The Planning and Housing Committee approved a major redevelopment at 267 O’Connor Street, allowing two high-rise towers (26 and 28 storeys) with 513 purpose-built rental units on a site currently occupied by a near-vacant office building and surface parking. Debate focused on how the city’s “landmark policy” is applied and whether the project’s sustainability commitments amount to leadership or simply meeting minimum requirements. The committee also heard updates on unresolved environmental and safety issues at the Canada Lakes Golf Course redevelopment site, including incomplete Phase 2 environmental testing after mercury was detected. Members also advanced a motion aimed at reducing process barriers for affordable housing projects on city land, particularly those led by Ottawa Community Housing.

Topics Discussed

267 O'Connor Street Development Approval

Committee members approved Official Plan and zoning changes to permit two towers and 513 rental units at 267 O’Connor Street. In support of the redevelopment rationale, one speaker described the proposal as “the transformation of this site from a near vacant office building and surface parking lot towards the provision of 513 purpose-built rental units.”

The application was reviewed through the city’s “landmark policy,” which allows additional height beyond the underlying zoning in exchange for public benefits, including publicly accessible space and enhanced performance standards. Some committee discussion questioned what the policy practically requires. Councillor Johnson asked what the policy “prescribe[s] in terms of the land use planning on the site in real terms,” and also raised fairness concerns about consultation rules, saying it felt odd that “neighbor being equal to neighbor that feels a bit funny.”

Community delegates focused on sustainability. Martin Barkley, vice-president of the Centertown Community Association, argued the proposal did not demonstrate environmental leadership: “We can’t have leadership from the minimum standard. All that the proponent has proposed to do is meet the minimum standard required for construction. There has been no mitigation. There has been no leadership with regard to environmental sustainability or energy efficiency.” Another delegate similarly criticized voluntary commitments as insufficient, saying that “promising to meet the city of Ottawa’s tier one of the draft high performance development standards, even if that is voluntary, is simply not a demonstration of leadership.”

Other comments emphasized the cost of redesign and delay. Liam O’Brien told the committee: “Good is better than perfect if it means proceeding quickly. I think there’s consequences actually in changing the design.”

Canada Lakes Golf Course Environmental and Safety Concerns

Councillor Curry raised ongoing issues tied to the Canada Lakes Golf Course redevelopment site, including resident reports of property damage and environmental impacts during active work. The committee heard that more detailed environmental testing is still outstanding. Aaron Tate, program manager of the Environmental Remediation Unit, said the city had limited documentation so far: “We have only just received a short summary of their test results to date. We have not seen anything written. We do understand that they are going to need to do a more comprehensive phase 2 environmental site assessment in order to meet the record of site condition regulation and the requirements under that.”

The committee also heard about escalation pathways if conditions worsen. One staff comment noted: “If we were to observe a significant spill or health concern identified on the site, we would be notifying the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks to enforce under their legislation or to public health depending on the nature of the issue.” Another speaker summarized the jurisdictional uncertainty bluntly: “Right now it seems that neither agency has accepted that role.”

Streamlining Affordable Housing Development

Councillor Dudas brought forward a motion aimed at reducing procedural barriers for affordable housing projects on municipal land, particularly those involving Ottawa Community Housing. Dudas framed the issue as urgency and internal capacity, saying: “We are in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. And when we have our own dedicated housing partner, we should not be tying them up in red tape.”

Committee discussion also touched on comparative costs for nonprofit delivery. Councillor Kavanagh said: “Currently, Ottawa Community Housing can currently build units for around 450 to 500,000 per unit… we’ve recently heard quotes of 600,000 for nonprofit.”

Heritage Preservation at 267 O'Connor Street

Alongside the planning approvals, the committee carried a heritage permit for 267 O’Connor Street and adopted an amendment requiring conservation of a relief sculpture on the existing building. The site sits within the Centertown Heritage Conservation District, and the approval included conditions intended to protect heritage attributes during construction.

Development Processing Delays

Beyond the O’Connor Street file and affordable housing motion, committee discussion included broader frustration with timelines for development approvals. One councillor said: “There’s no developer in this town that will say they’re satisfied with the amount of time it takes to have their applications processed by the city of Ottawa. That is the top complaint I hear consistently.”

Motions

• Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Bylaw Amendment for 267 O'Connor Street (Items 41 and 42) — CARRIED
• Heritage Permit for 267 O'Connor Street — CARRIED AS AMENDED
• Amendment requiring conservation of relief sculpture at 267 O'Connor Street (Vice Chair Gower) — CARRIED
• Motion to streamline affordable housing development process for municipal lands (Councillor Dudas) — outcome not stated in the provided transcript
• Zoning Bylaw Amendment for 67 Kempster Avenue — CARRIED without presentation
• Zoning Bylaw Amendment for 255 and 2707 Solant Road — CARRIED without presentation

Attendees

• Vice Chair Gower
• Councillor Curry
• Councillor Troster
• Councillor Johnson
• Councillor Tener
• Councillor Dudas
• Councillor Brockington