Urban Expansion in Future Neighbourhoods
Urban Expansion in Future Neighbourhoods
| Ottawa is located on unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. The peoples of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation have lived on this territory for millennia. Today, Ottawa is home to approximately 40,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis people. Ottawa's indigenous community is diverse, representing many nations, languages and customs. The City honours the land of the First Peoples, as well as all First Nations, Inuit and Metis in Ottawa and their valuable past and present contributions to this land. |
The City of Ottawa is growing through the expansion and creation of new neighbourhoods across the City.
In late 2022, The Province and City approved the new Official Plan that identified new growth areas to accommodate new housing, industry, businesses, parks and cultural assets. These areas are shown in the map below and each plan area will be added on the right as engagement kicks off.
Each of these areas will undergo a planning process in keeping with the guidelines for new plan development. This includes environmental, engineering and related background studies, context specific information and public engagement. As each plan area has its own challenges and opportunities, terms of reference have been created to ensure appropriate and sufficient information is gathered to plan each area sensitive to the surrounding neighbourhoods, contexts and to ensure each area is in keeping with the larger goals of the Official Plan.
The general steps of new plan creation are:
1. Background studies including existing conditions reports related to Environmental, Infrastructure, Parks, Transportation, Heritage and Cultural information along with any area specific considerations. This base information helps set the scene for the protection of natural heritage assets, a road and multi-modal transportation network, land uses, new services and other amenities including schools, fire halls etc, if required.
2. Once background studies are complete and the infrastructure and basic elements are understood, a determination is made to develop a concept plan or a community design plan. A concept plan is a simpler version of a community design plan (CDP) typically for smaller development sites and those under a single landowner. You can see other complete CDP’s here. Both plan for land uses through engagement with the public, stakeholders, the development community, using best planning practices and in keeping with the goals and objectives of the Official Plan. This is an iterative process where a land uses are refined and locations for amenities like parks, schools and other elements are finalized.
3. A secondary plan, or in the case of a concept plan, area specific policies are prepared. In addition, a cost sharing agreement and phasing plan are completed, if necessary. This is to ensure the plan is implementable and so that all landowners share equally in the costs to develop this new neighbourhood.
4. Finally, the CDP and Secondary plan or Concept Plan and area specific policies along with their supporting studies are presented to the Housing and Planning Committee and Council for their approval. At that point applications can be submitted and the new neighbourhoods can start to grow.
Stay tuned for future opportunities to engage on any one of the upcoming growth areas!
