New Zoning By-law

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New zoning by-law identifier

City Council Approves Staff Report for New Zoning By-law

The new Zoning By-law was approved by Ottawa City Council on January 28, 2026. Enactment of the By-law is anticipated at a Council meeting in mid-March 2026. Until this time, Zoning By-law 2008-250, as amended is in effect.

Following enactment in mid-March, a 20-day appeal period begins within 10 days and is expected to conclude by the end of April 2026.

At an Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearing, the OLT will declare the unappealed portions of the new Zoning By-law are in effect. The timing of this hearing is not finalized at this time, but it is anticipated that an OLT decision will be issued by September 2026, at which time the unappealed portions of the By-law will be in effect. Until any unappealed sections of the By-law are brought into force, the most restrictive provisions of both the current Zoning By-law 2008-250 and the new Zoning By-law 2026-50 will apply.

For provisions in the new Zoning By-law that are appealed, the related provisions in the current Zoning By-law will continue to apply, with the most restrictive provisions in either the new Zoning By-law or Zoning By-law 2008-250 prevailing until the appeals are resolved. The transition provisions in Section 110 concerning interpretation of exceptions and schedules will not come into effect until they are declared in effect by the OLT.

ZONING PROVISIONS, as of September 08, 2025 (Note: amendments carried at the January 28,2026 Meeting of Council will be released following enactment tenatively scheduled for March 2026)

ZONING MAP, as of September 08, 2025 (Note: amendments carried at the January 28,2026 Meeting of Council will be released following enactment tenatively scheduled for March 2026)

  • Check out geoOttawa for the citywide updated zoning map. Be sure to turn on the “New Zoning By-law - FINAL DRAFT” option under “Zoning Resources”.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Check out the folders in the New Zoning By-law Documents tab on the right side of this page for more information on previous drafts of the new Zoning By-law and prior Council reports, previous consultation events and supporting materials, and classroom resources for teachers and students. Additional information can be found in the article posts below.


Please note that Zoning By-law 2008-250 remains in effect.



Honouring Statement

Ottawa is built on unceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory. The peoples of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation have lived on this territory for millennia. Their culture and presence have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. The City of Ottawa honours the peoples and land of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. The City of Ottawa honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.

City Council Approves Staff Report for New Zoning By-law

The new Zoning By-law was approved by Ottawa City Council on January 28, 2026. Enactment of the By-law is anticipated at a Council meeting in mid-March 2026. Until this time, Zoning By-law 2008-250, as amended is in effect.

Following enactment in mid-March, a 20-day appeal period begins within 10 days and is expected to conclude by the end of April 2026.

At an Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearing, the OLT will declare the unappealed portions of the new Zoning By-law are in effect. The timing of this hearing is not finalized at this time, but it is anticipated that an OLT decision will be issued by September 2026, at which time the unappealed portions of the By-law will be in effect. Until any unappealed sections of the By-law are brought into force, the most restrictive provisions of both the current Zoning By-law 2008-250 and the new Zoning By-law 2026-50 will apply.

For provisions in the new Zoning By-law that are appealed, the related provisions in the current Zoning By-law will continue to apply, with the most restrictive provisions in either the new Zoning By-law or Zoning By-law 2008-250 prevailing until the appeals are resolved. The transition provisions in Section 110 concerning interpretation of exceptions and schedules will not come into effect until they are declared in effect by the OLT.

ZONING PROVISIONS, as of September 08, 2025 (Note: amendments carried at the January 28,2026 Meeting of Council will be released following enactment tenatively scheduled for March 2026)

ZONING MAP, as of September 08, 2025 (Note: amendments carried at the January 28,2026 Meeting of Council will be released following enactment tenatively scheduled for March 2026)

  • Check out geoOttawa for the citywide updated zoning map. Be sure to turn on the “New Zoning By-law - FINAL DRAFT” option under “Zoning Resources”.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Check out the folders in the New Zoning By-law Documents tab on the right side of this page for more information on previous drafts of the new Zoning By-law and prior Council reports, previous consultation events and supporting materials, and classroom resources for teachers and students. Additional information can be found in the article posts below.


Please note that Zoning By-law 2008-250 remains in effect.



Honouring Statement

Ottawa is built on unceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory. The peoples of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation have lived on this territory for millennia. Their culture and presence have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. The City of Ottawa honours the peoples and land of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. The City of Ottawa honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Draft 2: New Zoning By-law Issues and Opportunities Survey

    Purpose 

    The City of Ottawa has a new Official Plan that sets out new priorities and new directions. The Planning Act requires municipalities to update the zoning by-law within three years of the approval of a new Official Plan. As such, the City is developing a new comprehensive Zoning By-law for approval by Council. The new Zoning By-law needs to support the intensification and growth goals in the Official Plan, implement regulations to support liveable communities as expected by Council and the public, and provide a zoning framework that supports the development of 15-minute neighbourhoods and other strategic policy goals. Once approved, the new Zoning By-law will replace the current Zoning By-law 2008-250. 


    Draft 2 of the new Zoning By-law has been released and consultations will focus on several key outstanding issues that were raised during the engagement program and work completed to-date. The final draft of the new Zoning By-law (Draft 3) is scheduled to be released on September 8, 2025 and will go to Joint Committee on December 17, 2025 and to City Council for approval on January 28, 2026. 


    Key issues and opportunities have been identified and the City is looking to understand the interests of the community and hear public feedback on key topics through a community survey. The key topics include building heights and building transition framework in the City and in neighbourhood zones, and communal parking lot permissions. 

    Click here to read or download the updated provisions in Draft 2 of the new Zoning By-law.  

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Page last updated: 03 Feb 2026, 03:49 PM