What candidates say about building apartments next to your bungalow
Housing is one of the main issues on the municipal campaign trail as candidates share their visions for the future of the city.
Ottawa city council approved a growth blueprint, called the Official Plan, last year, but it has yet to get the green light from the provincial government. The blueprint includes a focus on intensification, building more housing in denser space, usually by building multi-unit homes, or building up instead of out, though the plan also includes an expansion of the city’s urban boundary.
The character of neighbourhoods, however, is a perennial discussion, with residents in neighbourhoods dominated by single-family homes—known as “R1 zoning”—sometimes expressing opposition to intensification nearby.
“(R1 zoning) is really restrictive in terms of what we can do, in terms of the type of housing and the density that we can have in the existing city,” says Jason Burggraaf, the executive director of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association.
“Ottawa essentially does need to eliminate its R1 zoning. It’s got a very aggressive intensification target of 90,000 homes over the next 25 years to be accommodated within existing neighbourhoods. So, the only way we’re going to achieve that target is by eliminating R1 zoning and allowing more intensification–semis, long semis with apartments–what have you.”
That R1 zoning was brought up on the campaign trail Monday when mayoral candidate Bob Chiarelli vowed to protect neighbourhoods, arguing, “Unlike my opponent to the left, I do not support killing off Ottawa’s single-family neighbourhoods.”
Chiarelli said he believes intensification can be achieved in other ways, including use of city-owned land, building housing above existing commercial space, and fast-tracking approvals for adding basement and attic suites.
Here is what other mayoral candidates told CTV News Ottawa:
Mike Maguire:
“I don’t support that. People who are in R1 right now, they’ve invested their life savings in their homes, they deserve to have the confidence that that will be in their possession for many, many generations to come.”
Catherine McKenney:
“In most cases, this will allow for, say, a duplex to replace a single-family home, or a low- or mid-rise unit building on a secondary corridor like Gladstone; it is not a shocking change in any way.”
Param Singh:
“I’m not for scrapping R1.”
Mark Sutcliffe:
“I think we have to consult more, and make sure people are comfortable with the intensification that’s happening, but I don’t support a blanket removal of R1.”
Other candidates have commented on the issue already. Brandon Bay says he would like to see an end to R1 zoning. His platform includes allowing the construction of duplexes, triplexes and townhomes city-wide. Nour Kadri said he would like to increase density in targeted areas, particularly those close to transit hubs and schools.
Election Day is Oct. 24. There are two advance voting days this Friday and next Friday ahead of the main vote.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Peter Szperling.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.