1495 Heron Road – Build Canada Homes

Background

In December 2025, Build Canada Homes and the City of Ottawa announced a partnership to significantly accelerate the construction of mixed-income housing in Ottawa, including affordable and supportive housing.

The partnership aims to support the development of up to 3,000 new mixed-income and affordable homes in Ottawa, with 2,000 of those units to be constructed on surplus federal lands. The City's contribution includes waiving certain fees and charges, providing property tax exemptions for affordable homes, and establishing streamlined approvals and permitting processes to help get homes built faster.

On April 22, 2026, Ottawa City Council approved the Build Canada Homes partnership and directed the General Manager of Planning, Development and Building Services to implement the tailored approval and permitting processes for Build Canada Homes projects.

Projects delivered through the partnership will follow a tailored development review process designed to reduce delays, improve coordination and help resolve issues earlier, while continuing to address applicable City requirements and support communities that are livable, vibrant and consistent with the City’s environmental and design expectations.

1495 Heron Road

The federally owned property at 1495 Heron Road, also known as the Campanile Campus, has been identified for housing through the Build Canada Homes / Ottawa partnership.

This site had previously achieved some City approvals. In October 2024, Council approved a Zoning Bylaw Amendment for redevelopment of the surplus federal site and designated the property, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. A holding provision was also imposed to address servicing, heritage and parkland requirements and will remain in place until the required heritage approvals are complete.

Build Canada Homes has since revised its plans for the property. The current concept proposes approximately 1,100 new homes, with a mix of market and affordable rental units

City-initiated planning approvals

The City is currently advancing a Minor Zoning By-law Amendment to support the proposed redevelopment of 1495 Heron Road through the Build Canada Homes partnership.

The amendment would make targeted changes to the existing zoning, including adjustments to the building design requirements and extending the site-specific zoning to recently acquired lands. . Additionally, the holding symbol cannot be lifted until Council has issued a heritage permit to allow the development.

Additional information about the planning application is available through the City's development application search tool, DevApps.

Heritage approvals

The Campanile Campus was constructed between 1963-1965. The property is recognized as a rare and representative example of a Modern educational campus designed by well-known Ottawa architecture firm Murray and Murray Architects and Town Planners.

Owned by the federal government since 1973, the site is also associated with the growth and decentralization of the federal public service after the Second World War and Ottawa's suburban growth following the Greber Plan for the National Capital.

In 2024, City Council designated 1495 Heron Road under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in recognition of its cultural heritage value. At the time, Council adopted the “1495 Heron Road Conservation Design Guidelines” to guide the review of future heritage applications. The Guidelines support a range of approaches to redevelopment that allow for new housing while conserving the significant heritage values and attributes of the site.

Build Canada Homes is seeking approval from the City under the Ontario Heritage Act to to demolish two designated buildings and retain eight designated buildings. This decision requires Council approval following consideration by the City's Built Heritage Committee on September 15, 2026.

In accordance with the City’s Official Plan, Build Canada Homes provided the City with a Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Stantec Consulting Limited. The assessment considers the potential impacts of the proposed development and identifies measures to support the long-term conservation of the site’s heritage values and attributes.