Ottawa sees record new home construction
Construction started on a record number of new homes in Ottawa last year, as real estate agents warn a lack of supply is a major issue in the housing market.
The 2020 city of Ottawa annual development report shows there were 9,239 new housing starts in 2020, the most in a year since amalgamation in 2001.
The 9,239 housing starts in 2020 is up 30.7 per cent from 2019.
When it comes to the type of housing being built, 3,816 apartment units were built, 2,733 were townhomes, 2,439 were single-detached homes and 251 were semi-detached homes.
A total of 11,339 residential unit permits were issued in 2020, up 20.3 per cent from 2019 and the most permits issued since amalgamation.
The percentage of housing permits issued inside the Greenbelt increased to 50.4 per cent of all permits in 2020 from 36.5 per cent in 2019.
"This increase was due to a large number of apartment units that received building permits inside the Greenbelt in 2020," said staff in a report for Monday's Planning Committee meeting.
Staff say 43.56 per cent of new units issued permits were near existing Ottawa LRT stations, maintstreets and the Central Area of Ottawa.
A new report this week raised concerns about supply levels in the Ottawa housing market.
"Supply is likely to increase slightly in 2022, but low levels are expected to remain a concern," said Remax in its housing market outlook, adding housing prices will increase five per cent in 2022.
The Ottawa Real Estate Board said last month that the only way to find "balance" in Ottawa's real estate market is to increase the housing supply "exponentially."
Ottawa's population increased 1.6 per cent in 2020 to 1,022,604.
At the end of 2020, there were 435,747 households in Ottawa, up 1.6 per cent from the year before.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca