Intensification ‘Not At Any Cost’: Citizens Federation

Published 12/07/2023 · Updated 12/07/2023

This is a release from the Federation of Citizens Associations of Ottawa:

The Federation of Citizens Associations (FCA – representing 71 community groups in Ottawa) welcomed yesterday’s passage by the Ontario Legislature of Bill 150 – Planning Statute Law Amendment Act (2023) – which restored the original provisions of the City of Ottawa’s Official Plan.

Said Robert Brinker, President of the FCA: “Our communities worked hard in developing the City’s Official Plan, making necessary compromises to accommodate Ottawa’s future growth.

The modifications that the previous Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing (Stephen Clark) made went too far and were unwelcome,” he said; “This legislation restores our trust in the planning process.”

The City of Ottawa’s Official Plan sets out policies and land designations to accommodate the City’s growth for the next 25 years.

The result of over 2 years of public consultation, it balances urban expansion with intensification to reach Ottawa’s future population and housing growth. Said Brinker: “The FCA supported intensification over urban sprawl but not at any cost. It makes sense to intensify along rapid transit corridors and along major arterials. It was important to our member communities, however, to limit intensification along minor corridors in established neighbourhoods.

We were shocked when the former Minister not only added more urban expansion than was asked for but increased density in these neighbourhoods. We are pleased that the City’s original plan has been restored”.

Brinker noted that a recent City Council initiative to ask the Government to increase density along minor corridors was not included in the legislation. Said Brinker: “We were surprised at this last-minute attempt to end-run the planning approval process by City Council. There was no public consultation regarding this unexpected move. We had arrived at a consensus on this matter when Council approved the original plan last year, and are pleased this has now been confirmed.”

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