Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020

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Consultation has concluded

Ward Boundary Review 2020 project banner

Project Overview

The City of Ottawa reviewed its ward boundaries in 2020. Ward boundaries must be reviewed periodically to balance population numbers and achieve other components of “effective representation,” as established by the Supreme Court of Canada and the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), which was formerly Ontario’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) / the Ontario Municipal Board. The last major review was completed in 2005 and established the City's 23 wards.

Since the last major ward boundary review, Ottawa has seen considerable population growth, especially in suburban wards outside the Greenbelt. Some wards are growing twice as fast as others, creating population imbalances.

The Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 was meant to establish boundaries that can be used in at least three municipal elections (2022, 2026 and 2030) and, perhaps, a fourth municipal election in 2034.

Based on direction from City Council, an independent, third-party consultant team conducted the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 to ensure it was objective and impartial. The team consulted extensively with the public, Members of Council and stakeholder groups, including school boards.

The project included two rounds of public consultation. Residents and businesses shared their thoughts through surveys and discussions.

During Round 1 of public consultation (Wednesday, March 4, 2020 to Friday, April 3, 2020), input was received about the changes individuals wanted to see to the current ward boundaries. Following the Round 1 consultation, the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council received the Options Report from the consultant team, which included five options for realigning Ottawa’s wards, during their meetings on July 7, 2020, and July 15, 2020, respectively. During its meeting on July 15, 2020, Council requested the development of a sixth ward boundary option, based on certain criteria, which led to the Supplementary Report that provided a sixth option. The Options Report and the Supplementary Report, a document detailing minor adjustments to the Option 1 to 5 maps and the sixth ward boundary option are available on this website under Reports and documents.

In Round 2 of public consultation (Wednesday, August 19, 2020 to Friday, September 25, 2020), feedback was collected on the six ward boundary options. Following the Round 2 consultation on the six options, the consultant team developed its Recommended Ward Boundaries – Final Report. The Final Report was considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council during their meetings of December 1, 2020 and December 9, 2020, respectively. The Final Report continues to be available on this website under Reports and documents.

At the meeting of December 9, 2020, Council approved a new ward boundary structure for the City of Ottawa. On January 27, 2021, Council enacted By-law No. 2021-3, titled, “A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish ward boundaries and Council composition.”

Following Council’s approval of By-law No. 2021-3, there was a 45-day statutory period in which notices of appeal for the OLT could be filed with the City setting out the objections to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objections. The appeal period ended on March 15, 2021. The City received two notices of appeal during the appeal period that were forwarded to the OLT before March 30, 2021.

During its meeting on April 14, 2021, City Council approved a motion directing Legal Services to seek specific boundary modifications from the OLT related to By-law No. 2021-3 as a potential settlement to the two ward boundary appeals.

On July 12, 2021, the OLT considered the appeals. In a written decision released on September 2, 2021, the Tribunal made an Order (Case No. MM210013) modifying the By-law to include the specific ward boundary modifications approved by Council on April 14, 2021. The Tribunal further dismissed the balance of the appeals and did not order any other changes to the By-law.

A report on the implementation of the new ward boundary structure was considered by Council on October 13, 2021. The ward boundaries, names and numbers will serve as the basis for administering the municipal elections on October 24, 2022 and will be effective as of November 15, 2022.

For up to date information on this project please visit the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 project page.

Project Overview

The City of Ottawa reviewed its ward boundaries in 2020. Ward boundaries must be reviewed periodically to balance population numbers and achieve other components of “effective representation,” as established by the Supreme Court of Canada and the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), which was formerly Ontario’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) / the Ontario Municipal Board. The last major review was completed in 2005 and established the City's 23 wards.

Since the last major ward boundary review, Ottawa has seen considerable population growth, especially in suburban wards outside the Greenbelt. Some wards are growing twice as fast as others, creating population imbalances.

The Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 was meant to establish boundaries that can be used in at least three municipal elections (2022, 2026 and 2030) and, perhaps, a fourth municipal election in 2034.

Based on direction from City Council, an independent, third-party consultant team conducted the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 to ensure it was objective and impartial. The team consulted extensively with the public, Members of Council and stakeholder groups, including school boards.

The project included two rounds of public consultation. Residents and businesses shared their thoughts through surveys and discussions.

During Round 1 of public consultation (Wednesday, March 4, 2020 to Friday, April 3, 2020), input was received about the changes individuals wanted to see to the current ward boundaries. Following the Round 1 consultation, the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council received the Options Report from the consultant team, which included five options for realigning Ottawa’s wards, during their meetings on July 7, 2020, and July 15, 2020, respectively. During its meeting on July 15, 2020, Council requested the development of a sixth ward boundary option, based on certain criteria, which led to the Supplementary Report that provided a sixth option. The Options Report and the Supplementary Report, a document detailing minor adjustments to the Option 1 to 5 maps and the sixth ward boundary option are available on this website under Reports and documents.

In Round 2 of public consultation (Wednesday, August 19, 2020 to Friday, September 25, 2020), feedback was collected on the six ward boundary options. Following the Round 2 consultation on the six options, the consultant team developed its Recommended Ward Boundaries – Final Report. The Final Report was considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council during their meetings of December 1, 2020 and December 9, 2020, respectively. The Final Report continues to be available on this website under Reports and documents.

At the meeting of December 9, 2020, Council approved a new ward boundary structure for the City of Ottawa. On January 27, 2021, Council enacted By-law No. 2021-3, titled, “A by-law of the City of Ottawa to establish ward boundaries and Council composition.”

Following Council’s approval of By-law No. 2021-3, there was a 45-day statutory period in which notices of appeal for the OLT could be filed with the City setting out the objections to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objections. The appeal period ended on March 15, 2021. The City received two notices of appeal during the appeal period that were forwarded to the OLT before March 30, 2021.

During its meeting on April 14, 2021, City Council approved a motion directing Legal Services to seek specific boundary modifications from the OLT related to By-law No. 2021-3 as a potential settlement to the two ward boundary appeals.

On July 12, 2021, the OLT considered the appeals. In a written decision released on September 2, 2021, the Tribunal made an Order (Case No. MM210013) modifying the By-law to include the specific ward boundary modifications approved by Council on April 14, 2021. The Tribunal further dismissed the balance of the appeals and did not order any other changes to the By-law.

A report on the implementation of the new ward boundary structure was considered by Council on October 13, 2021. The ward boundaries, names and numbers will serve as the basis for administering the municipal elections on October 24, 2022 and will be effective as of November 15, 2022.

For up to date information on this project please visit the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 project page.

Consultation has concluded

  • Provide your feedback on the six ward boundary options

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    August 19, 2020
    Announcements and Events

    The City is seeking public feedback on six options for re-aligning Ottawa’s wards through an online survey at ottawa.ca/wardboundary from August 19 to September 25 and through virtual public consultation sessions scheduled from September 10 to September 23.

    Since the last major review in 2005, Ottawa’s population has grown significantly – especially in suburban wards. This has resulted in substantial population imbalances between wards that affect fair and equal representation for voters and their communities.

    As a result, City Council directed staff in June 2019 to retain an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive, impartial, and unbiased review and establish ward boundaries that could be used in at least three municipal elections in 2022, 2026 and 2030, and possibly a fourth election in 2034.

    The consultant team of Beate Bowron Etcetera Inc., in association with The Davidson Group and Hemson Consulting Ltd., has developed six options for a new ward boundary model – which are available online at ottawa.ca/wardboundary. Here are brief highlights of the options:

    • Option 1 increases the number of wards to 25, with 13 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards.
    • Option 2 increases the number of wards to 24, with 12 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards.
    • Option 3 maintains the current number of wards, 23, and includes 11 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards.
    • Option 4 also maintains the number of wards at 23. It also includes 11 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. The boundaries for each ward are different than those in option three.
    • Option 5 reduces the number of wards to 17, with nine urban wards, six suburban wards and two rural wards.
    • Option 6 increases the number of wards to 24, with 12 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. It minimizes ward boundary changes.

