the Ontario Planning Act. The Official Plan determines:

• Where new housing, industry, offices, and shops will be located 
• What services like roads, watermains, sewers, parks, and schools will be needed 
• When, and in what order, parts of your community will grow 
• Community improvement initiatives  

The Official Plan is a high-level document. Its objectives are implemented through zoning, minor variances, site plan control, plans of subdivision, severance, local improvement strategies, and more detailed secondary planning processes.

An Official Plan amendment is a request to change a provision in the Official Plan. An OPA can be city-wide, area-wide or site-specific. Each Official Plan amendment proposal is unique.  

The City does not take Official Plan Amendments lightly, and when sought, City staff work keep the OPAs at a minimum by ensuring that: 

• We remain consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement.
• We achieve the strategic directions of the Official Plan.
• We do not impact the neighbouring communities.

 Reviewing an Official Plan amendment application involves many individuals including City Planners, Engineers, Architects, City Councillors, registered community groups, residents, and other professionals. Like any OPA amendment, our project team will meet with the City’s Development Review staff for a pre-consultation meeting. 

When an OPA amendment is sought, planning staff notify registered community groups once the application is submitted. For a site-specific Official Plan amendment, the City installs a notification sign on the lands affected by the proposal and notifies nearby property owners. 

Planning staff provide a recommendation, in most cases, to Planning and Housing Committee.

The Official Plan Amendment application will be subject to Provincial regulation and Council-approved procedures for public engagement, circulation and notification, and will follow with a report to Planning Committee and Council.

We are mindful of the importance of park space for residents in inner urban areas, where density and green space is a concern. 

The Final Concept Plan proposes the development of 1 hectare of new park space, which aligns with the provisions of the West Downtown Core Secondary Plan.

The proposed placement of the school will impact the configuration of the park space as demonstrated in the schedules of the Secondary Plan, but not diminish the required size.

The development of 1 hectare of new park space is planned for 1010 Somerset, in addition to the existing Plouffe park.

The Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan (PRFMP) is the official document that guides our planning of future parks and facilities. It is a complement to the Official Plan, which outlines the other required uses for high-density areas such as 1010 Somerset. 

When weighing the priorities outlined in the PRFMP for this property, other priorities outlined in the Official Plan and its Secondary Plans must also be considered. These priorities include the Corso Italia Station District chapter, where several elements including a recreation facility and a school are outlined as priorities.

We also recognize the need for housing, and as part of the purchase and sale agreement with the Federal government for 1010 Somerset, we committed to developing 300 housing units on site, of which 150 are designated as affordable. 

The City continues to strive to meet targets outlined in the PRFMP outside of this property line. 

The West Downtown Secondary plan within the Corso Italia Station District chapter it identifies several elements to be developed on the 1010 Somerset site, which include a City recreation facility and a school.

We cannot determine precise timelines for the new park, as we are subject to a number of external factors, such as the Official Plan Amendment process, securing funding and the construction phasing of the entire block.

The intention is that Plouffe park will retain the stormwater attenuation function it currently employs.

Through the consultation for the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan, the public noted the absence of City-owned gymnasiums in this area, as well as a high demand for recreation space for sports based in gyms. 

We determined that the parcel at 1010 Somerset presents an opportunity to meet this demand. The proximity to a light rail station may also facilitate the use of these gymnasium spaces by neighboring communities.

The specific functions of the facility will be determined as part of the detailed design phase, once the project is fully funded. This phase will also have its own public engagement process.

The intended users of the facility are the immediate neighborhoods in Wards 14 and 15 as well as the surrounding inner-urban area.

Given the need for gymnasium space in the core, and the proximity to a light rail station, it was determined that 1010 Somerset is an ideal placement to ensure these amenities can be accessed by as many residents as possible.

Given the provisions of the West Downtown Core Secondary Plan, the development of a school in the south half of the site will require an Official Plan Amendments (OPA).

Once the OPA and rezoning have taken place, it will be possible for the school board to proceed with their plans and develop a timeline for construction.

A detailed transportation study will be performed for the site, which will determine the options for school bus traffic flow and short-term drop-off for the school and child care facility as well as the other proposed array of elements.

The City, as part of the mortgage agreement with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), agreed to ensure the development of 300 housing units on 1010 Somerset Street. In exchange CMHC, contributed $8,580,000 towards the purchase price in the form of a forgivable mortgage registered on the title. 

The City will seek a partner organization to develop the affordable housing units. The development land for the market rate units will be sold to the private sector, to help fund the development of the recreation facility.

We are unable to provide precise timelines until after a concept plan has been approved by Committee and Council, and the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) processes are completed.

After the public engagement phase has been completed, we will compile and analyze data from the engagement, and develop a report to Committee, which will include a “What We Learned” report.

The report to Committee will request approval of the proposed concept plan, and approval to seek an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) for the entire site, as well as a Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) for the park area, school site, and recreation facility.

The notification and review process for the OPA and ZBA will follow the City and Provincial procedures. 

The project team intends to conduct a virtual engagement session on the Final Concept Plan to provide information on the plan and receive feedback from the public. 

Information on the date and how to register will be communicated on the project’s Engage Ottawa page.

Following the virtual engagement session, a report will be submitted to Committee and Council, which will include a ‘What We Learned Report’ on the multiple consultation activities.

The City, as part of the acquisition negotiations, made a commitment to implement its approved sustainability, greening strategy and targets for all future development at 1010 Somerset Street (both public and private). The proposed elements will be sustainably built and will aim for Net Zero housing standards. In line with the goals of the Climate Master Plan, we are examining District Energy Systems (DES) which will service the buildings developed in the 1010 Somerset site.

District energy systems (DES) centralize the production of heating or cooling for a neighbourhood or community. District steam heating plants in North America go back over a century. 

Most district energy systems generate heat at a central plant, or extract heat from other sources such as solar thermal, sewer heat and biogas. The heat is transferred to a fluid and distributed via underground pipes to buildings where it is used for space and water heating. The fluid is then returned to the source to be reheated and recirculated. Some systems also provide space cooling in a similar way. They may deliver energy services with greater efficiencies and lower emissions than individual furnaces, boilers, electric baseboards, and water heaters fueled by oil, natural gas, propane, or electricity.

The District Energy plant to be developed on the 1010 Somerset site is intended to meet the sustainability, greening strategy and targets for all future development at 1010 Somerset Street per agreements with the Federal Government and the City’s Climate Change Master Plan.

The project team is exploring the potential of integrating the 1010 Somerset District Energy System with the Ottawa Community Housing development, known as “Gladstone Village”.

The specific buildings in the concept plan will be designed and developed by separate entities in the next few years. When an element of the concept plan is ready for development, it will go into what is referred to as the “detail design” phase, which will include the architectural characteristics of the building. 

Once completed, a Site Plan Control application is submitted to the City of Ottawa, and this application must address the requirements of the Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Secondary Plan and are also expected to respond to the City's applicable design guidelines, which include the bird safe design guidelines.