Federal land in Ottawa's west end now available for housing

A federal government building in downtown Ottawa is seen in this Sept. 11, 2024 image. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The federal government is making a piece of land available for future housing in Ottawa's west end, land that was re-zoned by the City of Ottawa six years ago for the Rochester Field development.

Public Services and Procurement Canada announced 12 new properties across Canada have been added to the Canada Public Land Bank, which is federal properties that could be turned into affordable housing.

The new location in Ottawa is two parcels of land at 529 Richmond Road.  The National Capital Commission land has the Keg's Ottawa Manor restaurant and the Maplelawn Garden, a 19^th century garden, on the property.

The NCC says two parcels of land at 529 Richmond Road will be available for housing, separate from the restaurant and the historic garden.  The land is currently being used by the City of Ottawa as a staging area while construction continues on Stage 2 of the Light Rail Transit project.

"I confirmed yesterday afternoon with the NCC that the land now in the housing bank at 529 Richmond is the same as was re-zoned in 2018 for development in a portion of Rochester Field as part of the LRT deal," Coun. Jeff Leiper said on X Wednesday morning.

In 2018, Ottawa's planning committee approved a deal between staff and the NCC to permit some development on Rochester Field, with 80 per cent of the property remaining publicly available open space.

According to the federal government's website, 1.56 acres of land is available at the Richmond Road site. 

 

The federal government's plan to build four million more homes includes identifying federal properties within its portfolio that have the potential for housing, and adding them to the Canada Public Land Bank.

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In October, the federal government announced seven properties in Ottawa and two in Gatineau, Que. are available to be turned into new homes. The properties include three near the O-Train Hurdman Station, 1250 Ledbury Avenue; land called the "Ottawa Southern Corridor," north of West Hunt Club Road between Woodroffe Avenue and Merivale Road; Baseline Road at Cedarview Road; and 1730 Robertson Road.

The Canada Public Land Bank was launched in August, featuring an initial 56 federal properties identified to support housing, including 22 in Ottawa. The initial properties included:

• Five properties at Tunney's Pasture at 10 Columbine Dr.; 100 Chardon Dr.; 50 Columbine Dr.; 70 Columbine Dr; and a building at Frederick Banting, Colombine, and Tunney’s Pasture driveways
• The Jackson Building at 122 Bank St.
• L'Esplanade Laurier at 171-181 Bank St.
• 552 Booth St. in The Glebe Annex
• Edward Drake Building (former CBC building) at 1500 Bronson Ave.
• 2670 Riverside Dr. in Hogs Back
• Sir Charles Tupper Building 2720 Riverside Dr.
• 875 Heron Rd. in Alta Vista
• Federal Study Centre at 1495 Heron Road
• National Defence Medical Centre at 1745 Alta Vista Drive
• Five sites at 470 Tremblay Rd. near St. Laurent Shopping Centre 
• 599 Tremblay Rd. near St. Laurent Shopping Centre 
• Former CFB Rockcliffe site at 370 Codd's Rd. and 800 Winisik St.
• Former CFB Rockcliffe site at Tawadina Road and Wanaki Road