    This is the second round of consultations. Round 1 took place in March 2020 with an online survey and public consultations to get input on the existing ward boundaries. The consultant team’s Options Report was considered by Council on July 15, 2020. The final report with recommendations for new ward boundaries is scheduled to be considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council in December 2020.

    How to give your feedback on the six ward boundary options

    Online survey and virtual consultation sessions

    Give your feedback online at ottawa.ca/wardboundary or register to take part in one of the upcoming virtual consultation sessions on Zoom. Following registration at ottawa.ca/wardboundary(link is external), you will receive an email with a passcode and login information. Three of the sessions will invite comments from participants all over the city, while another three sessions will focus on the urban, suburban and rural parts of the city.

    • Thursday, September 10, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (city-wide focus)
    • Saturday, September 12, 2020, 10 am to noon (city-wide focus)
    • Monday, September 14, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (suburban focus)
    • Saturday, September 19, 2020, 10 am to noon (city-wide focus)
    • Tuesday, September 22, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (rural focus)
    • Wednesday, September 23, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (urban focus)

    Simultaneous interpretation in both official languages will be available at the three city-wide sessions.

    You can get more information on the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 at ottawa.ca/wardboundary or by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Inquiries and comments can also be sent to wardboundary@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail). You can also connect with us through Facebook(link is external), Twitter (link is external)and Instagram(link is external).

    Public Inquiries

    311@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail)

    311

    https://ottawa.ca

    Media Inquiries

    medias@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail)

    613-580-2450

    https://ottawa.ca

  • City to close recreation and cultural facilities, and libraries to help prevent spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa

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    March 13, 2020
    Announcements and Events

    The City of Ottawa is closing all City-managed recreation and cultural facilities, and all Ottawa Public Library branches, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health’s guidance to limit mass gatherings. These proactive measures are being taken as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Staying ahead of the curve will require us to work together – the City and you – to help stop the spread in our communities.
    • All recreation and cultural facilities, including recreation complexes, community centers, arenas, swimming pools, theatres and museums will be closed, effective Monday, March 16.
    • City programs, including March break camps and fitness classes, will also be cancelled, starting Monday, as will performances at the Shenkman and Meridian Theatres. There is no need for ticketholders to call 3-1-1 as tickets will be refunded automatically. Programming and rental fee refunds will also be processed automatically. All other inquiries can be sent by email to 123go@ottawa.ca.
    • All Client Service Centres and City Hall will remain open.

    The City of Ottawa will be providing regular updates through on ottawa.ca and through our social media channels. Ottawa Public Health will also continue to provide updates related to COVID-19 in Ottawa on OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus. This is an evolving situation and the most current information will be shared with the public through all official City channels.

    Ottawa now has confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa. To date, all have been related to international travel. In addition to preventive measures that you can take at home, at work and in public settings, here are some steps your City is taking to limit the impact in Ottawa.

    What the City is doing

    Service Ottawa - The City is taking steps to help prevent the spread of the virus in our facilities. You can go on to myservice.ottawa.ca to pay your water bills and your interim property taxes. If you do not have an account, registration is simple – you can sign up with your email address. Once registered, you’ll need your account or property roll number to pay your bill.

