Chiarelli promises to protect single-family neighbourhoods, reject inclusionary zoning

Bob Chiarelli during an interview with CTV News Ottawa after he kicked off his campaign for mayor by registering at the city's elections office Monday, May 2, 2022.

Ottawa mayoral candidate Bob Chiarelli says, if elected mayor this fall, he would work towards increasing the city’s housing stock, but would do so without “killing off Ottawa’s single-family neighbourhoods.”

Chiarelli said in a news release Monday that his plan would increase intensification (that is, building more housing units in smaller spaces; effectively building up instead of out) in a way that does not “destroy” single-family neighbourhoods.

“Intensification is mandated by the Province, but there are better ways of doing it,” he said.

• RELATED: Full municipal election coverage

“I would encourage building housing on available City land, including around transit stations. The City should seek new opportunities to sell air rights and build housing above City-owned property. The City should prioritize intensification/redevelopment on acres of one-storey commercial property (and its parking), in preference to trashing existing housing and greenspace.”

He also said he would fast-track approval of adding basement or attic suites to existing homes and would negotiate with the federal government to speed up adding housing to Tunney’s Pasture and Confederation Heights.

However, he was critical of some proposals to encourage affordable housing in large developments.

He said inclusionary zoning, which would mandate a percentage of units in large developments be designated as “affordable” units, is unfair to homebuyers.

“According to the plan, this requirement would be paid by driving up the cost of the other units in the development. This would shift the cost of providing subsidized housing from governments and onto new homebuyers. That’s not fair, further driving up the cost of housing for the majority of homebuyers,” he said.

He also reiterated a proposal to have the Ontario government return the council-approved Official Plan to the new term of council for a second look. The plan, which charts Ottawa’s growth over the next quarter-century, was approved by city council last year, but the provincial government has yet to provide its approval.

Outgoing mayor Jim Watson said he did not know why the plan has not yet been approved by the provincial government, but added that the elected council approved it with a strong vote well before the end of its term.

“Some have suggested it should be the new council that deals with it. No, this was dealt with by the city seven or eight months ago. Our council has the authority,” Watson told reporters following a council meeting in September. “It’s been submitted, and the minister is going to have to accept, reject or send it back, but we believe it’s a solid document that received a very strong vote of support from over three quarters of members of council.”

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing told CTV News Ottawa in a statement it is carefully reviewing municipalities' official plans but offered no timeline for when Ottawa's will be complete.

"The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is carefully reviewing each municipality’s official plan to ensure it best serves the long-term interests of Ontarians," the statement said. "The City of Ottawa will be notified once the review is complete."

Election Day is Oct. 24, but there will be advanced polls open this Friday and next Friday.