Ottawa new home construction sets new record in 2021
New home construction hit a record high in the city of Ottawa in 2021, with nearly 30 per cent of the new dwellings built in Ottawa's intensification target areas.
The 2021 Annual Development Report shows construction began on 9,402 new homes last year, up 1.8 per cent from 2020 and the most housing starts in a single year since amalgamation in 2000.
Single-detached homes accounted for 29.5 per cent of all new housing starts in Ottawa, up from 26.4 per cent of all starts in 2020.
Semi-detached homes accounted for 2.3 per cent of all home starts last year, while apartments accounted for 40.3 per cent of all home starts. The report says the proportion of semi-detached and row house starts decreased in 2021 from 2020.
Staff say the larger Ottawa-Gatineau area ranked fifth in "absolute housing starts" among Canada's six largest metropolitan areas in 2021, with 13,280 units built. While Ottawa-Gatineau saw a 1.9 per cent increase in housing starts last year, Calgary saw a 62 per cent increase in housing starts, followed by Montreal at 18.6 per cent.
Ottawa's existing Official Plan directs intensification to areas with high levels of transit service or where dwellings may be located close to employment areas. The report says 3,192 residential units were issued building permits in intensification targets areas, accounting for 28 per cent of net new units issued permits in Ottawa.
A total for 1,401 permits were issued around existing Rapid Transit Stations, while 1,181 units will be built around future LRT stations.
Council approved a new Official Plan in October 2021, establishing an increasing residential intensification target to 2035. The Official Plan is still under review by the Ontario government.
Ottawa's Development Report shows the average resale price of a new home was $645,976 in 2021, up 22 per cent from the year before. Ottawa's rental vacancy rate was 3.4 per cent.
The city of Ottawa's population increased 0.8 per cent in 2021 to 1,054,800. The downtown area saw the greatest population growth in 2021, up 11.7 per cent last year compared to a 2.9 per cent decrease the year before.
According to the report, 588,700 Ottawa residents were employed in 2021, with 182,000 residents working in "knowledge", 134,000 working for government and 84,000 employed in the retail sector. Staff say the "Industrial and Resource Cluster" saw the largest employment growth last year, with 12,900 new jobs. Ottawa's retail sector saw a decline of 3,000 jobs in 2021 from the year before.
The wards of Barrhaven and Gloucester-South Nepean had the highest ward populations in Ottawa.
The planning committee will receive the annual development report at its meeting on Aug. 25.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.