Properties in Ottawa identified by federal government for affordable housing

Earlier this week, the federal government announced a plan to convert 22 federal properties in Ottawa into housing. Now the government is giving a glimpse into what those redevelopments could look like.

It's part of the newly announced Canada Public Land Bank, which launched on Sunday, featuring 56 federal properties across the country that were identified as being able to support housing.

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Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds identified two properties Thursday in Canada Lands Company's Wateridge Village, former home of the Canadian Forces Base Rockcliffe.

The sites can accommodate 495 units of housing, with a minimum 30 per cent dedicated to affordable housing.

"Wherever possible, these public lands will remain public. They will remain public through low-cost leasing to bring down the cost of building and to support the creation of much needed affordable housing," said Sudds.

An example of what this could look like is the 271-unit affordable housing complex owned by Ottawa Community Housing in Wateridge.

But industry leaders say it takes more than just land to get shovels in the ground.

"It's important we are laying in the other pieces in terms of funding and access to financing and preferred tax, all those things come together to allow us to get to the levels of affordability we want. But starting with land is absolutely good," said Cliff Youdale, chief development officer with Ottawa Community Housing.

The government is accepting proposals for the two sites in Wateridge Village.