    City bills have other payment options besides the myservice.ottawa.ca accounts, which include:

    • Paying by credit or debit card online at ottawa.ca
    • Paying through your financial institution by creating a payee number on your institution’s mobile app or through an ATM machine

    Residents can access many other services online as well. You do not need to come in person to a Client Service Centre if you want to:

    • Register or renew a pet registration
    • Apply or renew open air fire permit
    • Pay a parking or traffic ticket
    • Look up extension or reopening applications
    • Apply for a Food Premise Business License
    • Sign up for future recreation programs
    • Load up and manage a Presto Card

    Long-term care facilities

    Seniors are vulnerable for serious and life-threatening complications from COVID-19. An extensive screening process has been instituted in our long-term care facilities. Any visitors or staff who may be feeling ill, been in contact with anyone not feeling well, or recently travelled outside of Canada, should not visit the centres – to protect your loved ones and their fellow residents.

    More extensive cleaning and sanitizing procedures at City facilities

    The City has increased its cleaning and sanitizing processes in our facilities – allowing us to continue with programming over the weekend. For the safety of our employees and residents, please avoid entering our facilities and Client Service Centres if you are sick or not feeling well.

    Public consultation meetings

    In-person City of Ottawa public consultations will be cancelled – including for the Ward Boundary Review and the Community Safety and Well-being Plan. You can still participate in consultations by completing online surveys at engage.ottawa.ca.

    Committee and Council Meetings

    The City is also working to limit the number of Committee meetings. If agendas are updated, information will be available on ottawa.ca.

    Provincial Offences Act court appearances

    If you have a scheduled court appearance at Mary Pitt Centre, 100 Constellation Drive, but you are showing symptoms, please call 3-1-1 before your court time to receive further directions.

    What you can do

    If you are showing symptoms, please avoid taking public transit.

    There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19. To reduce the spread of germs including the flu and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) we recommend that you:

    • Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless you have just cleaned your hands
    • Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or into your arm, not your hand
    • If possible, stay home if you are sick
    • Avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care centres if you are sick
    • It is still recommended to get your flu shot if you haven’t already as the flu virus is still circulating in the community

    For additional medical information, visit ottawapublichealth.ca/coronavirus.


  • Get involved in review of ward boundaries and equal representation

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    Ottawa – The City encourages you to participate in the Ward Boundary Review 2020, either through the online public engagement survey at ottawa.ca/wardboundary or through any of the nine public consultations taking place between Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, April 1.

    In June 2019, City Council directed staff to retain an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive review and establish the city’s ward boundaries that could be used in at least the 2022, 2026 and 2030 municipal elections. Beate Bowron Etcetera Inc., in association with The Davidson Group and Hemson Consulting Ltd., will lead the review and ensure an objective and impartial process.

    The last major ward boundary review was conducted 15 years ago, and Ottawa’s population has grown significantly since – especially in suburban wards. There are now significant population imbalances between wards that could affect fair and equal representation for you, the voter. That’s why it is important to get involved and have your say.

    There will be two rounds of public consultation. Round one is underway, collecting your input on existing ward boundaries. Once the first phase is finished, the consultant team will prepare an information report that will set out options for revised ward boundaries, to be considered this spring by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and City Council. Round two will be later this year, and will seek opinions and feedback on those ward boundary options.

    How to participate

    Getting involved is easy and convenient. You can provide your input as part of round one either from the comfort of your own home by completing a survey or submitting comments at ottawa.ca/wardboundary, or by attending one of the following consultation sessions:

    • Tuesday, March 10
      Ben Franklin Place – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Wednesday March 11
      St-Laurent Complex – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Tuesday, March 24
      Richcraft Recreation Complex – Kanata – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Wednesday, March 25
      Minto Recreation Complex – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Thursday, March 26
      Shenkman Arts Centre – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Saturday, March 28
      Manotick Community Centre – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
    • Monday, March 30
      Jim Durrell Recreation Centre – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
    • Tuesday, March 31
      City Hall – 3 to 5 pm and 6:30 to 8:30 pm
    • Wednesday, April 1
      CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn – 7:30 to 9:30 pm


    You can get more ward boundary review information at ottawa.ca/wardboundary or by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Inquiries and comments can also be sent to wardboundary@ottawa.ca. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.