2024 Development Charges and 2024 Community Benefits Charge By-law Updates

Update

The consultation is closed. Follow the progress of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) for further developments.

One of the key documents associated with providing background information is the TMP, which provides an overall blueprint of the proposed growth-related funding requirements within the Official Plan planning horizon.

The TMP plan update is in progress but was not fully completed in advance of the 2024 Provisional DC by-law update. Staff are preparing information regarding the 10-year average levels of service (or adopted standards) and the status of projects within the 2025-2046 timeframe. In addition, capital project priorities will be identified based on affordable and financially sustainable funding envelopes.

The Development Charges Act, 1997 provides a legislative framework for the application of development charges. The Act states that municipalities must update and complete a new background study to determine development charges.

The City currently imposes development charges to help pay for the growth-related capital investments that are required to service new infrastructure. In addition, there are legislative regulations that require municipalities to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of identified growth-related capital projects that will be operated and maintained in the future by the City.

The Development Charges (DC) By-Law is conducted every five years pursuant to the requirements outlined within the Development Charges Act (DCA), 1997. The City of Ottawa will undertake a revised DC Background Study and By-law consistent with the requirements of the amended DCA.

The review will also consider the Community Benefits Charge (CBC) eligible projects and updating the existing CBC by-law. A CBC is a new growth-funding tool (GFT) under the Planning Act that allows municipalities to levy a charge against certain forms of higher density development to fund associated development-related capital infrastructure needs.

Reviewing the CBC with the DC together adds clarity as to how costs of projects between both charges are better aligned.